The Science of “Self” with Dr. Jud Brewer
About the Episode: One of the underlying threads that runs through many of our conversations on Being Well is our relationship with our “self”. On this episode, Dr. Rick Hanson and I talk with mindfulness author and researcher Dr. Jud Brewer about what we mean by that word, where we can find the “self” in the brain, and the benefits of relaxing our attachment to it.
About our Guest: Dr. Jud Brewer is the Director of Research and Innovation at the Mindfulness Center and associate professor in Behavioral and Social Sciences at the School of Public Health and Psychiatry at the School of Medicine at Brown University. He is a New York Times best-selling author and thought leader in the field of habit change and the “science of self-mastery,” and has done extensive research on the underlying neural mechanisms of mindfulness and meditation. His books include Unwinding Anxiety and The Craving Mind.
Watch the Episode: Prefer watching video? You can watch this episode on YouTube.
Key Topics:
0:00: Introduction
1:45: What is a “self”?
5:10: Distinguishing consciousness, person, and self
7:25: Can there be a unified sense of self in an everchanging psychological process?
11:50: Selfing and what triggers a sense of “me”
15:20: Evolutionary speculations about the origins of selfing
18:50: Predictive processing and personal associations
21:55: How Jud responds to selfing
28:10: The unicorn metaphor of self and relief in sensory experience
34:45: The experience of addiction and anxiety
39:50: Somatic markers and distinguishing healthy vs. unhealthy desires
41:40: Letting go vs. straining to create a self
45:40: Underlying neurological components of the self
56:30: The fluidity of awareness without self
58:30: When and how does the default mode network become functional?
1:03:00: Neuro-psychedelic research and unlearning
1:07:15: Having a self vs. taking ourselves personally
1:11:00: Recap
Support the Podcast: We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.
Have a question for us?
Email: contact@beingwellpodcast.com to submit questions or potential topics you'd like us to explore in future episodes.
Sponsors:
Visit athleticgreens.com/BEINGWELL to take ownership over your health, and pick up the ultimate daily nutritional insurance!
Join over a million people using BetterHelp, the world’s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!
Want to sleep better? Try the Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.
Discover your full genetic potential by uploading your existing DNA test results at genomelink.io. No trial period, no credit card, and no hidden fees!
Connect with the show: