Deconstructing Yourself

Michael W. Taft has been meditating for over 35 years, from Zen temples in Japan to yogi caves in India, and his podcast reflects that eclecticism. Deconstructing Yourself bills itself as a "radical cafe" for exploring awakening, and the 4.9-star rating from 397 reviewers suggests the cafe has excellent regulars. The format is interview-based, with Michael talking to thinkers, authors, and teachers who span traditions. Recent episodes explore topics like the Stack Model for deconstructing sensory experience, nondual Vajrayana methods, and neurofeedback for meditation. The guest list pulls from Dzogchen, Advaita Vedanta, nondual Shaiva Tantra, post-traditional Buddhism, and neuroscience. If that sounds like a lot, it is, and that's the point. Michael isn't loyal to any single tradition. Episodes run 45-60 minutes and come out roughly every couple of weeks. Michael's interviewing style is direct and well-informed. He's written several books, including the bestselling The Mindful Geek, so he brings an author's precision to his questions. He pushes conversations past the comfortable talking points into territory where things get genuinely interesting. The show sits at the intersection of hardcore meditation practice and intellectual inquiry. It's not for casual listeners looking for relaxation tips. It's for people who want to understand the mechanics of consciousness and are willing to follow ideas across traditional boundaries to get there. Michael calls it "fearlessly investigating" awakening, and that's an accurate description of what you'll find here.