Today’s guest is Maddie Dychtwald, recognized by Forbes as one of the top fifty female futurists globally. Maddy has been deeply involved in exploring all aspects of aging and longevity, which you can now explore in her book Ageless Aging, A Woman’s Guide to Better Healthspan, Brainspan, and Lifespan. Maddy, along with her husband Ken Dychtwald, co-founded Age Wave. the world’s leading think tank and corporate advisory on the far-reaching and profound impacts of our global aging population. She has worked tirelessly to change the narratives around aging. The best part of our lives , she says, can be in our 50s, 60’s and beyond.  In this interview, we discuss the science of aging and longevity, along with how our culture views aging…AND, she shares some very practical advice and tools related to nutrition, hormones, exercise sleep, relationships and more. You’ll love hearing how she keeps her own marriage fresh after 40 years.  She’s truly a rockstar in the world of aging and longevity.  Resources: https://maddydychtwald.com/ As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 75 of the world’s top meditation experts.And best of all…get 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Resource: Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todays guest is Amber Romaniuk, an expert in emotional and binge eating, digestive issues and hormones. Over the last several years, she’s helped thousands of women overcome their own eating challenges, calm digestion, lose weight and balance their hormones so they are happier, healthier and can lead more productive lives.  In this interview she says — many of us have a story about our relationship with food. And She shares how she used food as a coping mechanism herself in her 20’s and how she had to hit rock bottom before recovering from her own binge eating behaviors. Often we’re not even aware that we have a problem — or what it is that is triggering us — until it becomes serious. She discusses how we can become more aware of our triggers, change how we perceive our own bodies, notice the negative self talk that can become our background chatter… and how all of this impacts our relationship with food.  Resources: Amberapproved.ca As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 75 of the world’s top meditation experts.And best of all…get 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Resource: Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's show is an encore episode with Ariel hosting guest Dr. Ana Cabeca, triple board certified OB GYN. They focus on Hormones and why they affect so many aspects of your thinking, feeling, and bodily function. Dr. Anna Cabeca shares how tiny amounts of hormones waxing and waning in the brain can have dramatic impacts on emotions and perception. Learn how diet, behavior, and environment shift--and what it can mean for you. Her expertise: Hormones & Menopause. Integrative Medicine, and Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine Functional Medicine Sexual Health Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Longevity and Performance Optimization for both men and women Resource: drannacabeca.com. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 75 of the world’s top meditation experts. And best of all…Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Kristin Neff is THE expert in Mindful Self-Compassion. And now she's turned her attention to burn out. Thank you Kristin! I loved this episode!" (Untangle listener) Today’s guest is the amazing Kristin Neff. She is currently an Associate Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Neff is considered one of the founders of Self Compassion and has written numerous academic articles and books on the topic. She has been recognized as one of the most influential scholars in the field of psychology. Today we discuss her most recent book, Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout, Tools to Help You Heal and Recharge When You're Wrung Out by Stress.  And wow is there a lot of good stuff here. She shares ways we can show up for ourselves when we’re struggling or hurting, stressed, anxious or depleted. Self compassion, she reminds us, gives us a path to mindful awareness, kindness, curiosity vs. judgement…and so much more that can help to calm our nervous systems when we’re on what feels like the final edge with burnout.  There are so many great ideas, tools and practices in this interview and in her book. How we identify burnout and replenish ourselves when we’re feeling it, how we can be more resilient using self compassion, tender acceptance and dealing with difficult emotions. How do we know when it’s time to ask ourselves the question…what do I need right now. And act on it.  There’s a ton of great inspiration here. You may want to check out the self compassion test on her website self-compassion.org. I’ll put the link in our show notes. It’s fun to take, and pretty insightful.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we're sharing an episode of Need a Lift?, a show that focuses on bringing people together during a tough time in our culture. Host Tim Shriver talks to wise guests who have transformed painful moments in their lives into purpose through their spiritual rituals and practices. Guests like bestselling novelist Min Jin Lee on why she creates complicated characters who hold the secret to our transformation, and Olympic athlete Michael Phelps and his wife Nicole discussing the importance of cultivating an inner life in competition, mental health and in their marriage. Need a Lift? is truly the antidote to the hatred and despair we’re all exhausted of hearing, giving us hope that change is possible. In this episode, The Office’s Rainn Wilson explains that we can quiet the world's chaos and deal with our collective sense of overwhelm by believing in something bigger than us. Find more episodes of Need a Lift? https://link.chtbl.com/needalift?sid=untangle Next week on Monday, We're back to Meditation Mondays. Stay tuned. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A favorite encore episode! Today’s guest is a stellar human being! Anese Cavanaugh is an award winning speaker, author, teacher, strategic advisor and thinking partner for many innovative organizations and individuals. She’s also the CEO of Active Choices, a strategic advisory and training company. Today we get to the heart of many of the ideas she has shared in her books (see below), and we dive into her proprietary approach to leadership called Intentional Energetic Presence. The bottom line…how we show up in the world MATTERS, regardless of whether you’re at work or at home. It matters. Your intentions energy and presence can have a positive OR negative impact, depending on the choices you make. She unpacks why we need tools and practices for self awareness, honest reflection,   I love this quote from one of her books: “We create our experience in every moment, contract or expand, repel or invite, fear or love, abdicate or lead. We choose.” Resources: activechoices.com. You’ll find the link to her 4ps handout there. There are also free monthly Executive Forums for leaders who are responsible for culture, leadership, innovation, and performance - once a month, no charge - designed for exec and senior leaders - Register here: https://activechoices.com/executive-forums/ as well as information on her free  Books: CONTAGIOUS CULTURE: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives (McGraw-Hill, 2015), CONTAGIOUS YOU: Unlock Your Power to Influence, Lead, and Create the Impact You Want (McGraw-Hill, 2019), and THE LEADER YOU WILL BE: An Invitation (a leadership storybook) Don’t forget to unlock 30 days of free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 75 of the world’s top meditation experts.And best of all…get 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Resource: Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Dr. Joel Kahn. He’s a world renowned Cardiologist, Author and Host of the podcast Heart Doc VIP. He’s also referred to as America's Healthy Heart Doctor. He gives us confidence that, yes, we can take charge of our health. In this interview, he shares practical advice and tools to help us crack the code on heart disease which still, hard to believe, is the leading cause of death.  He believes that we can do much better…with a mix of testing (he says test don’t guess), a calcium heart scan, advanced labs if needed, a plant based diet, exercise, sleep, hormones, supplements and, if needed, medicine. He shares some of the research on a plant based diet and heart health, as well as its potential to reduce dementia risk. He’s very bullish on a plant based diet and you’ll understand why after listening to him. He’s passionate about making sure that we’re all as informed as possible. His extensive knowledge, experience and access to the latest research is truly empowering. And it’s nice that he’s a fun guy too.  I’ve been on the track to learn more about heart disease personally — so was thrilled to have Joel on our show. I learned so much from him.  Resource: drjoelkahn.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationship stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts. And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todays guest is Author, Coach, Podcaster and Influencer — Cory Allen.  We Discussed his new book, Brave New You, where he presents actionable steps to help us continue to grow and flourish over time. He has so many tidbits of wisdom…some new, some we hear often. Some of the favorites: Taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do. Learn to accept your own love, care and admiration. Give yourself what you need so you can show up as your best self. Release resentments or judgements that hold you down. You get it. Great advice on being the very best versions of ourselves. Cory has been a mediator for over 25. His thoughts about mindfulness and meditation are on instagram where he reaches over a million people a week.  One of my favorite lines:  Reframing your perspective is a powerful move. When you feel stuck or resistant, pause and look for the upside. Shifting your thinking from “I have to do this” to “I get to do this” engages curiosity. This turns every experience into a chance for growth, wisdom, and understanding.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationship stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts. And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re got a popular encore episode with Ariel and Dr. Dean Ornish. The focus? How you can optimize your health and heart by making lifestyle changes. Ornish Lifestyle Medicine was created to reverse heart disease without surgery or medicine…but the benefits beyond that are significant. Dean Ornish, M.D., is the Founder and President of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. He was recognized as “one of the 125 most extraordinary University of Texas alumni in the past 125 years;” by TIME magazine as a “TIME 100 Innovator;” by LIFE magazine as “one of the fifty most influential members of his generation;” by People magazine as “one of the most interesting people of the year;” and by Forbes magazine as “one of the world’s seven most powerful teachers.” For more information, please go to www.ornish.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brain potential and revolutionizing health AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Transform your brain's potential with 15% off Muse. Use code UNTANGLE15 at checkout or visit choosemuse.com/UNTANGLE15 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationship stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts. And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have a great encore episode with Cara Bradley, a Yoga and mindfulness teacher dedicated to transforming human potential. She’s also a mental strength coach, and the author of the book “On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine”. Her focus is on finding that flow state and on mental fitness. In this discussion, Cara shares many of the strategies and practices she has used with winning athletes, integrating mindfulness practices with mental strength training for college football and basketball players from several universities. I thought this was timely since we just watched the olympics…and I was mesmerized by the amazing ability of the athletes to focus. Cara was an award winning skater in her earlier days…and learned so much about mental training habits during that time.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a weekly special edition of Untangle, Meditation Mondays. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationship stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Monday’s will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts. And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Paul Citarella, Executive Vice President, CTO of The Monroe Institute. This was a very unique conversation for us at Untangle. We discussed how we can explore different levels of human consciousness that range from meditation and expanded awareness to out of body experiences, remote viewing and mediumship. He shared how Monroe Institute’s technology and unique sounds and sound patterns help facilitate deeper mind states and levels of consciousness. Paul shared his personal journey of transformation, and how he came to a deeper understanding of his own life and its purpose for him and his family.  The Monroe Institute has different types of programs at all different levels, but it is also an active research hub, where scientists, doctors, and academics work across disciplines to explore the intricacies of human consciousness. We discuss neural entrainment (which he’ll define) and how their sound technology can be used to enhance well-being in a range of ways— reducing stress and anxiety and improving sleep all the way to precipitating a life-changing personal awakening, as Paul experienced himself. It’s pretty interesting stuff. Much of what we discussed feels esoteric, but Paul is so grounded, authentic and intelligent, it all felt very attainable.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app.  Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Transform your brain's potential with 15% off Muse. Use code UNTANGLE15 at checkout or visit choosemuse.com   A collection from the Monroe Institute "3D Neural Soundscapes" is now available in the features section on the Muse App. Below is a description of some of the sounds in the collection. Cosmic Symphony 3D Cosmic Symphony 3D is an extraordinary auditory journey that immerses you in the sounds of celestial bodies and cosmic winds. As you drift through the cosmos, you'll hear the gentle hum of distant stars, the rhythmic pulses of nebulae, and the deep vibrations of black holes. Cosmic winds, solar flares, and magnetic storms create a dynamic and ever changing tonal backdrop. This soundscape evokes the wonder and majesty of space, offering a transcendent escape into the awe-inspiring symphony of the cosmos. Desert Mirage 3D Desert Mirage 3D transports you to the serene and expansive beauty of a vast desert landscape, enveloping you in the soft whispers of wind that dance across the dunes. As you listen, you'll hear the gentle rustling of sand grains, the distant calls of desert birds, and the subtle rustling of dry desert flora in the wind. This immersive soundscape captures the tranquil and timeless essence of the desert, offering a soothing and meditative auditory experience that evokes the quiet majesty and endless horizons of these arid lands. Ethereal Space 3D Ethereal Space 3D presents a serene and otherworldly tonal soundscape, capturing the distant hum of stars and the delicate frequencies of celestial phenomena. This immersive experience evokes a profound sense of tranquility as you drift through a dense mix of ever evolving frequencies. The soundscape creates a peaceful, meditative atmosphere, allowing you to feel the vastness and beauty of the universe while enveloped in its calming and ethereal sounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to a special weekly edition of Untangle, Meditation Monday. We’re taking this time to share meditations from our sister app, Meditation Studio. We know that life gets messy and, when it does, Meditation is here to help us find a sense of calm and inner peace. Whether you’re facing daily work or relationships stress, unexpected challenges, or just want to improve focus, we hope meditation Mondays will be your go to for a weekly guided meditation treat. And if you’re craving more…which I always do…the Meditation Studio app offers over 800 expert-guided meditations from over 70 of the world’s top meditation experts. And best of all, you can now unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we're sharing a sample episode of the podcast we discussed in our episode yesterday, “What It’s Like to Be...” from author Dan Heath. In every episode, Dan interviews someone from a different profession: A cattle rancher, a FBI special agent, a professional Santa Claus. He asks what it’s like to do what they do. What does a couples therapist think when a friend asks for relationship advice? Is a Secret Service Agent supposed to pretend like they’re not there when they’re around the president? What does a hair stylist do when a client asks for a celebrity hairstyle that will never work for them? It is truly the perfect show for curiosity-driven Untangle listeners. If you’ve ever met someone whose work you wondered about, and you had 100 nosy questions but were too polite to ask... this is the show for you. Find “What It’s Like to Be...” wherever you get podcasts. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app.  Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Transform your brain's potential with 15% off Muse. Use code UNTANGLE15 at checkout or visit choosemuse.com/UNTANGLE15  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Dan Heath, a NYT Bestselling Author of several great books and host of the podcast, What It's Like To Be. He interviews unlikely people, like stadium beer vendors, dog trainers, hairstylists, secret service agents, couples therapists and lots of folks that you might not normally hear on a podcast. His anecdotes about many of these interviews were both poignant and hilarious. Mostly, I love that he's giving us a perspective on different jobs or careers that we might not otherwise ever hear about and sharing the little secrets about how his unlikely guests find deep meaning in their work. Also, it was so clear that we're all different and what might appeal to one of us may not appeal to someone else. For example, we may judge the person who sells beer in a stadium, but they may judge us for sitting in an office all day. So the goal is to each find what lights us up and respect that in each other, whether it be styling hair, or managing money. Different people find purpose in different things, and we find relationships in different places. Dan has learned to have a deep respect for the different choices and different paths we each take. It's really another way to look at empathy even how we think about curiosity versus judgment. It's a super fun interview with lots of great stories.  Resource: Danheath.com As always, we are Untangle, the podcast from Muse the Brain Sensing Headband, dedicated to unlocking your Brain's potential and Meditation Studio, the five star app.  Unlock 30 days of Meditation Studio for free at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Transform your brain's potential with 15% off Muse. Use code UNTANGLE15 at checkout or visit choosemuse.com/UNTANGLE15  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is an encore episode with John P. Sullivan, a sport scientist, clinical sport psychologist and co-author of the book, "The Brain Always Wins: Improving Your Life Through Better Brain Management." John shares why the brain is so important to everything we do and how we can manage it to optimize our performance on and off the field. He shares why we’re wired for performance and how to train our brains for high pressure situations, and how we can learn to manage our energy and focus. His belief is that the brain comes first, and … Like the title of his book says, the brain always win. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out choosemuse.com to explore the Muse headband, and use code untangle15 for your discount. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s encore episode is with the brilliant Sarah Stein Greenberg. She is the author of a book called “Creative Acts for Curious People. How to Think, Create and Lead in Unconventional Ways.’’ A quote from the book sums it up: “In an era of ambiguous, messy problems, as well as extraordinary opportunities for positive change, it’s vital to have both an inquisitive mind and the ability to act with intention. This book is filled with ways to build those skills with resilience, care, and confidence”. Sarah is the Executive Director of Stanford University’s d School or Design School. The tools and exercises in the book are a gift to the rest of us who’ve not yet had the opportunity to go through their programs designed to spark creativity, foster connection, and solve problems.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out Muse at choosemuse.com and use Untangle15 for your discount.  Resource: Sarahsteingreenberg.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our guest is Bill Burke, host of the Blue Sky podcast and founder of the Optimism Institute. Previously, Bill was the CEO of the Weather channel and Founding General Manager of Turner Classic Movies and president of TBS.  Today we chat about his definition of Optimism…the belief that tomorrow will be better than today and that we can play a role in making it so. Our mindset and our actions can, in fact, play an active role in making things better.  He shares that an optimistic outlook inspires us to rebound from life’s inevitable setbacks, helps us not get crushed by them, and invites us to see the small joys that are always in and around us. He discusses the direct connection between gratitude and optimism. And, he says, that as optimistic as one might be we, of course, must realize that bad things are going to happen. However, it's how we relate to them, learn from them AND, most importantly, how we have more empathy for others who might have dealt with a similar situation.  When I asked him what he thought about the mess we’re in today and how we can be optimistic, he said," if you only read the news, you'll think that things have never been worse. But if you read history, you'll realize that things have never been better." As a historian, he’s got some pretty compelling data points on this. Every generation, he said in a commencement speech he gave recently, leaves a mess for the one that follows. BUT we never count all the good things, all the progress that we’ve made. We tend to take the successes or accomplishments for granted.  He shared a recent Harvard study that found that exposure to just four minutes of good news can make you 32% less anxious and 18% more optimistic. I think you’ll find some really interesting nuggets here. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential and Meditation Studio, the five star app. Check out choosemuse.com and use discount code untangle15. Resource: https://www.theoptimisminstitute.com/ Find the Blue Sky Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todays guest is the lovely Emma Seppala. She’s a bestselling author, Psychologist, Research Scientist, Lecturer at Yale and Faculty Director of the Yales Women’s Leadership Program. In this interview we talk about her new book, Sovereign: Reclaim Your Freedom, Energy, and Power in a Time of Distraction, Uncertainty, and Chaos. She explains that sovereignty is a state of self awareness that allows us to see how and when we are standing in our own way. It also gives us the courage to free ourselves from the ways we are bound so that we can change and move forward. Sovereignty helps us to optimize the most important relationship of all; the one we have with our selves. The quality of our lives is dependent on the state of our minds. This is THE one thing that we really do have control over.  You can be doing all the happiness and wellbeing practices, but if you're still buying into thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that no longer serve you, then you're not going to reach your full potential despite your best efforts. She shares many tools and techniques to help.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Use Untangle15 for your Muse discount. Resources: emmaseppala.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s encore interview was taped in 2018 with the amazing Radha Agrawal. Radha is a Social Entrepreneur, Community Architect, Public Speaker, Author and the Founder of Daybreaker.  She built Daybreaker into a community of over 500.000 members in 30 cities around the world. You’ll love her energy. She is a force of nature.  She’s the the author of "Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life." In this interview, she answers the question, “How the heck do I find my people so I can live a happier life?” Her inspiration? She was an entrepreneur in her 20’s, and was feeling very isolated. She created Daybreaker, an early morning dance and wellness experience, to help her solve her own challenges with feeling isolated. She presents a powerful way to find and create meaningful communities and connection. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app.Check out Choosemuse.com Resource: Radhaagrawal.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todays’ encore interview, with Ariel interviewing Behavior scientist and author Jon levy, was taped during Covid…when our craving for human connection just might have been at it all time high  We all crave human connection, but it can be hard to know how to make it. Shyness, introversion, and Covid protocols clearly got in the way of fulfilling our need and desire to connect. Jon Levy outlines simple practical strategies everyone can use to build trust and deeper connections, whether it’s for business or to make and your deepen personal connections. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. check out choosemuse.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Dr. Helen McKibben, a seasoned Clinical Therapist with over 35 years of experience. She’s the author of the book Drop: Making Great Decisions. Use Neuroscience to Retrain Your Brain and Make Better Life Choices. She is passionate about neuroscience and the interaction between the brain and emotions AND how we can use this to retrain our brains to make better choices in every moment. Her protocol is a unique technique that invites you to tap into your brain to identify the feelings associated with your triggers, and engage untapped emotional memories while doing this. She talks about this as dropping to the blank screen. I was curious about how this actually worked in practice, so invited her to provide many examples.  Resource: Helenmckibben.com Choosemuse.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A special treat for Untangle Listeners. A bonus episode from new podcast Say More host Shirley Leung interviewing Krista Tippett Today we're sharing a preview of the Say More podcast, where, in a special series, Boston Globe columnist Shirley Leung is opening up the conversation about stress and burnout to help listeners feel less alone and inspired to get help. In this episode, Krista Tippett, says the uncertainty of the times we’re living in requires a larger spiritual quest for meaning and stillness in modern life. Krista shares her own journey managing burnout and "befriending reality" in all its glorious messiness. Then, she shares a benediction on burnout. You can listen to Say More at https://link.chtbl.com/saymore?sid=untangle As always, we're Untangle, the podcast from Muse (choosemuse.com) and Meditation Studio, the five star app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An interview with Dr. Sunjya Schweig. Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about our complicated health care system and how confusing it is to find the right health care professional. Someone who listens, cares and digs deep to help you solve whatever health challenges you're facing. I’m fascinated by the body of work that is called Functional Medicine because of its intention to explore the whole person and to get to the bottom of whatever it is that’s causing our symptoms. Today we explore Functional Medicine in this interview with Sunjya Schweig – a Functional Medicine Doctor with over 25 years of experience. He's the Founder and President of the California Center for Functional Medicine.  So what is Functional medicine anyway? Sunjya says it starts with curiosity and collaboration. It involves getting to the root cause of whatever is bothering you. Functional medicine docs don’t just prescribe something to alleviate a symptom. They are like forensic investigators…and often it’s surprisingly about the basics. What's the food you're eating? What's the water you're drinking? What's the quality of the air you're breathing? What's your stress exposure? What infections or microorganisms are you exposed to? For example, Hidden infections are a huge cause of gut and autoimmune issues. Functional Medicine is all about getting to the root of a tree, he says. There are lot’s of gems in this discussion…and it certainly was informative. Resource: CCFMED.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Dr. Greg Wells a Physiologist, Scientist, Author, and renowned health and high-performance expert. He has dedicated his career to studying the science of human limits and developing practical strategies to help individuals and organizations perform at their best, even under the most challenging circumstances. He’s even worked with Olympic athletes. But his most important work is with those of us who simply want to optimize health every single day. His guidance in this interview relates to protecting and optimizing our Mitochondria, which affects every aspect of our lives. It’s a really interesting way to look at how we can have some agency over our mental and physical health so we can live our best lives.  Encore episode. Resource: drgregwells.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. choosemuse.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Dr. Molly Maloof. She is the author of The Spark Factor. The Secret to Supercharging Energy, Becoming Resilient, and Feeling Better Than Ever. In this interview, she shares her research and insights on the key pillars of women’s health and wellbeing. I found this to be like an encyclopedia chock full of information and data related to our brains, gut, mental and physical health. She’s passionate about biohacking, lifestyle interventions, personalized medicine, and optimizing performance. It’s a rich look at how we manage our own health so we don’t have to rely on the healthcare system to ‘fix us’ when something goes wrong. Resource: drmolly.co Check out choosemuse.com to learn how the Muse brain sensing headband can unlock your brains potential. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's encore episode is with Yale Psychology Professor and Happiness Lab podcast host, Laurie Santos. Laurie taught "Psychology and the Good Life" first in spring 2018 in response to concerning levels of student depression, anxiety, and stress on campus. It became the most popular class in Yale's history. Laurie Santos has definitely hit a nerve. The good news is that we have a lot more control over our happiness levels than we think. Laurie talks about how to put the science of happiness and well-being to work in our own lives. And she offers actionable steps and choices we can take right now.  Laurie’s goal is to help teach us all to live happier lives through science-backed techniques Resource: Dr.lauriesantos.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is the amazing Martha Beck. I know why Oprah loved working with her! She’s back on Untangle for the second time, and her last interview was our number 1 top listened to episode…so we are thrilled to have her back. Her next book is called Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity and Finding Your Life’s Purpose. This is the 10th book from Martha, a Phd, Harvard-trained Sociologist, World-renowned Coach and NYT bestselling author. She shares why anxiety is at an all time high, and why curiosity and creativity can be our superpowers to help reduce it. We can stop ourselves from falling into an anxiety spiral and she shows us how. She used me as a guinia pig which is always a little uncomfortable for me, but helps me shift the way I see things so that’s a good thing. I hope you get as much out of Martha’s interview as I did.  There’s so much here to help us lead our best lives.  Resources: Marthabeck.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential and revolutionizing health AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudi Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest Natalie Pennicotte-Collier, a Sleep Expert, Clinical Therapist and Author of the book Sleep Reset, The New Tools for Rest and Recovery. Over the past decade, she has developed a mind-body approach to enhance sleep, performance and overall well-being. She discusses the book and its five week program that uses a blend of mindfulness based cognitive therapy, breath work and hypnotherapy to support the nervous system, reduce stress and calm our racing minds. I liked that the book goes through a step by step roadmap over five weeks. It’s easy to follow. Also, she outlines why a good night sleep is so important for our mental and physical health. Sleep isn’t just a nighttime problem, she says, it’s a 24 hour problem. And a 24 hour solution. So true! As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Resource: thesleepreset.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re got a popular encore episode with Judson Brewer, a Psychiatrist, Neuroscientist, and Author of the book, Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal your Mind. He has combined his expertise in mindfulness, habit, and behavioral change, and neuroscience to create practical tools to help unwind anxiety. The interview offers several ways to uncover what triggers anxiety and how to identify and break these anxiety habits using a variety of methods, including mindfulness and reward-based learning As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brain's potential and revolutionizing health AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Check out drjud.com for more on Judson Brewer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a favorite encore…with Ariel interviewing James Nestor — Author of Breath…The New Science of a Lost Art. . There are so many great nuggets in this episode. You’ll learn that the way you breathe can energize or relax you? That a simple hack can help with snoring and sleep apnea? That your lung volume can relate to your longevity, and that your lung volume can be expanded with simple exercises?  Resources: mrjamesnestor.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brain's potential and revolutionizing health and Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guests are Bridget Hilton and Joe Huff, co-authors of a book called Experiential Billionaire. Build a Life Rich in Experiences and with No Regrets. Intriguing, right? I was curious to hear their stories and what led them to this perspective. Armed with a sense of urgency after his dad died young, Joe became painfully aware that there was no guarantee of how much time he had to live. He began focusing on doing things (and living his life) with an 'experiential mindset' in love, work, service and adventure. His Goal? To live a rich and meaningful life. Bridget is also passionate about creating new experiences and living her life armed with a zeal for big leaps of faith and an endless spirit of adventure. They say…imagine you had one year to live. … take out a sheet of paper and write down the top 10 things you'd want to do right now. Then, look at that list and see how many of those things are in your life right now. Hint…do more of what matters to you, what you love…while you’re here. Start now.  They share some of their great adventures as well…and spoiler alert, they’re not all big things. It’s often the little things that fill us up as well. Go for it! Resources: Experientialbillionaire.com Check out Muse at Choosemuse.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we’re got a popular encore episode that aired in 2019 with Ariel and Dr. Dean Ornish. The focus? How you can optimize your health and heart by making lifestyle changes. Ornish Lifestyle Medicine was created to reverse heart disease without surgery or medicine…but the benefits beyond that are significant.  Dean Ornish, M.D., is the founder and president of the non-profit Preventive Medicine Research Institute and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego. He was recognized as “one of the 125 most extraordinary University of Texas alumni in the past 125 years;” by TIME magazine as a “TIME 100 Innovator;” by LIFE magazine as “one of the fifty most influential members of his generation;” by People magazine as “one of the most interesting people of the year;” and by Forbes magazine as “one of the world’s seven most powerful teachers.” For more information, please go to www.ornish.com As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brain potential and revolutionizing health AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today I’m excited to interview not only the amazing Dan Harris..but — bonus, I interview his 9 yr.old son Alexander at the end of the show. I actually wanted to find out if Dan walks the talk and, indeed, spoiler alert, he does. It was fun to see that his son shares his sense of humor. Very funny. Alexander says he's Dan's emotional support animal when he travels with him. And definitely thinks Dan is a hippie. Hmmm. I think of Dan as part comedian, part meditation or self help guru and part real guy who shares all the messy stuff that shows up in his life. The stuff most of us hold inside. And while it’s the 10 year anniversary of 10% Happier…he’s actually, he says, now more like 40% happier.  Dan’s books, podcast and meditations have helped so many people. I love when he talks about his twin demons…anger and self centeredness and shares how he copes. OR the toilet vortex — a term his friend gave him for when we go down the rabbit hole of rumination.  We discuss what has motivated him to up level his happiness and kindness game; how his 360 review while at ABC news helped him see how other people actually experienced him…especially when he wasn’t his best self…and how glad he is that his most recent 360 is MUCH much better.  Why has meditation moved from the realm of hippies into the mainstream? Science has stepped up to confirm what we all know-- that meditation works, along with the many other things we’ve learned we should do to be our best selves. Dan’s impact has been huge — changing lives by connecting so many people to these practices. Fun fact. Dan’s favorite style of méditation — loving kindness. I can’t wait to see what he does next…which he alludes to a little bit here. And, as mentioned, it was a joy to interview his very funny son, Alexander.  Check out his podcast: Ten Percent Happier. And his meditation app. All great stuff! The book is available at all major booksellers. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential and Meditation Studio, the five star app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest, Adam Pearce, has a heartbreaking personal story that has humbled him and changed his life. It’s also taught him patience, resilience and hope — and perhaps given him a deeper experience of love. Most importantly, he’s learned the gifts that come from accepting what IS — especially when it’s out of our control.  In 2009, his brother, Kevin Pearce, one of the top snowboarders in the world (competing against Shaun White and often winning) had a tragic accident while training. This happened as he was heading into the Olympics. It left Kevin with a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) which changed the course of his life, and Adam's life as well. Adam shared how he kept going despite sadness and uncertainty - and how both he and Kevin had to reframe their mindset to help the healing process. One doctor told Kevin he would need to find a way to ‘love your brain.’ This ultimately became the name of the foundation they formed to help others with TBI. Meditation, yoga, compassion and connection…are all at the heart of the foundation. I loved when Adam said that adversity and suffering can be a greater pathway to finding meaning and growth. So true. He’s quite an amazing guy. Check him out at CNN Heroes with Adam Pearce: https://www.cnn.com/videos/tv/2023/03/09/meditation-yoga-retreat-traumatic-brain-injury-cnnheroes.cnn The film about them is produced by HBO and is called Crash Reel. Untangle is brought to you by Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Muse is excited to have partnered with the love your brain foundation. Find out more about how Muse and Love Your Brain are working together to help improve brain health. https://choosemuse.com/blogs/news/muse-and-loveyourbrain-partner-to-raise-awareness-of-tbi-this-brain-injury-awareness-month Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Super excited about today’s guest… Rob Dube…a dear friend, brilliant entrepreneur, author and all around pretty phenomenal human. His new book is co authored with Gino Wickman, the creator of the Entrepreneurial Operating System and author of the book, Traction. Their new book is called SHINE, the 10 disciplines for maximizing your energy, impact and peace. It’s THE handbook for type an entrepreneurs who want to begin looking inward, finding more balance while being successful at life and at work. Their premise is that their drive often takes a toll on their teams, personal relationships and even their health. It’s all about finding that delicate balance between our internal and external worlds. Rob shares how they define true self, how to make decisions based on love not fear, and the 10 disciplines that have worked for many entrepreneurs.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential and revolutionizing health AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's encore episode is hosted by Ariel Garten. Dr. Lisa Mosconi is a neuroscientist, Alzheimer’s researcher, nutritionist, and author of "Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power." Listen as she shares the easy ways we can supercharge our brains through what we eat and drink. Check out Choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for free meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Alex Auerbach is a Sports Psychologist and Director of Wellness and Development for the basketball team, Toronto Raptors. Before working with the Raptors, he was the Director of Clinical and Sports Psychology for the University of Arizona. He’s a huge fan of Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy —also called ACT — for optimizing both the performance and mental health of athletes. He works with athletes on self-awareness, and emotional regulation and helps them understand and even name and ground their often difficult feelings. Mindfulness is a core pillar in all his work. He shares some of the great research that’s been done suggesting that mindfulness can lead to optimal performance and, possibly, to the all-important flow state. There are so many stressors in the life of a professional athlete — and these tools are a great way to help manage stress and tension as well as being more resilient to the ups and downs that are a natural part of life. Check out Choosemuse.com/Meditationstudio for free meditations! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In todays encore episode, join Muse co-founder Ariel Garten as she interviews Jim Kwik is a celebrity brain trainer who teaches tools and techniques to optimize your brain to learn and remember. Jim works with Elon Musk, Jim Carrey, and Richard Branson--among many others! He shares his brain-enhancing learning and memory techniques with Ariel and with all of us. As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brains potential and revolutionizing health AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This was such a fun interview — our guest today is Dr. Robert Waldinger, a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a practicing Psychiatrist, Zen Master and author of the book The Good Life, Lessons from the Worlds Longest Scientific Study on Happiness. This study, which began in 1938, reveals what it takes to build a good life. What does that exactly mean, I wondered…fulfilling, satisfying, meaningful, happy? All of it. There's no one size fits all. BUT…the one thing that was consistent? Relationships. All kinds of relationships. The quality of the social connections that we make throughout our lives means everything. He says…Human connection is our superpower. Good relationships help us get through life’s inevitable challenges, and they keep us happier and healthier. and the research shows that they actually help us to live longer. Robert reminds us that we should pay attention to the things that we really care about…the things and people that energize us. AND pay attention to the things and people that deplete us. He shares the keystones of healthy relationships — things like safety security, emotional closeness, fun and relaxation, learning and growth…and there’s more.  Resources: The Good Life is available at all major booksellers. Robertwaldinger.com Choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for free meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's encore episode is with the lovely Daphne Rose Kingma, best selling author of 12 books, primarily on love and relationships. Her books have sold more than a million and a half copies and been translated into 16 languages. The San Francisco Chronicle called her the love doctor. In this episode, I was excited to ask her my many questions on love and relationships, but I also asked several from our listeners who shared them with me before the interview. Here’s a preview of some of the questions she answered…. What are the biggest challenges people have in relationship? How would you define falling in love or even just love? Does marriage require a leap of faith or is it a choice or what? Why do some relationships work and to others not so much. I truly believe that loving others is one of the greatest gifts we have and relationships are a mirror into what we each need to learn in our own lives. But as Daphne clearly said…relationships are not for sissies.  Resource: Daphnerosekingma.com Check out Choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we’re doing a special episode of Untangle to celebrate — and explore — the many ways we look at LOVE. I wanted to explore this topic because it’s a word that holds so much meaning for so many of us. And yet, it can be defined in many many different ways as you’ll hear today. For some it guides how we live our lives, how we make our choices. For some it’s something we fall in — as in falling IN love when we meet someone we want to be with. Some say, it’s an energy— you just feel it, it can’t be explained. Others describe it as a feeling of intimacy or desire or even as a deep sense of empathy. One guest said it’s not a feeling…it’s an ability.  In this episode I ask a number of our former Untangle guests two questions. How do you define love AND How does love express itself in your life. I found these questions difficult to answer myself…so was curious what we’d find. I’m beginning to accept the fact that we all see things a little or perhaps a lot differently. And that is just fine.  In our mini episode, you’ll hear perspectives from zen monks, leadership experts, authors, buddhist teachers, entrepreneurs, therapists and an expert on love.  Some of the words that came up reflected the many forms of love…Romantic, friendship, family, self, nature, energy.  Other Words emerged too…commitment, trust, passion, intimacy. Desire, acceptance, empathy.  But we don’t need to solve this, of course. Just listen. Perhaps be inspired or consider your own definition… And enjoy because... Love is just love. And, as one of our guests says, every day and every act is an opportunity for love. To practice, just simply, love.  As always, we’re Untangle, the podcast from Muse, the brain sensing headband dedicated to unlocking your brain potential and revolutionizing health AND Meditation Studio the five star app. Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Marisa Franco is a New York Times bestselling Author, Professor, Psychologist, and self-proclaimed friendship expert. Marisa discusses the science of connection — and the importance of platonic friendships. Her new book is called Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make--and Keep--Friends. She believes friendship is the single best action a person can take to live a longer life, take the edge off depression, flourish and even revitalize a marriage. She challenges the notion that friendships should be at the bottom of the relationship totem poll. Her mantra is — Never stop cultivating friendships and connections. She gives us many reasons to prioritize platonic love and bring more friends into our life, nurture the ones we already have and keep building community. If we do these things, we’ll always be surrounded by love —whether or not we choose a romantic relationship. Check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for hundreds of free meditations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is amazing! Anese Cavanaugh is an award winning Speaker, Author, Teacher, Strategic Advisor and Thinking Partner for many innovative organizations and individuals. She’s also the CEO of Active Choices, a strategic advisory and training company. Today we get to the heart of many of the ideas she has shared in her books (see below), and we dive into her proprietary approach to leadership called Intentional Energetic Presence. The bottom line…how we show up in the world MATTERS, regardless of whether you’re at work or at home. It matters. Your intentions energy and presence can have a positive OR negative impact, depending on the choices you make. She unpacks why we need tools and practices for self awareness, honest reflection and for being more present and intentional so we can create the most positive and impactful experiences and relationships. I love this quote from one of her books: “We create our experience in every moment, contract or expand, repel or invite, fear or love, abdicate or lead. We choose.” Resources: activechoices.com. You’ll find the link to her 4p's handout there. There are also free monthly Executive Forums for leaders who are responsible for culture, leadership, innovation, and performance - once a month - designed for executive and senior leaders - Register here: https://activechoices.com/executive-forums/ Her books are available at all major booksellers: CONTAGIOUS CULTURE: Show Up, Set the Tone, and Intentionally Create an Organization That Thrives (McGraw-Hill, 2015), CONTAGIOUS YOU: Unlock Your Power to Influence, Lead, and Create the Impact You Want (McGraw-Hill, 2019), and THE LEADER YOU WILL BE: An Invitation (a leadership storybook). Don’t forget to check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for 100’s of free meditations.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Encore from 2020. Still (very) Relevant! Guest Host is Ariel Garten. Learn how to create any habit you want! By celebrating even the smallest changes as victories, you can rewire your brain to tackle your year's challenges successfully. Dr. BJ Fogg is an American Social Scientist and Author who is a research associate and adjunct professor at Stanford University. He founded the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University, where he directs research and innovation. In addition, he teaches industry innovators how to use his models and methods in Behavior Design. The purpose of his research and teaching is to help millions of people improve their lives.  At Stanford, BJ was an appointed Lecturer and Consulting Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science, where he taught classes from 1997 - 2014. He has also been a Lecturer and Social Science Research Scholar at the Graduate School of education from 2001 to the present. Learn more about BJ Fogg at www.bjfogg.com and read his book, "Tiny Habits". Check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for hundreds of free meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s episode is one that I hope will make you smile.  Our guest is Jennifer King Lindley, a wonderful writer and researcher. Jennifer’s book, Find your Joy, is a perfect way to kick-start the year. It’s a beautiful guided journal with some simple, but important practices to inspire more joy in our lives. She’s integrated some research based interventions with prompts and practical tools.  Today, she discusses a few of her favorite practices from the book with themes like cultivating more self compassion, awe and savoring daily pleasures, practicing forgiveness, reigniting play and expressing gratitude in some new ways. I really like the way she made all of this very accessible. This is like having a self care first aid kit for boosting joy. Resource: Find Your Joy (self care journal) at all major booksellers. Jenniferkinglindley.com Check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for hundreds of free meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest, is Marisa Handler. Marisa was on Untangle a year ago, and she's back because so many of us loved her ideas on Creativity (with a big C) and how it can emerge in our lives in so many different ways.  She is a writer, singer, songwriter and she teaches creativity, meditation, and transformation at Stanford University, Spirit Rock Meditation Center and California Institute of Integral Studies. She’s also a Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie. Today we talk about what it means to be creative — how life itself is an unfolding of the creative process and there’s always creative potential; how doing our best creative work helps us to find our voice AND how our obstacles can be a gift as we uncover their meaning. She shares how we can stay open to new ways of seeing things, engage creatively with our limits and edges by staying curious. You’ll also hear some of her thoughts on our shadows, dreams and visions.  Marisa’s year long creative coaching program starts January 18, so get in touch with her if you’re working on a creative endeavor and want to bring it to life this year. Find out more at marisahandler.com.  Check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for hundreds of free meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gretchen Rubin is one of today’s most influential and thought-provoking observers of happiness, habits and human nature. She’s a highly acclaimed writer, known for her ability to distill and convey complex ideas—with levity and clarity. She’s the author of many bestselling books, including her breakout memoir, The Happiness Project, Better Than Before, and The Four Tendencies, which have sold millions of copies in more than thirty languages. Her most recent book is Life in Five Senses.  She’s also host of the popular podcast, Happier with Gretchen Rubin, and founder of award-winning Happier app, which helps people track their happiness-boosting habits. TO kick off 2024 we invited Gretchen to talk with us about how we can inject more happiness into our lives and how we can cultivate new habits with greater ease. She challenges us to make our ’24 for 2024’ list to identify our aims for the year. There’s no one right way to make your list—you might create different categories, follow a theme, choose all fun items—just think about what you want the year to hold. And remember, there is no one size fits all for happiness. Here’s Her Habits Manifesto. What we do every day matters more than what we do once in a while. Make it easy to do right and hard to go wrong. Focus on actions, not outcomes. By giving something up, we may gain. Things often get harder before they get easier. When we give more to ourselves, we can ask more from ourselves. We’re not very different from other people, but those differences are very important. It’s easier to change our surroundings than ourselves. We can’t make people change, but when we change, others may change.  We should make sure the things we do to feel better don’t make us feel worse.  We manage what we monitor.  Once we’re ready to begin, begin now. Resources: Gretchenrubin.com Check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for hundreds of free meditations.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Winter is a neurologist, sleep specialist, and author of the book, "The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It." He explains why we’re a culture of poor sleepers and how we got that way, and includes five things we can do to improve our sleep right now. Spoiler alert: an attitude change might be the best tactic of all. • Understand how sleep works and the ways in which food, light, and other activities act to help or hurt the process • Learn why sleeping pills are so often misunderstood and used incorrectly—and how you can achieve your best sleep without them • Incorporate sleep and napping into your life—whether you are a shift worker, student, or overcommitted parent • Think outside the box to better understand ways to treat a multitude of conditions—from insomnia to sleep apnea to restless leg syndrome and circadian sleep disorders • Wade through the ever-changing sea of sleep technology and understand its value as it relates to your own sleep struggles  Encore. Resource: The Sleep Solution is available at all major book sellers. wchriswinter.com Check out Muse and Meditation Studio app. Get hundreds of free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New! This interview is for anyone…all of us…who’ve ever felt the sting of loss. Our guest is Gina Moffa, Clinical Social Worker and Author of the new book, “Moving on Doesn’t Mean Letting go. A Modern Guide to Navigating Loss.” Gina is wise, compassionate, and passionate about this very complicated topic.  We discuss how difficult loss can be — especially in a culture where we’re encouraged to stay strong and keep our feelings to ourselves.  But, she says, “we don’t have to choose between falling apart or staying strong while grieving our losses. The art of living lies in the fine mingling of letting go and holding on." Grief hurts whether it’s the death of someone you love, the end of a friendship, a breakup, or an ambiguous loss. We all experience it. And even though it's one of the most universal human journeys, grieving isn't something most of us know how to do. It can be isolating, confusing, and profoundly painful. Gina gives us a toolkit, if you will, to wade through these difficult feelings. We are ALL grieving something at one time or another, so this book is one I'd want to share with everyone I know. Resources: Ginamoffa.com Check out MUSE at choosemuse.com to explore the Muse Brain Sensing Headband. Free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Oren Jay Sofer. Oren teaches Mindfulness, Meditation and Nonviolent Communication in secular and Buddhist contexts. He holds a degree in comparative religions from Columbia University and is deeply engaged as a certified trainer in Marshall Rosenbergs' work in Nonviolent Communication. His first book, Say What You Mean, offers valuable approaches and practical tools for communicating, and for handling the most difficult conversations. His new book, Your heart Was Made For This, combines his decades of training in Nonviolent Communication, Buddhism and Contemplative Practice and applies this wisdom to many of the pressing issues we face today…climate chase, oppression, anxiety, burnout…more.  He offers us clarity and strength to meet life’s immense challenges with courage and balance. His book offers ways for us to strengthen our hearts and nourish the qualities that can help to transform the world.  Resources: Orenjaysofer.com Choosemuse.com/meditationstudio: Free meditations! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's guest is Dr. Emeran Mayer, a Distinguished Research Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Physiology, and Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine. He is a world-renowned gastroenterologist and neuroscientist with 35 years of experience in the study of clinical and neurobiological aspects of how the digestive system and the nervous system interact in health and disease. We discuss his bestselling book, The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health. The book combines neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome with lots of insights on the biological link between the mind and the digestive system. He shares the science behind the mind-gut communication pipeline…and discusses how we can harness the power of this connection to take charge of our health and listen to the innate wisdom of our bodies. Our favorite quote: “The time has come for us to empower ourselves to be the engineers of our own internal ecosystem and our bodies and minds.” Resources: emeranmayer.com Check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for hundreds of free meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Dr. David Spiegel. He is Professor and Associate Chair of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Director of the Center on Stress and Health, and Medical Director of the Center for Integrative Medicine all at Stanford University School of Medicine.  Dr. Spiegel has more than 40 years of clinical and research experience studying stress and health, pain control, sleep, hypnosis, and more. He’s published thirteen books on these and other topics.  In this interview, we talk about Hypnosis. Why are some people are more susceptible than others? What’s the difference between hypnosis and self hypnosis? How can we use hypnosis for sleep, stress, anxiety, depression, stress, phobias, pain or trauma? When I asked him for a simple definition of hypnosis he said "hypnosis is simply a state of highly focused attention. It's like looking through the telephoto lens of a camera, what you see, you see with great detail, but you're less aware of the context." I found his insights and the tools he offered extremely interesting…in fact I tried some of them for sleep and pain on his Reveri app. He’s an incredibly skilled and interesting guy.   Resources: Reveri App. TRYI IT: 30% off Discount:  Enter the code ‘UNTANGLE’ at checkout at buy.reveri.com for 30% off of Reveri’s yearly subscription *valid through 1/1/2024 An questions contact [email protected] Check out Choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for hundreds of free meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Interviewer: Ariel Garten. Encore episode. Could “energy healing” be real? Do phenomena like manifestation really work? If it does, could we possibly understand how? Dr. Shamini Jain, scientist, and clinician at UCSD, shares her amazing studies of the biofield, and the evidence she and other colleagues have that demonstrates that this might be more real than we thought. Check out hundreds of free meditations on Meditation Studio App. Go to Choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todays guest is Hersch Wilson, an Interesting guy with many passions, but none more important than being with and learning from the dogs in his life. His new book, Dog Lessons: Learning The Important Stuff From Our Best Friends shares his insights on the powerful presence of dogs in our lives and the transformative lessons they can teach us about love, loyalty, grief, and more.  Along the way, he was also a volunteer firefighter and wrote an award winning book called "Firefighter Zen, A Field Guide for Thriving in Tough Times."  He considers Dog Lessons a meditation on the truths dogs can teach us. From universal values like loyalty and curiosity to practical lessons on napping, playing, and avoiding a serious fight. It’s all pretty darn good advice. One of his big messages is that dogs help us remember that life is short and we must celebrate it wherever we can. They often help us find refuge, quiet and peace in this very complicated world.  This is a bit different from our usual untangle interviews, but I couldn’t resist since I’m a dog person myself…and living with the love and challenges that come with my little pup. Resources: Herschwilson.com Check out all the free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s encore episode is with Martha Beck, a PhD, Harvard-trained sociologist, world-renowned coach and New York Times bestselling author. She has published nine non-fiction books, one novel, and more than 200 magazine articles. She’s also known as Oprah’s Life Coach . Her most recent book, The Way of Integrity, Finding Your Path to Your Your True Self, is an Oprah book club selection and a NY Times best seller.  In The Way of Integrity, Beck presents a process that anyone can use to find a sense of purpose, emotional healing, and a way to be free of mental suffering. Much of what plagues us— negative habits and patterns, too much people pleasing, staying in stale relationships or careers— happen because we are out of touch with our true nature. This signals a split from integrity — which very often is unconscious and fueled by cultural norms and traditions that lead us in directions that aren’t, in fact, right for us. Getting back in sync with what is true for us brings us into alignment and this is where we become our best selves. Meditation has been a huge part of her own process in bringing her life into integrity.  Resource: marthabeck.com ChooseMuse.com/meditationstudio for free guided meditations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Wendy Suzuki is a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology in the Center for Neural Science at New York University. She was also recently appointed as Dean of NYU’s College of Arts & Science.  In her book, Good Anxiety, Harnessing the Power of the Most Misunderstood Emotion, she used new and established neuroscience to share how we can harness our fears to feel better, think better, and do better. We discuss why anxiety is so misunderstood and how we can turn it into a superpower. Much of it is pretty darn practical.  Her other book is called Health Brain, Happy Life, here she discusses how we have the power to activate our brains.  Her favorite line: Exercise is the most transformative thing we can do for our brain today.  Her major research interest continues to be brain plasticity. She is best known for her extensive work studying areas in the brain critical for our ability to form and retain new long-term memories. More recently her work has focused on understanding how aerobic exercise can be used to improve learning, memory and higher cognitive abilities in humans.  Resources: wendysuzuki.com Find free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Interviewer: Ariel Garten, Muse Co-founder. Encore. Dr. Adrian Owen, a renowned neuroscientist, discovered that individuals in a persistent coma could still communicate- and he went one step further and listened to what they wanted to say. He’s also performed the largest sleep and cognition study in the world, and demonstrated why brain training apps are bunk, and what we can do to sleep better and improve our own conscious function. Dr. Owen is a Professor at The Brain and Mind Institute, Western University, Canada and the former Canada Excellence Research Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience and Imaging. His research combines neuroimaging (MRI and EEG), with cognitive studies in brain-injured patients and healthy participants. His lab studies patients who have sustained brain injuries that result in disorders of consciousness. They also study patients with neurodegenerative diseases in order to understand more about the causes and consequences of the memory, perception and reasoning problems that many of them experience. Finally, he develops web-based tools for the assessment of cognitive function, both in healthy participants and in patients with disorders of the brain. Check out choosemuse.com/meditationstudio for free meditations! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Todays guest is Mitra Manesh. She is a senior mindfulness educator at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, best known for her storytelling and innovative teachings.  Mitra is also the creator of the Mindful Attentionist Coaching (MAC) program — an inside-out deep dive into what she calls a life of choice and wellbeing. In this interview, she’s shares her wisdom on everything from how to be an attentionist to how to be in relationship with others.  A little definition to get started: She defines Attentionism as an awakened way of believing, feeling, and living. It's about taking charge of your attention and learning how to use it intentionally. She says there are three steps that can help you become an Attentionist— Decide where you want to place your attention.  Notice when your attention has wandered away. Bring it back and place it where you intended to be.  More about Mitra @ mitramanesh.com Free meditations - @ choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Dr. Ellen Hendriksen. This is her second appearance on Untangle to share her expertise on all issues related to anxiety. She’s a clinical psychologist who focuses on releasing anxiety so that you can be more of your authentic self. Ellen serves on the faculty at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and is the author of How To Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety. Her scientifically-based, zero-judgment approach has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Harvard Business Review, Oprah Magazine and many other media outlets.  She defines anxiety as a close cousin to another familiar emotion, which is fear. Fear is immediate. Fear is when the snarling dog is running at you. Fear is when the bus is barreling down the road at you. Anxiety is also fear, but it’s fear cast to the horizon. It’s fear out in the uncertain future.  And she discusses social anxiety.  It’s not surprising, she says, that at the heart of social anxiety is perfectionism and perfectionism is a little bit of a misnomer because it's not really about trying to be perfect. It's about never feeling good enough. And that ties right into the very definition of social anxiety; feeling like there's some flaw that we need to cover or hide, or else people will judge and reject us. She presents a number of tools to work with our anxiety, whether we want to deepen our relationships, build confidence, face our social fears in a more supportive way or challenge your own perfectionism standards. Good news! She also talks about the superpowers of anxiety.  Resources: Ellenhendriksen.com  Check out free meditations at Choosemuse.com/meditationstudio. A thousand free meditations from top experts!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Interview with Ariel Garten. Did you know that the way you breathe can energize or relax you? That a simple hack can help with snoring and sleep apnea? That your lung volume can relate to your longevity, and that your lung volume can be expanded with simple exercises? James Nestor takes us on a fascinating trip into the breath, explains how and why different breath techniques work and will transform each breath you take for the better. His Book, Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art explores the million-year-long history of how the human species has lost the ability to breathe properly and why we’re suffering from a laundry list of maladies—snoring, sleep apnea, asthma, autoimmune disease, allergies—because of it. James ended up traveling the world in an attempt to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. Encore. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Ian Anderssn, cofounder of the Sunnyside app,  Sunnyside is an app designed to help individuals discover and adopt a more mindful approach to drinking so they can reach their own personal goals.  It’s focused exclusively on moderation and mindfulness, not sobriety. Ian and his business partner, founder Nick Allen started this company because they wanted to support people to find a balanced approach to drinking. One that would help them be healthier and more aware. In this interview, we discuss this moderation based approach, along with how and why this makes a difference in our mental and physical Health.  Sunnyside is partnering with Muse for Soberish October. This joint initiative wants to support individuals seeking mindfulness in their drinking habits. Again, balance….not sobriety. Visit choosemuse.com/sunnyside to learn more about how you can participate in Soberish October and win some great prizes. Again, what makes this approach different is that it’s not an all or nothing approach to drinking. It’s moderation and mindfulness based, a middle path so to speak, with some pretty great habit changing tools to help. It's about setting your own personal goals, making a commitment, tracking, connecting with others, texting with human coaches if that's your jam, and measuring your progress. Resources: Sunnyside.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Dr. Rick Hanson — a Psychologist and NY times Best Selling author of several books, including the book we discuss in this interview “Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence." He shares how we can hardwire our brains for happiness using practices that help us cultivate and experience the good in our lives while reducing our natural negativity biases. He shares why is it easier to ruminate over hurt feelings, negative feelings rather than to bask in the warmth of being appreciated or positive feelings. ? The negative stuff is like velcro…it sticks to us. But it doesn’t have to.  He says we can build our inner strengths and capacity to override the brains habit of defaulting to pessimism.  He suggests a simple method that uses the hidden power of everyday experiences to build new neural structures full of happiness, love, confidence, and peace. Encore. Visit rickhansen.net to see what he’s up to.  And don’t forget to check out your free 30 days with the meditation studio app. Go to choosemuse.com/meditation studio.  Reach us with ideas and suggestions at [email protected]. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is Judson Brewer, a Psychiatrist, Neuroscientist and Author who specializes in the field of mindfulness and addiction. He is widely recognized for his work on understanding the mechanisms of craving and developing effective strategies to overcome addictive behaviors. One of his notable contributions is his research on the "Hunger Habit." He discussed this in his book, The Hunger Habit: Why We Eat When We're Not Hungry and How to Stop. The Hunger Habit is a concept that explores the parallels between overeating and other forms of addiction. Brewer's research suggests that the root cause of many addictive behaviors, including overeating, lies in the craving and reward-based learning processes of the brain. Brewer's approach to breaking the Hunger Habit revolves around mindfulness. He believes that by bringing mindful awareness to our eating behaviors, we can develop a deeper understanding of our cravings and make more conscious choices. Mindfulness allows us to observe our thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations without judgment, enabling us to break the automatic and unconscious patterns of overeating. Overall, Judson Brewer is known for bridging the fields of mindfulness, neuroscience, and addiction, offering a unique perspective on breaking free from addictive patterns and fostering behavioral change through these mindfulness-based interventions. Get over 1,000 meditations for 30 days. Go to choosemuse.com/meditationstudio Want more from Judson? Go to drjud.com. Get the EatRightNow app at the App Store.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is David Nichtern, a senior Buddhist teacher who has been practicing and teaching meditation for over 40 years. He is also a highly regarded, award winning composer, producer and guitarist, as well as the founder of two record companies. David has recorded and played with Stevie Wonder, Jerry Garcia, Paul Simon and many others. And to round out his background, he’s also a business consultant and author of the book, Creativity, Spirituality and Making a Buck — which is what we discuss today.  David’s grasp of spirituality, mindfulness, music and entrepreneurship make him a unique animal, so to speak. The underlying principle of this book is that it’s possible to move toward balance, prosperity, happiness, and basic sanity in our lives as human beings. The core of the operating system that will get us there is recognizing how our minds work and how the world works to deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. He shares useful advice and practical tools for integrating all of who we are.  Check out his programs at dharmamoon.com  More on David. His mix of buddhism and music give him a unique perspective on creativity. He looks at the different ways that we humans define success.  The principles he lays out in the book include cultivating clarity, intention and effort; success and contentment; surviving vs. thriving; authenticity and integrity. He also suggests many interpersonal skills that will support ‘right livelihood’ or ethical conduct. When offering insights on creativity in his book he says: Be daring, master your craft and consider a balance between patience, exertion and disciple and know when to let go.  His book is available at all major book sellers.  Get your 30 days of free meditations at choosemuse.com/meditationstudio.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s guest is one of my favorites of all time. When I first interviewed Parker Palmer, the writer, teacher, poet and all around wise and soulful human — it was near a birthday that was giving me some pause as I was feeling the weight of time passing. I felt such a rush of pure humanity from listening to his words. It was the best birthday gift.  The book we discussed is called On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old. It’s one of 10 amazing books that he’s authored. He says we must accept all of who we are…our wholeness and our brokenness. Wholeness involves integrating your imperfections along with whatever degree of perfection you may have achieved. It means embracing brokenness as an important part of our lives. It all belongs. I loved when he said that our hearts stay supple when we learn to embrace the little heartbreaks of everyday life. Eventually, he says, we can say...Yes, I am my strengths and my weaknesses. I am my successes and my failures. I am a source of light and I can be dark.  It's all there. Welcome it all as a part of being human.  Parker has reached millions worldwide through his books, including the best-selling Healing the Heart of Democracy, Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, and A Hidden Wholeness. He also holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and 13 honorary doctorates. He has won numerous awards, which are listed in our show notes. Encore Episode.  SPECIAL OFFER: The Meditation Studio App is now FREE for 30 days. Unlock hundreds of meditations here: (https://choosemuse.com/meditationstudio)

