Know Thyself

In a world of overindulgence, from drugs, food, news, and social media, Dr. Anna Lembke reveals the science that explains why the relentless pursuit of pleasure leads to pain... and what to do about it. She explains how addiction works in the brain and how this plays out on an individual level from the micro decisions we make every single day to the macro. She shares the proven methods to escaping this cycle of suffering and how by intentionally choosing pain through healthy practices like cold plunges, exercise, and meditation, we can reset our dopamine levels in our brain.  She explores the concept of delayed gratification as defined by "The Marshmallow Experiment" which discovered a correlation between success in life and ability to delay gratification.  This episode is full or practical takeaways for anyone looking to better understand their brain and relationship to dopamine/addiction. Sleep Better with the Birch Mattress & Save 25%: https://birchliving.com/knowthyself  André's Book Recommendations: https://www.knowthyself.one/books ___________ 0:00 Intro  2:27 Defining Addiction and Dopamine  8:25 How Pleasure & Pain Work in the Brain 14:01 Our Biology Dooms Us in the Modern World 16:32 The Plenty Paradox: Convenience is Killing Us 22:05 Cold Plunges, Exercise, & Mediation: Healthy 'Pain' that Balances Our Dopamine 25:09 Resetting through Vipassana & Darkness Retreats 34:58 How She Started Doing This Work 37:43 Spectrum of Addiction: From the Intense to the Subtle 41:30 Becoming Resilient to Addiction 44:25 Ad: Sleep Better with Birch Mattress & Save 25% 45:40 Breaking the Cycle of Shame and Guilt 51:23 Shedding an Addiction to Your Identity 56:02 The Pain That’s Good For You 58:15 4 Things that Determine Addiction Risk  1:02:00 Danger of Social Media Addiction 1:09:44 Strategies for Overcoming Compulsive Behaviors  1:13:09 How Our Morning Sets Us Up For Success (or failure!) 1:14:37 Delayed Gratification: The Marshmallow Experiment  1:20:05 Practices to Change Negative Behaviors 1:26:11 Your Personal Growth Changes the World 1:28:39 The Beauty that Hides in Pain 1:31:55 Conclusion  ___________ Dr. Anna Lembke received her undergraduate degree in Humanities from Yale University and her medical degree from Stanford University. She is currently Professor and Medical Director of Addiction Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine. She is also Program Director of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Fellowship, Chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic, and a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Board of Addiction Medicine. Dr. Lembke appeared in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma, an unvarnished look at the impact of social media on our lives. Her latest book, "Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence" (Dutton/Penguin Random House, August 2021) was an instant New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestseller and has been translated into 30 languages. It combines the neuroscience of addiction with the wisdom of recovery to explore the problem of compulsive overconsumption in a dopamine-overloaded world. Website: https://www.annalembke.com Book "Dopamine Nation": https://a.co/d/ccpgrk4 Dopamine Nation Workbook: https://a.co/d/6vADILi ___________ Know Thyself Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/ Website: https://www.knowthyself.one Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4wglCWTJeWQC0exBalgKg Listen to all episodes on Audio:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FSiemtvZrWesGtO2MqTZ4?si=d389c8dee8fa4026 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-thyself/id1633725927 André Duqum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/

Visit https://marekhealth.com/knowthyself and get a 10% discount on the Optimization Package (use code KNOWTHYSELF) Author and researcher Dr. Lisa Miller unpacks the science of the Awakened Brain and how humans are innately wired for spiritual experiences. She discusses the root causes of the mental health crisis our planet is facing, and how by reconnecting to this innate spirituality we have the power to heal on a global level. She describes depression as two sides of the same door, revealing the opportunity hidden within our suffering. She discusses how transcendent experiences are explained on a neurological level and the 4 major finds of her research.  She reveals the science of synchronicity, surrender, and our ability to be 'trail angels' who help others along their journey. She also shares a guided practice to open yourself up to life's wisdom and live in harmony with the divine will. André's Book Recommendations: https://www.knowthyself.one/books ___________ 0:00 Intro 1:42 Defining Spirituality as a Scientist 3:45 The Cause of the Mental Health Crisis 6:00 Is Spirituality Limited to the Brain? 12:00 The Awakened Brain: Being in Sync with the Universe 16:52 Children are in This State Naturally 20:56 Ad: Marek Health, Gain Insights through Testing & Optimize Your Health 22:30 Mirror Neurons and Past Life Regressions 26:27 4 Major Findings on the Awakened Brain  32:15 Science of Synchronicity & Surrender  39:11 Guided Practice: Open Yourself Up to Life’s Wisdom 44:46 Her Most Shocking Discoveries 46:06 Depression as the Doorway to Spirituality 53:00 Integrating Achievement & Awakened Brain 57:36 Conclusion ___________ Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the Founder and Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program and research institute in spirituality and psychology, and has held over a decade of joint appointments in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical School. Her innovative research has been published in more than one hundred peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, including Cerebral Cortex, The American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Website: https://www.lisamillerphd.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.lisamiller/ ___________ Know Thyself Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/ Website: https://www.knowthyself.one Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4wglCWTJeWQC0exBalgKg Listen to all episodes on Audio:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FSiemtvZrWesGtO2MqTZ4?si=d389c8dee8fa4026 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-thyself/id1633725927 André Duqum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/

