Mind & Life Podcast

Wendy Hasenkamp – Widening the Aperture

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February 27, 2026

View or download a transcript of this episode

Since this podcast launched, Wendy Hasenkamp has guided listeners through 84 in-depth conversations, bringing warmth, curiosity, and intellectual depth to every episode. After five years with the show and over 13 years with the Mind & Life Institute, Wendy is stepping into a new chapter, returning to school and pursuing studies to become a clinical herbalist. While we’ll miss her deeply, we’re excited about this new path for her, where she will surely continue to share her wisdom and guide others toward greater well-being and connection.

In this special episode, Mind & Life co-producer Phil Walker sits down with Wendy for a conversation reflecting on her time as host—the insights gained, the themes that emerged, and the questions that continue to inspire her. They cover many topics, including:

Wendy Hasenkamp, PhD
  • her own path into contemplative science;
  • finding a home in the Mind & Life community;
  • the dialogue between Buddhism and science;
  • supporting science education for Tibetan monastics;
  • science communication, nuance & mindfulness hype;
  • how this podcast was born and evolved over time;
  • the importance of open-mindedness and critique in science;
  • some key themes that emerged from years of conversations with leading thinkers and scholars;
  • reckoning with an interdependent self;
  • the problem of othering;
  • mind-body connection;
  • reflections on where contemplative science has been and where it’s going;
  • interconnectedness with nature;
  • and her next steps in the world of herbalism and holistic medicine.

Wendy Hasenkamp, PhD, is a neuroscientist, writer, herbalist, and educator whose current focus is interconnectedness and its possibilities for healing. Her research has ranged from investigating molecular and psychophysiological underpinnings of psychiatric disease to understanding fluctuating brain states during meditation. She also designed and taught contemplative science courses at the University of Virginia and Lesley University.

Wendy served for over a decade as science director at the Mind & Life Institute, where she coordinated programming, oversaw grants programs, developed public communications, and served on the leadership team. In 2017, she published The Monastery and the Microscope, a book covering a dialogue between the Dalai Lama and leading scientists and philosophers about the mind, mindfulness, and the nature of reality. Wendy also conceived of, hosted, and co-produced the Mind & Life podcast from 2020–2025. She is currently studying herbal and holistic medicine, with plans to continue her path of exploring interconnection and health as a clinical herbalist.

Resources

Wendy’s substack on interconnection and health, drawn from her studies of neuroscience, psychology, meditation, and herbalism

Co-producers Wendy and Phil in 2025