Practice You with Elena Brower

From the wild edge of intuition, women's health, inner presence and full embodiment, a peek inside the hearts of wise, engaged women. Seraphina Capranos is a clinical herbalist, homeopath, and initiated priestess with a practice spanning over two decades. As well as being a deeply engaging teacher and speaker, she has a clinical practice on Salt Spring Island. Her unique blend of gifts straddle the vast worlds of plant medicine, homeopathy, and ritual and ceremonial magic. She is a sought after international teacher who has taught thousands of students since 2008. She is the CEO and founder of The Center for Sacred Arts. From The Wild Edge is a ground-breaking virtual program that weaves a rich tapestry of Myth, Herbal Medicine, Modern Science and Ritual, taught by Seraphina and Dr. Karley Denoon. Blending expert health and hormonal guidance, herbal medicine, enriching community learning, elevating your understanding of what it means to heal as a woman in our times, From The Wild Edge might be a relevant course for you. ELENA means 5% off the course at this link. Enrollment closes Sunday May 12, 2024.

On redefining power, living and leading without apology, spacious parenting and the perceptions holding us back. One of Australia's leading credentialed coaches for female executives and entrepreneurs, Kemi Nekvapil is an author and a highly sought-after international speaker, a flower farmer, a wife and mother, and a solid friend. She's studied leadership and purpose at The Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan and trained with Dr Brené Brown to become a Certified Dare to Lead™ Facilitator, working with teams and organisations to create daring leaders and courageous cultures. Kemi is a facilitator for The Hunger Project Australia and a regular interviewer of industry icons including Elizabeth Gilbert, Martha Beck and Marie Forleo, and she hosts the number one ranking podcast The Shift Series. With a level of compassion and wisdom only gained through extraordinary life experience, Kemi is a powerful advocate for connected, value-based living.

On the unexpected places of practice in our lives, the freedom of rigor, and the wisdom of closing the chasm between our values and our actions. Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, MFA, LMSW, DMIN, is an author, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and Certified Chaplaincy Educator. After many years as a chaplain and psychotherapist, Koshin co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, which offers contemplative approaches to care through education, personal caregiving, and Zen practice. Today, New York Zen Center’s methodologies are internationally recognized—and have touched the lives of tens of thousands of individuals. Koshin is a world renowned thought leader in contemplative care. He is the author of Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion (Balance/Hachette, 2022); Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up (Wisdom Publications, 2019) and the co-editor of Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End of Life Care (Wisdom Publications, 2016). His work has been featured in the New York Times, PBS, CBS Sunday Morning, Tricycle among other publications. Koshin's new book, Untangled: Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion, is a welcoming guidebook for finding expansive ease and deep compassion within oneself and through relationships with others based on the Eightfold Path, one of Buddhism’s foundational teachings. In his book, Koshin weaves together anecdotes from his own life dealing with abuse and discrimination, insights from many wise teachers, and invitations to constantly practice showing up to our lives in every moment.

On shifting the way we perceive our capacities as humans and as parents, focusing on relational connection and possibility. In Work, Parent, Thrive, Yael shares practical strategies from clinical psychology and social science to better manage the conflict and enhance enrichment in work, parenting, and the balance of these meaningful roles. While these strategies won’t create more hours in the day, they can shift how we label our experiences, revise the stories we tell ourselves about working and parenting, and recognize the value we get from each role on its own, and in combination with one another. Yael Schonbrun, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist, assistant professor at Brown University, co-host of Psychologists Off the Clock: A podcast about the science and practice of living well, and mother of three. Yael’s academic research explores the interaction between relationship problems and mental health conditions. She has authored chapters in several books and has written dozens of scientific articles. In her private practice, writing, and podcasting, Yael uses evidence-based science to help individuals and couples learn to manage work, parenting, and marriage in more effective and fulfilling ways. She draws upon treatments that integrate ancient Eastern philosophy with scientifically backed practices. Yael’s writing on work, parenting, and relationships has appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Greater Good Science Center, Behavioral Scientist, Kveller, Lilith Magazine, The Wise Brain Bulletin, Psychology Today, and Motherly. Her new book is Work, Parent, Thrive: 12 Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Guilt, Manage Overwhelm, and Grow Connection (When Everything Feels Like too Much). Yael lives outside of Boston with her husband and their three small comedians. https://yaelschonbrun.com/

