What goes into making "a self," and how can we bring together the many aspects of who we are? Today Dr. Rick and Forrest Hanson talk with meditation teacher, bestselling author, and podcaster (and their good friend) Michael Taft about moving from the spiritual to the secular and back again, ego dissolution, and how we can deconstruct ourselves.\nAbout Our Guest: Michael\xa0is a meditation teacher, bestselling author and neuroscience junkie. He\u2019s been practicing meditation for over 35 years, and is the author of several books, including The Mindful Geek.\nWatch the Episode: Prefer watching video? You\xa0 can watch this episode on YouTube.\nKey Topics:\n0:00: Introduction\n1:30: Michael\u2019s journey from the spiritual to the secular to back again.\n5:00: LSD, yoga, and Shinzen Young\n8:30: Reconciling the spiritual and the secular.\n15:45: What is \u201cdeconstructing yourself?\u201d\n20:45: Ego dissolution and panic.\xa0\n25:00: \u201cSpiritual emergencies\u201d and cautions around mindfulness.\xa0\n29:20: Psychedelics and seeing the ego as an object.\xa0\n31:00: Practices that help people see the empty nature of the self.\n34:00: Key teachings for life\u2019s long road.\xa0\n45:00: A message to your younger self.\n47:00: Recap\nSupport the Podcast:\xa0We're now on Patreon! If you'd like to support the podcast, follow this link.\nSponsors:\nFrom Dr. Hanson: The Foundations of Well-Being brings together the lessons of a lifetime of practice into one year-long online program. Podcast listeners can use the code\xa0BEINGWELL25 at checkout for an additional 25% off! Please don't hesitate to apply for a scholarship if you're in need.\xa0\nJoin\xa0over a million people using BetterHelp, the world\u2019s largest online counseling platform. Visit betterhelp.com/beingwell for 10% off your first month!\xa0\nWant to sleep better? Try the legendary Calm app! Visit calm.com/beingwell for 40% off a premium subscription.\nConnect with the show:\n\nSubscribe on iTunes\n\nFollow Forrest on YouTube\n\nFollow us on Instagram\n\nFollow Forrest on Instagram\n\nFollow Rick on Facebook\n\nFollow Forrest on Facebook\n\nVisit Forrest's website