From Monks in the Himalayas to Your Living Room and the New Era of Consciousness Research (Ariel Garten)

Ariel Garten is a neuroscientist, psychotherapist, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Muse, the clinical grade EEG headband that has helped over 500,000 people train their brains through real time neurofeedback. Her work sits at the intersection of consciousness research and consumer technology, with hundreds of published studies and collaborations spanning Mayo Clinic doctors, cancer care patients, and Tibetan monks in the Himalayas.In this episode, Ariel explains how consciousness research has moved from lab settings to your living room through devices like Muse. She walks through how neurofeedback translates brain activity into real time audio feedback, helping meditators catch mind wandering and strengthen their attentional loop. The conversation covers measurable EEG differences between meditation styles, the new Muse S Athena that combines EEG with functional near infrared spectroscopy for a new form of neurofeedback that works with eyes open, how AI is transforming brain data analysis, and why meditation supports brain health alongside sleep and exercise. Ariel also shares how Muse is being used in psychedelic research and where consciousness research is heading next.Who This Episode Is For:Meditators who want to understand what is happening in their brain during practiceEntrepreneurs and professionals interested in cognitive performance and brain healthAnyone exploring consciousness science and personal transformationWhat You'll Learn:How neurofeedback works and why real time brain feedback accelerates meditationWhat FNIRS technology reveals about prefrontal cortex activityHow AI is making brain data analysis more accurate than human expertsFor full show notes: https://podcast.scottbritton.me/p/muse-founder-reveals-how-brain-technologyGo Deeper:• Join my email list for ongoing insights on consciousness, spirituality, using business as a spiritual path and human potential.• My book Conscious Accomplishment: How to Use Personal Achievement for Spiritual Growth• My company Conscious Talent - where business leaders and companies who value both inner work and professional excellence connect.Chapters:(00:00) What Is Muse and How Neurofeedback Supports Meditation(06:37) Neural Signatures of Different Meditation Styles(17:50) FNIRS Technology and the Future of Brain Sensing(27:03) Brain Health, Sleep, and Transfer Effects of Meditation(40:37) Psychedelic Research, Personal Practice, and TechnologyGet 15% off any Muse