On the Way of Tea, the practice of service, the meaning of presence and the medicine of silence. Mia Maestro most recently wrapped Oscar-nominee Jose Rivera’s Castro’s Daughter, directed by Miguel Bardem. She appears in the Apple+ Scott Z. Burns’ climate change anthology Extrapolations starring opposite Ed Norton. Mia is a citizen of the world, traveling, surfing, scuba diving, and warming her spirit through the practice of Cha Dao, The Way of Tea. She’s passionate about prison reform and serves tea to the incarcerated through Healing Dialogue and Action in the state of California. https://miamaestro.com

On the ecological, mythical and cultural understandings that shape our history of extraction and exploitation, and how one conversation can truly make a difference in our future. Founder and executive director of the Women’s Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), Osprey Orielle Lake works internationally with grassroots, BIPOC and Indigenous leaders, policymakers, and diverse coalitions to build climate justice, resilient communities, and a just transition to a decentralized, democratized clean-energy future. She sits on the executive committee for the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature and on the steering committee for the Fossil Free Non-Proliferation Treaty. Osprey’s writing about climate justice, relationships with nature, women in leadership, and other topics has been featured in The Guardian, Earth Island Journal, The Ecologist, Ms. Magazine and many other publications. She is the author of the award-winning book Uprisings for the Earth: Reconnecting Culture with Nature. Osprey holds an MA in Culture and Environmental Studies from Holy Names University in Oakland and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area on Coast Miwok lands. https://ospreyoriellelake.earth/ https://www.wecaninternational.org/

On death, grieving, service, and releasing our fixation on redemption.

On fostering spiritual kinship and community, a plea to stay in the fold of love and civility, and recipes to fortify the truth of our interbeing. Dr. Pamela Ayo Yetunde is a pastoral counselor, writer, instructor and speaker. She did her post-doctoral work at Harvard Divinity School, earned a Doctor of Theology in Pastoral Counseling from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, earned her M.A. in Culture and Spirituality from Holy Names University in Oakland, CA, and her law degree from Indiana University of Law. She is a Community Dharma Leader certified by Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA. Her articles appear in Buddhadharma, Lion's Roar, Journal of Buddhist-Christian Studies, Religions and Feminist Theology. She is an interfaith pan-Buddhist practitioner. Ayo is the author of three books: Casting Indra’s Net: Fostering Spiritual Kinship and Community (2023, Shambhala Publications). Black and Buddhist: What Buddhism Can Teach Us About Race Resilience, Transformation and Freedom co-edited with Cheryl A. Giles (2020, Shambhala Publications). Buddhist-Christian Dialogue, U.S. Law, and Womanist Theology for Transgender Spiritual Care (2020, Palgrave Macmillan).

On the signals transmitted across generations, the evolution of secrets, and the resonances felt through timelines and dimensions.

On the power of food as medicine to transform your body, your mind and your health. Lisa Odenweller believes in the power of food as medicine, that mother nature is our greatest resource, and that what we put in our body is as much about fueling our bodies as it is our minds and souls. A San Diego native, Lisa is a visionary serial entrepreneur, wellness expert with over 15-years of experience. Her impressive resume includes titles as Founder of organic superfood cafe, BEAMING Wellness, and most recently, CEO and Founder of Kroma Wellness, the functional nutrition brand that’s revolutionizing the way we think about nourishing our bodies. After falling in love with “superfoods” nearly two-decades ago, long before the word became commonplace within the health industry, Lisa began harnessing their power

On ceasing the pursuit of our hierarchical notions of success; turning the light inward for true connection and care. Emilio Diez Barroso is a light, a teacher and a collaborator on this planet. In his bio, he says he's perfected the art of appearing very successful: managing two family offices, a venture investment firm, sitting on the board of over a dozen companies... but as he saw that none of that was actually nourishing him, he turned his attention inward. With a mission of transforming our shared sense of unworthiness, he now mentors individuals and groups, considering everyone with whom he works to be his teacher. Dedicated to alleviating suffering in the world, he's the author of The Mystery of You, a dive into his process and findings.

On enhancing the coherence in your home, your body and your cells.

On the elemental forces carrying across times, heartaches, understandings and losses. The questions and gifts in the liminal spaces, and the importance of honoring grief in all its forms.

