As a prelude to the Embodied Minds Conference at UCLA, BrainMind hosted a private salon on Saturday, May 2nd at the intersection of sensory systems, consciousness, and human experience.
This invitation-only gathering brought together a curated group of researchers, translational leaders, and funders working at the frontier of interoception, evidence-based wellness practices, the neural correlates of consciousness, and emerging questions around embodied intelligence in the age of artificial intelligence. Hosted by BrainMind, Unlikely Collaborators, and Dr. Sahib Khalsa (UCLA) at the Unlikely Collaborators HQ in Santa Monica, the salon was designed as a more intimate, cross-disciplinary space alongside the broader summit.
Through immersive elements—including flotation-REST, somatic practices, neurotechnology activations, and musical immersions—participants were invited to engage interoception not only as a field of study, but as something to be directly felt and explored, with the body itself serving as both subject and instrument of inquiry.
The evening features a fireside conversation between Dr. Antonio Damasio and Dr. Sahib Khalsa, moderated by Elizabeth R. Koch, exploring how interoception shapes consciousness, mental health, and the future of intelligence.
Memories
Agenda
2:00 pm - 5:00 pm: Immersive Activations
Aesthetic Chills - An aural experience with world-class cellist Suuvi
Aesthetic Chills - Sensory tech with Dr. Nicco Reggente and Dr. Felix Schoeller
Massage - Evidence-based somatic reset with renowned practitioners
Shiftwave Chairs - Synchronized vibrations engineered for clarity, readiness
Neurosmart Wearable Experience - Sympathetic nervous system biofeedback with Dr. Melis Yillmaz Balban
AR Experience - Sample the “Unreal That Feels Real” with Dr. Arash Javanbakht
4:30 pm - 5:00 pm: Lightning Talks
Dr. Kiana Aran, Dr. Emily Choquette, Natalie Peluso, Dr. David Vago
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm: Light Bites and Conversation, Immersive activations continue
7:00 pm - 7:45 pm: Fireside with Dr. Antonio Damasio, Dr. Sahib Khalsa, Elizabeth R. Koch
7:45 pm - 9:00 pm: Dessert and Connections
Hosts
Diana Saville
BrainMind
Elizabeth Koch
Unlikely Collaborators
Featured Speakers
Bringing together two generations of leading thinkers in interoception, this dialogue reflected a rare intellectual lineage, with Dr. Damasio’s foundational work on consciousness and emotion deeply shaping Dr. Khalsa’s research into brain-body communication and mental health. Together, they explored how interoception informs our understanding of consciousness, psychiatric illness, and the future of intelligence in an age of increasingly capable AI systems.
Guided by Elizabeth Koch, whose work centers on expanding self-awareness and human understanding, the fireside chat offered an intimate, cross-generational exchange at the frontier of how we understand the mind, the body, and the nature of being.
Antonio Damasio, MD, PhD
USC
Sahib Khalsa, MD, PhD
UCLA
Elizabeth Koch
Unlikely Collaborators
Immersive Experiences
Flotation-REST: A sensory reduction experience where participants float in warm, buoyant saltwater in a controlled environment to quiet external input and deepen interoceptive awareness.
Somatic Practices: Body-based interventions, including aesthetic chills and Swedish massage, designed to engage the nervous system and cultivate awareness through direct physical and emotional experience.
Neurotechnology Activations: Technology-enabled experiences, including immersive VR, aesthetic chills, and the Shiftwave Chair, that modulate perception and physiological state to explore brain-body regulation in real time.
In the room
Scientists speaking at the Embodied Minds Conference (May 3rd) also joined us at the salon. A sneak peak:
