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PODCAST

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality

While religion and science often seem at odds, there’s one thing they can agree on: people who take part in spiritual practices tend to live longer, healthier, and happier lives. The big question is: Why? In How God Works, professor Dave DeSteno takes us on a journey to find out how spirituality impacts our minds and bodies, as well as the world in which we live.He speaks to leading scientists and philosophers, religious thinkers, and thought leaders to explore what we can learn from the

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All Episodes

36:13

Religion & Mental Health Part 2: Addiction

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/12/17

When it comes to treating addiction, twelve-step programs like Alcoholics Anonymous are some of the most often used in the US. But while twelve-step programs have several components, one of the most central is surrendering control to a higher power. But how important is that idea? Does relying on a divine influence help or hurt? And might there be other routes to recovery? We’ll talk with bestselling author and New York Times opinion writer Maia Szalavitz about what the research on

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31:22

Religion & Mental Health Part 1: Psychotherapy

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/12/03

For most of the past 200 years, religion and psychiatry didn’t get along too well. Or so the story goes. But if you go back far enough, the two have more in common than you might think. On this episode, we’ll hear about the deep history of integrating spirituality into mental health treatments, and how it’s being rediscovered today at some of the world’s top mental health facilities. We’ll talk with psychiatrist Rania Awaad about her work reconnecting the Muslim community to Islam’s long,

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39:25

Every Breath You Take

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/11/19

It’s no accident that the Hebrew word for breath is the same as the word for spirit (ruach). Breath doesn’t just give us life: it helps regulate everything from vital organ functions to cognition and emotional states. That’s why spiritual traditions the world over incorporate it as a practice to help heal body and mind and walk the path towards peace. Join us as we explore the breath’s connection to our nervous system with psychologist and neuroscientist Stephen Porges, creator of

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34:11

Touching the Transcendent

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/11/05

We’ve all heard of spiritual experiences – moments of feeling intense awe and deep love and connection. People who’ve had them – and it’s a lot more than you might think – see them as some of the most profound moments of their lives. Moments that change them for the better in enduring ways. But what’s going on in our brains when these experiences happen? Do you even need religious beliefs to have them? And, if you’re so inclined, how might you start? Episode Guests: David Yaden is

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46:35

Introducing: Mother is a Question

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/10/29

Today we’re featuring an episode from the new PRX podcast Mother is a Question. What is Unteachable about Mothering? Our journey into this territory of mothering begins. Tasha searches out someone whose deep wisdom about mothering was totally lost on her when they first met ten years ago. Back then, Teourialier Johnson—who Tasha met as “T”—was a teacher of motherhood in an unlikely context. Now, for us, she’s a teacher of so much more, opening to transformation even when it seems all has

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38:49

From Two Spirit to Bissu, Gender Diversity Has Deep...

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/10/22

Around the world, gender diversity isn't the exception; it's fairly common. It’s also not a new invention. Many indigenous societies have long recognized a wide variety of gender expressions, and given leadership roles in spiritual life to gender fluid people. And while colonization has often influenced gender norms, leading to discrimination and violence, many of these traditions are still very much alive. Join Dave as he explores the history, present, and future of life beyond the

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37:22

Queer and Here!

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/10/08

Christianity and Judaism have had long standing theological concerns with LGBTQ+ issues. BUT from the Vatican to certain Jewish denominations, there are movements afoot to be more open, tolerant, and accepting. In the first of a two-part series on gender and spirituality, we’ll talk with Father James Martin and Rabbi Shira Stutman about the history of discrimination in their traditions and how that’s starting to change. We’ll also take a look at the science behind how religion can directly

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40:34

Seeking Silence

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/09/24

When’s the last time you actually heard silence? We’re flooded with noise everyday, so much so that we don’t even realize it. And it's not just bad for our ears, it's not great for our health or wellbeing either. We’ll take a look at how noise (and its absence) affect the workings of our mind and our emotions. Why silence can make us feel more connected to ourselves and one another, and how spiritual traditions seek to create silent spaces for contemplation and growth. We’ll also ask the

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01:43

Season 5 of How God Works is Coming

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/09/17

How God Works is coming back to your feed on September 24th! Tune in this season as we tackle topics like the value of silence, how different faiths view gender and sexuality, the power of mystical experience and connecting to the breath, and much more. And in the meantime, feel free to catch up on older episodes, and rate and review the show wherever you listen.

