Minding the Brain Jim Davies & Kim Hellemans

Jim talks to Dr. Doug Oman, a scientist and scholar with a special interest in spirituality and health. They discuss the practice of mantra meditation, an approach that uses the repetition of phrases to promote focus and intention. What is the origin of mantra meditation? Does it have benefits? What is the scientific evidence for its efficacy? How can you begin your own mantra meditation practice? For the answers to these and many more questions, check out this episode of Minding the Brain!



















Explore further:







Cited Podcast – The Rationality Wars







Blue Mountain Center of Meditation







Bormann, J. E., Kane, J. J., & Oman, D. (2020). Mantram repetition: A portable practice for being mindful. Mindfulness, 11(8), 2031–2033. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-020-01440-4







Easwaran, E. (2008). The mantram handbook: A practical guide to choosing your mantram & calming your mind (5th ed.). Tomales, CA: Nilgiri Press. 







Easwaran, E. (2005). Strength in the storm: Creating calm in difficult times. Tomales, CA: Nilgiri Press. 

Jim and Kim explore the role of cultural evolution in shaping human behavior and survival. What has enabled humans to dominate the globe more successfully than any other species despite our relative helplessness as individuals? How have human groups produced ingenious technologies and complex institutions while individual humans struggle with basic survival challenges? Find the answers to theses questions and more in this episode!







Explore Further:The Secret of Our Success: How Culture Is Driving Human Evolution, Domesticating Our Species, and Making Us Smarter

Jim and Kim answer student questions about magic mushrooms, Chat GPT in academia, ice baths, caffeine, the impact of listening to music, self-efficacy and reducing stigma around mental health and substance use disorders.

Jim interviews Gordon Pennycook about the phenomenon of fake news. What types of misinformation tend to spread? What role will generative AI play in the information landscape? How do bias, intuition, and rationality impact the way people read the news?



















Explore further:Gordon Pennycook’s website

Kim interviews Orsha Magyar about the emerging field of nutritional neuroscience. How can we combat nutritional pseudoscience on social media? Are there such things as superfoods? How does the average North American diet impact our brain health? What are omega fatty acids, and are they important for our brain health? Find out the answers to these questions and more on this month’s episode of Minding the Brain!







Orsha Magyar is the engaging and inspiring Founder and CEO of NeuroTrition Inc, and Canada’s brain food expert. She is a neuroscience and nutrition specialist for Canadian publications, television and radio shows, and is a sought after science communicator. She also delivers the “most delicious science communication you will ever taste” in her brain food collaborations with the culinary industry.







Trained in both neuroscience and nutrition, Orsha is truly one-of-a-kind. And her unique expertise brings an unrivaled integrative approach to brain and mental health, as well as to science communication. Orsha brings over two decades of neuroscience research and clinical nutrition experience to the table. You can find her Monday – Friday in private practice working with clients who have mental health and neurological conditions, and communicating nutritional neuroscience for various organizations and corporations.







Orsha is serious about going beyond the Band-Aid for brain and mental health, and her genuine passion for helping everyone build happier, healthier brains comes across in everything she does. Making research approachable and actionable for everyone is Orsha’s superpower. She’s known for making complicated nutritional neuroscience topics easier to digest – and delicious! For more information about Orsha and NeuroTrition, please visit www.neurotrition.ca

Kim interviews Dr. Robert Coplan about aloneliness and the value of solitude. What are the benefits of solitude? How should we balance solitude and social interaction? How do collectivist cultures think about the need for solitude? Tune in to hear the answers to these questions and more on this episode of Minding the Brain!