On May 2–3, 2026, Dr. Sahib Khalsa convened the inaugural Embodied Minds Summit in Los Angeles — a curated gathering of 140 researchers, clinicians, innovators, and funders exploring how the brain senses the body, and what this reveals about consciousness, mental health, and the future of intelligence.

The summit brought together one of the most interdisciplinary groups ever convened around interoception and embodied cognition, with participants spanning cardiology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, psychiatry, neurology, contemplative science, and neurotechnology. Sponsoring support was provided by the UCLA Luskin Fund, BrainMind, Unlikely Collaborators, UCLA Health, The Consciousness Foundation, and The Centered Foundation.

Keynote: Antonio Damasio

The summit was anchored by a keynote from Antonio Damasio, David Dornsife Chair in Neuroscience at the University of Southern California and one of the most influential thinkers in the neuroscience of consciousness and emotion. Dr. Damasio addressed the role of interoception in shaping consciousness and intelligence in the age of AI, drawing from his forthcoming book, Natural Intelligence and the Logic of Consciousness.

Day One — The Salon

The first evening took place at Unlikely Collaborators in Los Angeles, where a curated group of researchers, philanthropists, and translational leaders gathered for an experiential salon. Participants didn’t just hear about interoception — they felt it firsthand through a series of sensory and interoceptive experiences.

Experiences offered:

• Aesthetic Chills — music-induced frisson and goosebumps exploration
• Massage Therapy — guided somatic awareness through professional bodywork
• Augmented Reality — immersive AR experience exploring body perception
• Vibration Chair — whole-body vibrotactile stimulation and interoceptive awareness
• Floatation-REST — Reduced Environmental Stimulation Therapy sessions
• Wearable feedback — neurofeedback-based cognitive and body-state monitoring

Each attendee completed a brief preference survey and was algorithmically matched to their ideal experience based on their individual interests and personality profile. A custom registration platform handled the survey, matching, capacity tracking, and scheduling in real time.

Day Two — The Conference

The second day moved to the UCLA Luskin Center for a full-day scientific program. Speakers delivered focused five-minute talks followed by interactive discussion and small-group breakouts — a format designed to maximize dialogue over presentation.

Featured speakers:

Vision and Impact

The summit was designed as a launchpad for the collaborations, funding relationships, and translational initiatives needed to move interoception science from discovery to real-world impact. Breakthrough discoveries in neuroscience often take 15 years or more to reach clinical application — Embodied Minds aims to shorten that timeline.

The summit is expected to generate a published scientific synthesis and video dissemination, alongside a collaborative network designed to advance the field over the coming decade.

Learn more at embodiedminds.ai.