Today’s guest is one of my favorites of all time. When I first interviewed Parker Palmer, the writer, teacher, poet and all around wise and soulful human — it was near a birthday that was giving me some pause as I was feeling the weight of time passing. I felt such a rush of pure humanity from listening to his words. It was the best birthday gift. The book we discussed is called On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old. It’s one of 10 amazing books that he’s authored. He says we must accept all of who we are…our wholeness and our brokenness. Wholeness involves integrating your imperfections along with whatever degree of perfection you may have achieved. It means embracing brokenness as an important part of our lives. It all belongs. I loved when he said that our hearts stay supple when we learn to embrace the little heartbreaks of everyday life. Eventually, he says, we can say...Yes, I am my strengths and my weaknesses. I am my successes and my failures. I am a source of light and I can be dark. It's all there. Welcome it all as a part of being human.  Parker has reached millions worldwide through his books, including the best-selling Healing the Heart of Democracy, Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, and A Hidden Wholeness. He also holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and 13 honorary doctorates. He has won numerous awards, which are listed in our show notes. Encore Episode.  SPECIAL OFFER: The Meditation Studio App is now FREE for 30 days. Unlock hundreds of meditations here: (⁠https://choosemuse.com/meditationstudio⁠) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ariel Garten is this weeks' Guest Interviewer. Guest Bios: Andrés González is a Puerto-Rican American teacher, author, and musician. He has taught yoga and meditation to diverse populations worldwide for twenty years and is a Co-Founder of the Holistic Life Foundation, founded in 2001. Andrés is a certified Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and maintains a B.S. in Marketing and an MBA from the University of Maryland. His teaching and music center around the liberation of marginalized individuals and communities through personal empowerment, healing, and love. Let Your Light Shine is his first book.  Ali Smith is a teacher and author, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Ali’s life-long study of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness has served as the impetus for his pioneering work bringing trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness to underserved youth–and influencing education curriculum worldwide. He is the longtime Executive Director of the Holistic Life Foundation, a non-profit organization he co-founded in 2001 that brings yoga and mindfulness to schools and is the Co-Owner of The Involution Group, founded in 2019. Let Your Light Shine is his second book.  Atman Smith is a teacher and author, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. A lifelong student of yoga and meditation, his teaching focuses on empowering marginalized communities through yoga and meditation, transforming the minds and hearts of individuals who face racism, poverty, drugs, and oppression. For fifteen years, Atman has served as Director of Programming and Development for the Holistic Life Foundation, a non-profit organization he co-founded in 2001 that brings yoga and mindfulness to schools. He is also the Co-Owner of The Involution Group, founded in 2019. His lifework centers around reclaiming black masculinity as a path of peace, justice, freedom, and joy. Let Your Light Shine is his first book.  Resources: Website: https://holisticlifefoundation.org Book Website: https://letyourlightshinebook.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticlifefoundation/ hlfinc.org  Contact: [email protected] You are encouraged to donate, or volunteer to be a teacher in your community  Find them on Instagram, twitter, facebook @HolisticLifeFoundation. Muse, the brain sensing headband that helps you meditate is great for teens who want to meditate, and beginners as well as advanced meditators: www.choosemuse.com use the discount code Untangle15 A study by Kansas State University showed that using Muse with teens lead to a 72% decrease in being sent to the principals office for behavioral correction.

Andrés González is a Puerto-Rican American teacher, author, and musician. He has taught yoga and meditation to diverse populations worldwide for twenty years and is a Co-Founder of the Holistic Life Foundation, founded in 2001. Andrés is a certified Health Coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and maintains a B.S. in Marketing and an MBA from the University of Maryland. His teaching and music center around the liberation of marginalized individuals and communities through personal empowerment, healing, and love. Let Your Light Shine is his first book.  Ali Smith is a teacher and author, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. Ali’s life-long study of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness has served as the impetus for his pioneering work bringing trauma-informed yoga and mindfulness to underserved youth–and influencing education curriculum worldwide. He is the longtime Executive Director of the Holistic Life Foundation, a non-profit organization he co-founded in 2001 that brings yoga and mindfulness to schools and is the Co-Owner of The Involution Group, founded in 2019. Let Your Light Shine is his second book.  Atman Smith is a teacher and author, born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. A lifelong student of yoga and meditation, his teaching focuses on empowering marginalized communities through yoga and meditation, transforming the minds and hearts of individuals who face racism, poverty, drugs, and oppression. For fifteen years, Atman has served as Director of Programming and Development for the Holistic Life Foundation, a non-profit organization he co-founded in 2001 that brings yoga and mindfulness to schools. He is also the Co-Owner of The Involution Group, founded in 2019. His lifework centers around reclaiming black masculinity as a path of peace, justice, freedom, and joy. Let Your Light Shine is his first book.  Resources: Website: ⁠https://holisticlifefoundation.org⁠ Book Website: ⁠https://letyourlightshinebook.com⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/holisticlifefoundation/⁠ hlfinc.org  Contact: ⁠[email protected]⁠ You are encouraged to donate, or volunteer to be a teacher in your community  Find them on Instagram, twitter, facebook @HolisticLifeFoundation. Muse, the brain sensing headband that helps you meditate is great for teens who want to meditate, and beginners as well as advanced meditators: ⁠www.choosemuse.com⁠ use the discount code Untangle15 A study by Kansas State University showed that using Muse with teens lead to a 72% decrease in being sent to the principals office for behavioral correction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Stein Greenberg is Executive Director of Stanford University's d School (Design School) and is the author of the book, “Creative Acts for Curious People. How to Think, Create and Lead in Unconventional Ways’’. A quote from the book sums it up: “In an era of ambiguous, messy problems, as well as extraordinary opportunities for positive change, it’s vital to have both an inquisitive mind and the ability to act with intention. This book is filled with ways to build those skills with resilience, care, and confidence”.The tools and exercises in the book are a gift to the rest of us who’ve not yet had the opportunity to go through their programs designed to spark creativity, foster connection, and solve problems. From her Linkedin profile: Sarah leads a community of designers, faculty, and other innovative thinkers who help people unlock their creative abilities and apply them to the world. Sarah speaks regularly at universities and global conferences on design, business, and education. She holds an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business and a BA in history from Oberlin College. Sarah also serves as a trustee for Rare, a global conservation organization. Among other creative pursuits, she spends her free time as an underwater and wildlife photographer. She lives in San Francisco. Encore. Check out Meditation Studio App available in the App Store and go explore Muse at choosemuse.com.

Ben Angel, author of "Unstoppable, A 90-Day Plan to Biohack Your Mind and Body for Success" shares how his early depression and lack of energy led him to ‘find solutions’ he never imagined would make him feel better. He made it his mission to explore alternatives beyond medicine and ‘self-help.’ His journey paid off! He talks about how you can close the gap between where you are and where you want to be, and shows us how to get fired up and focused with some tools that may have the power to change our lives forever. Encore. Check out the Meditation Studio App to get meditations for performance, focus and more.

Monique Billings is a professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association. She was drafted into the WNBA in 2018. She shares her personal story about growing up with a strong family foundation, her meditation practice, her commitment to self-care, and her healthy routines. She has an amazing inner compass and an ability to follow her gut, her intuition, and her spirit.

Today’s guest is Katy Milkman, Wharton University Professor and author of the national bestseller, How to Change, The Science of Getting from Where you are to Where you Want to Be. The book was named one of the top 8 books for healthy living in 2021 by the NY Times. Katy has devoted her career to the study of behavior change, inspired by the fact that 40% of premature deaths are due to behaviors and habits we can actually change. She discusses the importance of understanding the barriers that stand between you and the change you’re trying to make so that you can find the right solution to each particular roadblock. Turning an uphill battle into a downhill one is one of the keys to success. She goes through the most common barriers which tend to be short-term rewards or instant gratification, procrastination, and forgetfulness. She provides some great research and tools to support habit change. Encore.

Kristin Neff is an expert and pioneer in the field of self-compassion. Her most recent book is called Fierce Self Compassion: How Women can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim their Power and Thrive. She discusses how self-compassion allows us to be tender with ourselves in difficult situations, but also that it sometimes needs to be fierce — like the mama bear energy that comes from a place of love, service, and a desire to reduce harm. We must, she says, act courageously to protect ourselves from harm and injustice — and to motivate necessary change in ourselves and society. Her message…women can be fierce and tender. Best quote from the book: "Tender Self-Compassion harnesses the energy of nurturing to alleviate suffering while fierce Self-Compassion harnesses the energy of action to alleviate suffering." We need both. Encore.

Dr. Ellen Hendriksen is a clinical psychologist whose focus is on helping millions of people calm their anxiety so they can be more comfortable with their true selves. She serves on the faculty at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and is the author of the book we discuss today, How to Be Yourself: Quiet the Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety. In this episode, we talk about the fear of being judged or rejected, and how to manage our somewhat distorted (and often annoying) negative thoughts. We’ve heard this before…your thoughts are NOT always true. Ellen discusses many ways to quiet the inner chatter that takes us down a rabbit hole and prevents us from living life, and enjoying it, to its fullest. She shares how we can actually rewire our brains through our behavior, make changes and let go of the 'monkey mind' inner critic. It’s not easy…but she suggests lots of small steps we can take. Encore.

Today’s guest is Richard Hawkes, thought leader, change expert, author and Founder & CEO, of Growth River — an international consulting firm. His book is called Navigate the Swirl, 7 conversations for Business Transformation. He specializes in helping organizations and individuals scale and grow. In fact, he was my executive coach over 15 years ago and a big reason I made some pretty important changes in my life at that time.  What I liked about this discussion was all of the connections I started thinking about between business transformation and personal transformation. They both involve activating purpose, driving focus, shifting mindset, aligning strategy and implementing initiatives. When we discuss the kind of team you need to build a high performing organization, I wondered about the teams we build as individuals — those in our tribes, so to speak, that support and encourage our own transformation.  Some of the things we discuss:  How do we actually navigate change in organizations and in our lives? As a Leader, What does it mean to have a team with the right Blend of EQ and IQ  Skills?  Can you recover from bad decisions? How you can find a shared language with those you work with in life.  It starts with an intention to communicate. 

10% Happier Author and Former ABC News Anchor Dan Harris joined us in the early days - almost 6 years ago on Untangles 7th episode. In this interview he shared the story of how he came to believe that Meditation is, in fact, a way for all of us to be at least 10% happier, and a great way to tame the monkey mind or as he says, get centered again when you’re wayward thoughts are yanking you around. He’s funny and honest, and shares how meditation has helped him handle conflict and everyday annoyances with those who matter most in his life. He discusses tools for learning meditation--especially for those who say they can’t sit still. 

Dr. Epstein is a family physician, palliative care Dr., author, researcher, and teaches communication and mindful practice in medicine. His book, Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity explores how the foundations of mindfulness can help clinicians expand their capacity to provide high-quality care, and how doctors, patients, and their families can more collaboratively and mindfully approach medical decisions. He shares how the practice of mindfulness in medicine helps support a deeper understanding and connection between clinicians and patients, how we can flourish and be more resilient in the midst of uncertain situations, and how healthcare professionals can more skillfully cope with the discomfort of ambiguity. He also discusses his hope that the human aspects of medicine can become at least as important as the technical aspects of the future. Encore episode.

Dr. Epstein is a family physician, palliative care Dr., author, researcher, and teaches communication and mindful practice in medicine. His book, Attending: Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity explores how the foundations of mindfulness can help clinicians expand their capacity to provide high-quality care, and how doctors, patients, and their families can more collaboratively and mindfully approach medical decisions. He shares how the practice of mindfulness in medicine helps support a deeper understanding and connection between clinicians and patients, how we can flourish and be more resilient in the midst of uncertain situations, and how healthcare professionals can more skillfully cope with the discomfort of ambiguity. He also discusses his hope that the human aspects of medicine can become at least as important as the technical aspects of the future. Encore episode.

Todays guest is Cheryl Richardson. Cheryl has written 7 books and has dedicated her life to the practice of self care. When we begin to care for ourselves, we naturally begin to care for others…families, friends, the environment and the world. There are so many wisdom nuggets in this episode. She invites us to look at what’s draining our energy so that we can let go of what no longer serves us; she shares how to make our inner lives more of a priority and discusses how to set up priorities and boundaries. I love her phrase; “stop doing things that bore you.” This can be the biggest energy drain of all. She also suggests that doing the opposite of what you normally do or even think you can do can be a great way to change stagnant habits and break some old patterns. Cheryl shares why focusing on self care is so important for all of us. She also discusses how to make soul vs. ego more of a focus as you move into your later years; how to look at what’s draining your energy by making a list and eliminating each one by one. She believes those who focus on self care are good at sitting with the discomfort of letting go of the things in their lives that are no longer useful. Make your inner life more of a priority than your outer life and remember that death is a reminder of how precious and fleeting life is.

Todays guest is Ozan Varol. Ozan is a native of Turkey and moved to the US to study astrophysics when he was 17. He started out as a rocket scientist and later became a law professor. In our interview, he reflects on how there were so many moments where on paper everything looked great, but intuitively there was something deep down in his gut that felt very wrong. He couldn’t rationally explain the feeling…but he knew he needed to make some changes in his life. And he did. His mission now is to help others reimagine the conventional wisdom that led them to decisions that govern their lives…but no longer need to. I like when he says “is your safety net really a straight jacket?” His book is called Awaken your Genius. Escape Conformity, Ignite Creativity and Become Extraordinary. Genius, to him, means being who you were meant to be; not what others expect. Unlock your originality and unleash your unique talents to discover your true nature. I think you’ll find his perspectives super interesting, and a great reminder of what it takes to be truly who we’re meant to be. This episode has some great insights on how to stop conforming to what others expect, how to discover who we truly are, how to stop feeling like you’re sleepwalking through life, how to get unstuck and ignite creativity.

Welcome to another meditation edition of Untangle.I’m excited to introduce you to Shawn Moore. Shawn is a meditation and yoga teacher, and loves to create spaces for stillness and self-inquiry to help leaders and all of us… align our strengths, intention, and impact. Today’s meditation lives in the Optimal Brain States Collection on the Muse app. Shawn leads all of the community initiatives at Muse and is passionate about bringing people together to connect, learn and be inspired by one another. Today’s meditation is about the gifts of a growth vs. fixed mindset. He invites us to leave lot’s of room for reflection here. My favorite part? He asks us to ponder this question. How do you react when working outside your comfort zone? Head over to choosemuse.com to check out his meditations on the Muse app. Use Untangle15 for your discount code.

Todays guest is Rob Schwartz. You may not know him, but you’ve likely heard of his dad, Morrie. Bestseller, “Tuesdays with Morrie,” sold over 18 million copies after it was released in 1997. While Morrie, a beloved dad and professor at Brandeis University, was dying of ALS, Mitch Albom, one of his students, sat down to interview him every Tuesday for 12 weeks. This became a treasure trove of his philosophy as his health declined. It was very early in our understanding of ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Several years after “Tuesdays with Morrie," and the death of his father, Rob, found an almost finished manuscript in his dad’s desk drawer. He decided to edit this book as a tribute to his dad. Now, “The Wisdom of Morrie," recently released, is a new look at Morries’ life wisdom and lessons. I was happy to be reminded of the spirit and light that filled his life, despite that he was dying. A reminder from Morrie: “Dying is only one thing to be upset about; living an unhappy life is something else.” Show Notes: Morrie is known for his positive attitude and growth mindset before and after he was diagnosed with ALS. He was an extremely curious, compassionate and intelligent man. He always had this intense empathy for everybody, and was open to different worldviews. He was aware of others’ difficulties and their pain. Once you're open to somebody else's worldview and perspective, he said, you're going to see things in a different light. The Wisdom of Morrie is really about lessons on how to live your best life and how to live with the tension or paradox of joy and sorrow. His attitude was…”I’m gonna live the best that I can in the time that I have left. And that means I have to put bitterness, anger and disappointment aside and concentrate on what gives me joy and life and pushes me forward.” Morrie wrote a bit about ageism. He has a term called age casting, which is to make assumptions about older people just because they’re old. He also includes many practical tips on how to live more creatively and joyously as you age. Very simply put, what gives your life meaning, Morrie would say, is your relationship with other people. Morrie viewed aging as completely natural; Not something to be angry or despairing about, but something to understand as a natural process of life, and that you should appreciate what is strong and good about it, as opposed to trying to pick out, oh, my body isn't as strong as it used to be. There will always be the tension of opposites in our lives. This idea of balancing out hope and despair. In this book, Morrie was attempting to remove the stumbling blocks that prevent people from being happy and fulfilled. He believed that laughter was incredibly important and wondered why elderly people often forget to incorporate more humor in their lives. Don’t let it slip away, he reminds us. Rob’s most important lesson from his dad? Pay attention to your relationships and continue to strengthen them always. Resources: The Wisdom of Morrie. Available at all booksellers.

Enjoy this lovely meditation, by Kate Johnson, in honor of World Meditation Week.

Guest interviewer > Ariel Garten! Do you want to wake up feeling great, and be productive through the rest of the day? Make the most of your day by optimizing your mornings. Charming British brother and sister therapists, Toby and Kate Oliver, give dozens of practical, science-backed techniques to try at the start of the day, to improve your morning and the whole day. Whether you’re a morning person or a night owl, this episode will help you transform your life, one morning at a time.

Today's guest is Dr. Greg Wells a Physiologist, Scientist, Author, and renowned health and high-performance expert. He has dedicated his career to studying the science of human limits and developing practical strategies to help individuals and organizations perform at their best, even under the most challenging circumstances. He’s even worked with Olympic athletes. But his most important work is with those of us who simply want to optimize health every single day. His guidance in this interview relates to protecting and optimizing our Mitochondria, which affects every aspect of our lives. It’s a really interesting way to look at how we can have some agency over our mental and physical health so we can live our best lives. Note: Use discount code UNTANGLE15 at choosemuse.com to order your Muse Headband. Show notes: We get our energy from mitochondria. These are tiny structures inside our cells that break down the foods that we eat to create energy. They're in our muscles, our brains, they're all over the place. We need our mitochondria to live our best, healthiest lives. Our mitochondria are damaged by stress, but they're really responsive to lifestyle activities so there's infinite potential for them to get better. We produce 2 billion new mitochondria every single day. These enable us to think, move, be creative, play music, build relationships…almost everything that is fundamental to life. As little as three minutes of exercise a day can stimulate the production of new and better mitochondria that make us able to have more energy to navigate our lives. When we do things like meditation, our mitochondria become stronger. He is a big Muse user and loves it. Mitochondria are also a common pathway to different diseases like cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases. When they aren’t working properly, they can even be responsible for depression, so even our mental health depends upon healthy, high-functioning mitochondria. Also important to creating a joyful and meaningful life are social connections, people, pursuits, and purpose. A strong focus in these areas can have a profound impact on longevity. Flow plus meaning is the best predictor of “Magic Moments.” Resources: Drgregwells.com

4X NYT best-selling author, the hilarious and poignant AJ Jacobs, spent a year following every commandment in the Bible, to see what would happen. He then dove deep into gratitude by traveling around the globe to thank every person who had helped produce his morning coffee. In an incredibly interesting conversation, he shares his witty and profound insights from these experiments, and also teaches us what it takes to accomplish the things we want in our own lives, and gives us techniques we can use to motivate ourselves towards our goals.

Today’s guest is all about behavior change. Dr. Allison Grupski, PhD and Clinical Health Psychologist specializing in weight management and eating behaviors is the Head of Behavior Change at Weight Watchers, referred to as WW in this interview. She shares many of the behavior change strategies she’s used to drive real-life behavior change for millions of people. Change can be difficult, especially when it’s tied to deeply engrained habits. And, when it comes to eating and weight management, it may be even more complicated given the many factors that influence us. Her thoughts on disrupting routine behaviors as a way to shift habits are fascinating. You won’t be surprised to know that she includes meditation in many of her workshops and meetings. She also shared the top five behaviors that help people reach their healthy weight goals.

Today’s guest is Dr. Tobias Esch. He is a primary care physician, pioneer in holistic general medicine, and expert in the neurobiology of happiness. He shaped mind-body medicine and integrative health in Germany and as Visiting Professor at Harvard Medical School. He has published more than 300 scientific works. His background is in primary care, neurobiology, and positive psychology and his work focus has been on promoting good health, patient activation and behavior change. In this interview we dive into his Happiness Model, and what he calls the U Curve of happiness which is both surprising and fascinating. The good news is that happiness can be shaped through practice. Life satisfaction and happiness are both deep feeling states, but he defines them differently. His wisdom is cultivated through a rich blend of neuroscience, medicine, positive psychology, mindfulness, gratitude, stillness, and acceptance. He believes in listening deeply and connecting with his patients to uncover what might be beyond the obvious.

Shannon Harvey is an award-winning Australian health journalist, author, and filmmaker. In her film (and now a book, My Year of Living Mindfully), Shannon committed to meditating every day for 365 days. She enlisted a team of top scientists from around the world to track everything from her stress hormones to her immune function to her cellular aging and gene expression to her subjective wellbeing. Overwhelmed with insomnia, autoimmune disease, and a family history of mental health issues, Shannon was highly motivated to find a way to address the challenges she faced, and those we all face with the growing epidemics of stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction. The results were surprising! She hopes that the film will spark meaningful conversations and help all of us feel more grounded and calm as we face the inevitable challenges of being human.

Today's guest is Oliver Nino, Energy Healer and Author of the new book, Spiritual Activator: 5 Steps to Clearing, Unblocking, and Protecting Your Energy to Attract More Love, Joy, and Purpose. He discusses his 5-step energy detox program that helps to remove negative blocks and emotions. The detox process, he shares, can help remove feelings of being stuck, ease relationship issues, and help deal with feelings related to lack of abundance, purpose or confidence. He also shares how he’s helped people with anxiety, depression, and an overall feeling of unhappiness. We’re energetic beings and we get affected by all kinds of energy, more than we’re ever aware. We may ‘feel’ something and even find it hard to explain what it is we’re feeling. Energy, like air or oxygen, is invisible. Every one of us, he says, is naturally wired to clear our energy fields. This takes us to our natural state— often where we’re closest to our soul. His goal is to help people restore their energy to optimal levels and to unlock our natural healing abilities and intuition. Meditation, as you might guess, is one of many tools. And…a Reminder: check out Muse at choosemuse.com. Use Untangle15 for your 15% discount off products.

Psychedelic Assisted Therapy has the potential to help us overcome our fears and learn from the contents of our subconscious. Dr. Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), is at the forefront of this research and advocacy, and working with the FDA to bring psychedelics to legalization. He shares beautiful insights about the mind, fear, war, and how he sees that psychedelics can save us.

Today’s guest is Master Somatic Leadership Coach, Trauma Psychologist, and Mindfulness Instructor Chris Johnson. In her book, The Leadership Pause, she shares how to quiet the noise of the daily hustle so you can hear the still-small voice of purposeful curiosity that lives within you. This spaciousness breeds more wisdom in both work and life. She shares how mindful awareness can lead to clarity of heart and mind plus increased resilience AND help you to be a better, more natural leader with a clearer vision and a deeper connection to yourself and others. She says…”It’s all about the pause.”

Today's guest is Dr. Emeran Mayer, a Distinguished Research Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Physiology, and Psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine. He is a world-renowned gastroenterologist and neuroscientist with 35 years of experience in the study of clinical and neurobiological aspects of how the digestive system and the nervous system interact in health and disease. Today, we discuss his bestselling book, The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health. The book combines neuroscience with the latest discoveries on the human microbiome with lots of insights on the biological link between the mind and the digestive system. He shares the science behind the mind-gut communication pipeline…and discusses how we can harness the power of this connection to take charge of our health and listen to the innate wisdom of our bodies. Our favorite quote: “The time has come for us to empower ourselves to be the engineers of our own internal ecosystem and our bodies and minds.”

Brilliant choreographer Alonzo King shares how finding stillness is key to fueling our creativity and intuition, cultivating the relationship we have with ourselves, and tapping into our natural state of joy. He finds stillness and his own inner voice through yoga and meditation, and inspires his dancers to use heart and mind in addition to the body.

Today’s guest is Sharon Salzberg, one of the most prominent voices in the field of meditation, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, and author of 11 books including the NY Times Best Seller Real Happiness. Our conversation is about her newest book, Real change, Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. It’s an incredibly timely book because she shares great examples of how we can bridge the worlds of mindfulness and social action. Sharon has a way of expressing complex ideas in her signature, down-to-earth style. She invites us to rethink how we approach some of our most difficult emotions with grace and dignity.

Are you a little fed up with your partner sometimes? Or looking to be a better partner yourself? Our guests this week are a married couple, Nate and Kaley Klemp, who teach us how to be better, more mindful partners. They are mindfulness and organizational dynamic experts who get real about strategies to show up for the other person, even when the other partner might not be so mindful all the time.

Today’s guest, in honor of Valentine's Day, is Loretta Breuning, PhD and author of several books including Habits of a Happy Brain and The Science of Positivity. She is the Founder of the Inner Mammal Institute where she studies the brain chemistry we share with mammals. It’s fascinating how she connects our behaviors with those of mammals, especially as she dives into the neurochemicals…dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin, and cortisol — that drive love, relationships, and much of our lives. You’ll learn a lot about the neurobiology of love, how to turn on the happy chemicals — and how you can build new neural pathways anytime. A little piece of advice she shares…Love is a neurochemical roller coaster, and managing your own chemicals works FAR better than blaming your partner for them.

Today’s guest is Dr. Molly Maloof. She is the author of a new book called The Spark Factor. The Secret to Supercharging Energy, Becoming Resilient, and Feeling Better Than Ever. In this interview, she shares her research and insights on the key pillars of women’s health and wellbeing. I found this to be like an encyclopedia chock full of information and data related to our brains, gut, mental and physical health. She’s passionate about biohacking, lifestyle interventions, personalized medicine, and optimizing performance. It’s a rich look at how we manage our own health so we don’t have to rely on the healthcare system to ‘fix us’ when something goes wrong.

In this episode, you can learn more about what you eat affects the health of your brain. Dr. Lisa Mosconi, Alzheimer's researcher, and nutritionist gives us a step-by-step guide to what foods to eat and what foods to avoid for the best brain health.

Matt has a Masters's in Psychology and Neuroscience and is the editor of the book Psychedelics for Everyone — A Beginners Guide to These Powerful Medicines for Anxiety, Depression, Addiction, PTSD, and Expanding Consciousness. The book is a compilation of writings from a number of different experts. In 2019 Matt had an opportunity to experience a guided psilocybin (magic mushroom) journey and, he says, it completely changed his worldview. Since then, he has gone from someone who had never taken any drugs, with the exception of a little cannabis, to a deep dive into the study of human consciousness with the help of psilocybin, ayahuasca, ketamine, MDMA, and more. Psychedelics for Everyone is his attempt to share some of the insights he’s gained. He feels these drugs can sometimes play a powerful role in healing.

This week on the Untangle Podcast, learn how to create any habit you want! By celebrating even the smallest changes as victories, you can rewire your brain to tackle your year's challenges successfully. Learn more about BJ Fogg at www.bjfogg.com and read his book, "Tiny Habits".

Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor is an author, speaker, and Harvard-trained neuroanatomist. You may remember her from her Ted Talk (viewed by over 27 mm people) and her NY Times best-selling book, My Stroke of Insight, A Brain Scientists Journey. In this book, she chronicles the experience of her rare stroke at the age of 37. She lost her ability to walk, talk, read, write, or recall any of her past. It took eight years for her to rebuild her brain — to recover all physical, emotional, and thinking abilities. Her second book is called Whole Brain Living, The Anatomy of Choice and the Four Characters That Drive Our Life. In this book, she blends neuroanatomy with psychology to illustrate how we can short-circuit emotional reactivity to lead a more fulfilling and peaceful life. Most of us have been led to believe that our right brain houses our emotions and the left brain our rational thinking. Jill shares that it’s not that simple. Each of our hemispheres has both an emotional and a thinking brain. In this book, she presents these four distinct modules of cells in the brain as four characters that make up who we are. She presents a whole new language that we can use to understand our behaviors, feelings, and emotions. In this discussion, she introduces us to the 4 characters and offers ways we can find more peace in our daily lives and create healthier relationships. The more we become familiar with each of the characters in ourselves and others, the more power we gain over our thoughts, feelings, relationships, and our lives. Indeed, she says, we discover that we really do have the power to choose who and how we want to be in every moment.

In the perfect Zen antidote to new year’s resolutions and planning and striving, Zen priest Rev Angel Kyodo Williams shows us the simplicity of returning to the self. To our enoughness. To the present moment. To our multiple and ever-changing purposes. To the joy that unfolds from just being, not doing, planning, or striving, and to the timelessness of the value of life- whatever year it is. This podcast offers a collective exhale to just be and take life as it is.

At the end of each year, I love to look back at some of the gems that have come from Untangle. It’s such a joy to be reminded of all the insights and inspiration that our guests invite us to explore. This year there are some wonderful themes: Accepting all of who we are…the wholeness and the brokenness; Being in alignment with our values and our true nature; Noticing the fragility of life as we behold the joys and sorrows; Allowing for the idea that ambiguity teaches us that there can be multiple interpretations and possibilities to any situation; Cultivating friendships is a key to meaning and happiness. There’s more in this annual episode of Untangle. We hope you enjoy it. Happy 2023 to all!

As children, the holidays hold an undeniable sense of magic. As adults, we can lose our sense of that magic in the busyness and obligation of the season. In this special holiday episode of Untangle, we learn that we can uncover the magic and mystery that is there for us all to savor--if we can get quiet enough to listen. This beautiful episode inspires us to hear, see, and taste the magic of the season. It might just change how you think about the holidays! Our guest is Father John Markey, an LGBTQ Roman-Catholic priest, and professor of theology and spirituality at Oblate School of Theology. We've saved everyone a seat at our holiday table!

Today’s guest is writer, singer, songwriter, and teacher, Marisa Handler. Marisa is the author of the memoir, Loyal to The Sky, and is a longtime spiritual practitioner and teacher in the Insight Meditation tradition. She’s also a Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie. Marisa teaches creativity, meditation, and transformation at places like Stanford University, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and California Institute of Integral Studies. Today we talk about her 9-month program called Live Your Creative Genius: Birth Your Most Brilliant Work where she integrates creativity, art, meditation, spirituality, and community. She shares how we can let go of old ways of creating, identify resistance and blocks that get in our way, open up a clear channel for our creative energy and vision all while finding and expressing our true creative voice. I especially like her ideas about confidence, trusting yourself as a creative, and knowing that what you have to say matters. You can find out more about her one-on-one coaching or her 9-month program at marisahandler.com.

Today's guest is author and dance movement therapist, Erica Hornthal. Her book is called Body Aware — Rediscover Your Mind-Body Connection, Stop Feeling Stuck, and Improve Your Mental Health with Simple Movement Practices. Erica believes that traditional talk therapy can only get you so far. Dance Movement Therapy, on the other hand, uses movement to integrate mind, body, and spirit…as well as the social, cognitive, emotional, and physical aspects of an individual. For Erica, it’s about bringing nonverbal communication into the therapeutic process. There’s quite a bit of mindfulness and awareness of the body and sensations in her body aware practices. Muse's Holiday Sale is On! By using the promo code HOLIDAY2022, you will receive a 20% discount on Muse at https://choosemuse.com/shop! For users in Canada, use the promo code MM-HOLIDAY2022 to receive 15% off a Muse Membership at choosemuse.ca

Shama Rahman is a successful musician, actor, and PhD neuroscientist who studies creativity and flow. Listen as she unravels what’s happening in your brain when you’re getting creative or experiencing flow, and hear tips on how we can all spend more time in those states.

This meditation invites us to be still and focus on gratitude for the people in our lives; our bodies; the earth and the planet. We at Muse wish you a very happy Thanksgiving and hope that you’ll always invite a bit of gratitude into your life.

Jake Knapp spent 10 years at Google and Google Ventures running the design sprint process and is the co-author of the new book, "Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day." He shares his 4 step system for getting the most out of your day by making simple--but powerful--changes in your schedule, your mindset, and your technology.

Today's guest is Koshin Paley Ellison. He is A Zen teacher, Jungian Psychotherapist, and Cofounder of the NY Zen Center where he, and his partner Chodo, have numerous trainings and gatherings. His new book is called, ironically, Untangled. Walking the Eightfold Path to Clarity, Courage, and Compassion. The book takes us through the process of creating profound change, both inside and out. Life can be so fragile and subject to ever-changing circumstances, good, messy, difficult and all of the above— and these changes have the tendency to “tangle" us up in our own web of stories. This, he says, tends to create suffering, so Koshin offers many insights and inspirations for how we can untangle the tangles, allowing for greater clarity AND acceptance. We can learn to find balance with the whole range of joy and pain. He says that we can never be free until we can be still with our pain AND…that everything we encounter in life can be a place of practice. What a great piece of wisdom.

Dr. Joe Dispenza, a New York Times bestselling author, researcher, and educator is driven by the conviction that each of us has the potential for greatness and unlimited abilities--including the ability to heal ourselves. He shares how he healed himself after a devastating bike accident and the mind-body work he's continued to do to help others.

Dr. Marisa Franco is a New York Times bestselling Author, Professor, Psychologist, and self-proclaimed friendship expert. Marisa discusses the science of connection — and the importance of platonic friendships. Her new book is called Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make--and Keep--Friends. She believes friendship is the single best action a person can take to live a longer life, take the edge off depression, flourish and even revitalize a marriage. She challenges the notion that friendships should be at the bottom of the relationship totem poll.  Her mantra is — Never stop cultivating friendships and connections.  She gives us many reasons to prioritize platonic love and bring more friends into our life, nurture the ones we already have and keep building community. If we do these things, we’ll always be surrounded by love —whether or not we choose a romantic relationship.

Dr. Adrian Owen, a renowned neuroscientist, discovered that individuals in a persistent coma could still communicate- and he went one step further and listened to what they wanted to say. He’s also performed the largest sleep and cognition study in the world, and demonstrated why brain training apps are bunk, and what we can do to sleep better and improve our own conscious function.

Kristin Neff is an extremely well-regarded expert and pioneer in the field of self-compassion. Her most recent book is called Fierce Self Compassion: How Women can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim their Power and Thrive. She discusses how self-compassion allows us to be tender with ourselves in difficult situations, but also that it sometimes needs to be fierce — like the mama bear energy that comes from a place of love, service, and a desire to reduce harm. We must, she says, act courageously to protect ourselves from harm and injustice — and to motivate necessary change in ourselves and society. Her message…women can be fierce and tender. Best quote from the book: "Tender Self-Compassion harnesses the energy of nurturing to alleviate suffering while fierce Self-Compassion harnesses the energy of action to alleviate suffering." We need both.

Dr. Steven Gundry MD shows us how the trillions of bacteria in our microbiome dramatically affect our levels of energy and our mood and even our weight loss. He shows us how to keep them fed and happy to keep us literally happy and functioning optimally. In this very fun and informative episode, Dr. Gundry walks us through the fascinating science of how exactly it is that the “farts” from the miniature organisms in your gut improve the function of your brain, and how and why you should care for them.

Rebel entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author with five books published so far, Chip Conley disrupted the hospitality industry at age 26. With confidence from his education at Stanford University and his entrepreneurial spirit, he founded Joie de Vivre Hospitality — transforming an inner-city motel into the second largest boutique hotel brand in America. Next, after some interesting experiences he shares, he served as Airbnb’s Head of Global Hospitality and Strategy for four years.  NEXT…in his early 50’s,  he went on to found the Modern Elder Academy (MEA), where he and his team have developed a new roadmap for midlife that is offered at an oceanfront campus in Mexico, and online. Transitions happen for all of us…often.  While his focus is on mid-life — there is much to be gained for those of us at any age. You can check out Chip’s Modern elder academy 8-week online course with over 30 experts, covering how you can live and work with more purpose….starts October 15 — register at modernelderacademy.com.

Psychadelic Assisted Therapy has the potential to help us overcome our fears and learn from the contents of our subconscious. Dr. Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), is at the forefront of this research and advocacy, and working with the FDA to bring psychedelics to legalization. He shares beautiful insights about the mind, fear, war, and how he sees that psychedelics can save us.

Today’s guest is Dr. Shauna Shapiro.  Shauna is a best-selling author, professor, clinical psychologist, and internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and self-compassion. She has spent two decades studying the benefits of mindfulness and compassion, publishing over 150 papers and three critically acclaimed books. Her TEDx Talk, What You Practice Grows Stronger, has been viewed over 3 million times, and this concept is key to her philosophy.  Her book, Good Morning, I love you…encompasses the full range of practices that help us to grow both our meditation and compassion practices. I think you’ll find it interesting to learn how she decided to name her book.

Manifesting what you want in life is a tantalizing prospect. Danette May shares her amazing story of how her mindset, process, determination…. and some manifestation, made profound changes in her life. She shares her process of how to shift your own mind to manifest what you want. In the following episode, we explore what might be going on scientifically in the experience of manifestation.

Kyle Rand founded a company called Rendever, which uses Virtual Reality technology to deliver experiences that help reduce social isolation and loneliness in the aging population.   They have created a large library of content from travel to symphonies to meditation and so much more. The experiences are transformative and they’ve been able to validate the effectiveness with data that shows its positive impact.  Kyle grew up volunteering in a senior living community — which has inspired this work —  and he went on to study the cognitive decline in the aging population. His neuroscience research was largely focused on the link between functional structural changes in the brain that happen as you age. That said, we think his technology and content have the potential to help many populations. Kyle was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 in 2019 and Rendever was recently honored on the 2022 TIME list of 100 Most Influential Companies.

Koshin Paley Ellison and Chodo Campbell, two Zen Buddhist practitioners in Manhattan, talk about what led them to their meditation practice, their work in end-of-life care, and their new book, "Awake at the Bedside". They share why intimacy with others is at the heart of contemplative care.

Today’s guest is the amazing Parker J Palmer. At age 82, he is one of the wisest souls I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. It’s our luck that he’s written 10 books that share so much of this wisdom with heart, vulnerability, and authenticity. When I read his work, I know that we are all connected as humans, that we all are both whole and broken at the same time. He is a writer, speaker, activist, poet, founder, and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal. He has reached millions worldwide through his books, including the best-selling Healing the Heart of Democracy, Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, and A Hidden Wholeness. His latest bestseller is On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old, which is what we discuss today. I devoured this book on my last birthday, feeling the weight of age and time passing. It was like wrapping myself up in a warm blanket. He also holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and 13 honorary doctorates. He has won numerous awards, which are listed in our show notes.

We all crave human connection, but it can be hard to know how to make it. Shyness, introversion, and Covid protocols can get in the way of fulfilling the desire to connect. Behavioral scientist and author Jon Levy shows us simple practical strategies everyone can use to build trust and deeper connections, whether it’s for business or to make and deepen personal connections.

Toni Bernhard is an author who has written 4 books on issues related to coping with physical and emotional pain and illness. The book we discussed today is called “How to Be Sick. A Buddhist Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers.” Her companion guide is an amazing resource of coping tools. Toni has been living with a viral infection for 20 years and, as such, lives with pain and fatigue every day. She was previously a Law Professor at UC Davis until her life took this unexpected turn. Her books share her personal story but are also compilations of the wisdom and tools that have helped her cope with the physical and emotional challenges she continues to face. I found her to be uplifting, graceful, honest, and wise as she shared how she has navigated and accepted her life journey…for better and for worse. You’ll hear how illness can be a metaphor for life and how we can all handle the mix of joys and sorrows that we inevitably face.

Andrea Small is a design leader, strategist, educator, and former Stanford University d.school teaching fellow. We discuss her book Navigating Ambiguity. Creating Opportunity in a World of Unknowns. The timing is perfect for this book — as many of us personally, professionally and in the world at large are dealing with unknowns. She shares the differences between ambiguity and uncertainty…and how we can embrace the discomfort of the unknown to create new, innovative, and creative possibilities. She invites us to lean into ‘not knowing’, to be more open to being surprised. The inside cover of the book says it perfectly ‘ The book shows you how to surrender control by being adaptable, curious, and unbiased as well as resourceful, tenacious, and courageous. This book has a lot to teach us beyond its original intention for design and education. These ideas and concepts can be applied to various challenges as we go through our lives.

Did you know that the way you breathe can energize or relax you? That a simple hack can help with snoring and sleep apnea? That your lung volume can relate to your longevity, and that your lung volume can be expanded with simple exercises? James Nestor takes us on a fascinating trip into the breath, explains how and why different breath techniques work and will transform each breath you take for the better.

Today’s guest is one of my favorite people in the world. She’s a dear friend… in addition to being a former media executive, angel investor, mentor to hundreds of young women, and now the author of two amazing books. Her first book was a best seller and is called “The Myth of the Nice Girl.” Her recent book is called "Embrace the Work, Love Your Career: A Guided Workbook for Realizing Your Career Goals with Clarity, Intention, and Confidence". This workbook is intended to help women get the most out of their careers and is chock full of advice, strategies, creative prompts, and thoughtful exercises designed to mix action with reflection as you build your plan. I love the meditations and coloring book features that are included to help pause and settle. This holistic mix of actionable tools inspires us to focus on the big things that truly matter so that we can each reach our full potential. One of her supporters says it perfectly; “This book is more than a must-read. It’s a must experience for any woman who wants to clarify her purpose and create an action plan to manifest personally and professionally.“

David Richman is an author and an endurance athlete. His book is called Cycle of Lives and covers 15 different stories of people touched by Cancer — in many different ways — from patient, to caregiver, to medical provider, to spouse. David was inspired to ride his bike 5,000 miles as he met and interviewed many impacted by Cancer. He did this in honor of his sister June, who’d recently died of brain cancer. It was a courageous journey and he tapped into a lot of deep grief, but also powerful emotional connections. His stories were intriguing, especially how each cancer journey impacts different people. David refers to trauma and emotional chaos, but the narratives also present the gifts and wisdom that may bubble up during the journey. In 2020, in the US alone, there were more than 1.8 mm new cancer cases and over 600k cancer deaths, so it’s an important topic to explore. I’m always deeply intrigued by how people cope with the most difficult events in their lives. This book was a rich dive into this.

Music has the power to move us deeply. Music can shift our energy on demand, organize our thoughts, stimulate our body to move, reset our emotional state, and allow us to pass through the day in a more relaxed harmonious manner. Using audio examples throughout the podcast, In this episode, we learn how to use it to its full potential with multi-platinum Hollywood composer and music expert Frank Fitzpatrick.

Diana Winston is the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) and the author of several mindfulness books. In this interview, we talk about the importance of forgiveness in our lives and why carrying our anger or resentment around with us is like carrying hot coal. Dropping the hot coal can lead us to more freedom, openness, and joy. It doesn’t mean we have to condone or forget, but it is truly an act of self-compassion. It’s simply good for us and the practices she teaches can be really powerful. The first step, she says, is to have the willingness to even start working on forgiveness — whether it’s forgiving another person for hurting you, asking another person to forgive you, or, also extremely important, forgiving yourself. None of this is easy…but it can make a big difference in our own health and ease. Letting go of these difficult feelings is a great way to begin a new year filled with more open, positive, and productive energy.

Lewis Richmond has been a Buddhist meditation teacher, author, musician, and software entrepreneur. In his most recent book, Aging as a Spiritual Practice. A Contemplative Guide to Growing Older and Wiser, Lewis lays out a vision of the aging process which allows for awakening a spirit of fulfillment and transformation. He shares the key Buddhist tenet that…..YES…everything changes. This acceptance that things do, indeed, change is the foundation and roadmap to accepting both the blessings and challenges that come with growing older. He suggests that we can perhaps learn to chart a course that includes fresh beginnings and new possibilities…even as we face the many losses that naturally and inevitably come with aging.

Want a Fitter Mind? Better Mental Health? Better Brain Health? Neuroscientist Dr. Jennifer Heisz shows us what kind of exercise will get you there, with an in-depth dive into the mechanisms that make exercise so helpful for brain health and cognition, how it helps decrease anxiety and depression, and how to choose the optimal type of exercise to suit your own brain and mental health needs.

Dr. Alex Auerbach is a Sports Psychologist and Director of Wellness and Development for the basketball team, Toronto Raptors. Before working with the Raptors, he was the Director of Clinical and Sports Psychology for the University of Arizona. He’s a huge fan of Mindfulness and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy —also called ACT — for optimizing both the performance and mental health of athletes. He works with athletes on self-awareness, and emotional regulation and helps them understand and even name and ground their often difficult feelings. Mindfulness is a core pillar in all his work. He shares some of the great research that’s been done suggesting that mindfulness can lead to optimal performance and, possibly, to the all-important flow state. There are so many stressors in the life of a professional athlete — and these tools are a great way to help manage stress and tension as well as being more resilient to the ups and downs that are a natural part of life.

Scientist, Musician, and Medicine Man, Jeff Firewalker Schmidt shares his experiences diving into the fire of psychedelic medicine in the Amazon Jungle and the wisdom that emerged with him. In the Amazon, he met his now band-mate, John Medeski (Medeski, Martin, and Wood) and they formed St Disruption, who has a new album launching just as we speak with Jeff. Jeff shares his music and shows us why it is what the world needs to hear right now.

Today’s guest is Katy Milkman, Wharton University Professor and author of the national bestseller, How to Change, The Science of Getting from Where you are to Where you Want to Be. The book was named one of the top 8 books for healthy living in 2021 by the NY Times. Katy has devoted her career to the study of behavior change, inspired by the fact that 40% of premature deaths are due to behaviors and habits we can actually change. She discusses the importance of understanding the barriers that stand between you and the change you’re trying to make so that you can find the right solution to each particular roadblock. Turning an uphill battle into a downhill one is one of the keys to success. She goes through the most common barriers which tend to be short-term rewards or instant gratification, procrastination, and forgetfulness. She provides some great research and tools to support habit change.

Are you a little fed up with your partner sometimes? Or looking to be a better partner yourself? Our guests this week are a married couple, Nate and Kaley Klemp, who teach us how to be better, more mindful partners. They are mindfulness and organizational dynamic experts who get real about strategies to show up for the other person, even when the other partner might not be so mindful all the time.

Taylor is this extraordinary blend of psychotherapist, yoga and mindfulness teacher, and leadership facilitator. She’s also funny and refers to her energy as sometimes feeling like a fire hose. She’s’ a fountain of wisdom. Her year-long program is called Humanity First and is designed to teach us how to be better leaders at work and at home — and to know ourselves and others more deeply. She shares how she sees the potential in all of us — as whole beings— to be radically honest with ourselves and to communicate with compassion and understanding. Her work invites us to shed our insecurities and open our hearts so we can be seen and heard by ourselves and others. She asks that her students and clients risk being courageous so that they can step into their greatness with the peace, ease, and freedom they all want and deserve.

Judson is a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author of the book, Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal your Mind. He has combined his expertise in mindfulness, habit, behavioral change, and neuroscience to create practical tools to help unwind anxiety. The interview offers several ways to uncover what triggers anxiety and how to identify and break these anxiety habits using a variety of methods, including mindfulness and reward-based learning.

David Eagleman is a prolific perception neuroscientist. He’s interpreted the stock market through a sensory vest, hosted a PBS series on the brain, and written several bestselling books. He tells us how to boost creativity and discusses his plans to expand our senses.

Monique Billings is a professional basketball player for the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association. She was drafted into the WNBA in 2018. She shares her personal story about growing up with a strong family foundation, her meditation practice, her commitment to self-care, and her healthy routines. She has an amazing inner compass and an ability to follow her gut, her intuition, and her spirit.

Martha is a Ph.D., Harvard-trained sociologist, world-renowned coach, and New York Times bestselling author. She has published nine non-fiction books, one novel, and more than 200 magazine articles. She’s also known as Oprah’s life coach. Her most recent book, The Way of Integrity, Finding Your Path to Your True Self, is an Oprah book club selection and a NY Times bestseller.

Work has looked very different over the pandemic. In this episode, we look at what we learned in the transition to work from home, and what work can look like when we go back to the office…. Or not. We show employees and leaders how to mindfully create cultures of trust, and how to ask your boss for your ideal work scenario.

James Baraz is the author of the book, Awakening Joy. 10 Steps to Happiness. Many of us are asking the question, ”how can we feel joy in the midst of war and suffering — and the many terrifying things that are happening in our world.” James believes that it’s more important than ever that we open up to this feeling. And, if the word joy doesn’t feel right, he says, we can consider the many dimensions of wellbeing— from joy to happiness to goodness to contentment and peace. All of these wholesome states inspire love, kindness, generosity, and compassion. We need this now. It’s a time for our hearts and minds to be expansive so that we can process all of the challenges in our world. If we only focus on sorrows, we’re contracted, living in despair, hopelessness, and negativity. If we’re only living in joy, we are missing the totality of life…the larger perspective. Both are always present. 10,000 joys and 10,000 sorrows. It’s the full range of life experiences that shapes our capacity for compassion and who we are as human beings.

Chris Winter is a neurologist, sleep specialist, and author of the book, "The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It." He explains why we’re a culture of poor sleepers and how we got that way and includes five things we can do to improve our sleep right now. Spoiler alert: an attitude change might be the best tactic of all...

Want a Fitter Mind? Better Mental Health? Better Brain Health? Neuroscientist Dr. Jennifer Heisz shows us what kind of exercise will get you there, with an in-depth dive into the mechanisms that make exercise so helpful for brain health and cognition, how it helps decrease anxiety and depression, and how to choose the optimal type of exercise to suit your own brain and mental health needs.

World-leading Neurologist and best-selling author, Dr. Stephen Laureys is our guest. His latest book is called the No Nonsense Meditation Book— a Scientists Guide to the Power of Meditation. He shares the data and evidence on how meditation impacts our brains. He says that it’s a ‘free source’ of reduced stress, sharpened attention, better sleep, and a more contented mind. He’s been known to prescribe medication and meditation to his patients and, often, just meditation.

Emily Fletcher, Ziva Meditation founder, and Meditation Studio app teacher, shares how meditation helps us to be a more ‘present’ partner in our relationships and--bonus!--gives us a boost in our sex lives too. Spoiler alert? Don’t expect someone else to ‘complete’ you: it all begins with loving and accepting ourselves first.

We look into our brains to answer if True Love is real? How to find a mate? Keep one? Do opposites really attract? Our guest is Dr. Helen Fisher, anthropologist, an expert on the neuroscience of love, and the Chief Science advisor of Match.com. She’s seen it all lately- from the eternal qualities of mate selection to changing trends in love during covid, to why the next generation of families might be more stable, and how, according to our brain, to make love last. Dr. Fisher gets personal and shares it all with us.

In this Valentine's day edition, we learn about Mindful sex. Our guide is Jessica Graham mindfulness teacher, actor, and author of “Good Sex” A fun, sensitive, and informative guide that shows you how to bring mindfulness into sex for a bigger, richer, and more present life. No partner required. We also look at how to use mindfulness to unwind some of the difficulties we can have with sex.

Sebene is a renowned meditation teacher, speaker, and author of the new book, You Belong, A Call for Connection. She talks about how meditation has transformed her world and how we can bring these teachings into every part of our lives. She believes that we are all inherently interconnected and shares how meditation has been a catalyst to expand awareness, reduce suffering, stay in the present moment, and to generally see the world more clearly.

Today’s guest is the amazing Parker J Palmer. At age 82, he is one of the wisest souls I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. It’s our luck that he’s written 10 books that share so much of this wisdom with heart, vulnerability, and authenticity. When I read his work, I know that we are all connected as humans, that we all are both whole and broken at the same time. He is a writer, speaker, activist, poet, founder, and Senior Partner Emeritus of the Center for Courage & Renewal. He has reached millions worldwide through his books, including the best-selling Healing the Heart of Democracy, Let Your Life Speak, The Courage to Teach, and A Hidden Wholeness. His latest bestseller is On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity, and Getting Old, which is what we discuss today. I devoured this book on my last birthday, feeling the weight of age and time passing. It was like wrapping myself up in a warm blanket. He also holds a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of California at Berkeley and 13 honorary doctorates. He has won numerous awards, which are listed in our show notes.

