BY SHELBY TUTTLE
Ahead of the launch of his new book, “Heavily Meditated” (out May 20), Dave Asprey, the pioneering force behind the biohacking movement, sat down for an interview with Green Living. In a candid, fast-paced dialogue, we explored the profound importance of forgiveness, a cornerstone of his new book and topic that he’s explored significantly in his own life.
“The hardest lesson I’ve learned through this process is how to let go of the things that hurt me, so they don’t control my emotions, my actions, and my life,” explains the nine-time author in his newest work. In the book, Asprey adds forgiveness to his original “F-word framework”— the concepts of fear, food, fertility, and friendships used to explain our unconscious behaviors — discussed at length on his podcast and in previous works. Asprey posits that these notions determine where we allocate our energy, and that they can be controlled or “hacked.” Forgiveness, Asprey says, is a game changer. “It’s about letting go of pain so it doesn’t control how you treat yourself or others. This is the true essence of biohacking,” he writes.
FORGIVENESS IS A PHYSIOLOGICAL STATE
Asprey’s journey to this revelation was born from his never ending commitment to self-experimentation and a relentless pursuit of information. For years, his biohacking philosophy has revolved around changing internal and external environments to optimize one’s biology, mind, and life. He’s experimented with dozens of modalities, pioneered the first grass-fed, no-seed-oil restaurant in Los Angeles, launched a successful holistic coffee brand, and built a regenerative farm to help his family grow their own food.
Asprey has long understood that our surroundings profoundly impact our well-being, but knew that a critical piece was missing. “If you’re still holding a grudge, nothing helps,” Asprey says. This key insight emerged from his extensive study across various sciences, healing methods, and cultures. He references numerous teachers – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of The Art of Living, Dr. Barry Morguelan, Paul Stamets, Dr. Alberto Villoldo, Dr. Joe Dispenza, and the legendary Dr. Stan Grof – and their work, through which he connected the message and profound impact of letting go.
As with his earlier work, this knowledge led him to apply the same rigorous, data-driven approach to the concept of forgiveness. In his work with clients, Asprey often hooks them up to electrodes to measure their physiological response. His discovery?
“Forgiveness isn’t a thought. It’s below the neck. It’s a state change, an altered state. And altered states are whole body states, not cognitive states,” he says. When the data doesn’t align with his clients’ claims of forgiveness, he challenges them. “It’s very easy to forgiveness-wash yourself the same way you can greenwash a brand,” he explained, noting that people can convince themselves they’ve forgiven while still harboring resentment. “We can measure what’s happening in a person — either you forgave or you didn’t,” he says matter-of-factly.
When the data doesn’t point to release, Asprey advises clients to repeat what he calls his Reset Process. “They finally do the scary, hard forgiveness work and then they come out and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, I’m free,’” he says. Forgiveness, in Asprey’s view, isn’t about excusing bad behavior; it’s about transcending the ego, making space for compassion and understanding, and releasing emotional baggage for a clearer, more peaceful mindset.
BIOHACKING AS A PATH TO SPIRITUAL MASTERY
This journey holds particular significance for men, a demographic Asprey believes can benefit immensely from embracing forgiveness. Many high-performing male entrepreneurs, he finds, operate with nervous systems constantly locked in “fight” mode — a survival mechanism often mistakenly labeled as strength. He challenges the “alpha male” archetype by pointing to research on wolf packs.
“The young aggressive ones that are in the front… They’re not the leaders. They’re the young ones basically getting chewed up by whatever they’re chewing up. The old guy guides them on,” he says. “It turns out wisdom and patience are the real attributes of leadership, not this aggressiveness.”
Asprey points out that the ingrained need to fight often stems from early experiences, like being bullied. According to Asprey, the goal isn’t to suppress these feelings, but rather to turn off the non-functioning triggers that drain energy, leading to an unshakeable inner peace regardless of external circumstances. When men achieve this state, they become a source of safety and positive energy for those around them, fostering deeper connections and a more harmonious world. He concludes, “When we show up, it changes the way everyone else shows up in a really beautiful way.”
