E186 - Nicole LePera: What Your Childhood Home Did to Your Nervous System

Dr. Nicole LePera joins me to explore how our childhood experiences shape the nervous system, emotional patterns, and identities we carry into adulthood. We unpack how many of the reactions, habits, and relationship dynamics that feel automatic today were once adaptations we developed to maintain connection and safety early in life. Nicole explains how emotional attunement in childhood forms the internal “home base” we return to, often recreating familiar patterns even when they no longer serve us.In this conversation, we explore attachment styles, people-pleasing, parentification, and the unconscious roles we adopt in order to belong. Nicole also introduces the practice of reparenting—learning how to meet our own emotional needs through awareness, nervous system regulation, and body-based practices. This episode offers a grounded path toward understanding where our patterns come from and how we can begin to create a deeper sense of safety and home within ourselves.Try LMNT & get a free sample pack https://drinkLMNT.com/KnowThyselfMUDWTR - Up to 43% off sitewide (and a free frother!)https://www.mudwtr.com/knowthyself[Code: KNOWTHYSELF]André's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro03:30 Unearthing What We Buried to Survive09:12 The Childhood Roots of Our Coping Strategies15:59 The Importance of Emotional Attunement19:52 Understanding Attachment Styles28:33 Ad: LMNT30:35 From Seeking Love to Finding Home Within34:54 Meeting Needs With Compassion41:06 Ad: Mudwtr42:29 The Impact of Status-Oriented Parenting51:34 The Body as the Foundation of Healing1:04:19 Simple Practices for Nervous System Regulation1:12:07 Growing When Your Partner Isn't1:26:07 Vulnerability as the Path to Connection1:42:15 Healing the Need to Be Perfect1:50:55 The Power of Inner Child Awareness___________Episode Resources: https://www.instagram.com/the.holistic.psychologisthttps://theholisticpsychologist.com/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

Zen teacher and author Henry Shukman offers a clear and grounded introduction to the heart of Zen practice. We explore how awakening is not an escape from life, but a deeper participation in it — a realization that dissolves the illusion of separation and reveals a boundless field of awareness and love.Henry shares his own spontaneous awakening experience at 19, the profound insight that life is not divided between self and world, and the difficult healing journey that followed. From mindfulness and meditation to flow states, jhanas, koans, and the role of trauma in spiritual growth, this conversation maps out a path that integrates awakening with emotional healing.Download SAILY in your app store and use our code KNOWTHYSELF at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase! For further details go to https://saily.com/knowthyself Go to https://thewayapp.com/knowthyself to begin your journey with 30 free meditation sessionsAndré's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro01:26 An Introduction to Zen13:10 The Premise of Original Love17:14 Training the Mind Like the Body20:54 Freedom From Identification With Thought27:50 What Are the Jhanas?32:50 Ad: Saily33:54 Tasting Awakening for Yourself45:17 Awakening vs Psychological Healing50:17 Awakening as an Ongoing Path54:54 The Distinct Path of Zen59:13 Koans as a Path to Insight1:13:53 The Enlightenment of the Mundane1:20:07 The Freedom of Emptiness1:26:16 The Necessity of Meditation Practice1:34:32 Sweeping the Yard (A Zen Poem)1:43:33 Beauty, Ethics, and Interconnection1:47:33 The Journey to a Whole Heart (A Poem on Heartbreak)2:02:58 Original Love in a Fragmented World___________Episode Resources: https://www.instagram.com/henryshukman/https://www.instagram.com/theway_app/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

Dr. Sue Morter returns to explore what it truly means to awaken — not as a concept, but as a lived, embodied experience. Beneath our protective personality and performance-driven identity lies a deeper intelligence — an electromagnetic master system that governs healing, perception, and consciousness itself.In this conversation, we explore how nervous system regulation opens the doorway to higher awareness, why triggers are invitations to reclaim lost parts of ourselves, and how building energetic circuitry transforms reactive patterns into creative power. From subtle anatomy and the Shoshumna channel to the relationship between consciousness and matter, this episode bridges science and spirituality in a grounded, practical way.Try LMNT & get a free sample pack https://drinkLMNT.com/KnowThyselfTry Boncharge & 15% off their red light deviceshttps://www.boncharge.com/knowthyselfKnow Thyself Community Event Waitlist: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/liveAndré's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro5:48 The Illusion of Inherent Brokenness11:37 The Fuel Behind Achievement17:21 The Protective Personality31:21 Ad: LMNT32:46 The Return to Second Innocence47:04 Ad: BON CHARGE48:13 Expanding the Space Between Stimulus and Response1:04:06 The Science of Subtle Anatomy1:29:24 The Limits of Spiritual Language1:43:07 Embodiment of Expanded Awareness1:49:02 Moving From Joy Instead of Lack1:54:16 The Transformative Power of Immersive Experience2:15:22 Surrendering Fully Into Feeling2:25:42 A Message to the Heart of Humanity___________Episode Resources: Dr. Sue Morter's book: https://nt113.isrefer.com/go/HYHYL-Book/KnowThyself/https://www.instagram.com/drsuemorterhttps://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.comListen to the show:Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4bZMq9lApple: https://apple.co/4iATICX