4X NYT best-selling author, the hilarious and poignant AJ Jacobs, spent a year following every commandment in the Bible, to see what would happen. He then dove deep into gratitude by traveling around the globe to thank every person who had helped produce his morning coffee. In an incredibly interesting conversation, he shares his witty and profound insights from these experiments, and also teaches us what it takes to accomplish the things we want in our own lives, and gives us techniques we can use to motivate ourselves towards our goals.

Today’s guest is writer, singer, songwriter and teacher, Marisa Handler. Marisa is the author of the memoir, Loyal to The Sky, and is a longtime spiritual practitioner and teacher in the Insight Meditation tradition. She’s also a Facilitator of The Work of Byron Katie. Marisa teaches creativity, meditation, and transformation at places like Stanford University, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and California Institute of Integral Studies. Today we talk about her 9-month program called Live Your Creative Genius: Birth Your Most Brilliant Work where she integrates creativity, art, meditation, spirituality, and community. She shares how we can let go of old ways of creating, identify resistance and blocks that get in our way, open up a clear channel for our creative energy and vision all while finding and expressing our true creative voice. I especially like her ideas about confidence, trusting yourself as a creative, and knowing that what you have to say matters. You can find out more about her one-on-one coaching or her 9 month program at marisahandler.com.

In the perfect Zen antidote to new year’s resolutions and planning and striving, Zen priest Rev Angel Kyodo Williams shows us the simplicity of returning to the self. To our enoughness. To the present moment. To our multiple and ever-changing purposes. To the joy that unfolds from just being, not doing, planning, or striving, and to the timelessness of the value of life- whatever year it is. This podcast offers a collective exhale to just be and take life as it is.

We’re so grateful for the gifts our experts share from their own personal experiences or from the work they do out in the world. We’ve learned tools to help with the grip of anxiety and uncertainty, how to cope with difficult feelings and emotions, and, maybe most importantly, how to be compassionate with ourselves and others. We need this now more than ever. We’ve also learned a lot about our brains and how how to get a better night's sleep and, perhaps, we have a greater understanding of all that it takes to be a human. it helps to know that there is a common humanity that we all share; that we all have a mix of joy and suffering in our lives. We wish you lots of love in the coming year, a measure of peace and tranquility, and, of course, fresh perspectives as you continue to live your very best life.

Diana Winston is the Director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA's Mindful Awareness Research Center (MARC) and the author of several mindfulness books. In this interview, we talk about the importance of forgiveness in our lives and why carrying our anger or resentment around with us is like carrying hot coal. Dropping the hot coal can lead us to more freedom, openness, and joy. It doesn’t mean we have to condone or forget, but it is truly an act of self-compassion. It’s simply good for us and the practices she teaches can be really powerful. The first step, she says, is to have the willingness to even start working on forgiveness — whether it’s forgiving another person for hurting you, asking another person to forgive you, or, also extremely important, forgiving yourself. None of this is easy…but it can make a big difference in our own health and ease. Letting go of these difficult feelings is a great way to begin a new year filled with more open, positive, and productive energy.

Shannon Harvey is an award-winning Australian health journalist, author, and filmmaker. In her film (and now a book, My Year of Living Mindfully), Shannon committed to meditating every day for 365 days. She enlisted a team of top scientists from around the world to track everything from her stress hormones to her immune function to her cellular aging and gene expression to her subjective wellbeing. Overwhelmed with insomnia, autoimmune disease, and a family history of mental health issues, Shannon was highly motivated to find a way to address the challenges she faced, and those we all face with the growing epidemics of stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction. The results were surprising! She hopes that the film will spark meaningful conversations and help all of us feel more grounded and calm as we face the inevitable challenges of being human.

One of our most important podcasts ever, a riveting story that teaches us how to overcome our divides through respect, patience, and recognition of shared humanity. Daryl Davis is a black man who has gotten over 200 KKK clansmen to leave the KKK by becoming friends with them. Daryl tells incredible stories of these meetings and shares his powerful method for conversing with someone from another viewpoint. It is a snapshot of what is possible to achieve in our divided country, and a methodology we can all use to do it.

From all of us at Untangle, Meditation Studio, and Muse, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! This special Morning Gratitude Practice is from our brand new Gratitude Collection in the app. We hope you’ll all take a moment to remember what you’re grateful for, what gives you joy, and what fills your love bucket. We wish you much happiness and love throughout all the upcoming holidays.

Shelly Tygielski is the author of the book 'Sit Down to Rise Up. How Radical Self- Care Can Change the World'. She’s the founder of the grassroots campaign called Pandemic of Love which is a mutual aid organization she created early on during the Covid pandemic…so that people could help one another. One person needs something; another gives something. Simple! Her organization has had more than 2 million peer-to-peer transactions, worth over $60 mm in donor/recipient transactions. Her mantra is…show up for yourself…with radical self-care and for others…in any way that you can.

Music has the power to move us deeply. Music can shift our energy on demand, organize our thoughts, stimulate our body to move, reset our emotional state, and allow us to pass through the day in a more relaxed harmonious manner. Using audio examples throughout the podcast, In this episode, we learn how to use it to its full potential with multi-platinum Hollywood composer and music expert Frank Fitzpatrick.

Dr. Ellen Hendriksen is a clinical psychologist whose focus is on helping millions of people calm their anxiety so they can be their authentic selves. She serves on the faculty at Boston University's Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and is the author of the book we discuss today, How to Be Yourself: Quiet the Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety. In this episode, we talk about the fear of being judged or rejected, and how to manage our somewhat distorted (and often annoying) thoughts. We’ve heard this before…your thoughts are NOT always true. Ellen talks about many ways to quiet the inner chatter that takes us down a rabbit hole and prevents us from living life to its fullest. She shares how we can actually rewire our brains through our behavior and how to truly be our best. It’s not easy…but she has lots of small steps we can take.

Dr. Adrian Owen, a renowned neuroscientist, discovered that individuals in a persistent coma could still communicate- and he went one step further and listened to what they wanted to say. He’s also performed the largest sleep and cognition study in the world, and demonstrated why brain training apps are bunk, and what we can do to sleep better and improve our own conscious function.

Do you lie awake at night, unable to sleep? What if the entire process of sleep was easy, even enjoyable? Dr. Chris Winter, neurologist and sleep medicine specialist, shows us how to re-think a good night's sleep. He offers insights both for adults and for parents dealing with “poor sleeping” kids.

Robert Hammond is The Co-founder of Friends of the High Line…the organization that lead the effort to build an elevated park on an abandoned railway line in Manhattan. I was intrigued by his story and his ted talk and by the fact that he’s not that different from the rest of us, but had the passion and hutzpah to help turn an abandoned steel industrial structure with wildflowers into a world-class park and tourist attraction in NYC. He started by simply trying to preserve it and ended up raising over $300 mm to turn it into something incredibly unique to the city. This interview is about his personal story and, ultimately, how he also became a Vedic meditation teacher. You can visit the Highline in NYC from below 14th street all the way to 34th street on the west side.

Sarah Stein Greenberg is the author of a new book called “Creative Acts for Curious People. How to Think, Create and Lead in Unconventional Ways’’. A quote from the book sums it up: “In an era of ambiguous, messy problems, as well as extraordinary opportunities for positive change, it’s vital to have both an inquisitive mind and the ability to act with intention. This book is filled with ways to build those skills with resilience, care, and confidence”. Sarah is the Executive Director of Stanford University’s d School or Design School. The tools and exercises in the book are a gift to the rest of us who’ve not yet had the opportunity to go through their programs designed to spark creativity, foster connection, and solve problems.

Dr. Epstein is a family physician, palliative care Dr., author, researcher, and teacher of communication and mindful practice in medicine. His book, Attending, Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity explores how the foundations of mindfulness can help clinicians expand their capacity to provide high-quality care, and how doctors, patients, and their families can more collaboratively and mindfully approach medical decisions. He shares how the practice of mindfulness in medicine helps support a deeper understanding and connection between clinicians and patients, how we can flourish and be more resilient in the midst of uncertain situations, and how healthcare professionals can more skillfully cope with the discomfort of ambiguity. He also discusses his hope that the human aspects of medicine can become at least as important as the technical aspects of the future.

Could “energy healing” be real? Do phenomena like manifestation really work? If it does, could we possibly understand how? Dr. Shamini Jain, scientist, and clinician at UCSD, shares her amazing studies of the biofield, and the evidence she and other colleagues have that demonstrates that this might be more real than we thought.

Manifesting what you want in life is a tantalizing prospect. Danette May shares her amazing story of how her mindset, process, determination…. and some manifestation, made profound changes in her life. She shares her process of how to shift your own mind to manifest what you want. In the following episode, we explore what might be going on scientifically in the experience of manifestation.

Toni Bernhard is an author who has written 4 books on issues related to coping with physical and emotional pain and illness. The book we discussed today is called “How to Be Sick. A Buddhist Inspired Guide for the Chronically Ill and Their Caregivers.” Her companion guide is an amazing resource of coping tools. Toni has been living with a viral infection for 20 years and, as such, lives with pain and fatigue every day. She was previously a Law Professor at UC Davis until her life took this unexpected turn. Her books share her personal story but are also compilations of the wisdom and tools that have helped her cope with the physical and emotional challenges she continues to face. I found her to be uplifting, graceful, honest, and wise as she shared how she has navigated and accepted her life journey…for better and for worse. You’ll hear how illness can be a metaphor for life and how we can all handle the mix of joys and sorrows that we inevitably face.

On the 20th anniversary of 9-11, we share the inspiring story of 9-11 survivor Kushal Choksi. In this uplifting episode, we learn how meditation took Kushal from 9-11 to new possibilities of purpose, meaning, and joy. He inspires us to helpful perspectives on finding purpose and liberation in the difficult things we all encounter in our lives.

Ben Angel, author of "Unstoppable, A 90-day Plan to Biohack your Way to Mind and Body Success", shares how his early depression and lack of energy led him to ‘find solutions’ he never imagined would make him feel better. He made it his mission to explore alternatives beyond medicine and ‘self-help.’ His journey paid off! He talks about how you can close the gap between where you are and where you want to be, and shows us how to get fired up and focused with some tools that may have the power to change our lives forever!

Leah Weiss is a Ph.D., MSW, researcher, lecturer, consultant, and author of the book. How We Work: Live Your Purpose, Reclaim Your Sanity, and Embrace the Daily Grind.  Leah is also the co-founder of a company focused on workplace health called Skylyte. She’s best known for her teaching at Stanford's Graduate School of Business and her groundbreaking work with Stanford's Compassion Cultivation Program (conceived by the Dalai Lama). She’s an expert in workplace anxiety, burnout, resilience and offers a multitude of ways to support our mental health. Leah shares several practical tools for finding our purpose AND aligning our goals and values so that we can live our best life.

Want to know how to have the unflappable mindset of a Navy Seal? Our guest, retired Navy Seal “Iron Ed” Hiner, was in charge of creating and designing advanced training for Seal teams and crafted some of the highest performing individuals on earth. He has trained thousands of Seals to perform at their peak under grueling conditions and gives insight into how to train your mental and physical skills to handle the toughest things life throws at you and barely even feel pain. And, surprisingly, to do it with emotional grace and compassion.

Lodro is a Tibetan Buddhist and author. His most recent book is called Take Back your Mind: Buddhist Advice for Anxious Times. He’s also the author of 6 other meditation books including The Buddha Walks into a Bar and Love Hurts. Lodro has several meditations on the Muse app and has been teaching meditation in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition for 20 years. Whether inside or outside of meditation, it’s best not to chase after the thoughts that create strong emotions and anxiety. This is often considered the ‘second arrow’ and is filled with the ongoing stories we tell ourselves. This can be like throwing fuel on a fire. He offers tools, practices, and ideas to help us understand ourselves and tend to our minds.

Nahko Bear is a wildly popular musician and activist whose indigenous ancestors come from Puerto Rican, Filipino, Mohawk, and Apache roots. His lyrics sing of hard truths and optimism for a better world. In this episode, Ariel Garten has the pleasure of speaking and singing with him just 3 days after his new album "Take Your Power Back", released. He shares his startling life story and raw perspective on the world as they played his songs and talked through the stories behind them.

Yale Psychology Professor Laurie Santos taught "Psychology and the Good Life" first in spring 2018 in response to concerning levels of student depression, anxiety, and stress on campus. It became the most popular class in Yale's history. Next, Coursera offered the course online, calling it "The Science of Well Being" and, to date, over 400k people have taken it. Laurie Santos has definitely hit a nerve. The good news is that we have a lot more control over our happiness levels than we think. Laurie talks about how to put the science of happiness and well-being to work in our own lives.

Did you know that the way you breathe can energize or relax you? That a simple hack can help with snoring and sleep apnea? That your lung volume can relate to your longevity, and that your lung volume can be expanded with simple exercises? James Nestor takes us on a fascinating trip into the breath, explains how and why different breath techniques work, and will transform each breath you take for the better.

Dr. Fred Luskin is the Director and Co-founder of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project and the author of several bestselling books including "Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness". He dives into what science tells us about the healing powers and medical benefits of forgiveness. Dr. Luskin explains why you don't have to forget, or even feel good, about 'the incident’ in order to forgive, but we do have to change the story we tell ourselves about the inciting grievance. It’s good stuff for those of us who might hold a grudge or two.

This week we learn about Mindful sex. Our guide is Jessica Graham mindfulness teacher, actor, and author of “Good Sex” A fun, sensitive, and informative guide that shows you how to bring mindfulness into sex for a bigger, richer, and more present life. We also look at how to use mindfulness to unwind some of the difficulties we can have with sex.

Kristin Neff is an extremely well-regarded expert and pioneer in the field of self-compassion. Her most recent book is called Fierce Self Compassion: How Women can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim their Power and Thrive. She discusses how self-compassion allows us to be tender with ourselves in difficult situations, but also that it sometimes needs to be fierce — like the mama bear energy that comes from a place of love, service, and a desire to reduce harm. We must, she says, act courageously to protect ourselves from harm and injustice — and to motivate necessary change in ourselves and society. Her message…women can be fierce and tender. Best quote from the book: "Tender Self-Compassion harnesses the energy of nurturing to alleviate suffering while fierce Self-Compassion harnesses the energy of action to alleviate suffering." We need both.

Work has looked very different over the pandemic. In this episode, we look at what we learned in the transition to work from home, and what work can look like when we go back to the office…. Or not. We show employees and leaders how to mindfully create cultures of trust, and how to ask your boss for your ideal work scenario.

Loretta Breuning, Ph.D. is the author of the book, "Habits of a Healthy Brain -- Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, and Endorphin Levels". Loretta shares how we can retrain our brains to turn on the chemicals that make us happier -- and increase our overall feelings of satisfaction. She founded the Inner Mammal Institute where she provides resources that help people rewire their brains and build new neural pathways.

We all crave human connection, but it can be hard to know how to make it. Shyness, introversion, and Covid protocols can get in the way of fulfilling the desire to connect. Behavioral scientist and author Jon Levy shows us simple practical strategies everyone can use to build trust and deeper connection, whether it’s for business or to make and deepen personal connections.

Maureen is a Social Scientist with 35 years of professional experience as an Integrative Psychotherapist, Executive Coach, Organizational Consultant, Spiritual Teacher, and Mystic. She’s the Co-Founder of ShiftIt Institute and a pioneer in the field of embodiment. She shares how we can use embodiment practices as a way to do the deep work of developing a stronger sense of self and to become more aware of the body and its natural intelligence and wisdom.

Dr. Rudy Tanzi is a leading Alzheimer's researcher whose pioneering genetic research changed our understanding of the disease forever. We are also honored to have him as an advisor to Muse. He shares how meditation & supplements change the brain in ways we’re only beginning to understand and provides practical prescriptions for protecting your brain.

Dr. Ron Siegel is a psychologist, author and has been an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School for over 35 years. He’s a long-time student and teacher of mindfulness meditation, with a particular focus on chronic pain. He created the recent Meditation Studio app course called Transforming Pain. He’s also written and edited several books where he integrates mindfulness practices, rehabilitation, and mind-body approaches to pain. In this interview, he describes the difference between primary and secondary pain, how to break the chronic pain cycle and how we can develop our capacity to be with pain and discomfort.

With re-entry to life after covid comes to a lot of excitement, but also some anxiety of its own. After more than a year of living a very different life, what will it be like to “go back to normal?” is there such a thing as normal? Some of us have discovered as much as we hated being stuck home alone, strangely, the idea of going out to see people again may seem odd now. How do we successfully re-enter? And how do we take what we learned from the pandemic, and translate it into post-traumatic growth, rather than post-traumatic stress? Our guest this week, Dr. Diana hill, is here to help thoughtfully guide the way, with practical methods and powerful insights.

Psychadelic Assisted Therapy has the potential to help us overcome our fears and learn from the contents of our subconscious. Dr. Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), is at the forefront of this research and advocacy, and working with the FDA to bring psychedelics to legalization. He shares beautiful insights about the mind, fear, war, and how he sees that psychedelics can save us.

Intuitive Eating Expert, Natalie Zises shares why our hidden food 'rules' and body image standards wreak havoc on how we eat. She shares the many emotional ties we have around our food decisions and that 95% of diets don't work because we so easily fall back into our old habits and patterns. When we begin intuitive eating, she says, we learn to select foods that make both our bodies and minds feel good. Natalie's inspiration has been her own emotional relationship with food and observing how intuitive eating has transformed her life.

Dr. Steven Gundry MD shows us how the trillions of bacteria in our microbiome dramatically affect our levels of energy and our mood and even our weight loss. He shows us how to keep them fed and happy to keep us literally happy and functioning optimally. In this very fun and informative episode, Dr. Gundry walks us through the fascinating science of how exactly it is that the “farts” from the miniature organisms in your gut improve the function of your brain, and how and why you should care for them.

Today's guest is Dr. Rubin Naiman, a psychologist, clinical assistant professor of medicine, and sleep and dream specialist at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona.  He has become a leader in the development of integrative approaches to sleep and dream health. He looks at sleep and dreaming as spiritual practices and shares how we can better understand who we are through our dreams and our unconscious.

Scientist, Musician and Medicine Man, Jeff Firewalker Schmidt shares his experiences diving into the fire of psychedelic medicine in the Amazon Jungle and the wisdom that emerged with him. In the Amazon, he met his now band-mate, John Medeski (Medeski, Martin, and Wood) and they formed St Disruption, who has a new album launching just as we speak with Jeff. Jeff shares his music and shows us why it is what the world needs to hear right now.

Emily Fletcher is back on Untangle! Emily is the founder of Ziva Meditation, author of Stress Less, Accomplish More, Meditation for Extraordinary Performance, and a meditation teacher on Muse and Meditation Studio. She’s an amazing fountain of wisdom and inspiration. Today she talks about her life in New York, why the pandemic is giving us an opportunity to reset and to awaken, why it’s important that we grieve the losses we’ve experienced over the last several months, and how we can quite literally be our own light. She talks about what she calls the one-minute rant — which she recommends doing daily — to just let it all out…and to tap into our inner brat. This, of course, is in addition to meditating daily.

Are you a little fed up with your partner sometimes? Or looking to be a better partner yourself? Our guests this week are a married couple, Nate and Kaley Klemp, who teach us how to be better, more mindful partners. They are mindfulness and organizational dynamic experts who get real about strategies to show up for the other person, even when the other partner might not be so mindful all the time. Use promo code MuseStressLess at choosemuse.com

Judson is a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and author of the book, Unwinding Anxiety: New Science Shows How to Break the Cycles of Worry and Fear to Heal your Mind. He has combined his expertise in mindfulness, habit, and behavioral change, and neuroscience to create practical tools to help unwind anxiety. The interview offers several ways to uncover what triggers anxiety and how to identify and break these anxiety habits using a variety of methods, including mindfulness and reward-based learning.

Fasting has been demonstrated to have tremendous benefits for longevity, weight loss, spiritual practice, and overall health. And Dave Asprey shows us how to biohack our way to the benefits of fasting without feeling hungry, and while remaining clear-headed and full of energy. Sounds impossible? It’s not. Dave will show you how!

Today’s guest is Sharon Salzberg, one of the most prominent voices in the field of meditation, co-founder of the Insight Meditation Society, and author of 11 books including the NY Times Best Seller Real Happiness. Our conversation is about her newest book, Real change, Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. It’s an incredibly timely book because she shares great examples of how we can bridge the worlds of mindfulness and social action. Sharon has a way of expressing complex ideas in her signature, down-to-earth style. She invites us to rethink how we approach some of our most difficult emotions with grace and dignity.

Got the Covid Blues? Want to feel some moments of joy? Or are you feeling good and looking to feel even better? Dr. Tal Ben Shahar, a “professor of happiness” gives us practical tools and insights into improving our mood, no matter what we are currently feeling, and permission to be wherever we are right now.

Daphne Rose Kingma is the best-selling author of 12 books on love and relationships. She shares some tough questions on why relationships can be so challenging--spoiler alert!--expecting others to read our minds is a bad idea. She shares her juicy wisdom on navigating relationships, learning to love, how to be a better partner, and more!

Just in time for Valentine's day- here are some great tools to ease covid relationship stress tension. Dr. Stan Tatkin, legendary relationship therapist and author of Wired for Dating and Wired for Love, teaches us techniques to break any tension that can build up and return to a place of caring for each other. Valuable relationship insights for today and always, whether you've been together for years, or are just at the beginning.

Eric Maisel is a psychotherapist, teacher, coach, and author. His most recent book is called The Power of Daily Practice: How Creative and Performing Artists (and Everyone Else) Can Finally Meet Their Goals. The idea is that a Daily Practice is a muscle that can be acquired and can lead to genuine accomplishments. Meditation is one daily practice, but this book talks about 18 different practices for the many different parts of our lives and it includes the necessary elements of a practice…like self-discipline, self-direction, and devotion, and the many challenges we can, in fact, overcome to optimize our practices. Lots of great food for thought!

After last year, we might be a little shy to do visioning or goal setting for 2021, but this week’s guest, learning expert Candice Faktor, makes it empowering to do this year. She guides us in how to create inspiring guiding principles for the year and then allow the year to unfold as it will, in service of you. In this episode, she’ll walk you through how to do it, step by step, and shares insightful jewels of wisdom along the way.

Kristin Neff is the author of "Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself", and is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion. She teaches several courses, including one with Brene Brown that examines why we’re always our toughest critic. Kristen gives us tools to be kinder to ourselves and teaches us why this is so important.

Nina Grae is an exceptional singer song-writer who in this episode inspires us with her wisdom and moves us with her music, to recognize that we have the power to be the creators of our own life. Nina shows us how to “cut through the noise” of 2021 to find our own voice.

Dr. Elisha Goldstein is a psychologist, author, speaker, and the co-founder of the center for mindful living in LA. He's also one of our top teachers on Muse and Meditation Studio. Elisha shares some jewels from his new Life Shift program designed to help us make more graceful and lasting transitions — and life changes this year. He talks about the messiness of change, the importance of connecting with our hearts and minds, visualizing what we want to change so that it really sticks, understanding the reality of our interconnections with others, and building our emotional vocabulary so we’re able to better understand and communicate how we’re feeling. There’s great inspiration here for getting unstuck — regardless of where you might be stuck.

Each year we like to reflect on the top five things we’ve learned from our wise and inspiring Untangle guests. This year has been unusually hard to navigate, so our guests have focused on helping us to stay more grounded and they have inspired us to learn new ways to care for ourselves and our families. 2020 has also underscored the importance of cultivating our internal resources…which give us the tools we need to control the things we can, in fact, control. We hope that as we close out 2020…and look forward to 2021, we’re feeling more introspective than isolated and we hope that we’re even feeling a little more connected to what is most meaningful in our lives... We framed the top five as questions so we can keep reflecting on these together. We would love to hear what you’ve learned this year and what has sparked your curiosity, so please send in your thoughts to [email protected]. We at Untangle, are wishing you much health and happiness in the coming year. We hope that all your connections are meaningful…and that you are surrounded by loved ones who help you to flourish and to be your best self, despite the unexpected circumstances we all inevitably face. And…we wish you love and equanimity.

Shannon Harvey is an award-winning Australian health journalist, author, and filmmaker. In her film (and now a book, My Year of Living Mindfully), Shannon committed to meditating every day for 365 days. She enlisted a team of top scientists from around the world to track everything from her stress hormones to her immune function to her cellular aging and gene expression to her subjective wellbeing. Overwhelmed with insomnia, autoimmune disease, and a family history of mental health issues, Shannon was highly motivated to find a way to address the challenges she faced, and those we all face with the growing epidemics of stress, anxiety, depression, and addiction. The results were surprising! She hopes that the film will spark meaningful conversations and help all of us feel more grounded and calm as we face the inevitable challenges of being human.

As children, the holidays hold an undeniable sense of magic. As adults, we can lose our sense of that magic in the busyness and obligation of the season. In this special holiday episode of Untangle, we learn that we can uncover the magic and mystery that is there for us all to savor--if we can get quiet enough to listen. This beautiful episode inspires us to hear, see, and taste the magic of the season. It might just change how you think about the holidays! Our guest is Father John Markey, an LGBTQ Roman-Catholic priest, and professor of theology and spirituality at Oblate School of Theology. We've saved everyone a seat at our holiday table!

Musician Chad Lawson recently released his debut solo piano album, You Finally Knew, which was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios and was inspired by his favorite poet, Mary Oliver. The album features ten pieces he wrote to inspire listeners to take time every day to consciously be still, to improve our mental clarity and overall calm. Chad crafts his music with an emotional pulse that dials into the heart of every listener, inviting us to pause and look inside ourselves to see what makes each of us uniquely us. At the end of the interview, we’re sharing STAY, one of his beautiful solo pieces from the Album. We hope you enjoy it!

Sometimes the most amazing things can happen effortlessly when you surrender to the moment and let it flow. That's the kind of music that Grammy-nominated instrumentalist Stu Fuchs plays on his ukulele--the kind of music you get lost and find peace in. Just listening can lighten up even the darkest parts of your soul. Stu leads an annual music and meditation retreat at the Omega Institute, honoring and applying the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh to the ukulele. www.stufuchs.com

Dr. Epstein is a family physician, palliative care Dr., author, researcher, and teacher of communication and mindful practice in medicine. His book, Attending, Medicine, Mindfulness, and Humanity explores how the foundations of mindfulness can help clinicians expand their capacity to provide high-quality care, and how doctors, patients, and their families can more collaboratively and mindfully approach medical decisions. He shares how the practice of mindfulness in medicine helps support a deeper understanding and connection between clinicians and patients, how we can flourish and be more resilient in the midst of uncertain situations, and how healthcare professionals can more skillfully cope with the discomfort of ambiguity. He also discusses his hope that the human aspects of medicine can become at least as important as the technical aspects of the future.

Today we’re wishing you a very happy Thanksgiving. We’re grateful for you, our listeners! We may or may not be physically with the people we love today, but this Positive Reflection meditation invites us to remember them and to feel grateful that they are in our lives. It also invites us to reflect on what’s good in our lives at this moment and to feel grateful for the big and little joys. We at Untangle, Muse, and Meditation Studio are wishing you a safe, loving, and happy thanksgiving wherever you are.

A fascinating brain-based perspective on why we are feeling and acting the way we are as a society right now, and what we can do to replenish ourselves at this moment. Dr. Feldman-Barrett helps us understand the cultural context of uncertainty and echo-chambers that we are experiencing, and directs us to the right self-care practices our brains need to help us replenish and thrive in this world. And as a bonus- how to feel more connected even over Zoom.

