Sanity and Sainthood, with Dr. Tucker Peck

About this episode

Michael Taft speaks with Dr. Tucker Peck about the distinctions between understanding psychology and emotional experience, along with insights on meditation and mental health.

Host Michael Taft speaks with meditation teacher, clinical psychologist, and author Dr. Tucker Peck about the the difference between developing a clear understanding of how your psychology works and feeling just how you want to feel all the time; the importance of focusing on mental process verses mental content, his practical definitions of sanity and sainthood, his three-stage model of meditation, and what it’s like after years of daily meditation practice.  Dr. Tucker Peck is a meditation teacher, clinical psychologist, and author.  A former professor, he is the founding director of the scholarship fund Open Dharma Foundation , and co-host of the podcast Teaching Meditation.  Tucker’s first book, Sanity and Sainthood, debuted as a #1 bestseller in 2025.  He teaches a weekly class in-person at the San Francisco Dharma Collective, and has been teaching an online class for advanced meditators since 2012. You can find Tucker, and see the retreats he's teaching, at meditatewithtucker.com .  You can also follow him on Twitter at tucker_peck.  In the US, you can buy Sanity and Sainthood at this link , or outside the US, at any major online retailer (like…

People in this episode

Host: Michael Taft

Guest: Dr Tucker Peck

Topics covered

• psychology
• meditation
• sanity
• sainthood

Keywords

• mental process
• mental content
• three-stage model of meditation
• daily meditation practice

Mentioned in this episode

Products: Sanity and Sainthood

Books & works: Sanity and Sainthood

Places: US

More episodes of Deconstructing Yourself

• A Conversation with Wystan · April 28, 2026 · 35 min
• Michael Taft Interviewed by Pranab · February 7, 2026 · 34 min
• The Power of the Heart with Stephen Snyder · January 29, 2026 · 46 min
• Chasing the Serpent’s Tail with Sravana Borkataky-Varma and Anya Foxen · December 2, 2025 · 51 min
• Nonduality and the Ego with Jake Orthwein · September 21, 2025 · 1h 2m
• Talking about Deity Yoga with Peter McEwen · August 29, 2025 · 55 min