Practice You with Elena Brower

On the journey of practice, maturity, equanimity and real freedom.

• (0:00) - Introduction to Diego Perez
• (3:21) - Vipassana Teachings
• (6:51) - The Element of Fire
• (16:13) -Observing Impermanence
• (21:25) - Processing Pain and Emotions
• (26:32) -Practical Application in Parenting

Diego Perez is a No. 1 New York Times bestselling author, widely known by his pen name, Yung Pueblo. Online he has an audience of over 4.5 million people and was named one of the Time100 Creators of 2025. He has sold nearly 2 million books worldwide that have been translated into over 25 languages, and his writing focuses on the power of self-healing, creating healthy relationships, and the wisdom that comes when we truly work on knowing ourselves. Much of Diego's inspiration comes from the many silent meditation courses he's sat in the last 13 years. Additionally, Diego cofounded Wisdom Ventures, an investment fund focused on scaling compassion, and is the founder of Ready, a relationship app that centers personal growth. His new book, Journey: The Year That Changes Everything, releases November 10, 2026.

On committing to your Quiet Age, microdosing emotions for authenticity, and becoming a beacon of insight, harmony and integrity.

• 0:00 - Introduction to Cory Allen
• 4:51 - Origins of The Quiet Age
• 16:07 - Personal Growth and Vulnerability
• 30:23 - Exploring Book Structure
• 38:51 - The Reset Phase
• 41:53 - Slowing Down and Discovery
• 56:29 - Embodying Authenticity Through Becoming
• 59:48 - Arising Toward Clarity

Cory Allen is an author, mindfulness expert, speaker, and podcast host helping people slow down, think clearly, and live with intention. A daily meditator for over 25 years, his words reach millions of people each week on Instagram, where his daily insights have become a trusted source of clarity in an overstimulated world.

The Quiet Age: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Quiet-Age/Cory-Allen/9798881609849

The Pulse Mindfulness Ring https://www.pulsemindfulness.com/

Our prior interviews

https://elenabrower.com/episode-196-cory-allen/

https://elenabrower.substack.com/p/live-with-cory-allen

On the clear connection between stoicism and empathy; the gift of learning to bear challenges with steadiness.

• 0:00 – Introduction
• 3:03 – Discussion on Shermin's Book "Stoic Empathy"
• 5:33 – Stoicism and Empathy: Personal Experiences
• 12:48 – Living with Uncertainty and Moral Decisions
• 27:10 – Strategic Empathy and Emotional Regulation
• 43:10 – Practical Applications of Stoic Empathy
• 50:19 – Closing Remarks and Future Plans

Shermin Kruse is a globally recognized author, law professor, negotiation consultant, TEDx producer, and author of Stoic Empathy. Born in Tehran during political upheaval, she immigrated to Canada as a child and earned degrees in philosophy and neuropsychology from the University of Toronto, followed by a law degree from the University of Michigan. Her work lives at the intersection of ancient wisdom, neuroscience, and the art of negotiation; and her life is the proof of what she teaches.

She spent nearly two decades as a partner at Barack Ferrazzano, a prestigious Chicago law firm, representing Fortune 500 clients in high-stakes negotiations, cross-border transactions, and corporate litigation. She is currently a professor at Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, where she teaches stoic empathy negotiations, leadership, and global transactions; her book Stoic Empathy is required reading for the advanced negotiation course there.

As founder and executive producer of TEDxWrigleyville, she has produced and scripted over 80 TEDx and TED talks and performances with millions of views across dozens of countries, and has delivered three TEDx talks herself on advocacy, stoicism, and strategic empathy.

She serves on the boards of the ACLU and RefuSHE, has founded multiple NGOs, and has been recognized as one of the nation's top 100 Women to Watch by BizWomen Magazine. She is also the author of the novel Butterfly Stitching and the textbook Global Transactions and Regulation.

Shermin lives in Chicago with her four children.

Vital parenting practices to cultivate confidence, purpose and inner power in an increasingly anxious world.

• 0:00 - Introduction to Dr. Shefali
• 3:04 - Understanding Modern Boyhood
• 4:57 - Parental Control and Autonomy
• 9:15 - Addressing Male Isolation
• 12:20 - Digital Strategies for Parents
• 14:55 - The False Hierarchy of Men
• 17:14 - Emotional Intensity in Girls
• 22:11 - Social Media and Female Identity
• 27:25 - Mitigating Digital Damage
• 29:02 - The Science of Self-Harm
• 34:29 - Reclaiming Authenticity and Privacy
• 41:56 - Repairing the Parent-Child Bond

Dr. Shefali is a clinical psychologist, New York Times bestselling author, and the founder of the Conscious Parenting movement.