Dr. Shelby Harris is a Clinical Psychologist, Board Certified in Behavioural Sleep Disorders, and the former Director of the Behavior Sleep Medicine Program at Montefiore Medical Center. Her new book is called The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia — Get a Good Night Sleep Without Relying on Medication. Shelby covers the nuts and bolts of a good night's sleep, how our hormones affect our sleep, and how we can change certain habits, thoughts, and behaviors so we can stomp out insomnia for good.

Chris Winter is a neurologist, sleep specialist, and author of the book, "The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It." He explains why we’re a culture of poor sleepers and how we got that way, and includes five things we can do to improve our sleep right now. Spoiler alert: an attitude change might be the best tactic of all...

Kern Beare is the author of the book, Difficult Conversations, the Art and Science of Working Together. He shares strategies to help us have more productive dialogues and to resolve differences when it matters most. Whether in relationship, work, or political conversations, he discusses the importance of dropping our egos, letting go of feeling like we need to be right all the time, deep listening to truly understand the other, and seeing beyond our own stories. Understanding our implicit triggers and underlying ’stories’ can help us to be more self-aware when we’re in the heat of a difficult discussion or, as he says, about to ‘flip our lid.'

Todays Guest is Dan Harris, ABC News journalist and author of 10% Happier and Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics. Dan has a humorous way of turning ancient wisdom into useful everyday tools for staying sane. In this interview, we talk about Election Sanity (or lack thereof) and trainable mental skills and practices that can give us a bit of a boost right now.

One of our most important podcasts ever, a riveting story that teaches us how to overcome our divides through respect, patience, and recognition of shared humanity. Daryl Davis is a black man who has gotten over 200 KKK clansmen to leave the KKK by becoming friends with them. Daryl tells incredible stories of these meetings and shares his powerful method for conversing with someone from another viewpoint. It is a snapshot of what is possible to achieve in our divided country, and a methodology we can all use to do it.

Koshin is a zen teacher, monk, author, and the founder of the Zen Center for Contemplative Care in NY. He's also a favorite teacher on Muse and Meditation Studio. Koshin helps us deal with stressful reactions, especially those triggered by the US election and the many other events we’re all experiencing. He shares some tools, practices, and inner resources that he's tapping into right now. At the end of the interview, he asks...how do you want to live today? how are you going to nourish your life? How are you going to leave sorrow behind so you can be of service to yourself and to the world?

Want to be free? The journey begins within. Diego Perez, aka "Yung Pueblo", talks about understanding your mind to set yourself free, find contentment, connection--and maybe even save the world! Get inside the head of this incredible poet, meditator, and speaker who inspires hundreds of thousands of people daily on Instagram.

Dr. Robert Brooks is a clinical psychologist and author of over 17 books, including the one we discuss in this interview, "The Power of Resilience". He shares some of the characteristics of those who believe we have control over our lives versus those who are quickly overwhelmed by challenges. Hear how gratitude, making a difference, practicing empathy, and turning off the ‘struggle switch’ all lead to more emotional intelligence and the realization that we are the authors of our own lives.

Jim Donovan is a drummer for the 2x platinum band Rusty Root. He's also a Music Therapist and co-wrote the first song played on Mars (!). In this episode, we learn all about sound and how it helps us heal, how to use it to stimulate our vagus nerve, and how to harness the power of sound to get us through the best - and worst- times. Jim gives us the rare treat of guiding interactive sound exercises right on the podcast, and plays it for us, live!

Sebene is a renowned meditation teacher, speaker, and author of the new book, You Belong, A Call for Connection. She talks about how meditation has transformed her world and how we can bring these teachings into every part of our lives. She believes that we are all inherently interconnected and shares how meditation has been a catalyst to expand awareness, reduce suffering, stay in the present moment, and to generally see the world more clearly.

Reverend Angel has extraordinary and actionable insights on how to stay grounded and sane through these trying times, and transform ourselves for the better as the world around us transforms. She is an activist, a Zen Buddhist priest, and the second only Black woman to be ordained as a Zen Buddhist teacher. She shares powerful techniques to find liberation, identify what matters, and use the pandemic and this unprecedented time as a powerful tool for personal growth.

Intuitive Eating Expert, Natalie Zises shares why our hidden food 'rules' and body image standards wreak havoc on how we eat. She shares the many emotional ties we have around our food decisions and that 95% of diets don't work because we so easily fall back into our old habits and patterns. When we begin intuitive eating, she says, we learn to select foods that make both our bodies and minds feel good. Natalie's inspiration has been her own emotional relationship with food and observing how intuitive eating has transformed her life.

Mark Coleman is a therapist, coach, author of 3 books, and an amazing mindfulness teacher and trainer. His newest book, "From Suffering to Peace: The True Promise of Mindfulness," gets to the heart of what mindfulness really is and defines it in pretty simple but powerful terms: “A depth of awareness that we bring to life...and the clarity that we need to meet the changing and challenging circumstances we all face, many of which are out of our control.” True wisdom from one of the top mindfulness teachers anywhere.

Amy Baglan is back on Untangle! She’s an entrepreneur with a personal mission to give people the tools they need to make meaningful connections and to live with purpose, joy, and a sense of belonging. Her new company is called Fabriq, a platform intended to help us prioritize, track and reconnect regularly with the people who matter most to us. We spoke at the beginning of COVID, but this discussion about how we build deeper connections and stamp out loneliness is always important.

Did you know that the way you breathe can energize or relax you? That a simple hack can help with snoring and sleep apnea? That your lung volume can relate to your longevity, and that your lung volume can be expanded with simple exercises? James Nestor takes us on a fascinating trip into the breath, explains how and why different breath techniques work and will transform each breath you take for the better.

Emily Fletcher is back on Untangle! Emily is the founder of Ziva Meditation, author of Stress Less, Accomplish More, Meditation for Extraordinary Performance and a meditation teacher on Muse and Meditation Studio. She’s an amazing fountain of wisdom and inspiration. Today she talks about her life in New York, why the pandemic is giving us an opportunity to reset and to awaken, why it’s important that we grieve the losses we’ve experienced over the last several months, and how we can quite literally be our own light. She talks about what she calls the one minute rant — which she recommends doing daily — to just let it all out…and to tap into our inner brat. This, of course, is in addition to meditating daily.

Siyabulela Mandela is a scholar-activist and Nelson Mandela’s great-grandson. He speaks to us from South Sudan, where he trains journalists to advocate for human rights. He speaks to us about the structural and historical situation that has led to racism in the US, and the opportunity for each of us to “decolonize our mind”, and shares the characteristics that allowed his great grandfather Mandela to stand up to oppression with courage.

Maureen is a Social Scientist with 35 years of professional experience as an Integrative Psychotherapist, Executive Coach, Organizational Consultant, Spiritual Teacher, and Mystic. She’s the Co-Founder of ShiftIt Institute and a pioneer in the field of embodiment. She shares how we can use embodiment practices as a way to do the deep work of developing a stronger sense of self and to become more aware of the body and its natural intelligence and wisdom.

Aubrey Marcus is the author of “Own the Day”, and the philosophy of Total Human Optimization. What does that look like in a pandemic? Processing emotions and accepting where we are at. Aubrey shares practical tools and wisdom to accept where we’re at in these unprecedented times, and gets real about his own emotional experiences and how he works through them, and how finding your resistance can show you what you’re truly capable of.

Spring Washam is the author of an amazing book called "A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage and Wisdom in any Moment." She shares her thoughts on how we can emerge from the darkest moments in our lives--and even use our suffering as a catalyst for growth She talks about things like Divine Patience and using humour as a resource for when we’re at our worst. Spring also shares the work she's now doing combining plant-based medicines with meditation in Peru, and how this powerful blend of ayahuasca and meditation can be so transformative. She’s a beautiful soul who shares so much wisdom in this interview!

Jeff Warren is a meditation teacher and founder of The Consciousness Explorers Club. He’s the co-author of NYT Best Seller "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics" and "The Head Trip." In the episode, Jeff explains different states of consciousness we all experience and guides exercises to enhance 3 useful states: insight, equanimity, and compassion.

Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, medical anthropologist, author, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. Her new book, "Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet," is brilliant. The potential for transformation, she believes, exists within all of us and we often discover this in our most difficult moments.

Anu Gupta is a scientist, educator, lawyer, and the Founder of BE MORE with Anu, an ed-tech company advancing equity and belonging by addressing the root causes of racial and gender disparities. He shares insights and practical tools for how we can transform deeply ingrained stereotypes and biases in ourselves and in organizations, healthcare, education and more. Follow him @bemorewithanu.

Author, Activist, Educator and Meditation Teacher, Ruth King, shares how important it is that we transform racism from the inside out. Her book, Mindful of Race, implores us to look at our conscious and unconscious biases, our racial history and to deeply explore how we’ve been conditioned to think about race. It’s time for us to ask ourselves the question “how can I be a part of the change.”

In this powerful and deeply moving episode, inspirational spoken word poet Sekou Andrews shares his upbringing as the child of 2 Black college professors, his perspective on social justice, and the power of Love to overcome Hate. Sekou shares extraordinary performances of his poetry during the interview, inspiring and empowering listeners to find their voice now.

Nahko Bear is a wildly popular musician and activist whose indiginous ancestors come from Puerto Rican, Filipino, Mohawk and Apache roots. His lyrics sing of hard truths and an optimism for a better world. In this episode Ariel Garten has the pleasure of speaking and singing with him just 3 days after his new album "Take Your Power Back", released. He shares his startling life story and raw perspective on the world as they played his songs and talked through the stories behind them.

Dr. Shelby Harris is a Clinical Psychologist, Board Certified in Behavioural Sleep Disorders and the former Director of the Behavior Sleep Medicine Program at Montefiore Medical Center. Her new book is called The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia — Get a Good Night Sleep Without Relying on Medication. Shelby covers the nuts and bolts of a good nights sleep, how our hormones affect our sleep and how we can change certain habits, thoughts and behaviours so we can stomp out insomnia for good.

Relationship stress has been growing as we're cooped up together, here are amazing tools to ease the tension with your partner. Dr Stan Tatkin, legendary relationship therapist and author of Wired for Dating and Wired for Love, teaches us techniques to break the tension and return to a place of caring for each other. Valuable relationship insights for today and always, whether you've been together for years, or are just at the beginning.

Dr. Hanson is a psychologist and New York Times best-selling author. He delivers wisdom from the worlds of psychology, neuroscience, and buddhism. He is one of the leading experts in the world on happiness and resilience, and his brand new book is called Neurodharma, New Science, Ancient Wisdom and Seven Practices of the Highest Happiness. In today’s interview, he shares the brain science and wisdom that led him to the 7 practices or ways of being that can help us to cultivate an unshakable presence of mind, a courageous heart, inner peace and serenity.

Nataly Kogan is an author, former VC and the founder of Happier, a global technology and learning platform helping individuals and organizations to realize their full potential by adopting scientifically-proven practices and tools to improve their well-being. In this interview, we talk about emotional health at work during challenge and uncertainty. Nataly goes through 5 skills that can help reduce stress and overwhelm, strategies to foster more human connection and practices that can help strengthen a culture of openness, kindness and gratitude.

Dr. Jeffrey Rubin is a psychotherapist and author of the book, The Art of Flourishing, a Guide to Mindfulness, Self Care and Love in a Chaotic World. His pioneering approach combines psychotherapy and mindfulness. He shares that flourishing is all about the choices we make and how we live our lives. His book covers wisdom for both self-care and relationships. We talked a bit about the current crisis in the beginning of the interview and he shared how important it is for us to relax into our challenges and search for the opportunities.

Our guest Frank Ostaseski shares comforting and inspiring truths on how we live and die and on what matters most. When we get to the end of our lives, he says, the two questions most often asked are: "Did I love well?" and "Am I loved?" His teachings show us that we can live with joy and sorrow, and live a rich life filled with love

Diana Winston is one of the top Mindfulness educators in the country. She is the director of Mindfulness Education at UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center. She’s also the author of The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering your Natural Awareness and co-author of Fully Present: The Science, Art and Practice of Mindfulness. Both of these books are treasures. In the first part of this conversation we discuss how we can use our mindfulness practice to help us find some stability and inner peace during the CV pandemic. Diana talks about acceptance, dealing with uncertainty and finding equanimity. Then, in the second part of our conversation, she shares the spectrum of awareness practices including focused awareness, flexible awareness and natural awareness. She’s an incredibly gifted teacher and expresses herself with authenticity, humor and grace.

In this meditation, Chrissy Carter will guide you to a more balanced place. She invites you to let go of news overwhelm and to embrace the positive, shifting your perspective to a place of calm awareness.

Laughter boosts your immunity and gets your body out of fight or flight. Laughter is not a frivolous act in these times, it's a valuable tool to have in your tool chest. Come laugh along with us, learn the science of laughter, and how to regularly bring laughter into your house even during these times.

This guided meditation by Kate Johnson will help you find love and equanimity to stay grounded even during the most challenging times.

Michaela Haas is the author of "Bouncing Forward: Transforming Bad Breaks Into Breakthroughs". She explores how we find healing and resilience after major setbacks and emerge even stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. She shares some of the proven methods that we can use to survive and thrive in the face of challenges.

Ashley Turner guides us through this meditation to help us find balance and peace on the inside even when things are chaotic on the outside. Tune in with your breath and embrace change while listening to Ashley's soothing voice.

This is Brain Awareness Week. In this episode, you can learn more about what you eat affects the health of your brain. Dr. Lisa Mosconi, Alzheimer's researcher, and nutritionist gives us a step by step guide to what foods to eat and what foods to avoid for best brain health.

Dr. Mark Bertin is a Developmental Pediatrician and Assistant Professor at New York Medical College. In this episode, he shares some practical advice on how we can be more mindful and resilient when faced with health scares. He offers ideas on how we might change the way we relate to the uncertainty of this particular experience and to the stress and anxiety it can trigger. We take a look at how one can find the balance — and notice our tipping point — between problem-solving and panic.

Here's a practical technique to get rid of that annoying voice in your head that's undermining you. Untangle's host Ariel Garten guides a short practice that helps you identify the inner critic, push back, and banish that critic from your brain. It works amazingly well and can be used any time that little creep shows up!

Professor Maja is a confidence builder, sociologist, and author of the book "Hey Ladies, Stop Apologizing!" She believes that people can step up and own their actions--without the need for irrelevant excuses. Listen to this episode for strategies and tips on how to become the most confident version of yourself! Professor Maja Website: https://www.professormaja.com/ Book: Hey Ladies, Stop Apologizing! And other career mistakes woman make: https://www.professormaja.com/shop For more on the Muse Headband: choosemuse.com/ For more Untangle Podcasts: meditationstudioapp.com/podcasts

Loretta Breuning, Ph.D. is author of the book, "Habits of a Healthy Brain -- Retrain Your Brain to Boost Your Serotonin, Dopamine, Oxytocin, and Endorphin Levels". Loretta shares how we can retrain our brains to turn on the chemicals that make us happier -- and increase our overall feelings of satisfaction. She founded the Inner Mammal Institute where she provides resources that help people rewire their brains and build new neural pathways. Resources Loretta’s Reading List: https://innermammalinstitute.org/readinglist/ Loretta’s Book: Habits of a Happy Brain For more on the Muse Headband: choosemuse.com/ For more Untangle Podcasts: meditationstudioapp.com/podcasts

Psychadelic Assisted Therapy has the potential to help us overcome our fears and learn from the contents of our subconscious. Dr. Rick Doblin, the founder and executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), is at the forefront of this research and advocacy, and working with the FDA to bring psychedelics to legalization. He shares beautiful insights about the mind, fear, war, and how he sees that psychedelics can save us. Resources: Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) - www.maps.org Rick Doblin TED Talk - https://www.ted.com/talks/rick_doblin_the_future_of_psychedelic_assisted_psychotherapy?language=en Ariel’s TED talk with her grandmother Marianne Balshone and mother Vivian Reiss: https://youtu.be/0F7bnNbEHEI For more on the Muse Headband: https://choosemuse.com/ For more Untangle Podcasts: https://meditationstudioapp.com/podcasts

Daphne Rose Kingma is the best selling author of 12 books on love and relationships. She answers some tough questions on why relationships can be so challenging and shares why--spoiler alert!--expecting others to read our minds is a bad idea. She shares her juicy wisdom on navigating relationships, learning to love, how be a better partner, and more!

Daniel Ellenberg, PhD, is President of Relationships that Work and Founder of Strength with Heart, where he leads men’s groups and workshops. He’s passionate about helping men become more authentic and vulnerable--and not feeling limited by their traditional male roles--and shares how being mindful helps to give men more emotional intimacy.

Dr. Helen Fisher is a PhD Biological Anthropologist, a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, and Chief Scientific Advisor for Match.com. In this episode we go inside her head to learn about the neuroscience of sex, lust, affection, and love. Find out what's behind the passion, how to nurture it--and make it last!

Emily Fletcher, Ziva Meditation founder and Meditation Studio app teacher, shares how meditation helps us to be a more ‘present’ partner in our relationships and--bonus!--gives us a boost in our sex lives too. Spoiler alert? Don’t expect someone else to ‘complete’ you: it all begins with loving and accepting ourselves first.

Dr. Jenny Taitz is a psychologist and author and has written several articles for the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, among others. In this interview, we talk about how to get unstuck, her New York Times article on turning regrets into self-improvement, and we discussed her book, "How to Be Single and Happy: Science-Based Strategies for Keeping Your Sanity While Looking for a Soulmate".

Koshin is the co-founder of the NY Zen Center for Contemplative Care, a Jungian Psychotherapist and a visionary thought leader and teacher in the world of the end of life care. He's also the author of a relatively new book called, "Wholehearted: Slow Down, Help Out, Wake Up". In this conversation, he shares why it is so important that we connect with one another with honesty and vulnerability. He shares how often we put artificial barriers between us and others -- and builds a strong case for being more emotionally intimate in all of our interactions and relationships. He suggests that more connection with each other will help us to live our lives to the fullest.

Nataly Kogan is the author of "Happier Now: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Embrace Everyday Moments (Even the Difficult Ones)". She asks us to stop ‘waiting’ for happiness and teaches that true happiness is an ‘inside job.’ If we accept all of our feelings and embrace even our messy emotions, we can change our mindset to be more fulfilled every day.

Best selling author and change expert MJ Ryan shares how to mindfully realize your goals this year. Her book, "Habit Changers", is chock full of ideas on how you can permanently change your negative habits to positive ones to become happier and more successful. She shares simple and actionable strategies to kick-start the new year.

Dr. Fred Luskin is the Director and Co-founder of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project and the author of several bestselling books including "Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness". He dives into what the science tells us about the healing powers and medical benefits of forgiveness. Dr. Luskin explains why you don't have to forget, or even feel good, about 'the incident’ in order to forgive, but we do have to change the story we tell ourselves about the inciting grievance. It’s good stuff for those of us who might hold a grudge or two.

This week on the Untangle Podcast, learn how to create any habit you want! By celebrating even the smallest changes as victories, you can rewire your brain to tackle your year's challenges successfully. Guest BJ Fogg teaches us how to shine in 2020 and beyond. Learn more about BJ Fogg at www.bjfogg.com and read his book, "Tiny Habits". Save on Muse at www.choosemuse.com with the discount code UNTANGLE15.

The last of our five New Year meditations is by Chodo Campbel and was chosen to help you fall asleep now that vacation might be over. It can also be found on the Muse and Meditation Studio apps.

Today's fourth New Year meditation is by Melli O'Brien and was created to inspire you to connect with what matters most. It can also be found on the Muse and Meditation Studio apps.

Day three of our New Year's meditations is focused on creating your ideal life by Ashley Turner. It can also be found on the Muse and Meditation Studio apps.

Day two of our New Year's meditations is by Jesse Israel on finding positive energy. It can also be found in the Muse and Meditation Studio apps.

Happy New Year from all of us at Untangle! This week we'll be sharing a meditation each day to help kick start your new year. Today's Untangle meditation is a new year meditation by Chrissy Carter! This meditation can also be found in the Muse and Meditation Studio apps.

In this brief podcast, we summarize what we’ve learned about happiness and joy this past year from our many amazing guests. Good news! We’re never too old to change and develop new habits that help us cultivate more joy and inspire us to be the best version of ourselves. We wish you a year filled with much health, happiness, and joy; more self-awareness, curiosity, adventure, growth, and wisdom. Remember: you don’t have to make any giant declarations just because it’s the new year! Small actions or choices every day can be a perfect way to reach your goals. Happy New Year!

As children, the holidays hold an undeniable sense of magic. As adults, we can lose our sense of that magic in the busyness and obligation of the season. In this special holiday episode of Untangle, we learn that we can uncover the magic and mystery that is there for us all to savor--if we can get quiet enough to listen. This beautiful episode inspires us to hear, see, and taste the magic of the season. It might just change how you think about the holidays! Our guest is Father John Markey, an LGBTQ Roman-Catholic priest, and professor of theology and spirituality at Oblate School of Theology. We've saved everyone a seat at our holiday table!

Dr. Robert Brooks is a clinical psychologist and author of over 17 books, including the one we discuss in this interview, "The Power of Resilience". He shares some of the characteristics of those who believe we have control over our lives versus those who are quickly overwhelmed by challenges. Hear how gratitude, making a difference, practicing empathy, and turning off the ‘struggle switch’ all lead to more emotional intelligence and the realizaiton that we are the authors of our own lives.

Ever wonder why some people thrive in the face of adversity? It turns out that skill is teachable! In this week's episode of Untangle, Dr. Manpreet Singh teaches you 10 things you can do to build resilience in your life.

India Arie has won 4 Grammy Awards and sold over 14 million records world-wide. She’s from a long line of preachers and musicians, so her music is a blend of poetry, wisdom, and spirituality. Her mission is to spread love, healing, joy, and peace through the power of words and music. At 19 years old, India began writing her own songs as catharsis and, she says, music is still her most important outlet for all the thoughts, feelings, and emotions that are deep inside her sensitive soul. She shares that her daily ‘practice’ and inspiration is a blend of journaling, yoga, and innervision meditation. If you haven’t heard her song “I Am Light” you’ll want to listen to it right now--It’s truly special.

From all of us at Untangle, Meditation Studio, and Muse, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! Many of our guests refer to having a gratitude practice as one of the most important tools we can have. We hope this special Gratitude and Reflection meditation helps you take a moment to remember what you’re grateful for and what gives you joy. We wish you much happiness and love throughout all the upcoming holidays.

Spring Washam is the author of an amazing book called "A Fierce Heart: Finding Strength, Courage and Wisdom in any Moment." She shares her thoughts on how we can emerge from the darkest moments in our lives--and even use our suffering as a catalyst for growth She talks about things like Divine Patience and using humour as a resource for when we’re at our worst. Spring also shares the work she's now doing combining plant-based medicines with meditation in Peru, and how this powerful blend of ayahuasca and meditation can be so transformative. She’s a beautiful soul who shares so much wisdom in this interview!

Ever wonder what goes on inside the minds of top performers? By adopting alter egos--and alternate personas--top athletes, musicians, CEOs, and other high-performing individuals unlock a new capacity to excel. We talk to performance expert Todd Herman to learn how you can harness the power of personas for yourself. After recording this episode, our host Ariel Garten used this technique to effortlessly organize her closet and take on a host of better habits!

Many of us spend hours in the gym, or reading books on personal growth, or at mindfulness retreats working on getting stronger and healthier physically and emotionally. Then, when it comes to working on our relationships, we HOPE that our feelings about our romantic partner will magically freeze in that exciting cocoon of the first year we’re together. Suzann Pileggi, co-author of "Happy Together: Using the Science of Positive Psychology to Build Love that Lasts," shares what it takes to really grow and deepen love. She provides insights on the all-important connection between our overall happiness and our most important relationships. Check out Suzann's website at www.buildhappytogether.com.

Can we accelerate and enhance the benefits of mindfulness with technology? Jay Sanguinetti is a neuroscientist researching non-invasive brain stimulation in order to enhance cognition and well-being. Learn how mindfulness works in your brain and how to apply it in the moment to break negative habits or form positive ones. Listen as we dive inside his head in this episode of Untangle.

Ben Angel, author of "Unstoppable, A 90-day Plan to Biohack your Way to Mind and Body Success", shares how his early depression and lack of energy led him to ‘find solutions’ he never imagined would make him feel better. He made it his mission to explore alternatives beyond medicine and ‘self-help.’ His journey paid off! He talks about how you can close the gap between where you are and where you want to be, and shows us how to get fired up and focused with some tools that may have the power to change our lives forever!

Natalie Zises is an eating psychology and nutrition coach. She shares that most of us know what we should or shouldn’t be eating, but we struggle with impulse control and changing habits. She helps us understand how we can up level our self awareness and love for ourselves to make better choices for our overall health and wellbeing.

Jim Doty is a Stanford Neurosurgeon and author of "Into The Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain & Secrets of the Heart". He shares his research & life story, from learning mindfulness as a boy, to incredible success as a physician, entrepreneur, & philanthropist working with the Dalai Lama.

Garance Dore is a French photographer, illustrator, storyteller, and Instagram superstar. She’s the author of the New York Times Bestseller "Love Style Life." She speaks truthfully about her challenges with depression and how they've helped her to be more honest and vulnerable. She shares how grateful she is for the more challenging times in her life because they’ve fueled so many positive changes. Her ‘self-discovery cycle’ has led her to redefine herself and to find a new definition of meaning and purpose--while keeping her sense of humor and edge!

At your core you're a healthy and happy person, but all those pesky thoughts, fears, and bad habits tend to get in the way of your true nature. In this episode of the Untangle Podcast, host Ariel Garten talks with lifestyle medicine pioneer Dr. Dean Ornish, former physician to Bill Clinton and member of Oprah’s inner circle. Dean dives deep into what you can do to heal, improve your relationships and sex life, and be the best version of yourself.

Yale Psychology Professor Laurie Santos taught "Psychology and the Good Life" first in the spring 2018 in response to concerning levels of student depression, anxiety, and stress on campus. It became the most popular class in Yale's history. Next, Coursera offered the course online, calling it "The Science of Well Being" and, to date, over 400k people have taken the it. Laurie Santos has definitely hit a nerve. The good news is that we have a lot more control over our happiness levels than we think. Laurie talks about how to put the science of happiness and well-being to work in our own lives.

What is happiness in the brain? Dr. Alex Korb is a neuroscientist, author, and coach. He teaches people how to use the power of neuroscience to take control of their well-being. We talk to him about the neural nature of happiness. Alex shares several practical tips so you can learn how to make choices and take action to bring more joy into your life!

Elisha Goldstein is a Clinical Psychologist, Co-founder of the Center for Mindful Living in LA, and best-selling author of five books, including "Uncovering Happiness: Overcoming Depression with Mindfulness and Self-Compassion." Elisha shares how to find happiness, meaning, and fulfillment in life--while also becoming more resilient overall. He dispels some of the myths about happiness and explains why it’s much, much more than just "feeling good."

Welcoming more happiness into your life is easier than you think. Happiness expert Tal Ben-Shahar walks us through 5 ways to cultivate happiness and explores the surprising habits that hold us back from finding joy. Learn to find balance in your use of technology and make time for real-life relationships. Listen and get happy!

Denise Jacobs is the author of "Banish Your Inner Critic: Silence the Voice of Self-Doubt to Unleash Your Creativity and Do Your Best Work." She shares several ways you can turn down the negative voice in your head and quiet that inner bully--so you can do anything more effortlessly. Great insights if you've ever experienced self-doubt!

