#112: The Illusion of Self: Nondual Meditation & Brain Science - John Dunne, PhD
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Release Date: 04/21/2026
#112: The Illusion of Self: Nondual Meditation & Brain Science - John Dunne, PhD
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
The Illusion of Self: Nondual Meditation & Brain Science with John Dunne, PhD explores how our sense of identity is constructed moment by moment, drawing on Buddhist philosophy, neuroscience, and contemplative practice to explain why thoughts feel real and how seeing through them can fundamentally change our experience. In this episode of The FitMind Podcast, we sit down with John Dunne, PhD—a leading scholar-practitioner bridging ancient wisdom and modern science—to examine the nature of mind, self, and awareness. Rather than treating thoughts as accurate reflections of reality, John...
info_outline
#111: The Future of Meditation: AI, Neurofeedback, & VR - Steve Haberlin, PhD
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Meditation is evolving. New technologies like neurofeedback, virtual reality, and AI are beginning to intersect with ancient contemplative practices, raising an important question: can technology help people learn meditation more effectively? In this episode of The FitMind Podcast, we speak with Steve Haberlin, PhD, researcher, meditator, and author of Meta Meditation for Mental Health, about the emerging world of tech-assisted meditation. Steve explains why most people stop using meditation apps within the first month, how neurofeedback devices can provide real-time feedback about mental...
info_outline
#110: Rites of Passage & the Wisdom in Collapse - Linda Thai
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Rites of Passage & the Wisdom in Collapse explores how personal crisis can function as initiation, drawing on contemplative practice, psychology, and wisdom traditions to explain why avoiding discomfort often deepens suffering and why meeting it skillfully can transform us. In this episode of The FitMind Podcast, we sit down with Linda Thai, therapist and meditation teacher, to examine what it means to grow up as individuals and as a culture. Rather than viewing breakdown as failure, Linda frames it as a descent — a necessary stripping away of outdated identities and rigid patterns...
info_outline
#109: The Science of Letting Go - Shawn Prest
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
The Science of Letting Go explores how meditation works in the brain, drawing on neuroscience, predictive processing, and contemplative science to explain how letting go reduces stress, softens self-related thinking, and changes perception over time. In this episode of The FitMind Podcast, we sit down with PhD researcher Shawn Prest from Monash University about what’s actually happening under the hood when we meditate. Rather than framing letting go as a vague emotional release, Shawn describes it as a measurable shift in how the brain assigns confidence to its highest-level models,...
info_outline
#108: The Ethics of Meditation - Nicholas Van Dam, PhD
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Clinical psychologist and contemplative science researcher Dr. Nicholas Van Dam joins us to explore the ethics of meditation and what scientific research reveals about how contemplative practices actually work. He examines how much practice is needed to see meaningful change, why challenging experiences can arise, and what current methods can and cannot reliably measure. We discuss the importance of informed consent in meditation, the role of wisdom traditions alongside modern science, and why honesty and nuance are essential as these practices enter mental health, education, and digital...
info_outline
#107: The Science of Human Connection - Dr. Tania Singer
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Social neuroscientist Dr. Tania Singer joins us to explore the science of empathy, compassion, and the plasticity of the social brain. She breaks down why empathy and compassion are entirely different neural states, what her research with Buddhist monks revealed, and why compassion, not empathy, is the more resilient response to suffering. We discuss the ReSource Project’s surprising findings, including why interpersonal “dyadic” practices reduce social stress far better than solo meditation. Dr. Singer also shares how these practices are being brought into schools, healthcare, and even...
info_outline
#106: Multitasking Myths, Focus & Real-World Brain Health - Therese Huston, PhD
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Cognitive scientist Dr. Therese Huston joins The FitMind Podcast to share practical, research-backed ways to sharpen focus, lower stress, and keep the brain healthy at any age. Drawing from decades of neuroscience, she explains why multitasking quietly erodes attention and memory and what to do instead. We explore simple, realistic habits that help your mind function at its best: 20-minute single-task blocks, 40 Hz binaural beats for deep focus, and a brief 5-2-7 breathing technique that can quickly calm the nervous system. Dr. Huston also highlights how aerobic movement, dance, and social...