Nir Eyal joins the podcast to explore one of the most foundational forces shaping our lives: belief. What if the way you see reality isn’t reality itself, but a simulation filtered through prior assumptions, expectations, and unconscious scripts?In this conversation, we unpack the difference between fact, faith, and belief—and why most of our suffering stems from confusing the three. Nir shares powerful research on predictive processing, placebo and nocebo effects, learned helplessness, and how our expectations literally alter what we see, feel, and experience in our bodies.From secular prayer and gratitude practices to Byron Katie’s turnaround method, this episode is a deep dive into how to move from limiting beliefs to liberating ones. If beliefs are tools, then the real question becomes: are the ones you’re using serving you?EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/knowthyselfTry it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee3/10 Book release: http://geni.us/beyondbeliefAndré's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro01:35 The Difference Between Fact, Faith, and Belief05:36 Illusions of Reality07:29 The Core of Our Perception15:52 Where to Start Enacting Change on Your Life19:53 Beliefs as Tools, Not Truths25:28 Ad: Nord VPN26:32 The Cosmic Slot Machine37:39 Spotting Your Limiting Beliefs46:39 The Prison of Our Own Making51:33 Why We Perceive Threats Everywhere1:00:18 Becoming Indistractable1:12:57 What Attention Means Today versus the Past1:26:44 The Motivation Triangle1:32:00 Closing Thoughts___________Episode Resources: https://www.instagram.com/neyal99https://nir.substack.com/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

Swami Sarvapriyananda unpacks the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta and its central claim: you are not the body, not the mind, not even your thoughts — you are pure consciousness itself. Through rigorous reasoning rather than blind belief, he guides us step by step into a direct inquiry of who we truly are.We explore the limits of faith-based religion, the pitfalls of mystical experience, the distinction between intelligence and consciousness in the age of AI, and the profound implications of non-duality. This conversation is not about adopting a belief system — it is about dismantling false identities until only the undeniable remains.FREE electrolyte sample pack with any purchase @ https://drinkLMNT.com/KnowThyselfBON CHARGE - 15% off red light therapy products I personally usehttps://www.boncharge.com/knowthyself[Code: KNOWTHYSELF]André's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro01:18 What Is Advaita Vedanta06:44 The Promise Freedom From Suffering10:16 Liberation While Living15:09 The Three Spiritual Paths23:38 The Path of Knowledge Jnana Yoga28:42 Discovering Our Ignorance29:49 Descartes and the Indubitable Self32:36 Ad: LMNT34:50 Deconstructing the Self37:18 Are You the Body42:09 From Body to Breath to Mind47:30 AI and the Difference Between Intelligence and Consciousness49:12 Consciousness in Deep Sleep52:23 If Not Body or Mind What Are You53:23 Pure Consciousness Explained55:04 Dualism vs Non Dualism57:42 The Dream Analogy59:17 Maya and the Appearance of the Universe01:00:28 Ocean and Wave Analogy01:01:13 Ad: BON CHARGE01:03:35 The Shift From Person to Awareness01:10:00 Awareness as the Ground of Reality01:18:00 The Root of Suffering01:26:00 Ego Attachment and Fear01:34:00 Living as Pure Awareness01:42:00 Practical Self Inquiry01:50:00 Free Will Karma and Responsibility02:02:00 The Illusion of Individuality02:14:00 Consciousness and Modern Science02:26:00 Death Rebirth and Liberation02:38:00 What Enlightenment Really Means02:50:00 Final Clarifications on Non Duality02:55:00 Closing Reflections___________https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

