Best Shankar Vedantam Podcasts (2025)

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Is It Really Possible (Or Safe) to Love Your Enemies? | Sharon Salzberg 1:15:37

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24m ago1:15:37

1:15:37

The case for love and compassion in a world that's filled with hatred and division. Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is among the first to bring mindfulness & lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture fifty years ago. She has written many books, including her …

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The Paradox of Pleasure 51:15

1d ago51:15

51:15

All of us think we know what addiction looks like. It’s the compulsive consumption of drugs, alcohol, or nicotine. But psychiatrist Anna Lembke argues that our conception of addiction is far too narrow — and that a broader understanding of addiction might help us to understand why so many people are anxious and depressed. This week, we revisit a 20…

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The Science of Cannabis: Does It Help or Hurt With Anxiety? Is It Addictive? What's the Safest Way To Use It? | Dr. Riley Kirk 1:14:52

2d ago1:14:52

1:14:52

Everything you want to know about cannabis, but were afraid to ask. Dr. Riley Kirk is a cannabis research scientist and educator with a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences, specializing in natural product chemistry. Her new book is Reefer Wellness: Understanding Cannabis Science, Culture, and Medicines. In this episode we talk about: The endocannabino…

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How to Keep Your Cool in a Room Full of Chaos Gremlins | Jeff Warren 12:07

3d ago12:07

12:07

If you've ever found yourself immediately abandoning your adult composure the second someone around you gets upset, we've got your back. In today's episode, the inimitable Jeff Warren returns with a practice to help you stop absorbing everyone else's stress and start holding healthy boundaries without turning into a jerk. Jeff — who is both a dear …

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When You're Afraid to Slow Down — Even Though You Need To 43:35

5d ago43:35

43:35

Today we're talking about how to calm your mind in a chaotic world. What you're about to hear is an interview with Dan, conducted by his new friend Hoda Kotb, another morning news veteran. Hoda was, for many years, the co-anchor of the Today Show on NBC. Now, among other things, she hosts a podcast called Making Space. You'll hear Dan and Hoda talk…

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Jack Kornfield on How to Stay Sane in Insane Times 1:17:17

7d ago1:17:17

1:17:17

Plus: Saying thank you to your anxiety and the opportunity in the dumpster fire. Jack Kornfield, who trained as a Buddhist monk in the monasteries of Thailand, India and Burma, then returned to the US, where he became one of the leading voices in Buddhism in the West. He co-founded the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, with Sharon…

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Murder Mystery 52:26

9d ago52:26

52:26

Why are so many of us drawn to horror, gore, and true crime? Why do we crane our necks to see the scene of a crash on the highway? Psychologist Coltan Scrivner says that our natural morbid curiosity serves a purpose. We talk with Coltan about our fascination with tales of murder and mayhem, and what this tendency reveals about our minds. In this ep…

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Do You Care Too Much What Other People Think of You? Avoid Conflict? Say Yes When You Shouldn't? | Dr. Ingrid Clayton, Fawning Expert 1:15:53

9d ago1:15:53

1:15:53

Practical tools to turn down the volume on fawning. Dr. Ingrid Clayton is a licensed clinical psychologist with a master's in transpersonal psychology and a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Her book is FAWNING: Why the Need to Please Makes Us Lose Ourselves—and How to Find our Way Back. In this episode we talk about: What is fawning, actually Chronic …

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Working With a Brain That Doesn't Behave | Jeff Warren 27:35

10d ago27:35

27:35

Ever feel like your mind is constantly bouncing around? You're not alone. In this episode, DJ Cashmere sits down with meditation teacher Jeff Warren, who has spent decades exploring consciousness, neurodivergence, and the practical side of meditation. Jeff shares his own experience with ADHD, bipolarity, and the ups and downs of life, offering tool…

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When Your Mind Won't Stop, Try This | Vinny Ferraro 44:12

12d ago44:12

44:12

If you've ever felt like your inner life is a clenched fist — tight belly, buzzing chest, racing mind — this conversation is for you. In this live session from our DanHarris.com sangha, the great Vinny Ferraro takes us on a kind of "return to the body" safari: soft-belly practice, heart-work, nervous system regulation, forgiving the seemingly unfor…

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Why You Always Want More, And How To Fix It | Michael Easter 1:09:36

14d ago1:09:36

1:09:36

Learning how to thrive with enough. Michael Easter is the New York Times bestselling author of Scarcity Brain and The Comfort Crisis. He also shares his ideas on his popular newsletter, 2% with Michael Easter. In this episode we talk about: The evolutionary roots of overconsumption The challenges of having an ancient brains in a modern world The Sc…