Blending Western psychology with Eastern wisdom, she has redefined how families understand selfhood, connection, and the inner life of children.

Trained at Columbia University, Dr. Shefali has spent decades guiding parents beyond patterns of fear and control toward presence, authenticity, and inner transformation. Her groundbreaking work explores the hidden forces that shape identity, relationships, and the way we inhabit the world—creating a path for both children and the adults who raise them to awaken and evolve.

"The greatest gift you can give your children is your own transformation."

On encountering and easing the past, creating the conditions to feel and offer compassion, and equanimity as practice.

• (0:00) - Introduction and Guest Overview
• (2:20) - Table of Contents and Initial Discussion
• (7:17) - Belonging in Space and Emptiness of the Material World
• (16:05) - The Art of Lessening Thoughts and Emotions
• (24:57) - Parenting and Work-Life Balance
• (29:08) - Equanimity and Play
• (39:33) - Breathing and Equanimity with Success
• (42:49) - Forgiving and Being Forgiven
• (45:23) - The Art of Lessening the Ego Self
• (48:19) - Final Reflections and Closing

Billy Wynne is a health and wellbeing entrepreneur, Zen Buddhist, mindfulness meditation teacher, and author of The Empty Path: Finding Fulfillment Through the Radical Art of Lessening, which was published by New World Library in March 2025. He founded Impact Health, a mission-driven consultancy, Awake, an alcohol-free bar, and other companies.

Billy has served on several boards, including Operation Smile, 365Health, Cherish Children Adoption International, the Zen Center of Denver, and Colorado's Natural Medicine Advisory Board, which is implementing the state's psychedelic therapy program. He received a BA in Government and Religion from Dartmouth College and a JD from the University of Virginia. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Buddhist Studies from the Institute of Buddhist Studies.

Billy lives in Carbondale, CO with his wife, son, and two shih-poos, Oscar and Archie. Their daughter is in college.

On the wisdom of open awareness and the benefit of the simplest practices in our daily life.

• 0:00 - Introduction and Guest Welcome
• 1:57 - Machik Labdron and the Source Code of Life
• 7:47 - Mahayana and Vajrayana: Differences and Similarities
• 13:36 - Ground, Path, and Fruition: The Buddhist Path of Liberation
• 21:41 - Engaging with the Practices of Sky Mind
• 27:37 - The Paradox of Meditation and External Impact
• 36:31 - Sky Mind Meditation Practice

Partners in life, practice, and parenting, Charlotte Rotterdam and Pieter Oosthuizen draw on decades of dedicated study and practice to share the rich teachings of Tibetan Buddhism and their application to modern life. They've served as faculty at Naropa University, are senior teachers at Tara Mandala Retreat Center founded by Lama Tsultrim Allione, and teach globally. Their recent book, Skymind: The Radical Path of Open Awareness (Shambhala, 2026), highlights the nature of mind teachings of the 11th century Tibetan yogini Machig Labdron and their relevance in our everyday lives.

Amid life's relentless challenges, uncertainties, and endless striving, how do we find a sense of ease, clarity, and connection? Skymind offers a way to step back from life's constant push and pull and discover the spaciousness and wholeness that has always been within you. Inspired by the revolutionary teachings of Machig Labdrön, an 11th-century Tibetan yogini who pioneered a radical approach to inner freedom, this book introduces Skymind meditation—a practice that helps you cultivate clarity, compassion, and resilience by resting in the sky-like nature of your mind.

Through simple exercises, contemplations, and Machig's powerful verses, you'll be guided to meet life's challenges with courage and radical acceptance. These teachings invite you to embrace every part of your experience—even the emotions and thoughts you'd rather avoid—and discover the freedom that comes from including everything in your awareness. Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, Skymind offers profound insights and practical tools to help you live with authenticity, ease, and a heart as vast as the sky.

On ecosystem restoration; building coherent, sustainable supply chains into the garments we wear; creating resilience in our systems, our bodies, our hearts.

• 0:00 - Introduction to Vanessa Barboni Hallik and Another Tomorrow
• 2:49 - Exploring Another Tomorrow's Sustainability Practices
• 4:11 - Building Relationships and Technology in Fashion
• 13:20 - The Role of Education and Personal Journey
• 16:29 - Innovative Materials and Design
• 23:14 - The Power of Curiosity and Consumer Agency
• 32:30 - Personal Reflections and Future Directions

Vanessa Barboni Hallik is the founder, co-CEO and Executive Chair of Another Tomorrow, a B Corp Certified end-to-end sustainable luxury brand with a mission to model a regenerative and resilient model for fashion, including a digitized blockchain-based product infrastructure delivering transparency, authenticated re-commerce, and additional digital to physical engagement.

