The Brain and Beyond Podcast

What can we learn from "the giving of gifts" that might help us understand the REAL meaning – and perhaps the biological importance – of generosity? This episode explores how gift-sharing seems to have its roots in stress-reducing, even survival-serving emotions (ones that may date back millions of years!) rather than the fraught and often unsatisfying transactions we enact today. You'll learn about healthy neurochemicals and brain patterns associated with altruistic generosity and those that may rise from how we often see "gifting" today – and peek at why neuroscience research may miss the mark when it seeks to measure what REALLY happens in the brain when generous intentions weave together. Happy holidays and hope you enjoy! Oh: episode page here. Ellenellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Here's the truth. I've been stuck. Trying to understand why by looking to the brain? Nothing worked. And then I stumbled across another organ that offered a clue – and a perspective – about why we get stuck and how to get out of it. This one's short and simple. Yet it's set me on my way to what comes next: things that give me (and hopefully you) hope, understood through the lens of the brain...and beyond.Thank you for being here. Your faith and patience means the world. More from me soon. Here's a link to the episode page with a few bonus resources. With gratitude, Ellenwww.ellenleanse.com

Beauty, it turns out, is in the brain of the beholder. Research looking to pin down the correlates and functions associated with "experiencing beauty" so far leave scientists wondering where and how the the whole beauty thing happens. Yet the chase to "be" beautiful is a major cultural phenomenon, not to mention a $650B + global industry. Today's guest, Grace Gold, is an expert in that industry and the players and products that shape it. Which makes it even more refreshing when she explores beauty as something far beyond the reach of even the best products – an expression of radiance and energy innate in each of us. Learn more about Grace – and the neuroscience of beauty – at thebrainandbeyond.com/22Thanks for listening and come back soon.  Ellenwww.ellenleanse.com

Stories shape our world – and our lives. Even when they're simply... stories, not actual truths. That's where Lucy Cooke comes in. With a deep understanding of the natural world and the courage to be a shotcaller, she goes to where the truth is revealed: the wild places our animal kin inhabit, getting first-hand accounts of what the world's species are really about.Looking beyond outdated perspectives and challenging the biases that have skewed our stories, she reveals the incredible complexity of animal cultures – and deeper truths about humans (and how our stories often get US wrong). Tune in for a wild ride – and be sure to learn more about Lucy and her groundbreaking work at thebrainandbeyond.com/lucyThanks for listening and come back soon! www.ellenleanse.com

We're back in action – and look forward to sharing a lively interview as our first official episode of Season Two. Thanks for your patience as I've prioritized other work and taken a deep dive into evolutionary biology – as in "how did our brains evolve?" – human history – as in "what events and changes have made us who we are today?" – and a whole lot about the mutuality of females and males and how we seem to have lost our ways. Season Two's first episode shares a lively interview with bestselling author, zoologist, and amazing being Lucy Cooke, author of the breakthrough "BITCH: On the Female of the Species." Expect some vivid stories and a lot of laughs when I share that episode later today. Also: join me for a unique learning experience: Stepping Up Strong. It's a groundbreaking look at female empowerment that's based on my global retreats and workshops. Learn more at ellenleanse.com. I look forward to sharing Lucy and other guests, along with friendly neuroscience you can put to work for you, in Season Two. As always: I'm glad you're here. www.ellenleanse.com

Change, it's said, begins within – and it's hard to imagine a more inspiring advocate for inner change and outer action than Dr. Susanne von der Becke.Susanne's path to mindful living grew, from the inside out, through her work as a scientist, economist, and banker. Along the way she realized the power of an inner-guided way of living, a path she today teaches at corporate retreats, well-being forums, and individual work in Europe and around the world. She's an active investor and board member,  Chairwoman of The Klosters Forum, and author of the upcoming book "A Mindfulness Guide for Leaders Who Want to Change the World."You can find a generous offering of meditation, mindfulness, leadership, and inner transformation on her website, VDBInsights. Be sure to visit her Resource Page for a wide range of helpful content. She also shares updates on Instagram. The Episode Page  www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/20 shares a range of resources related to Susanne's work, along with timely wisdom from three globally-respected Indigenous teachers – only three of many such leaders. I hope you'll stop by. Thank you for listening,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.com

Breath is essential to each moment of your life – yet seldom do we realize, or harness, its power.Yet we can  guide,  even reset, the outlooks and presence with which we navigate the world when we understand the power of breath.  Zee Clarke illuminates that path through her book Black People Breathe and through the abundance of resources she shares via YouTube, Instagram, her website, and in all that she does.  Listen to Zee and you'll connect with the power of YOUR breath to guide and regulate your mood, interactions, and life experiences. You'll also gain tools for compassion, directed toward others and the self, and insights into the experiences of people in the human family who may face different realities than you've considered. There's also real power in that. Visit  www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/19 to explore more of Zee's generous offerings and to connect more deeply to YOUR power...through empathy, mindfulness, and breath. best,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

