Wonderstruck

• 22: Dr. Iain McGilchrist and John Cleese - Laughter is the Heart of Life

  John Cleese and Dr. Iain McGilchrist are good friends who share a deep appreciation for the power of humor and a fascination with neuroscience and consciousness. McGilchrist recalls falling asleep laughing at an episode of Fawlty Towers—only to wake up the next morning still laughing.Cleese has spent a lifetime using humor not just to entertain but to challenge rigid thinking, expose absurdities, and reveal truths hiding in plain sight. McGilchrist, a psychiatrist, philosopher, and neuroscientist, has transformed our understanding of the mind, particularly how modern culture leans too heavily on the left hemisphere’s need for certainty—often at the expense of creativity, nuance, and vision.In this special episode of Wonderstruck, co-hosts Elizabeth Rovere and Mary Atwood bring us a spirited “quadrologue” exploring humor, creativity, and consciousness. Cleese reflects on how comedy topples hierarchies, sharpens perception, and fosters resilience, while McGilchrist explains why humor itself depends on the brain’s ability to shift perspectives—something the right hemisphere thrives on.Together, they unpack how laughter, play, and spontaneity expand our ways of thinking, helping us loosen up in a world that often takes itself far too seriously.As Cleese puts it: "If humor isn’t woven into the fabric of the cosmos, I need to know why not."Chapters:0:00 Intro: Humor and consciousness5:07 Humor as a democratizing force10:23 Criticism and self-laughter in comedy15:26 Humor's role in consciousness and creativity20:42 Theory of mind and humor26:56 Free will and determinism debate32:45 Unlearning and the importance of humor38:55 Creativity, relaxation, and uncertainty44:40 Introversion and never being bored48:38 Art, consciousness, and cosmic valuesAbout Wonderstruck:The Wonderstruck Podcast with Elizabeth Rovere is a deep yet lighthearted exploration of the mystical, metaphysical, transcendent, transformative, esoteric, and ecstatic aspects of human experience. It bridges science, spirituality, and philosophy through engaging conversations with scientists, scholars, experts, and experiencers.In this season of the Wonderstruck Podcast, we delve into the profound mysteries of existence, exploring the depths of human consciousness, spirituality, and the interconnectedness of life. Through engaging conversations with professors, neuroscientists, comedians, healers, poets, psychotherapists, group therapists, philosophers, activists, and authors,we invite listeners to challenge conventional thinking and embrace a multidimensional understanding of reality.Wonderstruck Links:https://wonderstruck.orghttps://www.instagram.com/wonderstruckpod/https://www.youtube.com/@wonderstruckpodhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wonderstruck/id1671879661https://open.spotify.com/show/6fS5boWGwYTShddG7SKlVw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• 21: Dr. Àlex Gómez-Marín - Tuning into the Edges of Consciousness

  A lot of what Dr. Alex Gomez-Marin explores challenges the boundaries of traditional science. A physicist and neuroscientist, Alex leads the Behavior of Organisms Laboratory at the Instituto de Neurociencias in Alicante, Spain, and serves as the director of the Pari Center in Italy. His groundbreaking work spans neuroscience, physics, and the study of consciousness, with a focus on what he calls “the edges of consciousness.”In this episode, Elizabeth joins Alex for a mind-expanding conversation about the limits of science as it’s traditionally understood. As Alex highlights, “What is funded is what gets studied,” meaning that the edges of consciousness are often dismissed as fringe and ignored by mainstream science. But materialism is not the only game in town—"science is far more than materialism and reductionism."From his transformative Near-Death Experience (NDE) to his pioneering research on phenomena beyond the five senses, Alex bridges science, spirituality, and the humanities. He explains the receiver model of consciousness, which suggests that the brain functions more like an antenna than a generator, and explores phenomena such as remote viewing and telepathy, pushing the boundaries of what mainstream science considers possible.Together, they discuss Alex's neuroscience research on blind individuals who “see” with their hearts called E.O.V., telepathy as the blending of thought and knowing, and the concept of reality as an evolving perception. Alex’s unique perspective invites us to question everything and embrace the unknown, reminding us that the cracks in the matrix may reveal that reality is far richer than we ever imagined.Chapters:0:00 Intro: Near-death experience and neuroscience5:07 The Pari Center and exploring consciousness10:04 Sharing a profound near-death experience16:59 Science beyond materialism and reductionism28:24 Different philosophical approaches to consciousness34:44 The need for listening in scientific discourse40:50 Studying extraocular vision scientifically47:40 Using science to validate extraordinary experiences51:52 Outro: Exploring the edges of consciousnessAbout Wonderstruck:The Wonderstruck Podcast with Elizabeth Rovere is a deep yet lighthearted exploration of the mystical, metaphysical, transcendent, transformative, esoteric, and ecstatic aspects of human experience. It bridges science, spirituality, and philosophy through engaging conversations with scientists, scholars, experts, and experiencers.In this season of the Wonderstruck Podcast, we delve into the profound mysteries of existence, exploring the depths of human consciousness, spirituality, and the interconnectedness of life. Through engaging conversations with professors, neuroscientists, comedians, healers, poets, psychotherapists, group therapists, philosophers, activists, and authors,we invite listeners to challenge conventional thinking and embrace a multidimensional understanding of reality.Wonderstruck Links:https://wonderstruck.orghttps://www.instagram.com/wonderstruckpod/https://www.youtube.com/@wonderstruckpodhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wonderstruck/id1671879661https://open.spotify.com/show/6fS5boWGwYTShddG7SKlVw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• 20: Vandana Shiva - From Soil to Soul: "We are not separate from nature; we are nature."