She is an active speaker on innovation, digitalization, regenerative supply chains, and new business models and has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Bloomberg, Forbes, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Cultured Magazine, and Vogue Business for her work among others, and is one of Wallpaper* Magazine's USA400, the Inc Magazine 500, and Worth Magazine's Worthy100.

Prior to founding Another Tomorrow, Vanessa was a Managing Director at Morgan Stanley, where she held several leadership roles in the emerging markets institutional securities business. Throughout her career she has worked across global markets and managed culturally diverse and cross-border teams.

While at Morgan Stanley, she served as a Trustee on the Board of the Morgan Stanley Foundation and represented the firm at the Council on Foreign Relations. She likewise chaired the Fixed Income Philanthropy Committee, during which she initiated and subsequently led the firm's mentoring program with East Side Community High School, in partnership with PENCIL.org.

On learning how to be in your skin, one surprisingly human tale, and ways to care for our tender selves.

• 0:00 - Introduction and Welcome
• 2:51 - Educational Emails and Product Usage
• 6:13 - Formulations and Hero Ingredients
• 8:54 - Personal Journey and Skincare Philosophy
• 31:03 - Impact of Skincare on Self-Care
• 31:26 - Community and Client Experiences
• 42:25 - Final Thoughts and Gratitude

May Lindstrom is the Founder, Skin Chef, and CEO behind the luxury organic skincare brand, May Lindstrom Skin. Since its official launch in 2011, this small-batch, indie-beauty movement leader has been featured in Vogue, W, BAZAAR, The New York Times, GOOP, Town & Country, and coveted by a deeply loyal following. May's mission is to inspire a relationship and connection to sense and self, and in her world, this happens through the loving and intentional care of the skin. The invitation? Skin is intimate: lean in. This episode will surprise and delight you.

Generation M brings education and clear inspiration for perimenopause into menopause and beyond.

• 0:00 — Introduction and Guest Introduction
• 1:55 — Overview of "Generation M" and Its Purpose
• 4:33 — Koenenki and the Importance of Being Present
• 8:13 — Hormone Checks and Their Importance
• 10:52 — Preparing for Menopause: Practical Tips
• 16:11 — Meditation and Mindfulness
• 19:22 — Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
• 24:37 — Self-Experimentation and Self-Awareness
• 27:12 — Metabolism and Nutrition
• 33:40 — Sexual Health and Exercise
• 36:56 — Protein Sources and Nutritional Needs

Dr. Jessica Shepherd is a menopause expert and board-certified OBGYN specializing in menopause and longevity care. She is the Chief Medical Officer for Hers and founder of Sanctum Med + Wellness, her Dallas-based holistic practice focused on optimizing women's health and aging. Her book Generation M has helped shape the modern menopause conversation, and she is a trusted media expert featured on Good Morning America, The Today Show, CNN, and more. Through her clinical work and education, Dr. Shepherd empowers women to take a prevention-forward, science-backed approach to physical, sexual, and emotional wellness.

Generation M https://www.jessicashepherdmd.com/generation-m-womens-health-book

Modern Meno community https://modmeno.circle.so/join?invitation_token=1bdfdcea015373b875eec4288728a8c1c9bb88a5-4202f1d9-6273-474d-8c99-1ad27caf425d

On the path to power through peace, our surprising energetic fingerprint, and practicing self-compassion.

• 0:00 — Introduction and Guest Welcome
• 1:39 — Discussion on "Permission to Glow"
• 3:50 — Exploring the Four Permissions
• 6:17 — The Difference Between Shining and Glowing
• 10:32 — The Pause Button and Personal Practices
• 13:23 — Meditation and Personal Transformation
• 19:28 — Self-Compassion and Personal Growth
• 19:40 — Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Kristoffer Carter ('KC') is the author of Permission to Glow: A Spiritual Guide to Epic Leadership, which guides his team's coaching of Fortune 500 executive leaders. He is the CEO and founder of Epic Leadership, which has created a meditation practice for thousands.

Kris's teachings have been featured in Men's Health, Fast Company, Thrive Global, and Good Life Project podcast. Kris sits on the Board of Directors of Yoga Alliance, and serves the global work of Paramahansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi. He teaches at Kripalu, and on Substack, via his column Permission to Chill. Kristoffer lives in Northeast Ohio with his three children.