Relationship expert Alison Armstrong explores the profound dynamics of relationships and their role in personal evolution. She delves into key insights about understanding men, addressing common misconceptions that women may have. She unpacks how masculine and feminine energies commonly interact in our society, as well as the influence of hormones on our behaviors and perspectives. Alison highlights the subtle behaviors women exhibit as requests for safety in their relationships, emphasizing how feelings of emasculation can undermine intimacy and connection. And how by harnessing the power of acknowledgement and appreciation, we can strengthen bonds in relationships.  She provides powerful insights on how to learn to receive love and recognition, step into their inner king or queen, and embrace the beauty of aging with grace. Sleep Better with the Birch Mattress & Save 25%: https://birchliving.com/knowthyself  Try AG1 & Save with their Special Black Friday Sale https://drinkag1.com/knowthyself André's Book Recommendations: https://www.knowthyself.one/books ___________ 0:00 Intro 1:45 Creating Heaven to Earth 7:37 The Role That Relationships Play in Our Personal Evolution 21:22 What Women Don’t Understand About Men 32:58 Hormones & Masculine/ Feminine Energies 40:28 How Hormones Shape Our Perspective 47:17 Ad: Sleep Better with the Birch Mattress & Save 25% 48:42 Women’s Behaviors as a Subtle Request for Feeling Safe 52:50 Emasculation is Undermining Connection 56:13 Ad: Try AG1 and Save Today 57:37 What Video Games Teach Us About Men 1:06:19 Where Objectification Comes From 1:16:25 Importance of Acknowledgement and Appreciation 1:21:24 Learning to Receive in Relationship 1:30:38 Stepping Into Our Inner King/Queen 1:39:09 Aging with Grace  1:50:00 A Higher Perspective On Love & Death 1:59:10 Conclusion ___________ Alison Armstrong, author, educator, and creator of the widely acclaimed "Understanding Men" and "Understanding Women" transformational online series, asks the question: "What if no one is misbehaving -- including you?" She explores the good reasons behind the behavior of men and women such as fundamental differences in the ways we think, act and communicate. She offers simple, partnership-based, solutions to improve our communication and intimacy by honoring ourselves and others. She's known for her insight, sense of humor and ability to articulate the human experience and predicament of gender. Website: https://www.alisonarmstrong.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thealisonarmstrong/ ___________ Know Thyself Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/ Website: https://www.knowthyself.one Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4wglCWTJeWQC0exBalgKg Listen to all episodes on Audio:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FSiemtvZrWesGtO2MqTZ4?si=d389c8dee8fa4026 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-thyself/id1633725927 André Duqum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/

John Vervaeke delves into the concept of the meaning crisis facing our planet and explores how we can cultivate lives filled with purpose and wisdom. He shares his personal journey through a meaning crisis and reflects on how Socratic wisdom has shaped his understanding.  As he examines the broader implications of our current societal struggles, John highlights the main contributors to this, drawing parallels between modern times and historic civilizations and examining  four essential aspects that define meaning in our lives.  He addresses the impacts of scarcity mentality, technology, and loneliness, while offering insights into the contemplation of death and the fear of the unknown. The conversation also touches on the four types of knowing, the existential significance of love, and the process of relevance realization, which frames our perception of reality.  Ultimately, he presents a vision for humanity's future in the aftermath of the meaning crisis, contemplating the inevitability of suffering and drawing wisdom from great philosophers throughout history. Sponsors: BonCharge Red light therapy: Go to https://BonCharge.com/KnowThyself and use code KNOWTHYSELF to save 15%  Seed:  Go to https://seed.com/knowthyself and use code 25KNOWTHYSELF for 25% off your first month of Seed André's Book Recommendations: https://www.knowthyself.one/books ___________ 0:00 Intro  1:57 John's Personal Meaning Crisis  14:55 How Socrates' Wisdom Opened His Eyes  21:53 What Our Culture Gets Wrong About Love 27:29 4 Aspects that Define Meaning In Our Lives 36:15 Our Planet’s Meaning Crisis 45:50 BonCharge: Save on Redlight Therapy  47:04 The Main Contributors to this Crisis 57:22 Relating Modern Times to Historic Civilizations  1:04:13 Scarcity Mentality, Technology, and Loneliness 1:08:35 Contemplation on Death and Meaning 1:17:28 Our Fear of the Unknown & How It Fuels Our Beliefs 1:21:13 Seed: Save 25% off Your First Month 1:22:55 The 4 Types of Knowing: Go From Intellect to Embodied Wisdom 1:36:53 Love as an Existential Stance 1:41:10 Relevance Realization & Framing How We See Reality 1:53:02 Intuition & How Psychics Use Implicit Learning 2:03:56 Increasing Cognitive Agency 2:11:00 What Makes Something Profound?  2:16:17 IQ as a Predictor for Success in Life 2:19:53 Defining Enlightenment & Flowstate 2:38:25 Vision for Humanity's Future, Post Meaning Crisis  2:47:30 Is Suffering Inevitable on Our Planet? 2:54:45 Wisdom from the Great Philosophers 2:57:57 Rapid Fire Questions 3:01:18 Conclusion  ___________ John Vervaeke, Ph.D. is an award-winning professor at the University of Toronto in the departments of psychology, cognitive science, and Buddhist psychology. He has published articles on relevance realization, general intelligence, mindfulness, flow, metaphor, and wisdom. He is the first author of the book Zombies in Western Culture: A 21st Century crisis which integrates Psychology and Cognitive Science to address the meaning crisis in Western society. He is the author and presenter of the YouTube series, Awakening from the Meaning Crisis. Book: https://amzn.to/3Udpgox Website: https://johnvervaeke.com The Philosophical Silk Road: https://johnvervaeke.com/series/the-philosophical-silk-road/ ___________ Know Thyself Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/ Website: https://www.knowthyself.one Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4wglCWTJeWQC0exBalgKg Listen to all episodes on Audio:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FSiemtvZrWesGtO2MqTZ4?si=d389c8dee8fa4026 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-thyself/id1633725927 André Duqum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/