Jim Kwik is a celebrity brain trainer who teaches tools and techniques to optimize your brain to learn and remember. Jim works with Elon Musk, Jim Carrey, and Richard Branson--among many others! He shares his brain-enhancing learning and memory techniques with Ariel Garten on today's episode.

Dan Harris is an ABC News Anchor and the author of "10% Happier" and his latest book, "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics." He’s funny and honest, and shares how meditation has helped him handle conflict and everyday annoyances with those who matter most in his life. He discusses tools for learning meditation--especially for those who say they can’t sit still.

Do you want to feel free? In this episode of Untangle, breathwork expert Samantha Skelly shows us how to breathe and sit in discomfort to open our minds and bodies up to joy. Listen to learn simple breathing exercises that you can use to move past your anxious feelings and welcome bliss into your heart, mind, and body.

Dave, creator of Bulletproof, talks about his newest book, "Game Changers: What Leaders, Innovators, and Mavericks Do to Win at Life." His insights on high performance hacks just might change your life. Dave shares how he lost over 100 pounds, upgraded his brain, learned to sleep more efficiently, and lowered his biological age in some pretty amazing ways.

Laughter yoga is the practice of making yourself laugh to get endorphins flowing in your body, elevate your mood, calm your mind--and have fun! Howard Moody, laughter yogi and author, will get you giggling and brighten your day in this fun episode about how to cultivate and spread joy through laughter. Come on--get happy!

Mark Coleman is a therapist, coach, author of 3 books, and an amazing mindfulness teacher and trainer. His newest book, "From Suffering to Peace: The True Promise of Mindfulness," gets to the heart of what mindfulness really is and defines it in pretty simple but powerful terms: “A depth of awareness that we bring to life...and the clarity that we need to meet the changing and challenging circumstances we all face, many of which are out of our control.” True wisdom from one of the top mindfulness teachers anywhere.

Ever wonder why depression, anxiety and suicide rates are so high? Katherine Sellery and Annalise Richmond have created a Mental Health Summit in Denver to shake up the mental health crisis we’re experiencing in this country. Hear how they’re bringing healthcare, business, political, and spiritual leaders together to tackle the most complicated issue of our time. Check out www.summit.americameditates.org for more information

Sometimes the most amazing things can happen effortlessly, when you surrender to the moment and let it flow. That's the kind of music that Grammy-nominated instrumentalist Stu Fuchs plays on his ukulele--the kind of music you get lost and find peace in. Just listening can lighten up even the darkest parts of your soul. Stu leads an annual music and meditation retreat at the Omega Institute, honoring and applying the teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh to the ukulele. www.stufuchs.com

Ashley Turner is a psychotherapist, yoga, and meditation teacher. She discusses the gifts and challenges we encounter as we venture into the often complicated realm of relationships. She talks about letting go of judgement, seeing our partner with fresh eyes, finding a safe place for vulnerability, and, sometimes, learning to forgive and let go.

Dr. Helen Fisher is a PhD Biological Anthropologist, a Senior Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute, and Chief Scientific Advisor for Match.com. In this episode we go inside her head to learn about the neuroscience of sex, lust, affection, and love. Find out what's behind the passion, how to nurture it--and make it last!

Frank Ostaseski is the author of the book "The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully," co-founder of the Zen Hospice Project, a beloved Buddhist teacher, and founder of the Metta Institute. He’s also the leading voice in the end-of-life care movement. He shares comforting and inspiring truths on how we live and die and on what matters most. When we get to the end of our lives, he says, the two questions most often asked are: "Did I love well?" and "Am I loved?" His teachings show us that we can live with joy and sorrow, and live a rich life filled with love.

Learn how being present, insightful, and empathetic helps you cultivate and integrate meaningful relationships. Dr. Dan Siegel calls it "mindsight"--by paying attention, you can grow your brain and expand your heart. Learn to be a more compassionate Dad or how to strengthen the bond with your own father, or anyone else.

Ruth King is an International Insight Meditation teacher and the author of the book, "Mindful of Race: Transforming Racism from the Inside Out." She shares how we can use mindfulness tools to explore and shift our feelings and conditioning around race, and to create a culture where we can listen to and respect one another more effectively.

Dr. James Fallon is a wonderful neuroscientist, emeritus professor--and has the neurological and genetic correlates of a psychopath. Go inside his mind to learn how he discovered his true nature, the role of nature vs nurture, and how, with a daily practice, he too learned to be a “good guy".

John P. Sullivan is a sport scientist, clinical sport psychologist and co-author of the book, "The Brain Always Wins: Improving your life through better brain management." John shares why the brain is so important to everything we do and how we can manage it to optimize our performance on and off the field.

Want to be free? The journey begins within. Diego Perez, aka "Yung Pueblo", talks about understanding your mind to set yourself free, find contentment, connection--and maybe even save the world! Get inside the head of this incredible poet, meditator, and speaker who inspires hundreds of thousands of people daily on Instagram.

Dr. Rick Hanson, psychologist and best-selling author, shares wisdom from his new book "Resilient: How to grow an unshakable core of calm, strength, and happiness." He shares how to use positive neuroplasticity to develop the 12 most essential inner strengths, or resources, needed to cope with the challenges we all face.

Kristen Noel is the founder of "Best Self Magazine" and believes that it's always possible to rescript our lives to be our 'best selves,' and to live more authentically and with more joy. She shares her own 'reinvention' journey and why "Best Self Magazine" was born out of the vision to inspire, empower, and connect us to one another.

Dr. Jenny Taitz is a psychologist and author and has written several articles for the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, among others. In this interview, we talk about how to get unstuck, her New York Times article on turning regrets into self improvement, and we discussed her book, "How to Be Single and Happy: Science-Based Strategies for Keeping Your Sanity While Looking for a Soulmate."

What is the secret to happiness? This is the question that launched tech mogul and neuroscientist Jeffery Martin into a decade-long research project, inspired a book, and formed the basis of a course that teaches you how to transition into a state of fundamental well-being.

Erica Ariel Fox is the bestselling author of "Winning from Within: A Breakthrough Method for Leading, Living, and Lasting Change", President of Mobius Leadership, and a frequent Harvard lecturer. She shares wisdom from her book, including her innovative framework for negotiating successfully with ourselves--especially when faced with big transitions and challenges at work and in our personal lives.

Ego Hacking aims to “reset” a lifetime of mental baggage surrounding how we feel about ourselves, what we are capable of, and who we are. Developed by Casey Fenton, founder of CouchSurfing, it’s a simple process that you can do alone or with loved ones to uncover the best version of you.

Michael J. Gelb is a creativity, innovation, and leadership expert, best-selling author, and sought-after speaker. He shares the 7 most important relationship building skills needed for leaders from his new book "The Art of Connection: 7 Relationship-Building Skills Every Leader Needs Now." He reminds us why these skills make such a big--and positive--difference in all of our interactions.

Marc Lesser blends the seemingly opposing worlds of Zen Buddhism and business leadership. He’s used the practices of Zen and mindfulness to improve employee satisfaction, productivity, and teamwork at companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Chrissy Carter, a leading teacher on the Meditation Studio app, shares the often-heartbreaking story of her six-year journey to motherhood, which ends with the joyful birth of her daughter, Chloé. Chrissy created the Fertility Collection, a set of 15 guided meditations, to support women on their own journey to motherhood--no matter what they may experience or where they are on their personal path. “My hope is that you find support in these meditations. Looking back, it's clear that my journey was exactly how it had to be. I understand now that it was never about having a baby—it was about having Chloé. She was why we went through all those things, and we are so lucky,”

Hormones - male or female - effect so many aspects of your thinking, feeling, and bodily function. Dr. Anna Cabeca shares how tiny amounts of hormones waxing and waning in the brain can have dramatic impacts on emotions and perception. Learn how diet, behavior, and environment shift--and what it can mean for you.

Emily Fletcher is the founder of the Ziva Technique and author of "Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance" and a teacher on Meditation Studio App. Her technique combines mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting. This 2times per day practice is designed to help you reach your highest performance levels at work, at home, or on the field.

Olav Krigolson is a neuroscientist looking at decision making and learning in the brain using electroencephalogram (EEG). He’s studied professional athletes and Mars astronauts, and trekked to Himalayan monasteries, to see how the brains of master meditators differ from our own. We are joined for this fascinating conversation by Graeme Moffat, chief scientist for Muse.

Daphne Rose Kingma is the best selling author of 12 books on love and relationships. She answers some tough questions on why relationships can be so challenging and shares why--spoiler alert!--expecting others to read our minds is a bad idea. She shares her juicy wisdom on navigating relationships, learning to love, how be a better partner, and more!

Sharon Salzberg is a leading meditation teacher and author of 10 books, including her latest book called "Real Love, The Art of Mindful Connection." She explores how meditation helps to cultivate our capacity for real love. When we redefine our current notions of love, she explains, we can connect more deeply with ourselves, others, and life itself.

Dr. Lisa Mosconi is a neuroscientist, Alzheimer’s researcher, nutritionist, and author of "Brain Food: The Surprising Science of Eating for Cognitive Power." Listen as she shares the easy ways we can supercharge our brains through what we eat and drink.

Lama Tsomo is author of the book "Why Is the Dalai Lama Always Smiling?: A Westerner's Introduction and Guide to Tibetan Buddhist Practice" and one of the first American women to be ordained as a Tibetan buddhist Lama, or spiritual teacher. She was born Linda Pritzker, and is part of the family that built the Hyatt Hotel Chain. Her journey is one of two inheritances: The first financial--the second spiritual.

Dr Dean Ornish pioneered healthy lifestyle changes decades before the mind/body connection was more widely accepted in the medical community. He’s treated President Bill Clinton and was named "one of the 50 most influential members of his generation" by LIFE Magazine.

Natalie Zises is an eating psychology and nutrition coach. She shares with Untangle that most of us know what we should--or shouldn’t--be eating, but we struggle with impulse control and changing habits. In this episode, she helps us understand how we can level up our self-awareness and love for ourselves to make better choices for our overall health and well-being.

Shama Rahman is a successful musician, actor, and PhD neuroscientist who studies creativity and flow. Listen as she unravels what’s happening in your brain when you’re getting creative or experiencing flow, and hear tips on how we can all spend more time in those states.

Dr. Rick Hanson, psychologist and bestselling author of several books including "Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence,” shares his top 5 tips on how we can be happier this year. Learn how to disengage from negative thoughts, create new habits for emotional well-being, boost motivation, improve relationships and so much more! Visit rickhanson.net for course info.

Jim Doty is a Stanford neurosurgeon and author of "Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon's Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart." He shares his research and life story, from learning mindfulness as a boy to his incredible success as a physician, entrepreneur, & philanthropist working with the Dalai Lama.

Neuroscientist Alex Korb, author of "The Upward Spiral: Using Neuroscience to Reverse the Course of Depression, One Small Change at a Time", shares how our brains may be ‘wired’ a certain way but that we have the power to change them to live healthier, happier lives by taking small steps to improve mood and depression.

Jeff Warren is a meditation teacher and founder of The Consciousness Explorers Club. He’s the co-author of NYT Best Seller "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics" and "The Head Trip." In the episode, Jeff explains different states of consciousness we all experience and guides exercises to enhance 3 useful states: insight, equanimity, and compassion.

Amy Blankson is the author of the book "The Future of Happiness: 5 Modern Strategies for Balancing Productivity and Well-Being in the Digital Era." Her strategies focus on how we can make decisions more intentionally, train our brains for a more optimistic mindset, and create habits and habitats for happiness--with and without technology.

Sara Lazar is a Harvard neuroscientist and Associate Researcher in the psychiatry department at Massachusetts General Hospital. In this episode, she shares research that shows how a regular meditation practice changes our brains--proof positive that mindfulness meditation can positively impact mood, focus, memory, and stress.

From all of us at Untangle, Meditation Studio, and Muse, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving! This special Morning Gratitude Practice is from our brand new Gratitude Collection in the app. We hope you’ll all take a moment to remember what you’re grateful for, what gives you joy, and what fills your love bucket. We wish you much happiness and love throughout all the upcoming holidays.

Ralph De La Rosa is a therapist, storyteller, and author of the new book, "The Monkey Is the Messenger: Meditation and What Your Busy Mind Is Trying to Tell You.” He shares what we can learn from our busy minds and those repetitive, hard to control thoughts, and gives us the tools to take more responsibility for our own happiness.

Prolific technologist Chris Aimone and Dr Steve Mann, the father of wearable computing, created Google Glass before Google did! Chris is the technological magic behind Muse: the brain-sensing headband, and he shares how technology can help us better understand our mind and ourselves. Plus, an exciting new invention for meditators!

Jake Knapp spent 10 years at Google and Google Ventures running the design sprint process and is the co-author of the new book, "Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day." He shares his 4 step system for getting the most out of your day by making simple--but powerful--changes in your schedule, your mindset, and your technology.

Mikey Siegel is a consciousness hacker and MIT graduate roboticist. He’s working to develop technology to allow anyone to achieve the same states that monks and spiritual gurus have been seeking through meditation for thousands of years. He shares his experience with “consciousness hacking” and techniques you can try at home.

Chris Winter is a neurologist, sleep specialist and author of the book, "The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep is Broken and How to Fix It." He explains why we’re a culture of poor sleepers and how we got that way, and includes five things we can do to improve our sleep right now. Spoiler alert: an attitude change might be the best tactic of all...

David Eagleman is a prolific perception neuroscientist. He’s interpreted the stock market through a sensory vest, hosted a PBS series on the brain, and written several bestselling books. He tells us how to boost creativity and discusses his plans to expand our senses.

Dr. Rick Hanson is a psychologist and author of several books, including his New York Times Bestseller, "Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence." He shares how we can hardwire our brains for happiness using practices that help us cultivate and experience the good in our lives while reducing our natural negativity biases.

Jim Kwik is a celebrity brain trainer who teaches tools and techniques to optimize your brain to learn and remember. Jim works with Elon Musk, Jim Carrey, and Richard Branson--among many others! He shares his brain-enhancing learning and memory techniques with Ariel Garten on today's episode.

Radha Agrawal is the author of "Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life." She answers the question, “How the heck do I find my people so I can live a happier life?” Radha, an entrepreneur in her 20’s, was feeling very isolated and created Daybreaker, an early morning dance and wellness experience. She presents a powerful way to find and create meaningful communities.

Dr. Rudy Tanzi is a leading Alzheimer's researcher whose pioneering genetic research changed our understanding of the disease forever. We are also honoured to have him as an advisor to Muse. He shares how meditation & supplements change the brain in ways we’re only beginning to understand, and provides practical prescriptions for protecting your brain.

Ariel Garten is the co-founder of Muse, the brain sensing headband that gives you feedback as you meditate. She has an amazing background in neuroscience, psychotherapy, and art. Ariel shares her personal story and why she created a neurotechnology tool that helps you understand what’s going on inside your brain while you’re meditating.

Sol Halpern is an investment advisor with a focus on mindful finance. He shares why it’s important to talk about money stress and conflict, and discusses how we can align our goals and values to focus more on what matters most in our lives. Conversations about money--which we usually avoid--can be a great path to self discovery and well-being.

Mark Coleman, mindfulness teacher and author of "Make Peace with Your Mind," shares how mindfulness and compassion can free us from our inner critic--the one that blasts us with messages that "we’re not good enough." Mark shows us, with wisdom and humour, how we can quell that inner voice and stop beating ourselves up--for good!

Cyd Crouse is the co-founder of Meditation Studio and the CMO of Muse, the brain sensing headband. Cyd’s mission is to have a positive impact on people in their everyday lives and give them the tools to deal with the bigger challenges that test our resilience. She shares how meditation has changed her life, both in business and in relationships.

Daniel Ellenberg, PhD, is President of “Relationships that Work” and Founder of “Strength with Heart,” where he leads men’s groups and workshops. He’s passionate about helping men become more authentic and vulnerable--and not feeling limited by their traditional male roles--and shares how being mindful helps to give men more emotional intimacy.

Sharon Salzberg is a leading meditation teacher and author of 10 books, including her latest "Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection." When we redefine our current notions of love, she explains, we can connect more deeply with ourselves, others, and life itself. She explores how meditation helps to cultivate our capacity for real love.

Brilliant choreographer Alonzo King shares how finding stillness is key to fueling our creativity and intuition, cultivating the relationship we have with ourselves, and tapping into our natural state of joy. He finds stillness and his own inner voice through yoga and meditation, and inspires his dancers to use heart and mind in addition to the body.

Justin Ehrlich is a Chinese medicine expert, acupuncturist, and Taoist. He believes Chinese medicine and the Taoist philosophy have the power to help us heal our traumas, while giving us the freedom and capacity to navigate life more effectively. He shares why we need to slow down and be more inwardly honest with ourselves.

Roshi Joan Halifax is a Buddhist teacher, Zen priest, medical anthropologist, author, and pioneer in the field of end-of-life care. Her new book, "Standing at the Edge: Finding Freedom Where Fear and Courage Meet," is brilliant. The potential for transformation, she believes, exists within all of us and we often discover this in our most difficult moments.

Daphne Rose Kingma is the best selling author of 12 books on love and relationships. She answers some tough questions on why relationships can be so challenging and shares why--spoiler alert!--expecting others to read our minds is a bad idea. She shares her juicy wisdom on navigating relationships, learning to love, how be a better partner, and more!

Melli O’Brien is a devoted meditation teacher and practitioner from Australia, known worldwide as Mrs. Mindfulness. Her mission is to help us lead more conscious and connected lives with more peace and purpose. She shares wisdom from her program, The Art of Mindful Living, where she teaches life-changing tools that have the power to transform us.

Gail Storey is the author of "I Promise Not To Suffer: A Fool for Love Hikes the Pacific Crest Trail", a memoir that chronicles her journey hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with her beloved husband, Porter. She shares the dramatic highs and lows of the experience and her very real life adventure on and off the trail as she explores the landscapes of the body and the heart.

Ben Feder is author of the book, "Take Off Your Shoes: One Man's Journey from the Boardroom to Bali and Back", a memoir that chronicles the story of how his NYC Family jumped off the treadmill to take a sabbatical to Bali. It’s Ben’s "Eat, Pray, Love" story of how he personally found his sense of purpose and ‘center’ and how his family was transformed by the experience.

James Colquhoun is a filmmaker of the documentaries "Food Matters" and "Hungry for Change" and the Founder of FMTV, the Netflix of healthy programming. James is devoted to giving people tools to take charge of their own health. He shares the story of how he healed his father’s mysterious illness with real food and a blend of spiritual practices.

Dina Kaplan, meditation expert, entrepreneur and co-founder of The Path discusses why meditation has been so life-changing for her. She shares the importance of conscious leadership in our work and personal lives, and she explains why the upcoming Mela retreat is so important for leaders who want to lead with more authenticity, awareness, and compassion.

Dr. Rick Hanson, psychologist and best-selling author, shares wisdom from his new book "Resilient: How to grow an unshakable core of calm, strength, and happiness." He shares how to use positive neuroplasticity to develop the 12 most essential inner strengths, or resources, needed to cope with the challenges we all face.

Dr. Anne Marie Albano is a clinical psychologist, an expert on anxiety and mood disorders, and author of "You and Your Anxious Child: Free Your Child from Fears and Worries and Create a Joyful Family Life." She describes the many different types of anxiety, what triggers it, and why so many people suffer from anxiety disorders today. She shares groundbreaking coping skills for kids, teens, and young adults.

Fred Kofman is an author and leadership expert and has led teams at LinkedIn, advised Google, and conducted many workshops around the world. His newest book is "The Meaning Revolution: The Power of Transcendent Leadership." He shares why serving a higher purpose at work motivates us much more than any material incentives.

Stefanie Goldstein is a psychologist and mindfulness teacher and shares some of the wisdom and vulnerabilities she’s learned from being a mom. She believes it’s important to accept, and even celebrate, both the difficulties and joys of motherhood and shares why taking moments throughout the day to pause and listen to your own inner wisdom can help.

Nathalie Croix is a Yogi, podcast entrepreneur, and energy healer. She started meditating and doing yoga when she was 9 years old and shares how this has led to many great adventures and stories in her life. Her podcast, Life on Earth, is focused on “Celebrating diversity one Earthling at a time.”

Nataly Kogan is the author of "Happier Now: How to Stop Chasing Perfection and Embrace Everyday Moments (Even the Difficult Ones)". She asks us to stop ‘waiting’ for happiness and teaches that true happiness is an ‘inside job.’ If we accept all of our feelings and embrace even our messy emotions, we can change our mindset to be more fulfilled every day.

Brad Warner is a punk rocker, Zen Buddhist and author of "It Came from Beyond Zen!: More Practical Advice from Dogen, Japan's Greatest Zen Master". He’s been asking questions about the meaning of life since he was a child--his earliest inspiration came from the Beatles. He shares the practical wisdom he’s gotten from Dogen, the Zen Master he’s studied for over 25 years.

In this meditation, Elisha guides us to feel gratitude for all that the planet offers and to appreciate that we are all connected to it and to each other. “Commit to live in a way that expresses deep love for the planet and for all of life and this commitment and connection will invigorate each and every action you take.”

Fran Hauser, author of the new book "The Myth of the Nice Girl: Achieving a Career You Love Without Becoming a Person You Hate", discusses how ‘nice' can be a superpower and shares that we can be kind and strong; smart and empathetic; ambitious and likable--while achieving careers that we love. Fran inspired the Authentic Leadership Collection on Meditation Studio, with guided meditations that accompany the book.

Elise Bialylew is the author of "The Happiness Plan" and founder of Mindful in May, a daily, online mindfulness program featuring leading experts, meditation teachers, and neuroscientists. She shares why upgrading our inner technology can help us meet the increasingly complex demands of the time we’re living in. Check out Mindfulinmay.org

Sakyong Mipham is the head of the Shambhala Lineage and the global network of over 200 Shambhala Meditation Centers. In his new book, "The Lost Art of Good Conversation: A Mindful Way to Connect with Others and Enrich Everyday Life", he shares why conversation is truly what connects us to one another and to our common humanity and why it is so important to our emotional and mental well-being.

Tanja Pajevic is author of the memoir, "The Secret Life of Grief." She shares the story of how difficult it was for her when her mom died suddenly, and why it is so hard to grieve any loss in our culture. Writing and meditation helped her to ride the waves of grief as they ambushed her well after the funeral ended.

Michael J. Gelb is a creativity, innovation, and leadership expert, best-selling author, and sought-after speaker. He shares the 7 most important relationship building skills needed for leaders from his new book "The Art of Connection". He reminds us why these skills make such a big--and positive--difference in all of our interactions.

Vidyamala Burch has learned to live a happy and meaningful life despite her chronic pain. Her life’s work has been to help people in similar situations. She shares how we can bring mindfulness and kindness to all of our experiences--including the difficulties we all endure--so that we can be our best selves regardless of our circumstances.

Dan Harris is an ABC News Anchor and the author of "10% Happier" and his latest book, "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics." He’s funny and honest, and shares how meditation has helped him handle conflict and everyday annoyances with those who matter most in his life. He discusses tools for learning meditation--especially for those who say they can’t sit still.

Rob Dube is an author and the President of imageOne, a company ranked by Forbes as one of America’s Best Small Companies.  He's passionate about the positive effects meditation can have on our brains, bodies, and hearts and shares how his meditation practice has changed his life, his company, and his leadership style. Wait till you hear about his amazing Leadership Retreat!

Leora Fulvio, a therapist and mindfulness teacher, shares several practices for changing our relationship to food so we can, ultimately, eat more mindfully.  She also discusses why diets fail, and how black-and-white thinking related to food can sabotage us. “What are you really craving?” is the all-important question she likes to ask.

Enjoy this Valentine's Day Meditation, created by Chrissy Carter. Valentine’s Day, at its heart, is an opportunity to practice love in many forms. Chrissy shares that it starts from within, with love for ourselves with no strings attached. We’re believers!

Emily Fletcher, former stressed-out broadway actress, now world-class meditation teacher and Founder of Ziva Meditation, shares how a combination of mindfulness, meditation, and manifesting can help optimize performance for anyone. Her Stress-Solution program gives high performers simple meditation hacks to stress less and accomplish more.

Jonathan Foust is an author and a guiding teacher with the Insight Meditation Community of Washington DC. With wisdom and humor, he shares some suggestions for how we can become more familiar with the feelings that fuel our anxiety and anger. He also shares some great advice for dealing with conflict in our personal relationships.

Denise Jacobs is the author of "Banish Your Inner Critic: Silence the Voice of Self-Doubt to Unleash Your Creativity and Do Your Best Work". She shares several ways you can turn down the negative voice in your head and quiet that inner bully so you can do anything more effortlessly. Great insights if you've ever experienced self-doubt!

Dianne Bondy is a leading advocate for positive body image--at any size. She's a celebrated yoga teacher and social justice activist who shares how her personal journey began with negative body image and low self esteem. She shares the tools she used to shift to a positive body image, and how she now helps others do the same.

Stefanie Goldstein, mother, psychologist and mindfulness teacher, shares this original meditation and short inspirational message created in honor of the 2017 Women's March. She inspires us to connect with and lead from our hearts, and reminds us that we can choose how we show up in our lives each and every day.

Dr. Rick Hanson is a psychologist and author of several books, including his New York Times Bestseller, "Hardwiring Happiness: The New Brain Science of Contentment, Calm, and Confidence." He shares how we can hardwire our brains for happiness using practices that help us cultivate and experience the good in our lives while reducing our natural negativity biases.

Kristen Noel is the founder of "Best Self Magazine" and believes that it's always possible to rescript our lives to be our 'best selves,' and to live more authentically and with more joy. She shares her own 'reinvention' journey and why "Best Self Magazine" was born out of the vision to inspire, empower, and connect us to one another.

In this New Year's episode, host Patricia Karpas shares some of the gems from her 2017 guests. Spoiler Alert: keep your heart open, make peace with your inner critic, life is messy, real love is about connection, and more! Emily Fletcher, Founder of Ziva Meditation and Meditation Studio App Teacher, provides inspiration for the New Year.

Dr. Joe Dispenza, a New York Times bestselling author, researcher, and educator is driven by the conviction that each of us has the potential for greatness and unlimited abilities--including the ability to heal ourselves. He shares how he healed himself after a devastating bike accident and the mind-body work he's continued to do to help others.

Karen Brody, women's well-being expert and author of "Daring to Rest: Reclaim Your Power with Yoga Nidra Rest Meditation", shares how Yoga Nidra has the power to reboot and transform our exhausted lives. If you're tired, cranky or the least bit overwhelmed and in need of a power nap, this one is for you.

Congressman Tim Ryan, Author of "A Mindful Nation: How a Simple Practice Can Help Us Reduce Stress, Improve Performance, and Recapture the American Spirit", shares why mindfulness plays such a big role in his life. He believes that honoring and valuing diversity, and listening to one another, can help us build empathy and find solutions that connect us, rather than divide us. His vision for an America 2.0 is one where our priority is truly taking care of one another.

Noah Levine is an author, Buddhist teacher, founder of Against the Stream and Refuge Recovery centers and is featured on the Meditation Studio App. He believes that all individuals have the power and potential to free themselves from the suffering that is caused by addiction. His programs offer an alternative to theistic 12-step programs.

Albert Flynn DeSilver is a poet, meditation teacher, and author of the recent book, "Writing as a Path to Awakening: A Year to Becoming an Excellent Writer and Living an Awakened Life". He shares how his rough childhood led him to writing, poetry, and meditation. He believes that writing, coupled with a meditation practice, can help us unleash our own creativity and that we all have the potential to be great writers.

Harvard-trained physician Parneet Pal discusses her efforts to revolutionize healthcare by looking at prevention and "Lifestyle as Medicine." She shares her personal story and why she believes behavior change and mindfulness are our best tools to inspire a healthier mind and body.

