The Spiritual Journey of Albert Einstein

Talking with Dr. Kieran Fox

Albert Einstein almost feels superhuman to so many of us. He’s this man who although feels familiar, also feels untouchable. He exists almost as a paragon of science or intellectualism rather than a real living human being. But Einstein was in fact, human. And I think that makes him all the more interesting because it means that he dealt with so many of the same concerns that affect the rest of us. And while there are no shortage of biographies of the man, none of them have addressed Einstein’s own spirituality, at least until now.

In today’s podcast, I am joined by Dr. Kieran Fox, a neuroscientist and psychiatrist who somehow managed to write I Am A Part of Infinity: The Spiritual Journey of Albert Einstein. Today we are talking about Einstein's views on unity, spirituality, and his complex relationship with Judaism, as well as the writing process of the book during Kieran’s medical training. Kieran Fox details the multifaceted life of this unique man, exploring his cultural identity, deep curiosity, and the influences that shaped his thoughts. For you book lovers, we get into Einstein's extensive personal library, as well as his admiration for Gandhi, and the complexities of free will. I think one of my favorite parts of this pod is our discussion on the coexistence of science and spirituality, emphasizing the importance of perception in understanding the universe.

In the clip below, Kieran and I discuss Einstein’s ideas of a cosmic religion:

About our guest:

Dr. Kieran Fox is a neuroscientist (PhD 2016) and doctor (MD 2023), currently training to be a psychiatrist in the Research Resident Training Program at the University of California San Francisco. His research over the next few years will focus on the neural mechanisms and clinical potential of psychedelic medicines. During medical school, he used intracranial electrical stimulation (neuromodulation) of the human brain to research cognition and emotion in epilepsy patients.

Before that, he did his Masters and PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience with Kalina Christoff at the University of British Columbia, in beautiful Vancouver, Canada. His graduate research focused on the neuroscience of meditation and mind-wandering. And before that, he spent a good while in Asia studying meditation and volunteering with Tibetan monks and refugees.

He has worked, studied, vagabonded, and volunteered in 82 countries and counting. He is happiest outdoors or with a book in my hands - ideally, both at the same time.

Find his book:

Find I Am A Part of Infinity at this link on Amazon or wherever you get your books.

I can’t tell y’all how much I enjoyed talking to Kieran. Hope you enjoy the pod. Links below.

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