Rupert Spira provides a profound exploration of non-dualism, addressing fundamental questions about our true nature and the essence of existence. Beginning with the inquiry “Who Are You, Really?” Spira guides us through a journey that challenges our habitual thoughts and beliefs, encouraging a deeper connection to our being. He delves into our inherent longing for happiness and the qualities of awareness that shape our experience. As he explains how the universe separates itself to know itself, he highlights the implications for morality and our relationships, viewing them as containers for growth and understanding. Spira also discusses the transformative journey of enlightenment, the different types of meditation, and the potential pitfalls of spiritual ego.  This exploration not only sheds light on the nature of thoughts but also offers practical guidance to embody your true self, making it a must-watch for anyone seeking deeper understanding and fulfillment in life.  Sponsor: Pique’s Black Friday specials are HERE with weekly deals in November. Get 20% off all new subscription orders with my link: https://www.PIQUELIFE.COM/KNOWTHYSELF André's Book Recommendations: https://www.knowthyself.one/books ___________ 0:00 Intro 1:55 Who Are You, Really? 11:01 When Thoughts Lead You Astray, Being Leads You Within 16:28 Investigating Our True Nature  24:48 Our Inherent Longing For Happiness 28:49 The Steps to Recognize Your True Being 33:10 The Inherent Qualities of Our Awareness 47:39 How the universe separates itself to know itself  59:33 Piquelife: Experience the Pinnacle of Coffee Alternatives and Save 20% 1:01:06 What Love & Happiness Are 1:09:24 The Implication This Has on Morality & How We Experience the World 1:12:22 Relationships as a Container for Growth 1:19:52 The Journey & Experience of Enlightenment 1:26:48 3 Different Types of Meditation  1:33:04 Spiritual Ego & The Pitfalls of Intellectualization  1:42:49 Beyond Suffering: The Meaning of life 1:45:09 What Happens to Our Identity When We Die 1:55:22 How Non-dualism Sees Uniqueness 2:00:15 Properly Relating To Our Emotional Experience 2:07:01 Practices to Embody Your True Self 2:11:15 Embracing the Wholeness of Your Human Experience 2:16:29 The Nature of Our Thoughts  2:23:25 A Reminder: Spirituality is Simple 2:28:03 Conclusion ___________ From an early age Rupert Spira was deeply interested in the nature of reality. At the age of seventeen he learnt to meditate, and began a twenty-year period of study and practice in the classical Advaita Vedanta tradition under the guidance of Dr. Francis Roles and Shantananda Saraswati, the Shankaracharya of the north of India. During this time he immersed himself in the teachings of P. D. Ouspensky, Krishnamurti, Rumi, Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta and Robert Adams, until he met his teacher, Francis Lucille, in 1997. Francis introduced Rupert to the Direct Path teachings of Atmananda Krishna Menon, the Tantric tradition of Kashmir Shaivism (which he had received from his teacher, Jean Klein), and, more importantly, directly indicated to him the true nature of experience. Rupert lives in the UK and holds regular meetings and retreats in Europe and the USA. Website: https://rupertspira.com ___________ Know Thyself Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/ Website: https://www.knowthyself.one Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ4wglCWTJeWQC0exBalgKg Listen to all episodes on Audio:  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4FSiemtvZrWesGtO2MqTZ4?si=d389c8dee8fa4026 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/know-thyself/id1633725927 André Duqum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/