Joining us today is a brilliant philosopher of cognition and cognitive scientist: Dr. Mark Miller.

Mark earned his PhD and Master’s degrees in Philosophy from the University of Edinburgh under the legendary cognitive philosopher Andy Clark, focusing heavily on the embodied and predictive brain. Today, his work spans across multiple prestigious global institutions. He serves as a Senior Research Fellow at Monash University’s Centre for Consciousness and Contemplative Studies in Australia, is an Instructor and Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Toronto within their Psychology and Cognitive Science departments, and acts as a Visiting Researcher at Hokkaido University’s Centre for Human Nature, Artificial Intelligence, and Neuroscience in Japan. He is also the Lab Manager for U of T’s Consciousness and Wisdom Lab.

Alongside his frequent collaborator, Dr. John Vervaeke, Mark works directly at the bleeding edge of 4E Cognition and Predictive Processing—exploring how our brains act as active, prediction-generating engines rather than passive observers. Whether he is breaking down the rigid cognitive loops of addiction and despair, hosting The Contemplative Science Podcast, or leading his groundbreaking 8-week course, Generations of Joy on The Lectern, Mark is dedicated to bridging rigorous computational neuroscience with ancient contemplative wisdom.

https://lectern.johnvervaeke.com/

https://www.markdmiller.live/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-john-vervaeke/id1680606350?i=1000755047363

Mitch Takefman has spent more than fifty years in contemplative practice, drawing from dharma, mindfulness, ethics, and the wisdom traditions of multiple lineages. He is the author of six books, including Authentic Connection: The Art of Communicative Mindfulness, and the creator of the Tailored Mindfulness Experience, a structured curriculum that guides students into progressively deeper practice.

Mitch is also the founder of Wisdom Path Press, a cooperative publishing house dedicated to transformational literature, where he works personally with authors to bring books on mindfulness, wellness, and personal growth into the world. His teaching is practical, honest, and rooted in decades of lived experience rather than theory. He believes the most important thing a person can do is learn to pause before they react, and he has built both his teaching and his publishing work around that conviction.

When he is not writing or teaching, you will find him cheering loudly for the Montreal Canadiens and enjoying every moment with his two grandchildren.

The best place to find me is wisdompathpress.com. There's information about our authors and books there, and if anything we talked about today resonates with you, you can reach out to me directly through the site.

https://www.wisdompathpress.com/

"David Garcia is the founder of Off-Grid Retreats, a San Francisco nonprofit aiming to make nature practice accessible to all. His inspiration comes from his own practice in the Insight tradition, especially a yearly retreat held in the remote wilderness of the Lost Coast. An entrepreneur, land artist, and software developer, he splits his time between LA, SF, and his native country, Mexico."