Joscha Bach explores the nature of consciousness, free will, and reality through the lens of computation, cognitive science, and philosophy. Rather than treating the mind as a mystical entity, Joscha frames consciousness as a constructed dream—a model generated by the brain to make sense of the world and coordinate behavior.We examine why beliefs should remain provisional, how the self functions as a useful fiction, and why suffering emerges when internal learning signals misfire. Joscha explains why free will feels real even if decisions arise before awareness, how meaning exists beyond the individual ego, and why wisdom is not simply knowledge but the ability to orient oneself within larger systems of value.BON CHARGE - 15% off red light therapy products I personally usehttps://www.boncharge.com/knowthyself[Code: KNOWTHYSELF]André's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro: Josha Bach04:24 Agnosticism, Evidence, and Logical Alternatives11:20 Reality as a Mental Simulation13:00 What Physicalism Actually Claims16:55 Telepathy, Rituals, and Distributed Minds19:45 Consciousness Does Not Make Decisions22:55 Free Will as a Post-Hoc Story24:00 Consciousness as a Trance State26:00 Meditation and the Illusion of Self29:10 Out-of-Body Experiences Explained31:07 Ad: BON CHARGE36:30 Why the Brain Fills in Missing Reality39:50 Dreams, Selves, and Narrative Identity43:20 Intelligence, Models, and World-Building47:10 Why Reality Feels Stable51:00 Meaning, Agency, and Mental Compression55:10 Why Consciousness Feels Central (But Isn’t)59:30 The Psychological World vs Physical Reality1:04:10 Intelligence Without Awareness1:08:45 The Cost of Believing the Self Is Real1:13:30 Waking Up From the Narrative1:18:40 What a Cognitive Science View Really Implies1:23:30 Final Thoughts: Living Inside the Dream___________Episode Resources: https://www.cimc.ai/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

In this conversation, David Ghiyam shares the spiritual framework that has guided his life for over 25 years—one rooted in the idea that reality operates according to universal spiritual laws, just as it does physical ones. Drawing from Kabbalistic wisdom and lived experience, David explains how the soul’s purpose is not comfort, but transformation, and how life’s challenges are designed to reconnect us with a deeper source of fulfillment.We explore the concept of the “light of the Creator,” the idea of spiritual baggage carried across lifetimes, and why pain, relationships, and adversity act as mirrors for inner growth. David reflects on periods of profound darkness in his own life—financial collapse, loss, doubt—and how a shift from victimhood to responsibility opened the door to unexpected clarity, healing, and abundance.MUDWTR - Up to 43% off sitewide (and a free frother!)https://www.mudwtr.com/knowthyself[Code: KNOWTHYSELF]André's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro - David Ghiyam04:57 The light of the Creator08:25 External teaching vs internal understanding12:36 Kabbalah in the life of David18:39 What is the source of consciousness?26:50 The trap of “needing” energy31:00 Ad: Mudwtr32:21 Does everything happen for a reason?39:43 The magnetic quality of being whole52:51 The role of business in our spiritual paths59:55 Protecting the seed1:09:08 How to practice trust in your intuition1:18:18 One spiritual law people violate daily1:29:26 Closing thoughts___________Episode Resources: https://www.instagram.com/davidghiyamhttps://www.davidghiyam.com/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

In this conversation, Reggie Watts explores creativity not as a skill reserved for a few, but as the fundamental way human beings relate to reality itself. From comedy and music to improvisation, paradox, and play, Reggie reflects on how we’re constantly creating our experience of life—often without realizing it.We talk about absurdity as a doorway to truth, humor as a form of instantaneous awakening, and why laughter momentarily dissolves identity, ideology, and certainty. Reggie shares how improvisation shapes his philosophy of living, why structure exists to be transcended, and how playfulness restores a sense of freedom in a world that often feels rigid and over-defined.BON CHARGE - 15% off red light therapy products I personally usehttps://www.boncharge.com/knowthyself[Code: KNOWTHYSELF]André's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro - Reggie Watts04:54 The absurdity of being human07:21 The insight gained through self-reflection11:34 The philosophy of improv19:06 Realizing the artist in you24:27 Ad: BON CHARGE25:44 Reggie’s form of death meditation38:14 Altered states as a reference point46:09 Not all transpersonal experiences are equal52:43 Reframing anxiety after altered states1:03:25 It’s all an illusion1:12:44 Service to self vs service to others1:19:28 Building community1:23:15 Closing thoughts___________Episode Resources:https://www.reggie-watts.com/https://www.instagram.com/reggiewattshttps://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

In this conversation, Jesse Michels joins me to explore a question that’s becoming harder to dismiss: what if the phenomenon we call UFOs points to something real—and we don’t yet know what it is? Rather than arguing for belief or disbelief, this episode is an invitation to curiosity, careful inquiry, and intellectual honesty about the limits of our current understanding.We examine historical UFO encounters near nuclear sites, government secrecy, and the growing body of anomalies that don’t sit comfortably within a purely materialist worldview. This is a conversation about staying grounded while remaining open. About asking better questions. And about whether phenomena like UFOs, non-human intelligence, or something we haven’t yet named might be nudging us to expand how we think about reality, consciousness, and our place in the universe.Momentous: Best Creatine in the gamehttps://livemomentous.com[Use code KNOWTHYSELF for up to 35% off]BONCHARGE - 15% off red light therapy products I personally usehttps://www.boncharge.com/knowthyself[Code: KNOWTHYSELF]André's Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00 Intro06:36 Questioning the Nature of Reality09:18 A Timeline of Non-Human Intelligence Evidence23:37 Why Nuclear Sites Attract Attention31:55 Extraordinary Claims, Extraordinary Evidence40:29 Ad: Momentous41:51 Letting Go of Human-Centric Thinking47:49 Studying Claims Without Dismissing People58:58 Non-Human Biologics and Physical Evidence1:06:10 Ad: Boncharge1:07:25 What May Have Been Quietly Explored1:18:55 The Hidden Branch of Physics1:26:38 Reframing Aliens Through Consciousness1:33:33 Grays, Nordics, and Reptilians Explained1:40:10 Why We Don’t See Reality Directly1:53:58 Glimpses Outside Linear Time1:58:44 Why Aliens Look Strangely Human2:07:32 Shared Phenomena in Altered States2:15:32 Jesse’s Personal UFO Experiences2:23:35 The Monolith as a Metaphor2:29:07 The Problem With Visual Proof2:35:24 What Is Actually Happening?2:46:47 Voices Worth Listening To2:51:22 What Would You Ask an Alien?2:53:19 Closing Thoughts___________Episode Resources: https://www.youtube.com/Jessemichelshttps://www.instagram.com/jessemichelsofficial/https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com