  Vandana Shiva is not just an activist, she is a visionary, a force of nature, and a firebrand for a world in crisis. She doesn’t merely challenge the mechanistic view of life; she dismantles it with the precision of a physicist and the passion of a poet. In its place, she offers something far more powerful: a universe alive with intelligence, diversity, and self-organization. This is a cosmos where everything pulses with meaning.A scientist and warrior for the Earth, Vandana bridges worlds that many see as separate such as quantum physics and ancient wisdom, or science and spirit. Her message is meaningful: matter is not inert; it is consciousness in motion. From the sacred cycle of soil, food, and humanity to the concepts of autopoiesis, and symbiosis she reveals the elegant, often invisible web that connects us all.She warns against the dangerous illusion that nature is a machine to be manipulated. In reality, the Earth is a living system, responsive and intelligent, and when we exploit it as if it were lifeless, we create imbalance, and what she calls the metabolic disorder of Gaia. Climate change, in her view, is not just an environmental crisis, rather, it is a profound disruption of life’s symphony, a call to return to harmony before it is too late.But Vandana is not here to preach despair; she is here to ignite transformation. She speaks of joy as an act of resistance, humility as the gateway to true wisdom, and creativity as the very essence of life. The same Shakti, the regenerative power that makes trees grow, rivers flow, and galaxies spin, exists within us, and is inexhaustible and eternal.In this conversation, Vandana invites us to awaken not just to the urgency of the moment but to the deeper truth of our existence. We are not separate from nature; we are nature. And when we embrace this reality, we don’t just sustain the world, we help it flourish. With unwavering courage, wisdom, and love, she calls us to step into a regenerative future, where we become stewards, co-creators, and protectors of the great, living Earth that carries us all.Chapters:0:00 Intro: Quantum physics and healing the planet5:49 Living in consciousness vs. mechanistic thinking11:00 Principles of quantum thinking in everyday life16:19 Earth University: Nature as the teacher22:25 Seed freedom and biodiversity preservation28:01 Finding joy in interconnection and service33:12 Humility and elevated consciousness36:43 Quantum physics and divinity40:51 Story of women's strength from natureAbout Wonderstruck:The Wonderstruck Podcast with Elizabeth Rovere is a deep yet lighthearted exploration of the mystical, metaphysical, transcendent, transformative, esoteric, and ecstatic aspects of human experience. It bridges science, spirituality, and philosophy through engaging conversations with scientists, scholars, experts, and experiencers.In this season of the Wonderstruck Podcast, we delve into the profound mysteries of existence, exploring the depths of human consciousness, spirituality, and the interconnectedness of life. Through engaging conversations with professors, neuroscientists, comedians, healers, poets, psychotherapists, group therapists, philosophers, activists, and authors,we invite listeners to challenge conventional thinking and embrace a multidimensional understanding of reality.Wonderstruck Links:https://wonderstruck.orghttps://www.instagram.com/wonderstruckpod/https://www.youtube.com/@wonderstruckpodhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wonderstruck/id1671879661https://open.spotify.com/show/6fS5boWGwYTShddG7SKlVw Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• 19: Zentatsu Richard Baker Roshi And Tatsudo Nicole Baden Roshi - Shifting Perception To Change The World

  For Wonderstruck's Season 2 finale, host Elizabeth Rovere introduces a special conversation between Zentatsu Richard Baker Roshi, one of Zen's leading voices, and his Dharma Successor and Dharma Sangha colleague Tatsudo Nicole Baden Roshi. The mentor-protégé duo display their compassion and respect for one another while introducing vital ideas about navigating existence, seeking connection, and recalibrating perception.https://wonderstruck.orghttps://www.instagram.com/wonderstruckpod/https://www.youtube.com/@wonderstruckpodhttps://www.facebook.com/wonderstruckpodhttps://www.dharma-sangha.dehttps://www.dharmasangha.orghttps://www.instagram.com/zendharmasangha/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/crestonemountainzen/https://www.facebook.com/zendharmasanghahttps://www.facebook.com/dharmasanghacrestone Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• 18: Robert Peng - The Making Of A Qigong Master

  Healer, author and world-renowned qigong master Robert Peng traces his singular journey and shares stories about the teacher that changed his life. Recovering from a childhood illness during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, Peng started apprenticing with a legendary monk named Xiao Yao. Having witnessed and learned from his master’s extraordinary, and seemingly supernatural powers, Peng himself developed his own remarkable capabilities, feats of strength and healing which many would consider impossible. He did it, he says, by cultivating his qi. In a revealing conversation recorded last summer at Wonderstruck’s Symposium on Wisdom and Pedagogy in Guainville, France, host Elizabeth Rovere sat down with Peng to explore what qi really is, what it has to do with the energy centers of Chinese Medicine, and how we can cultivate our own. https://wonderstruck.orghttps://www.instagram.com/wonderstruckpod/https://www.youtube.com/@wonderstruckpodhttps://www.facebook.com/wonderstruckpodhttps://www.robertpeng.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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