What took this episode so long? Seriously, it was the amount of eye-opening information on how much intelligence there is to be discovered in the systems of your body – so much so that I don't think I'll ever see the "brain" as the 3-pound mass so far explored in this episode. It is and you are so much more. We scratch the surface here with a look at the "body brain" of the brainstem, medulla oblangata, and cerebellum... then wander down to the Vagus Nerve to really light things up. I've loaded up the episode page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/18 for those of you who wish to explore more. There's good stuff there. I always welcome input and questions at [email protected] for listening.Best,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Maybe you already know about Nia, the dance technique celebrated worldwide, the one that combines martial arts, healing arts, dance arts, and amazing music in a whole body, whole heart experience. Today's episode shares the voice of Nia founder, Debbie Rosas, and her unique look at the power of sensing – very different from thinking – as a primary intelligence. Listen to Debbie and you'll get all kinds of insights about the brain – the  BALANCED brain, that is – and what we might be leaving out with all of our left hemispheric ways of thinking. Be sure to visit the episode page at  www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/17 for some excellent wellness resources, pics of Debbie from back in the day, and a pretty astonishing look at how principles of Yin and Yang map like "this" to the functions of the brain's hemispheres. And, as the movies Barbie and Oppenheimer vie for "who's on top?" as this episode drops, maybe something even larger. Enjoy. best,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Between us? I believe we humans, and all beings, are much (much) more than machines driven by pulses of electricity and surges of chemicals in the body and brain. That's the "mechanistic" view, and – much to a few science-focused friends' dismay – I'm not a mechanist. Though... our neurochemistry, and the way it interacts with lots of other things in the body, across the brain, and in the world around us, DOES shape much of our experience of life. This episode looks at one such chemical, a hormone called oxytocin, and how it might explain some of the puzzling pieces we're all trying to put together in life. Dive in to learn how this hormone works, how it differs across genders, and how you can encourage more of it in your life. And be sure to visit the episode page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/16. You'll find a lot of oxytocin-boosting goodies (and some fun!) there. Big shoutout to Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy for being awesome, to The Commonwealth Club for allowing use of their interview with Dr. Louann Brizendine, and to the Omega Institute and Elizabeth Lesser. They both rock. Best,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Take 15 minutes to breathe, invite curiosity, balance your mind, and ... experience presence.  Maybe you're noticing a theme between the last few episodes and Everyday Mindfulness practices: something about you having more agency and power in your life than the common narratives want you to believe. After all, it's harder for them to meet their goals when you, as the saying goes, are the product.Thanks to wisdom guide and Buddhist scholar/teacher Pamela Weiss for her many sparks of inspiration. Learn more about Pamela on her website, and in my book, The Happiness Hack, where I've featured her wisdom.  Explore resources on breath, Buddhism, and "Thinking Fast and Slow" on the Episode Page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/15 Pro tip: practicing presence is even better with two. Share this episode with a friend and explore the practice together. It's also amazing to talk about presence with kids.  Thank you, sincerely. I appreciate you being here and hope you'll come back soon. EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

In this episode you'll meet two tiny organelles with the power to transform you – or anyone – into a fight, flight, or freeze follower of their survival agenda: your amygdalae. The fight or flight response, or its more modern-day expression,  the "Amygdala Hijack," carries an ancient legacy of success in getting our long line of ancestors away from threats to their survival. After all, we wouldn't be here today if their collective amygdalae hadn't excelled at firing the "alert and convert" chemical takeover that fueled their defenses or escapes. Yet in today's world, those ready-to-fire little amygdalae are more likely to surge into action when a threat to our ideas, feelings, identity, or comfort, rather than to our actual survival, arises. Since nothing in their evolutionary legacy has taught them the difference, it's often on us – the proud owners of two powerful little amygdalae and navigators of an often mentally threatening reality – to manage the way our defense systems show up in the world. That's what this episode explores. Understanding the ancient – as in billions of years ancient – roots of the brain's survival manifesto and the vigilant, ever-ready mechanics of the amygdalae, we'll look at how mindset affects our emotional responses, how to "disarm" the potential for hijack, and how to "disalarm" a mind and body takeover when the fight or flight chemicals fire. Lots of episode resources at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/14I welcome feedback and suggestions at [email protected] for being here. By the way, this episode partners well with the recent interview with Mónica Guzmán, political bridge-builder and author of the bestseller "I Never Thought of It That Way." Best,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Some of us are already bracing ourselves for the conflict and tension anticipated in the upcoming 2024 US elections. Yet we don't have to wait 'til then for the escalation of polarizing political – and media – triggers that seem to show up wherever we look. And often, uncomfortably close to home. This episode shares the unique, bridge-building perspectives of author, activist, and Braver Angel Mónica Guzmán, whose bestselling book, I Never Thought of it That Way," guides new ways of thinking about, and learning from, what could too easily be labeled conflict – and inviting new ways to unify divided factions and reclaim balance as we look to be better together. The episode page at  www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/13 shares a few excellent Mónica talks, information on Braver Angels, and a resources about the brain's limbic system, where emotions are housed and, with practice, managed. best, EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