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38:19

Is Burning Man a Party or a Pilgrimage? (2022)

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/08/27

Every year, thousands of people head to Nevada's Black Rock Desert for a week at Burning Man. And while from the outside, it might seem like a place for partying, drugs, and debauchery, to many, it offers something deeper, even life changing. We’ll ask neuroscientist Molly Crockett and Episcopal minister Alex Leach, both burners themselves: Is Burning Man a new type of spiritual gathering? How and why does it deeply move people? And should more traditional faiths aim to have a bit more

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34:54

Soul-ercise

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/07/09

The lights are dimmed, candles are lit, bodies begin to sway together as the voice from the stage says a spirit-lifting, soul-stirring affirmation…and then screams “Now sprint for 10!”. Group fitness classes have, for many, become something more than just a good way to get the blood pumping and pounds dropping. On this episode we take a look at why exercise classes from Soul Cycle to Crossfit have become some of the most fervent venues for secular spirituality and how some religious

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33:40

What’s Old is New Again

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/06/25

It's not news that the US is becoming more secular. People have been drifting away from religion for decades, and that trend is accelerating right now in people under 40. But there is a small but growing trend in those same generations of people who are seeking just the opposite. These people are looking to older and more orthodox forms of faith to find meaning, purpose, and community even in the face of what many might consider to be more sexist and less tolerant ideas. Join Dave as he

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45:10

Can Ancient Wisdom Help Gen Z's Stress & Unhappiness?

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/06/11

This episode is an edited version of a live event held at WBUR’s Cityspace on May 15, 2023. A full-length video of the event is available here. For decades, studies from around the globe showed that happiness followed a U-shaped curve across the lifespan. For many people, the teens and twenties were some of the happiest and most carefree times of life — a period to be enjoyed before happiness began to drop and hit its low point around 50. BUT, over the past 10 years, a seismic change has

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38:06

Moving Beyond Us vs Them

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/05/28

Hate and prejudice based on ethnicity, religion, gender and sexual orientation are all too common in our world. But are we doomed to be this way? Or is it possible to create a world where cooperation and peace are the norm? Join Dave as he talks to NYU professor Jay van Bavel about the deeper mechanisms at work when it comes to group conflict (and how to avoid it), and with Zen Buddhism teacher Larry Ward about how the teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh and the Plum Village Tradition can help

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38:23

Sacred Sound

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/05/14

Music has the power to transform and connect us, no matter our native tongue. In many ways, it's a language unto itself. It ties us to memories...to people....to places. It heals us, promotes compassion and empathy. It unites us not only to each other, but according to many people, perhaps even to something greater. On this episode we’ll take a look at what’s going on in our brains and bodies when we sing sacred songs together... or listen to jazz. And why from Jewish nigunim to John

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35:53

The Flow of Craft

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/04/30

What do we get out of making things with our hands? Traditions the world over incorporate crafts into their religious practice, and for secular people, that experience of getting “in the zone” while weaving or working with wood or clay can also feel meditative, even spiritual. So maybe it’s worth asking: Is there a craftsperson in all of us that we should occasionally step away from our devices to nurture? And could craft, even for the non-artist, be a way to connect with spirituality for

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37:02

God is Green

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/04/16

Were the Earth and all its resources created just for our benefit? Do plants and animals exist solely for us to consume? Or should we be viewing our role on this planet differently? When it comes to protecting the environment and addressing climate change, religion has had mixed results. Why is that? With Earth Day almost upon us, we thought it would be the perfect time to take a look at how religion plays into our relationship to the Earth. We’ll talk to psychology professor Jesse Preston

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29:54

The Power of Awe

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/04/02

Awe fills us with wonder -- we feel small in the face of things that seem vast, inspiring, almost beyond comprehension. So it makes sense that spiritual experiences often inspire awe. But new science is showing it can also work the other way around. Awe from any source -- nature's beauty, art and music, even others’ noble acts -- can actually nudge us toward becoming more spiritual -- toward believing in the divine. And along the way, awe offers a host of benefits to support us. From

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01:50

Season 4 Trailer

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/03/26

Season 4 is coming on Sunday, April 2! Can learning to experience awe more often be good for us? Does learning to make pottery, sing in a choir, or play a group sport give us some of the same benefits as being part of a religious community? Does being Christian make you more or less likely to taking a stand on climate change? What does Buddhism have to teach us about healing the divisions in this country? And do spiritual traditions hold any answers for addressing the massive mental health

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38:40

From The Happiness Lab: Yoga of the Mind

How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality ·

2023/03/20

While we’re working on Season 4, we wanted to share a special episode from another podcast we love, The Happiness Lab. On The Happiness Lab, Dr. Laurie Santos explores all the ways we get our happiness wrong and what we can do to really feel better. She walks through the latest evidence-based strategies for improving your mental health, sharing practical advice on what will really bring more joy. In this episode, Laurie looks at what a centuries-old Sanskrit text, The Yoga Sutras, can

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