Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat

Dr. Steven Laureys - How to Become an Athlete of the Mind and Slow Your Aging

April 30, 2022 Mo Gawdat and Dr. Steven Laureys Episode 191
Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat
Dr. Steven Laureys - How to Become an Athlete of the Mind and Slow Your Aging
Show Notes

This week, I speak with a highly requested neurologist and neuroscience, Dr. Steven Laureys.

Steven Laureys is an award-winning, world-renowned neurologist, brain science popularizer, and bestselling author. He has conducted groundbreaking research into the human mind for more than 25 years using the latest brain imaging technologies and wearables assessing consciousness in coma, near-death experiences, concussion, anesthesia, hypnosis, meditation, trance, and dreamlike states.

Steven has authored no less than 500+ peer-reviewed scientific papers and published several books, including The Neurology of Consciousness and the international bestseller, The No-Nonsense Meditation Book, in collaboration with Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard. If you haven't listened already, don't miss my interview with Matthieu Ricard on Slo Mo episode #42.

And remember: we're now on YouTube in full HD video! Steven discusses showing some photos and videos. Check them out in the video on YouTube @mogawdatofficial

Listen as we discuss:

  • The personal crisis that led Steven, a neurologist, to study and write about meditation.
  • His friendship with Matthieu Ricard, who became his guinea pig.
  • Meditation is the art of appreciating what's going on between your ears.
  • Do we need to go through a painful journey to start  paying attention to mental health?
  • Machines have no feelings of remorse for the way they might hurt us.
  • The Matthieu Ricard study: what does 60,000 hours of meditation to your brain? 
  • We can all learn to calm our minds through training, as effectively as drug use.
  • Science shows we can have an impact on slowing aging through meditation.
  • A brain-training exercise you can try. (32:00 minute mark)
  • Neuroplasticity, perhaps the most important modern breakthrough in neuroscience.
  • For lasting change, every action in life should be approached with full presence.
  • Are there any dangerous meditation practices?
  • Your mind is not a hopeless victim to genetics. You can change it!

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Connect with Dr. Steven Laureys  on Instagram @drstevenlaureys, Facebook @drstevenlaureys, Twitter @drstevenlaureys, and his website, drstevenlaureys.org. Album art photo credit belongs to Dieter Telemans.

YouTube: @mogawdatofficial
Instagram: @mo_gawdat
Facebook: @mo.gawdat.official
LinkedIn: /in/mogawdat
X: @mgawdat
Website: mogawdat.com

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