Material for the brain

About Material for the brain

In 'Material for the brain', Matan Levkowich invites guest, colleagues and friends to reflect on the question 'How can one develop a meaningful relationship with one's own body'. In his non formal style of hosting, Matan enables the conversations flow naturally between theoretic concepts, applicable ideas and personal stories. Subscribe to get the podcast directly to your email: https://movementlab.eu/subscribe Learn more about the Movement Lab educational programs: https://movementlab.eu/study-groups

Publisher

Matan Levkowich

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

16 Nov 2020

Latest episode

6 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

54 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2025

   #54 - Relational Truths. Animism & The Politics of Being / Christos Galanis

   This episode was recorded on May 4th, 2025. My guest for this episode Christos Galanis - an interdisciplinary artist, cultural geographer, Animist, and ritual facilitator based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. His work intricately weaves themes of displacement, ancestry, and the sacred, drawing from a rich tapestry of personal history, ethnography, and experiential practices. Christos earned a BFA in Integrated Music Studies from Concordia University in Montreal, an MFA in Art & Ecology from the University of New Mexico and a PhD in Cultural Geography at the University of Edinburgh. Christos is the fourth generation of men in his family to emigrate from their country of birth, a lineage that profoundly influences his exploration of themes like displacement and belonging. In our conversation, we explored the meaning of animism as a lived framework rather than a nostalgic return to ancient belief. We talked about how Christos’ identity as a first-generation Greek-American informs his relationship to place, ancestry, and belonging. We talked about the philosophical shift from relational to categorical thinking found in modernity, that prioritized measurement over meaning. We discussed how indigenous animist perspectives challenge the foundations of modern science, especially around knowledge, truth, and verification. We talked about the legacy of monotheism, the ideological drive for universality, and how Judaism stands apart as a practice-based tradition still deeply rooted in place. We talked about the entanglement of place, ritual, and identity, and how the loss of locality contributes to existential disconnection. We talked about political animism as a potential alternative to left-right paradigms, about grief as a doorway to transformation, and about the struggle to live ethically in a world built on disconnection.

2. 

   2 Jun 2025

   #53 - The Paradox of Inclusivity / Matan Levkowich

   Matan Levkowich reflects on inclusivity within dance, differentiating between participatory and missionary approaches while examining the paradoxes of mandated openness.

3. 

   9 Apr 2025

   #52 - The Purpose of Dance / Matan Levkowich

   In this solo episode, I explore a question that has been with me for years: Why do humans dance? Beyond self-expression or personal growth, dance may hold something much deeper—something ancient. I dive into the idea of dance as a social technology, a form of collective sacrifice, and a gateway to the transcendent. Whether you're a dancer, a seeker, or simply curious—this episode is an invitation to reimagine what dance can mean. Join our Info Evening: https://movementlab.eu/info-evening (https://movementlab.eu/info-evening) Support the podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://movementlab.eu/mftb-support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) Subscribe to get the podcast to your email:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://movementlab.eu/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (https://movementlab.eu/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) 15% Discount Coupon for our online courses: MATERIALFORTHEBRAIN15%⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://movementlab.eu/courses⁠⁠ (https://movementlab.eu/courses⁠⁠)

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

87,799

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

22 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 48 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

30

Social presence

0

YouTube

85

Engagement

82

Contact Material for the brain

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.