This final episode of the year is a special compilation reflecting on the lessons, reminders, and moments that shaped 2025. It’s a curated journey through insights from across the year—designed to help you slow down, take stock, and step into 2026 with greater clarity, presence, and intention.This episode is less about doing more and more about listening—reflecting on the growth, challenges, relationships, and inner shifts that defined the past year. It’s an invitation to notice what wants to be released, what wants to be integrated, and what seeds you’re ready to water moving forward. Sometimes all it takes is a one-degree change in direction to alter the entire path ahead.Momentous: Best Creatine in the gamehttps://livemomentous.com[Use code KNOWTHYSELF for up to 35% off]2025/2026 Reflections and Intentions: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/yearinreviewAndrés Book Recs: https://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com/book-list___________00:00:00 Intro00:01:37 Review 2025 Instead of Planning 2026 (E166 – Tim Ferriss) 00:05:27 The Most Important Practice of 2026 (E152 – Mark Manson) 00:10:11 There Is No Wealth Without Health (E128 – Mindy Pelz) 00:12:26 The Importance of a Bedtime Routine (E143 – Michael Beckwith) 00:17:59 How To Grasp The Opportunity of Life (E119 – Marianne Williamson) 00:25:16 The Power of Entrainment (E145 – Dr. Theresa Bullard) 00:31:01 Be Careful With What You Desire (E160 – Aaron Abke) 00:35:18 Explore Your Relationship With Money (E140 – Lewis Howes) 00:41:59 Ad – Momentous 00:43:14 Happiness is an Inside Job (E149 – Dr. Thema Bryant) 00:48:16 The Unique Opportunity of Our Times (E154 – Sadhguru) 00:53:25 How To Discover Your Dharma (E155 – Dr. K) 01:01:11 Living The Moment You're Meant To Live (E164 – Dr. John Demartini) 01:07:53 The Problem With Manifestation (E118 – Aaron Doughty) 01:13:29 Finding Stability in Surrender (E135 – Yung Pueblo) 01:16:23 Relaxing Into Instability (E146 – Cory Muscara) 01:20:42 Looking Back To Plan Ahead (E158 – Tom Campbell) 01:24:35 A Different Perspective of the Future (E165 – Dr. Iain McGilchrist) 01:29:04 The Unlimited Potential of Being Human (E134 – Peter Crone)___________Watch the Full EpisodesTim Ferriss: https://youtu.be/NxmUCGuapNwMark Manson: https://youtu.be/to-APJvffFQMindy Pelz: https://youtu.be/pgWnbRg5-cgMichael Beckwith: https://youtu.be/r3wrUmE1L3wMarianne Williamson: https://youtu.be/AQzKagUJGvIDr. Theresa Bullard: https://youtu.be/mrKiH4J0_5UAaron Abke: https://youtu.be/zXMKj8fNnYQLewis Howes: https://youtu.be/PTPjCtF9es4Dr. Thema Bryant: https://youtu.be/ItRCT_L2kpASadhguru: https://youtu.be/FMoXXb-wKE8Dr. K: https://youtu.be/zj40FT631P4Dr. John DeMartini: https://youtu.be/dVR01alAe8oAaron Doughty: https://youtu.be/79INohJ7KTwYung Pueblo: https://youtu.be/bwom9Y6ybcgCory Muscara: https://youtu.be/IrxFMkYUBFgTom Campbell: https://youtu.be/IoGSWLuH2JsDr. Iain McGilchrist: https://youtu.be/LZ5C11mlTH4Peter Crone: https://youtu.be/VCi93m9lloMEpisode Resources: https://www.instagram.com/andreduqum/https://www.instagram.com/knowthyself/https://www.youtube.com/@knowthyselfpodcasthttps://www.knowthyselfpodcast.com