info_outline
#105: Freediving & Mental Mastery - Will Trubridge
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
World champion freediver Will Trubridge explores the depths of the mind and ocean, sharing mental techniques honed through decades of extreme performance. In this episode, he explains how breathwork, mindfulness, and what he calls the “mental immune system” can help us face fear, build resilience, and expand awareness. Discover how lessons from the deep sea translate into a healthier, more conscious life on land. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: Website: SHOW NOTES 00:00 | Intro to Will Trubridge 01:21 | Will’s Background & Early Freediving 04:59 | Role of Breathwork 09:43...
info_outline
#104: Intelligence Beyond the Brain - Nikolay Kukushkin, PhD
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Can cells outside the brain learn, remember, and make decisions? In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Nikolay Kukushkin shares groundbreaking research that shows even non-neuronal cells can recognize patterns, count, and store information in ways strikingly similar to brain cells. We explore: Why memory may not be limited to the brain What sea slugs can teach us about human cognition How prediction and perception shape our sense of self The parallels between AI and biological intelligence Whether trauma could be “stored” in cells outside the nervous system Dr. Kukushkin's work...
info_outline
#103: The Divided Brain, Attention & Meaning - Iain McGilchrist
The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology
Dr. Iain McGilchrist, a psychiatrist, philosopher, and author, joins the FitMind Podcast to explain how the brain’s two hemispheres shape our perception, attention, and consciousness. He explores how the left brain’s dominance in modern culture leads to a fragmented, analytical worldview, while the right hemisphere offers a more connected, meaningful experience of reality. We discuss the moral and spiritual dimensions of attention, the limits of language, the nature of consciousness and the self, and how walking supports fluid thinking. McGilchrist also shares insights from his recent work...
info_outlineThe Illusion of Self: Nondual Meditation & Brain Science with John Dunne, PhD explores how our sense of identity is constructed moment by moment, drawing on Buddhist philosophy, neuroscience, and contemplative practice to explain why thoughts feel real and how seeing through them can fundamentally change our experience.
In this episode of The FitMind Podcast, we sit down with John Dunne, PhD—a leading scholar-practitioner bridging ancient wisdom and modern science—to examine the nature of mind, self, and awareness. Rather than treating thoughts as accurate reflections of reality, John frames them as useful but often misleading constructions shaped by the brain’s attempt to predict and navigate the world.
We explore how meditation helps us “de-reify” thoughts—seeing them as mental events rather than truths—and why this shift may be central to reducing anxiety and depression. John also breaks down non-dual traditions like Mahamudra and Dzogchen, offering a clear lens into practices aimed not at changing experience, but at recognizing its underlying nature.
Topics include:
- How the brain constructs a sense of self through predictive models
- Why thoughts feel real and how to see through them
- The role of meditation in shifting our relationship to thinking
- Differences between gradual and non-dual approaches to practice
- What “effortless awareness” means and why it matters
- Scientific insights from studying advanced meditators
A grounded, intellectually rich conversation for anyone interested in understanding the mind more clearly, working with difficult thoughts, or exploring the intersection of neuroscience and contemplative practice.
FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind
Website: www.fitmind.org
Show Notes
0:00 | From astronaut dreams to inner exploration
2:40 | Introducing John Dunne and his background
5:30 | Identity crisis and discovering meditation
9:30 | Early practice: Vipassana, metta, and analytical meditation
14:30 | Questioning reality and the nature of self
19:30 | Concepts, language, and why thoughts feel real
25:30 | How the mind constructs identity moment to moment
31:30 | Mahamudra and Dzogchen: gradual vs non-dual paths
38:30 | Effort vs effortlessness in meditation
45:00 | Anxiety, depression, and predictive processing
50:30 | De-reification: seeing thoughts as thoughts
56:30 | Watching the mind vs being lost in it
1:01:30 | Brain studies with advanced meditators
1:07:00 | Non-dual awareness and “always-on” presence
1:12:30 | What enlightenment is (and isn’t)
1:17:30 | Tukdam and the mystery of consciousness at death
1:22:30 | Science, meditation, and open questions
1:25:30 | Closing reflections