Heavily Meditated: Biohacking the Nervous System & Consciousness | Dave Asprey

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In this episode of The Art of Being Well, I sit down with biohacking pioneer Dave Asprey for a deep and fascinating conversation that bridges longevity science, meditation, artificial intelligence, and consciousness. Dave shares why Heavily Meditated represents the culmination of decades of work across three worlds: technology, health optimization, and spiritual exploration.

We discuss why biohacking was intentionally introduced before meditation, how mitochondria shape perception and emotional responses, and why most people misunderstand both exercise and meditation. Dave explains why working harder in the gym often leads to exhaustion rather than adaptation, how AI-powered training prioritizes recovery, and why nervous system regulation is foundational to health.

This episode also explores empathy versus compassion, the placebo effect, unconventional immune therapies, and why free speech and curiosity in science matter now more than ever. It’s a conversation about moving beyond survival mode and learning how to consciously choose your internal state - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

A few of my favorite things we cover in this episode: 

• Dave’s global travel and building longevity communities worldwide
• Why Heavily Meditated is his most personal and important book to date
• The three “versions” of Dave: tech entrepreneur, longevity pioneer, and spiritual explorer
• Why biohacking was intentionally introduced before meditation and consciousness work
• How AI is changing exercise, recovery, and performance optimization
• Why “working harder” in the gym often backfires metabolically
• Re-hit training, AI-powered exercise, and prioritizing recovery over overtraining
• The role of mitochondria in perception, emotion, fear, and decision-making
• The five “F’s” that drive human behavior: fear, food, fertility, friends, forgiveness
• Meditation as nervous system regulation, not passivity
• Why most people say “meditation isn’t for me” — and why that’s the wrong frame
• Empathy vs compassion vs resilience
• The placebo effect, intuition, and being your own N-of-1
• Trace minerals, fat-soluble vitamins, and foundational health before “sexy” supplements
• Dave’s unconventional wellness experiments and immune system hacks
• MAHA, free speech in science, and why forbidden conversations matter
• The future of consciousness, resilience, and choosing your internal state

Products & Resources Mentioned:  

• Heavily Meditated by Dave Asprey
• Smarter Not Harder (book reference)
• Upgrade Labs (AI-powered exercise & recovery)
• Re-hit training methodology
• Vitamin D3-K2
• Glutathione
• Danger Coffee
• 40 Years of Zen

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Happy listening and we hope you learned a little bit more on the art of being well!

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In Health,

Dr. Will Cole