Alex Petrov: Why Meditation Surpasses Psychedelics for Personal Growth

Опубликовано: 6 июля, 2025

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**Alex Petrov (A.P.):** I became interested in biotechnology, personal development practices, and yoga, as these provide a fundamental basis for maintaining a fairly active lifestyle. When you run a business, you tend to focus more on your nutrition and daily routine.

I believe this is a natural evolution for the entire crypto community. Those who started with small projects are now managing relatively large companies. For instance, Brian Armstrong significantly altered his lifestyle alongside the growth of Coinbase.

One cannot separate the mind from the body: if your body isn’t feeling well, your mind won’t function properly.

**FL: How do you view the use of the DAO model for funding research?**

**A.P.:** On one hand, this format allows for fundraising and conducting studies that, under different circumstances, few would undertake.

Pharmaceutical companies find it far more profitable and simpler to sell vitamins rather than engage in lengthy research lasting 20-30 years. People desire straightforward solutions: to improve their lives, to fall ill less often, and to tackle pressing issues. In this context, a DAO, functioning as a decentralized community, can facilitate fundraising for such research and encourage these endeavors.

The challenges for DAOs, as I see it, relate to the fact that many studies may take decades, while people inherently tend to be impatient. Many do not invest because they lack a long-term perspective. The planning horizon for most individuals is at most five years, whereas serious research requires decades of meticulous work. Most DAOs are quite young, and investors often seek quick returns, losing interest quickly.

**FL: Are cryptocurrency projects in the biohacking sector, like STEPN, which monetizes walking, or Rejuve.ai, which pays users for health research, viable?**

**A.P.:** I regard the STEPN project as quite promising, as it possesses a clear connection and logical foundation, unlike many ICOs, trend-driven projects, or memes that lack substance beyond imagery. Numerous fitness trackers are attempting to build similar communities where individuals run and share their results. This environment allows for inquiries, technique improvement, and expanding relevant knowledge.

I haven’t delved deeply into the second project, but I can say that gathering extensive health data will help us better understand our body functions. Without such statistical data, we struggle to advance and comprehend how certain mechanisms operate, including protein research.

**FL: Is decentralized large-scale data collection feasible, or is dependence on big pharmaceutical companies insurmountable?**

**A.P.:** DAOs can significantly assist here, as large pharmaceutical companies do not view this as a primary goal. They can already collect data as needed through focus group studies.

However, to advance science, we require considerable volumes of detailed data about bodily indicators throughout the life cycle. Moreover, we cannot gather such data indiscriminately; it cannot be compiled, for example, by Apple or Fitbit.

Additionally, collecting data from running trackers can have considerable risks. There’s a case where the location of a sensitive military base was leaked via Fitbit.

The devices we wear that collect all this information intrude significantly into our lives. DAOs or blockchain technology can help sanitize these data during collection or execute smart contracts that selectively gather essential data, such as blood pressure readings or blood metrics, resulting in a database that facilitates numerous statistical studies.

**FL: Recently, the British startup Portal Biotech raised $35 million to develop portable AI sensors for pathogen detection. Do you see potential in such developments?**

**A.P.:** According to the documentation I’ve reviewed, they are primarily focused on full-size single-molecule protein sequencers. These high-precision studies could dramatically transform our ability to influence these proteins, even achieving changes at the cellular level. Essentially, it’s about reprogramming cells without altering the DNA.

Such research is not unique, but breakthroughs over the past 10-15 years have been few. The technology from Portal Biotech can potentially have various applications. We might be able to treat genetic disorders, enhance human strength and health, and even explore military applications—creating soldiers with significantly enhanced reflexes, speed, and endurance.

**FL: Do you perceive a boundary between safe bio-neurohacking practices and dangerous ones?**

**A.P.:** When one does not fully understand how it works and neglects basic principles, there is indeed a considerable risk. I am particularly skeptical when people start to conduct experiments.

I often witness individuals gathering, particularly at crypto gatherings, where they suggest trying substances under the guise of biohacking—this is extremely dangerous and should not be done.

Firstly, those suggesting these practices are not medical professionals; secondly, you haven’t evaluated the individual’s health conditions or nuances—there’s no way to predict how it will affect them. If something goes wrong, there will be no medical assistance available.

Even improperly conducting breathing practices like pranayama can irreparably damage one’s brain or other organs, making recovery impossible, leading to a direct degradation of quality of life and cognitive abilities.

**FL: Is a month of acclimatization for Everest climbers sufficient, or are there long-term risks involved?**

**A.P.:** On Everest, the oxygen levels are lower, and the gas ratios change during the ascent. For instance, bodybuilders with significant muscle mass may experience organ starvation due to insufficient oxygen, causing protein breakdown and tissue necrosis.

Typically, individuals prepare for an Everest expedition for one to three years. Excessive body mass should be avoided. It is preferable to have healthy muscle tissue and a robust circulatory system, supported by daily physical activities like running.

If you are statistically prone to fainting even at an oxygen level of 19.5%, then summiting Everest is likely not a viable option for you.

**FL: In Silicon Valley, many engage in microdosing. Is this an effective tool for optimizing brain function?**

**A.P.:** There are studies indicating that LSD, which was quite popular in the 60s and 70s, significantly stimulates neurons and greatly enhances creativity, yet it also comes with strong side effects. If someone is grappling with psychological disorders, there’s a risk that such practices could exacerbate their issues.

Therefore, before embarking on microdosing or more intense practices like ayahuasca, start with simple foundational activities—try meditating.

Meditation can help you address these issues much faster. You can stimulate neurons and biological functions without microdosing by changing your eating habits, daily routine, and mental or psychological health.

For more details, check out the full episode of “The Podcast Society.”

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