Rephonic
Artwork for The Contemplative Science Podcast

The Contemplative Science Podcast

Mark Miller
Mindfulness
Psychedelics
Meditation
Compassion
Buddhism
Consciousness
Mental Health
Dark Retreat
Psilocybin
Cognitive Science
Artificial Intelligence
Tibetan Buddhism
Non-Duality
Depression
Science
Contemplative Practices
Neuroscience
Predictive Processing
Wisdom
Well-Being

What can cutting-edge science tell us about spiritual development? And how are ancient contemplative practices helping us to investigate the nature of well-being? On The Contemplative Science Podcast, host Dr. Mark Miller speaks with the real experts, from Monks to Neuroscientists, to get clear on how contemplative practices work and how they might help us improve our lives. Our diverse range of g... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes78Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Science

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Contemplative Science Podcast

Latest Episodes

In this episode, I’m joined by Adam Lobel, PhD, a meditation teacher, scholar-practitioner, and professor of ecopsychology and Buddhist psychology. Adam’s work brings together contemporary philosophy, Dzogchen Tibetan Buddhism, ecopsychology, and tra... more

Why do people across cultures report encounters with spirits, deities, ancestors, demons, angels, or other seemingly independent beings? And how might the science of predictive processing and active inference help us understand these experiences with... more

In this conversation, Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapeutic Counsellor Nicholas Buscall and I explore why establishing a “good view”—a clear, grounded orientation to what meditation is (and isn’t)—can make practice safer, steadier, and more transf... more

n this episode of The Contemplative Science Podcast, I’m delighted to welcome back Brother Phap Linh, a Buddhist monk ordained at Plum Village in 2008. Before monastic life, Brother Phap Linh studied at Cambridge and worked as a composer, chef, and m... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

Recent Guests

Adam Lobel
Meditation teacher, scholar-practitioner, and professor of eco-psychology and Buddhist psychology
One Earth Sangha; eco-dharma initiatives
Episode: Ecodharma, Dzogchen, and the Politics of Transformation w/ Adam Lobel
Zach Buck
Researcher and PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut focusing on cognitive science, spirituality, altered states of consciousness, and experiences of supernatural agency
University of Connecticut
Episode: Minds, Models, and Invisible Beings w/ Zach Buck
Nick Buscall
Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapist and meditation teacher
Independent practitioner
Episode: Establishing Right View: Meditation, Meaning, and Staying on Track w/ Nicholas Buscall
Nadav Amir
Researcher at the Fields Institute who investigates purposeful behavior and its relation to Buddhism.
Field Institute
Episode: Purposeful Behaviour Through a Buddhist Lens w Nadav Amir
Dr. Paul Condon
Associate Professor of Psychology and leading researcher on compassion
Southern Oregon University
Episode: How Compassion Works w/ Paul Condon
Melina Bondy
Dharma teacher, psychotherapist, former monastic
Plum Village
Episode: Being Deeply Well: Dharma, Discomfort, and the Healing Path w/ Melina Bondy & Arti Mehta
Arti Mehta
Meditation teacher and artist
True North Insight and BCIMS
Episode: Being Deeply Well: Dharma, Discomfort, and the Healing Path w/ Melina Bondy & Arti Mehta
John Makransky
Professor of Comparative Theology at Boston College, ordained lama in the Nyingma Dzogchen tradition of Tibetan Buddhism.
Boston College
Episode: How Compassion Works w/ Lama John Makransky
Rick Repetti
Professor at CUNY University, registered therapist, and meditation teacher with expertise in philosophical counseling.
CUNY University
Episode: Is Meditation Philosophy? w/ Rick Repetti

Host

Dr. Mark Miller
Host with expertise in contemplative science and neuroscience-informed discussions.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 46 ratings
  • Where ancient spiritual practices meet modern pseudoscience

    I was pointed to this podcast through another podcast. I’ve learned a lot about communities of practitioners and their approach to contemplative activities. There are many sober, sensible, and insightful discussions. I am often disappointed though by the caliber of the scientific discussions. It’s a common issue with popular science podcasts that in an effort to distill large bodies of research for a wide audience, important caveats and details are glossed over or go unchallenged. There are issu... more

