#11. Calming the Storm: Ariel Garten on Brain‑Sensing Meditation and Neuroscience
Today’s guest is Muse Headband Creator and Founder Ariel Garten.
Meditation makes significant, actual change inside the brain.
In her conversation with Dr. Greg Wells, Ariel Garten recounts her path from artist and psychotherapist to co‑founding InteraXon and creating the Muse headband. She explains how Muse uses EEG sensors to monitor brain activity and translate mental states into weather‑like sounds; when the mind drifts, the sound becomes stormy, prompting users to return their attention and quiet the “weather”. Garten describes how a concussion taught her that anxiety arises from the amygdala and triggers a cascade of stress hormones, and how approaching experiences with curiosity rather than fear reduces the physiological stress response. She advocates daily meditation as a way to strengthen the brain’s “intentional loop” and improve emotional regulation, envisioning a world where widespread meditation cultivates empathy and reduces conflict.
You will learn that brain‑computer interfaces can train mindfulness, daily practice builds the intentional loop and that meditation fosters compassion.
You’ll learn to establish a daily meditation practice: Allocate 15–20 minutes each day to focus on your breath. When your mind wanders, gently bring your attention back. This simple practice trains your brain to regulate stress and stay present.
Many people struggle to calm their minds and manage anxiety. Garten’s work demonstrates that combining science‑based meditation training with real‑time feedback can demystify mindfulness, making it a practical tool to reduce stress, improve focus and build compassion.
Key take aways:
Anxiety triggers a stress cascade
EEG feedback teaches focus
Meditation builds the intentional loop
Curiosity quiets the mind
“The most important part of ourselves is the mind, and it has been rather inaccessible.”
Today’s Expert Guest - Ariel Garten
Ariel Garten is a neuroscientist, psychotherapist, artist and entrepreneur from Toronto. She graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in biology and psychology (neuroscience designation).
Early in her career she worked with wearable‑computing pioneer Steve Mann to translate brain signals into music. In 2009 she co‑founded InteraXon with Chris Aimone and Trevor Coleman to develop non‑invasive brain–computer interfaces, including the Muse brain‑sensing headband. Garten served as the company’s CEO until 2015 and now acts as co‑founder and chief evangelism officer.
She is also trained as a psychotherapist and previously founded her own clothing line. Her mission is to integrate art and science to help people overcome mental obstacles and achieve their full potential. Today she speaks globally on neuroscience, meditation and mental health while advocating for technology‑enabled mindfulness.
This podcast contains advice and information relating to health and wellness. It should be used to supplement rather than replace the advice of your doctor or another trained health professional. If you know or suspect that you have a health problem, seek your physician’s advice before embarking on any medical program or treatment. All efforts have been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained in this podcast / interview / article as of the date of publication. The author and publisher disclaim liability for any medical or other outcomes that may occur as a result of applying the methods suggested in this material.
