S4E27 Exploring Koans and Spiritual Wisdom Across Cultures

S4E27 Exploring Koans and Spiritual Wisdom Across Cultures

Author: Peter Economou, Ph.D. and Nikki Rubin, Psy.D. February 25, 2025 Duration: 15:54
Can koans untangle the complexities of our minds and offer a path to mental clarity? Explore this fascinating possibility with our special guest, Nikki, who passionately shares her experiences with these intricate Zen riddles. By challenging the intellectual mind, koans invite us into a space of simplicity and stillness, a concept that resonates deeply with the practice of meditation. We also reflect on how younger generations are more receptive to integrating mindfulness into their daily liv...

In When East Meets West, psychologists Peter Economou and Nikki Rubin bridge the continental divide for a unique conversation. Peter, based on the East coast, and Nikki, on the West, bring their clinical expertise to explore the fascinating intersections where ancient Eastern wisdom and contemporary Western psychology converge. This podcast delves into topics across health, fitness, mental well-being, science, and spirituality, examining how timeless practices can inform modern behavioral science. Each discussion is grounded in their professional experience, offering nuanced perspectives rather than simple answers. Listeners will hear thoughtful dialogues that unpack complex ideas, from meditation and mindfulness to the psychology behind ritual and community, always aiming for practical, actionable insights. The tone is curious and accessible, making the synthesis of these two rich traditions relevant for daily life. By tuning in, you join a ongoing exploration of how we can live with greater awareness and resilience, informed by both the lab and the lineage. When East Meets West is an invitation to consider the full spectrum of human understanding, hosted by two guides dedicated to making these connections clear and useful.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

When East Meets West
Podcast Episodes
S2E29_Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:43
Have you noticed that the music you listen to can directly affect how you feel? Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin share insights around the psychology of music, while reminding listeners that they are no musical experts. Dr. Pete i…
S2E30_Worry and Rumination [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:46
Why do we worry about the future and ruminate about the past? In this episode, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete discuss and distinguish between these two “covert” behaviors (behaviors happening inside you that are invisible to eve…
S2E29_Koans in Buddhism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:18
You’ve heard koans mentioned on WEMW before, but what exactly are they? In this episode, Dr. Pete explains what koans are and how they are used to try and untangle the mind through verbal paradoxes and riddles in the Bud…
S2E28_Multi-tasking [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:03
We live in a busy go, go, go world, thus most of us like to believe that we are experts in multi-tasking. But believe it or not, the brain is actually incapable of focusing on more than one thing at a time! In this episo…
S2E27_Sadness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:26
As Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete return from a short summer hiatus, they open up the second half of Season 2 by discussing the importance of sadness, evolutionary perspectives, and differentiate sadness from depression. Dr. Rub…
S2E26_Love [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:19
Love is a basic emotion, and one that most humans desire. There are many aspects of love and it shows up at different points in our lives. In this last episode before summer break, Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin share their thou…
S2_Bonus3_Toxic Masculinity with Jean Semelfort, MA, LPC [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:49
On this bonus episode, special guest Jean Semelfort, Jr. joins Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin to discuss toxic masculinity. Jean is a licensed professional counselor and owner of the private practice CACTUS in Montclair, NJ. He…
S2E25_Emotion Regulation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:52
Emotions evolved to give us information, but what happens when they become more intense than evolution intended them to be? In this episode, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete discuss emotion regulation, including reasons why emotio…
S2E24_Video Games [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:55
There are many positives and negatives involving the use of video games, and experts have been debating this topic for years. Dr. Pete and Dr. Rubin break down some of the most recent research around video games, the dev…
S2E23_The Problem with Freud [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:44
Without further ado, Dr. Rubin and Dr. Pete bring you the first episode regarding the differences between behaviorism and traditional psychoanalysis as developed by Sigmund Freud. They highlight how the practices are sim…