On the deeper questions and practices of unearthing the luminous self.

On holding space for the realities of menopause, normalizing the multiple truths of aging, prioritizing the power of shared intergenerational story to end the negative ways in which we relate to our bodies. Omisade Burney-Scott (Oh-me-SHAH-day, she/her) is a seventh generation Black Southern feminist, storyteller and social justice advocate. She is also the creator/curator of The Black Girls’ Guide to Surviving Menopause (BGG2SM), a multimedia project focused on normalizing menopause and aging through the centering of the stories of Black women, women-identified and gender expansive people. BGG2SM curates opportunities for people experiencing menopause or will experience menopause in the future to think about and, often, reimagine their own story and menopause journey as something unique, dynamic, natural, and deserving of respect and support. BGG2SM has collaborated with Society for Women's Health and Research, Prevention Magazine, Elektra Health and partnered with Kindra to create the Say More Conversation & Journaling Cards. BGG2SM's core programs are their Black Girl's Guide to Surviving Menopause podcast,which is a guide to the different stages of menopause, intergenerational storytelling gatherings and annual zine called "Messages from the Menopausal Multiverse”. She has been featured in numerous outlets including Oprah Daily, Forbes, VOGUE, Prevention, The Washington Post and The New York Times. Omisade and BGG2SM partnered with The Honey Pot Company for World Menopause Month in October and the Embodied Podcast at WUNC-North Carolina Public Radio for a series of weekly videos using the Say More deck. Omisade is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, the proud mother of two sons, and resides in Durham. With over 5K listens in 10+ countries, non-binary, Black women and femmes are craving this information and this community. Your support allows us to curate, produce and edit new content for Black women over 50 that will be shared via a quality podcast product as well as curate and co-host intergenerational salon-style community engagements to engage intergenerational WOC, indigenous folx, Black women and femmes.

On the efficiency and efficacy of nano-particle colloidal silver for external and internal support. Meet Steve Revelli, a dynamic individual with a multifaceted background. As Chief Scientific Officer at American Biotech Labs, Steve's expertise spans a wide range of roles, including Research and Development, Quality Control, and Formulation. A retired educator and former Adjunct Professor, he brings a wealth of knowledge from his 30 years in science and health education. Beyond the lab, Steve's enthusiasm shines as he officiates track and field meets as a USATF master’s level official, or globe-trots to oversee World Cup Bobsled and Skeleton races for the International Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. He's here to talk with us today about Silver Biotics, where he's played a pivotal role in crafting antimicrobial cosmetics and wound care products, showcasing his commitment to merging science and wellness. If you choose to explore, code Elena means 30% off your first purchase, and 10% off thereafter. Thank you Silver Biotics. Steve has a passion for education, science, and sports which intertwines seamlessly, driving his commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation and fostering learning where ever he goes. At https://silverbiotics.com/, code 'Elena' means 30% off for you as a listener of Practice You. Silver Biotics has taken the old technology of colloidal silver and improved it to create the next generation of silver products. SilverSol® was created to improve on current formulas to make them safer and more effective. Through a new manufacturing technology, patented under multiple patents, and patents pending, Silver Biotics advanced nano-silver solution has become the new standard by which all other silver products are measured. We call this new generation of colloidal silver the Miracle Particle, SilverSol®.

On the chaos and coherence of water, the dire state of our soil both in Nature and our bodies, and how coherent water improves our markers of brainwave health, biological age, microbiome, energy levels, and our connection to the circadian rhythms of life. Mario is an entrepreneur, researcher, and CEO New Earth Technologies, a company that offers the miracle of Analemma Water by transforming water into a coherent liquid crystalline state, enhancing the properties and benefits of the water we drink. In this conversation, we discuss the science of structured water and its impact on our overall health and longevity. As a listener of the Practice You Podcast, code elena10 means 10% off sitewide for you.

