Wendy Hasenkamp – Widening the Aperture

About this episode

Wendy Hasenkamp reflects on her journey as a host of the podcast and her transition to studying herbalism.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Phil Walker

Guest: Wendy Hasenkamp

Topics covered

• contemplative science
• Buddhism and science
• science communication
• mind-body connection
• herbalism
• interconnectedness with nature

Keywords

• contemplative science
• Buddhism
• science education
• mindfulness
• herbalism
• interconnectedness
• well-being

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Mind & Life Institute

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