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    NeuroMinded
    United States2 years ago
  • Fantastic

    An excellent topic and an amazing approach to it

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    ioannes_shade
    United States4 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guests bring valuable expertise from monks to neuroscientists.
The show offers sober, thoughtful exploration of practice and science.
Some episodes raise questions about scientific rigor and replication in cited research.
Listeners appreciate the bridging of spirituality and empirical inquiry.
Conversations blend theory with practical implications for well-being.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#163
Denmark/Science
Apple Podcasts
#163
Brazil/Science
Apple Podcasts
#242
South Korea/Science

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Minds, Models, and Invisible Beings w/ Zach Buck
Q: Why do these experiences often come through as entities or intelligences, and are they beneficial to the cognitive system?
Under predictive processing, the self is an evolving inference; in altered states, the inference about agency shifts, so experiences can feel like encounters with intelligent beings. These experiences can be beneficial by providing new perspectives, aiding self-reflection, and potentially supporting therapeutic processes when integrated properly.
Minds, Models, and Invisible Beings w/ Zach Buck
Q: Why might ritual and altered states lead people to experience spiritual beings or divine agents?
Ritual contexts create social and sensory environments that induce high entropy and low sensory reliability, causing people to rely more on pre-existing beliefs and domain-specific anticipation; the social scaffold and shared beliefs help validate these experiences and make them feel meaningful within a cultural framework.
Minds, Models, and Invisible Beings w/ Zach Buck
Q: What are some concrete examples of high arousal contexts in these rituals?
Examples include the Maha Shivaratri procession and the Kavadi ritual, where participants enter intensely aroused states, sometimes with physical acts of devotion such as walking on hot surfaces or carrying burdens, which amplify trance-like experiences and the sense of connection.
Is Meditation Philosophy? w/ Rick Repetti
Q: How does meditation relate to philosophy?
Meditation is seen as a form of philosophical practice that contributes to philosophical understanding.
Is Meditation Philosophy? w/ Rick Repetti
Q: What is philosophical counseling?
Philosophical counseling is a method that merges philosophy with psychological practices to help clients understand their issues through a philosophical lens.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Contemplative Science Podcast

What is The Contemplative Science Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Across episodes, the show explores how cutting-edge science intersects with contemplative practice and spiritual development. Conversations frequently center on how meditation, mindfulness, and Buddhist philosophies relate to neuroscience, psychology, and well-being, often through a predictive-processing lens, with topics ranging from altered states and ritual to compassion, pain, and deep wellness. Notable are guests who bring rigorous academic perspectives alongside practitioner experience, and episodes that bridge traditional teachings with modern research, sometimes touching on challenging questions about methodology, replication, and applicability to everyday life.

Where can I find podcast stats for The Contemplative Science Podcast?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Contemplative Science Podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Contemplative Science Podcast and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Contemplative Science Podcast get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Contemplative Science Podcast, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Contemplative Science Podcast?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Contemplative Science Podcast, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Contemplative Science Podcast have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Contemplative Science Podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Contemplative Science Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Contemplative Science Podcast:

1. 10% Happier with Dan Harris
2. Deep Questions with Cal Newport
3. The Curiosity Shop with Brené Brown and Adam Grant
4. Letters from an American
5. Stay Tuned with Preet

How many episodes of The Contemplative Science Podcast are there?

The Contemplative Science Podcast launched 4 years ago and published 78 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Contemplative Science Podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Contemplative Science Podcast?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Contemplative Science Podcast from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Contemplative Science Podcast?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Contemplative Science Podcast. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Contemplative Science Podcast?

Recent guests on The Contemplative Science Podcast include:

1. Adam Lobel
2. Zach Buck
3. Nick Buscall
4. Nadav Amir
5. Dr. Paul Condon
6. Melina Bondy
7. Arti Mehta
8. John Makransky

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days