On our interconnectedness, releasing paradigms, and receiving the work that needs to pass through us. Matthew Quick is the New York Times bestselling author of The Silver Linings Playbook—which was made into an Oscar-winning film—and eight other novels, including We Are the Light, a #1 Indie Next Pick and a Book of the Month selection. His work has been translated into more than thirty languages, received a PEN/Hemingway Award Honorable Mention, was an LA Times Book Prize finalist, a New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice, a #1 bestseller in Brazil, a Deutscher Jugendliteratur Preis 2016 (German Youth Literature Prize) nominee, and selected by Nancy Pearl as one of Summer’s Best Books for NPR. The Hollywood Reporter has named him one of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors. Matthew lives with his wife, the novelist Alicia Bessette, on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. https://matthewquickwriter.com/

On growing our love, meeting ourselves with care, and receiving the intelligent tenderness of every moment. Andrea Gibson is one of the most celebrated and influential spoken word poets of our time. Best known for their live performances, Gibson has changed the landscape of what it means to attend a “poetry show” altogether. To hear Gibson is like hearing songwriters play their music, their trademark honesty and vulnerability are on full display. Gibson’s poems center around LGBTQ issues, gender, feminism, mental health and the dismantling of oppressive social systems. The winner of the first Women’s World Poetry Slam, Gibson has gone on to be awarded the LGBTQ Out100 and has been featured on BBC, NPR and CSpan. Gibson is the author of seven award winning books and seven full length albums. Their live shows have become loving and supportive ecosystems for audiences to feel seen, heard, and held through Gibson’s art. You Better Be Lightning (2021) by Andrea Gibson is a queer, political, and feminist collection guided by self-reflection.The poems range from close examination of the deeply personal to the vastness of the world, exploring the expansiveness of the human experience from love to illness, from space to climate change, and so much more in between. You Better Be Lightning is winner of the Independent Publisher Book Award, Feathered Quill Book Award, American Library Association Over the Rainbow, Colorado Book Award & Goodreads Choice Finalist. https://buttonpoetry.com/product/you-better-be-lightning/ Things That Don't Suck (Substack) - It's common to look around and take inventory of what sucks. This is one poet's quest to uncover what doesn't, and what shifts when we shift our attention. https://andreagibson.substack.com

On creating strong communities, pivoting out of productivity and shifting toward ease. Ana Flores is Houston-born, El Salvador-raised. She's worked in television production for Univision, MTV Latin America and other Spanish-language networks for 15 years before becoming a stay-at-home mom. When her husband was out of work and the cost of childcare became too expensive in 2009, she and a friend launched SpanglishBaby, a blog for parents raising bilingual and bicultural kids. Within a year, Flores was able to monetize blog posts for about $40 and found herself building “a small community” with fellow ambitious Latina bloggers. Soon she was actively pitching ideas to brands, connecting them with the 25-30 Latina bloggers and influencers from her online community. “And that’s what became Latina Bloggers Connect in 2010, with no money, with no resources,” Flores told TODAY. “I saw a path — a support system of people that were willing to open doors for each other.” Six years later, Flores rebranded Latina Blogger Connect as #WeAllGrow Latina, a Latina-owned, self-funded website that elevates the voices of Latinas and provides them with the resources — and inspiration — they need to succeed. “We really make it a point to hire within our community, because that is how we build socio and economic power,” Vanessa Santos — who joined #WeAllGrow as a partner and co-CEO in December 2021 — told TODAY. Flores and Santos believe that to see one woman grow doesn’t mean that it’s going to take away an opportunity for another. Championing “amigahood,” or sisterhood, their website has exceeded 20,000 subscribers, or “amiga members." The free online community is available for English or Spanish-speaking Latinas and offers original content, mentorship, wellness sessions, resources, connections, access to virtual and in-person events like the annual #WeAllGrow Summit, plus exclusive perks created to support entrepreneurs, creatives and professionals. Through their digital platform and in-person events, #WeAllGrow is helping Latinas turn their ideas into realities. Las Founders was founded in 2022 is the Los Angeles-held event for entrepreneurs sold out and had over 400 attendees taking in panels and conversations with Latina entrepreneurs about how they got their start. In September 2022, the organization hosted the sixth annual #WeAllGrow Summit. The first summit was held in 2015 and focused on content creation and networking. As the years went by, it's become bigger and more interactive, with Forbes including it as one of 19 Conferences Every Creative Should Attend in 2018 and 2019. This year's sold-out event, held in Palm Desert, California, welcomed over 600 attendees ready to “heal, commune and grow” — which also happen to be the organization’s three pillars. In 2023, Las Founders will be a two-day event in October.