Grant Jones – Music, Meditation, and Healing

In this episode, Wendy speaks with musician, contemplative, researcher, and activist Grant Jones. Grant is working to develop and implement contemplative and liberatory tools for underserved populations. This conversation covers many topics, including: blending music, psychology, contemplation, and activism; music and mindfulness for healing race-based anxiety; collaborating with Lama Rod Owens, Esperanza Spalding, and others; the absence of research on black music; music medicine vs. music therapy; pleasure activism as a form of disruption; balancing structure and freedom; the Black Lotus Collective; links between psychedelics and meditation; potential benefits and harm of psychedelic treatment, and how race plays in; the power of music to transcend language and culture; balancing identity with non-self; and letting go, having fun, and not being too serious. Full show notes and resources

Om Podcasten

What is a mind? What are the mental patterns that shape our experience—how are those patterns created, maintained, and changed? How can contemplative practices like meditation help us work with our minds? And what are the potential benefits these practices for individuals and society? This inquiry can happen through many lenses. Conversations on this show integrate contemplative approaches with perspectives from psychology, philosophy, neuroscience, anthropology, religion, social science, art, activism, and lived experience. On Mind & Life, we investigate these complex questions with leading researchers, thinkers, and on-the-ground practitioners, moving us toward a deeper understanding of ourselves and our world. Hosted by Mind & Life Institute Science Director, Wendy Hasenkamp.