How God Works: The Science Behind Spirituality

These days, it feels like the end of the world is always just around the corner. From RaptureTok to climate doom and geopolitical upheaval, someone always seems to be predicting an impending apocalypse. But how does believing in The End affect how we are in the world? And is there a healthier way to navigate living in uncertain times?On this episode, we’ll talk to writer Dina Nayeri about growing up in a community that saw the apocalypse as right around the corner, and what she now sees as the dangers of that worldview. We’ll also talk to historian Kim Haines-Eitzen about how the apocalypse was originally understood in ancient texts, and what’s been lost in modern interpretations.Dina Nayeri is the author of the essay “Yearning for the end of the world,” as well as several other novels, plays, short stories, essays, and memoirs, including her most recent book, Who Gets Believed: When the Truth Isn’t Enough. Learn more about her on her website.Dr. Kim Haines-Eitzen is a Professor of Ancient Mediterranean Religions at Cornell University, and a Fellow at the National Humanities Center, where she is working on a forthcoming book project about the apocalypse. Learn more about her other research on her website. 

 We spend about a third of our lives sleeping and yet the question of why we sleep and dream has remained a mystery for much of human existence. But recently scientists have developed the tools to begin to reveal some astonishing insights into lucid dreaming and its uses.  In this episode, we'll talk to neuroscientist Ken Paller about the science of Lucid dreaming. Whether it's something any of us can learn to do and what benefits it might offer. And while the science of lucid dreaming and its possible uses is still in its infancy, Tibetan Buddhists found ways to master it centuries ago using a practice they call Dream Yoga.  We'll talk with Geshe Thabkhe, a Tibetan Buddhist monk, about how members of his tradition have long been using this technique to enhance their spiritual lives, and how he and other monks are now working with Western scientists like Ken Paller and neuroscientist Robin Nusslock to research this special type of dream state and whether people in the outside world can influence or even communicate with them while they're dreaming. Robin Nusslock, PhD is a neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Psychology at Northwestern University. Ken Paller is Professor of Psychology and Director of  the Cognitive Neuroscience program at Northwestern University. You can find out more about his work on his website. 

When life feels uncertain, who do you turn to? Across cultures and throughout history, many of us have looked to people who seemed to have a special set of abilities and knowledge… shamans.On this episode, we’ll talk to anthropologist Manvir Singh about what shamanism actually is, how it works, and why its appeal is both timeless and universal. From a remote island in Indonesia to American Pentecostal churches, we’ll explore how shamans harness ritual, empathy, and performance to help people find meaning and relief in times of need.Manvir Singh directs the Integrative Anthropology Lab at the University of California, Davis. He is the author of Shamanism: The Timeless Religion, and a contributing writer for The New Yorker. Find out more about his work on his website.

For most of human history, religion guided people’s choices about health and food. Then with the rise of modern nutritional science in the 19th century, people began to favor scientific advice over religious ideas about how to eat. But lately, a new generation of Christian diet influencers are putting the God back in nutritional guidance, sometimes at the expense of science altogether. And this messaging might not be creating healthier or holier people. We'll talk to New York Times writer Jessica Grose and historian Catherine Newell about the long, complex history of food, faith, and morality.  And we’ll ask - can we reconnect faith and health in America in positive ways that are informed by tradition and history, but also true to science?Jessica Grose has written books on motherhood, marriage and countless articles. More information about her work can be found on her website jessicagrose.com.Catherine Newell is a professor and the Associate Dean for Pre-Health Professions at the University of Miami. She is the author of the books entitled Food Faiths: Diet, Religion, and the Science of Spiritual Eating & Destined for the Stars: Faith, the Future, and America’s Final Frontier.

We often think of wisdom as something that comes with age, or as a gift reserved for a chosen few. But what if wisdom is more like a muscle… one that becomes stronger with practice?On this episode, we’re exploring the true meaning of wisdom. We’ll talk to psychologist Igor Grossmann and Jesuit priest Barton Geger about how science and spirituality have come to many of the same conclusions about what wisdom looks like in practice and what we can all do to train our hearts and minds to see more clearly and make choices that align with our values.Professor Igor Grossmann directs the Wisdom and Culture Lab at the University of Waterloo. Learn more about his work at his website. Father Barton Geger is an Associate Professor of the Practice at Boston College’s School of Theology and Ministry. Learn more about his work here and here.