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Parents: Keep Out! 1:18:32

16d ago1:18:32

1:18:32

If you’re a parent or a teacher, you’ve probably wondered how to balance play and safety for the kids in your care. You don’t want to put children in danger, but you also don’t want to rob them of the joy of exploration. This week, we revisit a favorite conversation with psychologist Peter Gray. We'll talk about why independent play is so important…

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A Radical Buddhist Antidote for Anxiety | John Makransky and Paul Condon 53:45

16d ago53:45

53:45

Combining modern science and ancient Buddhism to treat anxiety, anger, and impatience. John Makransky is a professor of Buddhism and Comparative Theology at Boston College, AND ordained as a Tibetan Buddhist lama. Paul Condon is an associate professor of psychology at Southern Oregon University and a research fellow at the Mind & Life Institute. Bo…

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Why Work Feels So Hard — And What to Do About It 1:02:41

17d ago1:02:41

1:02:41

We're bringing you an episode of one of our favorite podcasts, The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos, on which Dan was a guest. We can spend a lot of time working – and it gives us fulfillment, social interaction and fun – but still one in five of us say our workplaces are "toxic". And even the best jobs can sometimes be stressful and draining. …

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The Dharma of Anxiety and Depression | Leslie Booker 31:12

14d ago31:12

31:12

Anxiety. Depression. Perfectionism. Dan and meditation teacher Leslie Booker get real about how these challenges show up in their own lives — and how mindfulness, community, and sometimes medication can actually help. Recorded live at New York Insight, this conversation is honest, funny, and surprisingly hopeful. Related Episodes: Buddhist Lessons …

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How To Get Out Of Your Head: Joseph Goldstein and Sam Harris on Nirvana, Non-Clinging, Non-Duality, and the Best Way to Meditate 1:31:13

21d ago1:31:13

1:31:13

Which is the best path to freedom? Joseph Goldstein is a cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, both in Barre, Massachusetts. He is the author of many books including, most recently, Dreamscapes of the Mind. Sam Harris is a neuroscientist, author, podcaster and the proprietor of the Waking Up app. In …

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The Power of Family Stories 1:37:05

23d ago1:37:05

1:37:05

There’s a tradition around many Thanksgiving dinner tables that’s as consistent as pumpkin pie: the family stories that get told year after year. Sometimes these stories are funny; sometimes they make us roll our eyes. No matter how we feel about them, we rarely pause to consider how these stories shape who we are and how we view the world. This we…

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Longevity Science Without the Fear or Bullshit | Dr. Kerry Burnight 1:14:05

23d ago1:14:05

1:14:05

An expert in Gerontology shares the four core habits for aging well. Dr. Kerry Burnight is a gerontologist, caregiver advocate, and founder of the Gerontology Institute at UC Irvine. Her new book, Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life's Second Half, offers a practical framework for aging not just longer, but better. In this episode we ta…

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Why You're Always Half-Stressed — and How to Chill | Christiane Wolf 28:40

24d ago28:40

28:40

If you feel like you spend most of your day on edge — not totally panicked, but not exactly calm either — you're not alone. Most of us live in what meditation teacher Dr. Christiane Wolf calls "yellow mode": a state of low-level vigilance that keeps us productive, but also keeps us anxious, reactive, and exhausted. In this conversation with DJ Cash…

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Sebene Selassie On How To Be "Non-Attached" When the Stakes Are High 41:58

26d ago41:58

41:58

How do you stay calm when the stakes are sky-high — like your kid's health, your partner's wellbeing, or the future of the planet? How do you face chronic pain without falling into self-pity? And how do you actually turn meditation from a good intention into a real habit? In this bonus episode, Dan sits down with the brilliant meditation teacher an…

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How to Engage with Technology Without Losing Your Mind | Soren Gordhamer 1:14:49

28d ago1:14:49

1:14:49

How not to forget what actually matters. Soren Gordhamer is the host of Wisdom 2.0, a conference about mindfulness and compassion in the modern age. He's also a Co-Founder and General Partner of Wisdom Ventures, which invests in companies creating a more just and compassionate world. His new book is called THE ESSENTIAL: Discovering What Really Mat…

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Why Following Your Dreams Isn't Enough 1:30:07

30d ago1:30:07

1:30:07

Entrepreneurs typically have no shortage of passion, heart, and vision. But at Stanford University, Huggy Rao says there are other elements that may matter more when it comes to whether their projects succeed or fail. This week, we'll examine how this problem shapes not just individual lives, but organizations and businesses, and even public policy…