Meditation Studio App Teacher Chrissy Carter works her magic again as she shares this Thanksgiving Meditation. When we're stressed, overwhelmed, and frenzied we become disconnected from ourselves. Chrissy asks us to contemplate what we're grateful for and to let this fill us up with joy. We wish you a heart filled with joy and gratitude this holiday season!

Tracy Cochran is a popular meditation teacher and the editorial director of "Parabola Magazine". She shares how a mindfulness practice can help us in our crazy busy everyday lives. She also shares why holidays with families can often trigger us--sending us back to our 12-year-old selves--and offers some tips on how to handle this as we head into holiday season.

The talented and creative Emily Fletcher is a former Broadway actress who began suffering from insomnia, anxiety, and graying hair at the age of 26. A fellow actress turned her on to meditation and it changed her work and personal life forever. She's now the Founder of Ziva Meditation and devotes her life to teaching meditation to others.

Waylon Lewis is the Founder of Elephant Journal, a popular digital publication that focuses on 'the mindful life.' Waylon grew up with Buddhist parents and learned meditation at a young age. He shares his journey as a 'conscious but messy' human being, entrepreneur, author, and talk show host.

Michael Apollo talks about Buddhism, mindfulness at work, and how to get started with your own meditation practice. Michael is an educator at the University of Toronto and leads the Meditation Studio Meditation Essentials course. His teachings draw from neuroscience, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence.

Penn Harris is the 7-year-old son of Shelby Harris, a psychologist and the flagship sleep meditation teacher on Meditation Studio. Penn shares how he has learned meditation at home and at school and how it helps to quiet both his brain and body.

Lynne McTaggart is an award-winning journalist, science writer, and bestselling author of several books on the power of intention. She shares how she overcame her own skepticism and insights from her recent book, "The Power of Eight: Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life, and the World", suggests interesting results when small groups of people gather to focus on a shared intention to heal others.

Vanessa Potter is the author of "Patient H69: The Story of My Second Sight". She was a talented television producer until an illness caused her to suddenly become blind and paralyzed. Meditation and brain science are central themes to her incredible story of recovery and how the experience transformed her life.

Rachel Cook is a former stock trader turned CEO of Seeds, a social impact tech company that provides tools that allow companies to donate a portion of every in-app purchase to microloans for those in need around the world. She shares how her first Vipassana meditation retreat was life-changing for her and how her practice continues to inspire her.

Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and author, best known for his agnostic and controversial approach to Buddhism. He's known as a skeptical Buddhist who questions the strict dogmas and beliefs of Buddhism while exploring and engaging in what's truly distinctive in the teachings. His insights are illuminating.

Tina Staley is a social worker, author and Founder of the Kindness Action Network. Her Kindness In Action 12-step tool is designed to inspire positive change. She works with individuals, corporations, healthcare organizations, cancer patients, veterans, and many others. Turns out kindness really does have the power to heal!

Dani Shapiro is a bestselling memoirist of the books "Slow Motion", "Devotion", and her newest book, "Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage". She explores how we make meaning of what happens in our lives and how we shape our experiences into story. Meditation is a part of her everyday ritual to stay grounded and to tap into her inner landscape.

Dr. Shelby Harris is a psychologist, behavioral sleep and medicine expert, and flagship sleep meditation teacher on Meditation Studio. This episode is for anyone who struggles with falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night. She shares valuable advice for getting a better night sleep--plus great tips and tools for eliminating insomnia for good!

Susan Piver is a meditation teacher, Founder of the Open Heart Project, and New York Times bestselling author of eight books, including the award-winning "How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life", and "The Wisdom of a Broken Heart". She shares her personal story and how meditation helps with fearlessness, creativity, and joy.

Brilliant choreographer Alonzo King shares how finding stillness is key to fueling our creativity and intuition, cultivating the relationship we have with ourselves, and tapping into our natural state of joy. He finds stillness and his own inner voice through yoga and meditation, and inspires his dancers to use heart and mind in addition to the body.

Elisha Goldstein is a flagship instructor on Meditation Studio. A psychologist, best-selling author and co-Founder of the Center for Mindful Living in LA. In this interview, he answers top questions and discusses his groundbreaking online course, A Course In Mindful Living, and shares why mentors and community can be the keys to sustaining a practice.

Dawn Eshelman is Head of Programs at the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC. This amazing museum offers creative programs that pair meditation with art to explore a range of themes like listening, compassion, facing your fears, and happiness. It's a beautiful way to enhance the art experience and to cultivate a 'real life' mindfulness practice.

Sara Lazar is a Harvard neuroscientist and Associate Researcher in the psychiatry department at Massachusetts General Hospital. In this episode, she shares research that shows how a regular meditation practice changes our brains--proof positive that mindfulness meditation can positively impact mood, focus, memory, and stress.

Wade Brill was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 21, her mother died of cancer 2 months later. Wade learned early that life can change in an instant. She shares how her meditation practice helped her through this challenging period and how it continues to sustain her so she can more fully connect with herself and with each moment of her life.

Andrea Lieberstein is a nutritionist, mindfulness teacher, and author of the new book, "Well Nourished: Mindful Practices to Heal Your Relationship with Food, Feed Your Whole Self, and End Overeating". She discusses how important it is to nourish ourselves on many different levels, so we don’t use food for quick comfort or to fill in the missing pieces.

Rob Dube is an author and the President of imageOne, a company ranked by Forbes as one of America’s Best Small Companies. He's passionate about the positive effects meditation can have on our brains, bodies, and hearts and shares how his meditation practice has changed his life, his company, and his leadership style. Wait till you hear about his amazing Leadership Retreat!

James Fox is the founder of the Prison Yoga Project, an organization that teaches yoga and meditation inside prisons. He works with prisoners who've been impacted by chronic interpersonal trauma most of their lives. His goal is meet these prisoners with dignity and understanding and to inspire positive behavioral change.

Sharon Guskin is the author of international bestseller "The Forgetting Time", a story about a 4 year old boy who remembers his past life and keeps telling his mom "he wants to go home." Sharon discusses the compelling research on reincarnation, what inspired her to write this book, and how her Buddhist and meditation practices influenced her writing.

La shares a heartbreaking, but ultimately uplifting and courageous, journey as a gender fluid person. After years of depression and feelings of isolation, La learned self-love and deep acceptance from their first meditation teacher, Tara Brach, author of "Radical Acceptance". La now teaches mindfulness and leads retreats for the LGBTIQ community.

Alejandro Chaoul is Director of the Integrative Medicine Program at MD Anderson Cancer Center. He was the first to create their Connect with the Heart meditation program for cancer patients, has studied in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, and deeply believes in the healing power of the breath and sound.

Amy Gross is the former Editor-in-Chief of “O, The Oprah Magazine” and now fully devotes her time to practicing and teaching meditation. She shares the path that lead her to this choice and why she believes meditation has the power to free us from the kinds of reactions that cause stress and suffering, and what happiness now means to her.

James Colquhoun is a filmmaker of the documentaries "Food Matters" and "Hungry for Change" and the Founder of FMTV, the Netflix of healthy programming. James is devoted to giving people tools to take charge of their own health. He shares the story of how he healed his father’s mysterious illness with real food and a blend of spiritual practices.

Sharon Salzberg is a leading meditation teacher and author of 10 books, including her latest, "Real Love: The Art of Mindful Connection". When we redefine our current notions of love, she explains, we can connect more deeply with ourselves, others, and life itself. She explores how meditation helps to cultivate our capacity for real love.

Bill Duane is an engineer, meditation teacher, and head of the Well-Being and Sustainable Performance Learning Team at Google. His team’s mission is to help employees live and work in ways that allow them to be their most effective and happy selves. Bill shares how core mindfulness skills support google’s high-performance goals.

Stefanie Goldstein is the co-founder of the Center for Mindful Living in LA and a mother of 3 boys. She knows firsthand that being a mom can be one of the greatest and most challenging experiences of our lives. She created this meditation to help us find groundedness, compassion, and love within ourselves--even on the craziest of days.

Judson Brewer is an MD and Director of Research at UMass Medical School Center for Mindfulness. In this interview, Judson shares how mindfulness fits into the addiction cycle and how we can change our unwanted habits for good. He is a thought leader in the field of addiction and habit change and author of a new book called "The Craving Mind."

Catherine Burns is the Artistic Director for The Moth, the storytelling organization, and the editor of their new book, "All These Wonders: True Stories About Facing the Unknown". Catherine shares why stories have the power to change both the storyteller and the listener--giving us a way to be vulnerable and to connect more deeply with one another.

Elisha Goldstein is the Co-founder of the Center for Mindful Living in LA. Enjoy this special guided meditation in honor of Earth Day. This simple breath meditation invites you to take a moment to connect to the earth and its many gifts. It also helps you to connect to your own heart and all living things on this planet.

Sarah Kaufman is the Pulitzer Prize-winning Dance Critic for the Washington Post and author of the book, "The Art of Grace: On Moving Well Through Life". She defines "grace" as a kind of physical, social, and spiritual ease and teaches us how to enact it in our everyday lives, and describes the similarities between grace and mindfulness.

Dr. Anne Marie Albano is a clinical psychologist, an expert on anxiety and mood disorders, and author of "You and Your Anxious Child: Free Your Child from Fears and Worries and Create a Joyful Family Life." She describes the many different types of anxiety, what triggers it, and why so many people suffer from anxiety disorders today. She shares groundbreaking coping skills for kids, teens, and young adults.

Emily Fletcher interviews Mark Krassner, Founder of Expectful--a platform that introduces meditation to pregnant women and new moms. Mark’s inspiration has been his own mom, who struggled with anxiety during her pregnancy and throughout his childhood. He’s shares how a meditation practice can positively impact both mother and child.

Travis Barton is a sought-after life coach who shares why it’s important to find your passion and purpose in life. He believes that doing what makes you ‘come alive’ can change you--and the world. He shares why meditation is a key to finding your best self and how it’s helped him personally.

David Gelles is a New York Times reporter and author of "Mindful Work: How Meditation is Changing Business from the Inside Out". He started meditating as an anxious teenager, then spent a semester in India, and has been a sporadic, but devoted, meditator ever since. David is convinced of the power of mindfulness to change us personally and at work.

Ann Friedman is a journalist, New York Magazine columnist and co-host of a VERY popular podcast Call Your Girlfriend, where she covers politics and pop culture with co-host Aminatou Sow. Ann started meditating last year, using Meditation Studio App, and shares her insights on the hilarious challenges of becoming a ‘good’ meditator.

Mark Coleman, mindfulness teacher and author of "Make Peace with Your Mind," shares how mindfulness and compassion can free us from our inner critic--the one that blasts us with messages that "we’re not good enough." Mark shows us, with wisdom and humour, how we can quell that inner voice and stop beating ourselves up--for good!

Melli O’Brien is a devoted meditation teacher and practitioner from Australia, known worldwide as Mrs. Mindfulness. Her mission is to help us lead more conscious and connected lives with more peace and purpose. She shares wisdom from her program, The Art of Mindful Living, where she teaches life-changing tools that have the power to transform us.

Lodro Rinzler, author of "Love Hurts" and co-founder of MNDFL Studios in New York shares the universal nature of heartbreak and how it connects us to one another. Whether we’re experiencing little everyday heartbreaks or the big, crushing heartbreaks, Lodro reminds us that it’s all part of the human experience: it will change--and we’re not alone.

Emily Fletcher, Ziva Meditation founder and Meditation Studio app teacher, shares how meditation helps us to be a more ‘present’ partner in our relationships and--bonus!--gives us a boost in our sex lives too. Spoiler alert? Don’t expect someone else to ‘complete’ you: it all begins with loving and accepting ourselves first.

Chrissy Carter, Meditation Studio teacher, offers two favorite meditations from our app Relationship Collection. The first is called Relationship Lessons and reminds us how relationships teach us what we need to learn, especially when they trigger us. The second is called Being Open to Possibility and reminds us that love is always possible.

Ashley Turner is a meditation and yoga teacher and psychotherapist. On today's episode, she answers our biggest love questions. How does meditation help us in relationships? How does it help us to be more authentic and vulnerable? To forgive, let go and move on? To have compassion for ourselves and others? This interview is our Valentine’s Day gift to you!

Jerry Colonna is an executive coach and the founder of Reboot, where he uses the skills that he learned as a venture capitalist to help entrepreneurs. Jerry shares his story, from depression, to Buddhism and meditation, to the programs he now teaches that combine practical skills, radical self inquiry, mindfulness, and conscious leadership.

Jeffrey Walker is an accomplished executive, author, and philanthropist with an eclectic background in music, finance, and contemplative practices. He shares his passion for bringing mindfulness tools to business, education, and philanthropy and for gathering people together to create solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face today.

Stefanie Goldstein, mother, psychologist and mindfulness teacher, shares this original meditation and short inspirational message created in honor of the Women's March. She inspires us to connect with and lead from our hearts, and reminds us that we can choose how we show up in our lives each and every day.

Derek Flanzraich started Greatist, a health media company, just after college and 5 years later has over 10 million users a month. We explore what inspired him to start the company and how he’s navigated some of the trickier challenges. He shares how meditation and taking time off every six months help him to be a calmer, more focused leader.

Agapi Stassinopoulos, author, inspirational speaker, and adored sister of Arianna Huffington, shares how to be more joyful this year with insights and meditations from her new book, "Wake Up to the Joy of You". She shares heartfelt wisdom on how to let go of what doesn’t work for you and open up to more joyful possibilities with each new day.

Best selling author and change expert M.J. Ryan shares how to mindfully realize your goals this year. Her book, "Habit Changers", is chock full of ideas on how you can permanently change your negative habits to positive ones to become happier and more successful. She shares simple and actionable strategies to kick-start the new year.

Untangle host Patricia Karpas closes 2016 with her top five personal takeaways from a year of interviews. Elisha Goldstein shares a loving-kindness meditation to open the heart for the new year.

Michaela Haas is the author of "Bouncing Forward: Transforming Bad Breaks Into Breakthroughs". She explores how we find healing and resilience after major setbacks and emerge even stronger, wiser, and more compassionate. She shares some of the proven methods that we can use to survive and thrive in the face of challenges.

The CEO of the David Lynch Foundation, Bob Roth, is one of the top transcendental meditation teachers in the country. He discusses the benefits of a daily TM practice to alleviate stress and reach a profound state of rest. He also discusses the work they do teaching meditation in inner city schools, to veterans, and to other under-served populations.

Allan Lokos, Buddhist meditation teacher and author of "Through The Flames", shares his story of surviving a plane crash on Christmas Day, 2012. He shares what his long and painful recovery process taught him about how to survive--and even thrive--in the face of suffering, and how we can all learn to thrive in the midst of pain and uncertainty.

Top executive coach Joanne Heyman integrates the practices of mindfulness and “radical self care” into her work with clients. She’s committed to social impact and to helping leaders grow and find purpose in their work and their life. Her belief? You can’t be of the highest possible service to yourself or others if you’re stressed-out.

Elisha Goldstein shares a meditation from the Meditation Studio App Happiness Collection. He suggests that we spend a few minutes every day reflecting on what is right in our lives. It’s helpful to actively reflect on the positive things in our world, even when there’s chaos in and around us. Take a moment to ground yourself into the positive and enjoy the holiday.

First-time author Joe DiNardo shares his courageous journey with his late wife Marcia, from cancer diagnosis through death, as told in his new book, "A Letter To My Wife". It’s a sad but hopeful look at the richness of love that explores how the practices of meditation and mindfulness served Joe as his foundation for both coping and healing.

Elisha is back on Untangle answering our listeners' Top Five Questions. Learn how to commit to a meditation practice, how to make big life changes, how to find a teacher or mentor, and how to find your ground again when in crisis. He’s a psychologist, author, co-founder of the Center for Mindful Living and flagship instructor on the Meditation Studio app.

Richard is the founder of the iRest Program, which uses Yoga Nidra as a transformative practice of deep relaxation and meditative inquiry, and is currently in VA hospitals, military bases, hospitals, hospices, and schools. His program helps people recapture and recover their innate sense of peace and relaxation after dealing with repeated trauma.

Leigh Stein dealt with crushing depression for most of her young adult life. Her memoir, "Land Of Enchantment", chronicles her story of depression and her love addiction to a troubled man. She shares how meditation has been a part of her healing process, and how she survived a very dramatic start to her twenties.

Colleen is a Yoga teacher, studio owner, model, and the author of the book "Yoga For Life". She shares her heart-felt personal story filled with the surprising and dramatic challenges that she’s faced throughout her life, and why yoga and meditation were such a big part of her journey to inner peace.

Cara Bradley is a Yoga and mindfulness teacher, mental strength coach, and the author of the book “On The Verge: Wake Up, Show Up, and Shine”. Cara shares many of the strategies and practices she uses with winning athletes, integrating mindfulness practices with mental strength training for college football and basketball players for several universities.

Amy Baglan is the founder of Meet Mindful, an online dating site where mindful singles connect with one another to find true love. Amy shares why she created a business for people who value healthy living, yoga, meditation, and authentic connections, and why she believes relationships are the fastest way to personal growth.

Jessica Emich, with her triplet sisters, runs a restaurant called Shine in Boulder, Colorado. She leads a hectic life as a chef, restaurateur, author, and mom and just co-authored a book called "Eat Drink Shine" with her sisters. Jessica shares how meditation helps her let go of the small stuff and stay balanced and blissful.

Kristin Neff is the author of "Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself", and is a pioneer in the field of self-compassion. She teaches several courses, including one with Brene Brown that examines why we’re always our toughest critic. Kristen gives us tools to be kinder to ourselves and teaches us why this is so important.

Tommy Rosen is the founder of Recovery 2.0, an organization that helps people thrive in recovery from addiction. He shares his pioneering work, his own addiction story, and discusses why some addictive habits form at a very young age. His inspiring approach includes yoga, meditation, community, and so much more!

Vicki Saunders is an author, speaker, and successful entrepreneur who recently founded SheEO, a global collaboration of entrepreneurs who are creating new models to help fuel women-led ventures. She shares how meditation has helped her with focus, productivity, creativity, and leadership.

Liz Corwin was a young, adventurous US Navy Fighter Pilot who taught herself yoga and meditation to decompress while on the aircraft carrier. In her spare time, she began teaching others on the ship, which led her to a new career as a yoga teacher for veterans and those in the military.

Charlie Hartwell is a unique businessman who blends his passion for personal transformation and positive impact with his work. He is the operating partner for Bridge Builders Collaborative, a group of investors who fund social entrepreneurs with big ideas in mind science and modern contemplative practices. He’s truly a change agent.

After 15 years living as an urban monk in NYC, Pandit Dasa answered the call to bring mindfulness to the masses. Using his experience with meditation and deep insight into the human mind, Pandit shares his story of dedication, monastic living, and bringing wellness into the workplace. Hosted by Emily Fletcher.

One of our favorite meditations from Meditation Studio: Mountain Strength, by Elisha Goldstein, is a guided visualization that will inspire you to feel grounded, clear, and stress free.

Emily Fletcher interviews Ellie Burrows, the founder of MNDFL, one of the first meditation studios in NYC. Ellie tells the story of her journey from film executive to pursuing mindfulness in a more meaningful way. Ellie uses ancient teachings in a contemporary context to inspire compassion, confidence, and consciousness in a highly digitized world.

When Shanti was five, she developed her own personal form of meditation to help her deal with an abusive mother and a negative home life. She’s now the founder of the Body Current method, combining yoga therapy, neuromuscular exercise, and mindfulness to resolve trauma and pain.

Nikki calls herself “the poster child for an at-risk life.” She’s a recovering addict and a survivor of sexual trauma and domestic violence. Now, she’s a yoga therapist, addictions recovery specialist, and founder of the Yoga of 12-Step Recovery program, that weaves the best of yoga with the practical tools of 12-step programs.

Emily Fletcher interviews Jesse Israel, the founder of Medi Club in NYC. Jesse struggled with depression before realizing that he needed to make some big changes in his life. he was seeing record levels of stress among millennials, so he founded an organization for modern meditators to unwind together on a weekly basis.

Dina Kaplan, founder of The Path, interviews Mark Epstein, a psychiatrist in NYC. Mark shares his personal story and what inspired him to bring the teachings of Buddhism to his psychotherapy practice. Mark is the author of a number of books, including "Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart" and "The Trauma of Everyday Life".

Jenn Walters, founder of Fit Bottomed Girls, explains how mindfulness helped her find a healthier way to be fit and happy. Jenn knew her eating disorder was out of control when she focused on her wedding day weight more than her wedding. She takes a holistic approach to healthy eating and created a series of popular blogs to bring this wisdom to others.

Judson Brewer talks about using mindfulness to change addictive behaviors. Judson is an addiction psychiatrist, Director of Research for the Center for Mindfulness, and an adjunct faculty member at Yale University. His apps targeting smoking and eating disorders have helped inspire behavioral change in those who need it most.

Harvard-trained physician Parneet Pal discusses her efforts to revolutionize healthcare by looking at prevention and lifestyle as medicine. Parneet uses lifestyle-related behavior change and mindfulness as tools to inspire a healthier mind and body.

Chrissy Carter describes her journey from her fast-paced finance job to a new path teaching yoga and meditation. She now teaches yoga in NYC and leads workshops around the country. She brings yoga into every part of her life, from fashion to entertaining to relationships.

Sukhraj Kaur Gipple grew up in a family of addiction, until kundalini yoga opened her up to a whole new view of the world. Through music, mantras, and verses from sacred texts, Boulder’s favorite kundalini teacher brings these teachings to life.

Emily Fletcher interviews Ariel Garten, founder of Muse. Muse is a brain-sensing headband that can give you accurate, real-time feedback on what’s happening in your brain while you meditate. Muse combines neuroscience, technology, art, and design to enhance and reinforce your meditation practice.

Emily Fletcher sits down with Shamash Alidina, one of the UK’s leading mindfulness teachers, and the author of "Mindfulness for Dummies". Shamash talks about how he uses the power of mindfulness and kindness to heal himself and others.

Koshin Paley Ellison and Chodo Campbell, two Zen Buddhist practitioners in Manhattan, talk about what led them to their meditation practice, their work in end of life care, and their new book, "Awake at the Bedside". They share why intimacy with others is at the heart of contemplative care.

James Fox is the founder of the Prison Yoga Project, an organization that teaches yoga and meditation inside prisons. He works with prisoners who've been impacted by chronic interpersonal trauma most of their lives. His goal is meet these prisoners with dignity and understanding and to inspire positive behavioral change.

Michael Apollo talks about Buddhism, mindfulness at work, and how to get started with your own meditation practice. Michael is an educator at the University of Toronto and leads the Meditation Studio Meditation Essentials course. His teachings draw from neuroscience, mindfulness, and emotional intelligence.

Emily Fletcher sits down with Latham Thomas to talk about meditation, pregnancy, and how new moms can be more mindful and compassionate to themselves. Latham is the founder of Mamaglow, a place for new and expectant moms to maximize their well-being.

Wendy Stern talks about how meditation helped her to overcome her grief after losing her first child at just nine months old. Wendy is the Executive Director of the Grief Support Network, an organization dedicated to empowering people to transform through their experience with grief.

Emily Fletcher sits down with Rebecca Dreyfus and Elena Brower to talk about their film project, "On Meditation". In the series, Rebecca and Elena convey the first-hand experiences of those who have developed meaningful practices, and how meditation has changed them.

Alexa Silvaggio talks about her struggles with anorexia and how meditation and yoga helped her transition to a happier, healthier life. She is a yoga teacher, meditation practitioner, and leads yoga retreats with The Travel Yogi to exotic locations like Bhutan, France, and Iceland.

Emily Fletcher sits down with Sharon Salzberg. Sharon tells her personal story and talks about the power of meditation, including how she used meditation to overcome her own personal suffering. Sharon, one of the world’s leading meditation teachers, is the author of nine books, including "Lovingkindness" and "Real Happiness".

Emily Fletcher interviews Daniella, a former student of hers. Daniella struggled with depression, thyroid issues, and a number of other mental and physical health problems. She talks about how meditation helped her health, her stress levels, her relationship, and more.

George Mumford talks about his book, "The Mindful Athlete", mindfulness, and passing on his lessons of meditation to the next generation of young basketball players. George is a sports psychologist, mindfulness teacher, and coach, and worked with Phil Jackson and Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls during their legendary six-championship run, as well as with NBA superstars like Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Julie Campilio is joined by two of her students, Tessa and Catherine, who are here to talk about the power that yoga has in helping young kids deal with stress. Julie struggled with anxiety since she was a child. Yoga and mindfulness helped Julie overcome years of panic attacks, so she founded Radiant Beginnings Yoga to help students aged 2-18 cope with stress in their own lives.

Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., talks about using meditation to find happiness, reduce stress, and regulate the emotional ups and downs that many of us struggle with on a day-to-day basis. Elisha is the co-founder of The Center For Mindful Living in Los Angeles and author of several books and articles on meditation.

Cathi Peterson speaks with Emily Fletcher to share her story: what it felt like to be diagnosed with cancer, and how she used meditation to help her move through the treatment.

Lodro Rinzler sat down with Emily Fletcher to share his story. Lodro is a practitioner and teacher in the Shambhala Buddhist lineage and the founder of MNDFL studio in NYC, offering a variety of simple techniques in an accessible way. He is the author of five books, including, "The Buddha Walks Into A Bar".

At the age of 25, Amy Kurtz was hit with a “perfect storm” of health issues: celiac disease, thyroid disorder, parasite infections--and worse. Meditation helped her overcome these illnesses and take control of her life, and she’s now a certified health and wellness coach, Pilates instructor, and detox expert.

Susan Piver, is the best-selling author of "How Not to Be Afraid of Your Own Life" and eight other books on meditation and Buddhism. The experienced meditation teacher shares her thoughts on mindfulness, communication in relationships, tapping into our creativity, and more.

Dan Harris is an ABC News Anchor and the author of "10% Happier" and his latest book, "Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics." He’s funny and honest, and shares how meditation has helped him handle conflict and everyday annoyances with those who matter most in his life. He discusses tools for learning meditation--especially for those who say they can’t sit still.

Stephen Batchelor is a contemporary Buddhist teacher and author, best known for his agnostic and controversial approach to Buddhism. He's known as a skeptical Buddhist who questions the strict dogmas and beliefs of Buddhism while exploring and engaging in what's truly distinctive in the teachings. His insights are illuminating.

At the age of 15, Lisa Wimberger suffered a trauma that changed her life. After years of blackouts and seizures, Lisa combined meditation and neuroscience to create neurosculpting, a whole-brain approach to trauma. Lisa is also the founder of the Neurosculpting Institute in Denver and has written two books on the subject.

In 2014, Dina Kaplan took a hiatus from her type-a, workaholic life to travel the world. When she came back, she launched The Path: a startup that brings together young professionals to learn­­ meditation techniques for a modern audience.

Despite a successful career as a high-powered executive--holding jobs with Bain & Company and Apple--Lois Shannon always felt that something was missing. After the birth of her children, she discovered what had been holding her back, and began a mindfulness practice to help her better nurture her kids and herself.

A self-labeled former meat-head and amateur cage fighter, Justin Kaliszewski attended his first Vipassana, a ten-day silent retreat, last summer. In this episode, Justin tells the story of how that retreat changed the course of his life.

The talented and creative Emily Fletcher is a former Broadway actress who began suffering from insomnia, anxiety, and graying hair at the age of 26. A fellow actress turned her on to meditation and it changed her work and personal life forever. She's now the Founder of Ziva Meditation and devotes her life to teaching meditation to others.