Mind & Life Podcast: Wendy Hasenkamp – Widening the Aperture

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: 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. Original release date: February 27, 2026 Full show notes and resources: https://podcast.mindandlife.org/wendy... Transcript: https://podcast.mindandlife.org/wp-co... -------------------- LISTEN 🎧 Check out all the episodes!    • Mind & Life Podcast   INFO 👉 The Mind & Life podcast addresses fundamental questions that arise through bridging science and contemplative wisdom https://podcast.mindandlife.org/ SUPPORT 🌟 This podcast is a project of the Mind & Life Institute. If you value this content, please consider supporting the show https://www.mindandlife.org/support-us/