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Overwhelmed? Over-Scheduled? Burnt Out? Here's the Antidote. | Diana Hill 1:18:24

1M ago1:18:24

1:18:24

How to focus your "genius energy" on what matters most. Diana Hill, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, podcast host, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)—a revolutionary approach to psychology that is changing our understanding of mental health. She is the author of four books including I Know I Shou…

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How to Co-Opt All the Stuff That Gets in the Way of Your Meditation | Christiane Wolf 13:25

1M ago13:25

13:25

It's one of those ideas that sounds kind of like a Zen riddle, but actually turns out to be incredibly useful: what's in the way is the way. If you've ever sat down to meditate and thought, "Ugh, I can't focus — my mind's all over the place," or, "If only this restlessness would go away, then I could really meditate," this one's for you. Christiane…

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Is the News Making You Hate Everybody? Here's a Radical Antidote. 57:10

1M ago57:10

57:10

We're sharing an episode of The Paula Faris Show on which Dan was a guest. Here's Paula's introduction: From theological debates to newsroom banter, Dan Harris and I couldn't be more different — I grew up in a Midwest Conservative Christian home, while Dan grew up as an East Coast Liberal who had a Bar Mitzvah for the money (his words!). But our un…

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How To Be Less Tense | GuoGu 1:15:42

1M ago1:15:42

1:15:42

Plus: How to take your thoughts less seriously and be the calmest person in the room. GuoGu (AKA Dr. Jimmy Yu) is the founder of the Tallahassee Chan Center and a Professor of Buddhism and East Asian religions at Florida State University. He is the author of several books, including The Essence of Chan (2012), Passing Through the Gateless Barrier (…

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How Nature Heals Us 1:04:39

1M ago1:04:39

1:04:39

We've known intuitively for centuries that spending time in nature can give us a boost. But it’s only recently that scientists have begun to identify exactly what it is about the outdoors that has such a powerful effect on our mood and our minds. This week, psychologist Marc Berman explores how spending time in nature can actually undo some of the …

Shankar Vedantam Podcasts

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Hidden Brain

Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

1
10% Happier with Dan Harris

10% Happier

1
Is It Really Possible (Or Safe) to Love Your Enemies? | Sharon Salzberg 1:15:37

1
The Paradox of Pleasure 51:15

1
The Science of Cannabis: Does It Help or Hurt With Anxiety? Is It Addictive? What's the Safest Way To Use It? | Dr. Riley Kirk 1:14:52

1
How to Keep Your Cool in a Room Full of Chaos Gremlins | Jeff Warren 12:07

1
When You're Afraid to Slow Down — Even Though You Need To 43:35

1
Jack Kornfield on How to Stay Sane in Insane Times 1:17:17

1
Murder Mystery 52:26

1
Do You Care Too Much What Other People Think of You? Avoid Conflict? Say Yes When You Shouldn't? | Dr. Ingrid Clayton, Fawning Expert 1:15:53

1
Working With a Brain That Doesn't Behave | Jeff Warren 27:35

1
When Your Mind Won't Stop, Try This | Vinny Ferraro 44:12

1
Why You Always Want More, And How To Fix It | Michael Easter 1:09:36

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Parents: Keep Out! 1:18:32

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A Radical Buddhist Antidote for Anxiety | John Makransky and Paul Condon 53:45

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Why Work Feels So Hard — And What to Do About It 1:02:41

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The Dharma of Anxiety and Depression | Leslie Booker 31:12

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How To Get Out Of Your Head: Joseph Goldstein and Sam Harris on Nirvana, Non-Clinging, Non-Duality, and the Best Way to Meditate 1:31:13

1
The Power of Family Stories 1:37:05

1
Longevity Science Without the Fear or Bullshit | Dr. Kerry Burnight 1:14:05

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Why You're Always Half-Stressed — and How to Chill | Christiane Wolf 28:40

1
Sebene Selassie On How To Be "Non-Attached" When the Stakes Are High 41:58

1
How to Engage with Technology Without Losing Your Mind | Soren Gordhamer 1:14:49

1
Why Following Your Dreams Isn't Enough 1:30:07

1
Overwhelmed? Over-Scheduled? Burnt Out? Here's the Antidote. | Diana Hill 1:18:24

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How to Co-Opt All the Stuff That Gets in the Way of Your Meditation | Christiane Wolf 13:25

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Is the News Making You Hate Everybody? Here's a Radical Antidote. 57:10

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How To Be Less Tense | GuoGu 1:15:42

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How Nature Heals Us 1:04:39