It's great to be back from some travel and to share another Everyday Mindfulness episode.VALUES shape perceptions, and even the brain – and thus, pretty much everything we experience, think, or do. Yet for most of us the idea of actively choosing and knowing our values simply ... doesn't happen. Interestingly, some of the most  popular undergrad classes at Stanford, Princeton, Yale, and no doubt many other schools guide students through choosing their values as a path to "designing an intentional life," or other worthy pursuits. I've linked info on these classes on the episode page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/12.Think about this: many of the most successful companies, from household names to local startups, use corporate or company values as a foundation to strategy or decision making. I've worked with many companies to put these values in place and have always wondered why more individuals, folks like you and me, don't always have the tools to choose and act on their own. This episode, a mindfulness practice to get you thinking about values, suggests why, and even how, to get that process started. You'll find more on the episode page linked above. Maybe you'll come up with YOUR t-shirt slogan in a way that guides your thoughts – and all that they lead to. Warmly, Ellen Neuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

This episode explores the binary – or better yet, the lack thereof – when it comes to sexual and gender identity. Celebrating PRIDE and the activist spirit of transgender entrepreneur, community leader, and family man Nat Stratton-Clarke, this special interview weaves in perspectives from social science and biology to support the life-affirming power of a gender spectrum... one on which we all have a unique and important place.  Be sure to visit the Episode Page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/11 for resources about Nat and from Lucy Cooke, Dr. Riane Eisler, and others whose work is referenced in this episode. Explore, enjoy, and challenge that binary, wherever it puts any of us into too small of a box. EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Greetings – this one took some heavy lifting, yet I wanted to publish before leaving for business travel. I'll catch up with the description and the Episode Page as soon as I can. Thank you for listening and I hope you enjoy.  – Ellenwww.ellenleanse.com

I didn't leave anything on the table with this one. Yes, there's neuroscience.  There's definitely balance. And ... maybe ... there's even hope. Maybe.  Because this episode lays out what I think is the most important opportunity we humans have to face the "poly-crises" we're currently addressing and rethink our place in a future we want to be part of. That belief stems from a growing understanding of the differences between the hemispheres of the brain and what we left behind when we surged forward with the pursuit of linear knowledge and rationality at the expense of balanced intelligence. This one was hard. I confess it's a theme I've thought and learned about for years, yet struggled to put into words that actually made sense. I hope I've done that here, and that this episode gets you thinking about what might be unseen, untapped, and yet ... potentially unstoppable in YOUR brain as you think about the challenges you're facing and how you want to activate change. Be sure to visit the Episode Page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/9 for additional resources on the hemispheres and ways to learn more. Thank you. I mean it when I say I'm glad you're here. EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

When it comes to cooking, the ingredients in your mind are as important as the ones you're prepping or simmering. This Everyday Mindfulness practice explores how intention can change both your experience in the kitchen AND increase your ease as you practice mindfulness. Remember that mindfulness involves both your presence as you navigate an experience, pretty much any experience, and your observation of the feelings, emotions, frustrations, resistance, or whatever else comes up as you do what you mindfully do. Cooking can raise some of that fluster and resistance, especially since we've somehow learned to see this important brain-balancing activity as one that's an inconvenience or a duty. As it can sometimes be – yet mindful cooking helps you reap the many benefits that time in the kitchen can deliver. There's an awesome resource page with a few special ingredients at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/8.Remember that Everyday Mindfulness practices are like meditations. Listen in only when it's OK to let your mind and attention wander. Thanks for tuning in and come back soon.  EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

This episode continues where Episode 5 left off – moving from the "Mindsets" of world-changing activist, restauranteur, and non-profit visionary Alice Waters to the "Skillsets" that have shaped her extraordinary life – and balanced brain. Using Alice's fierce "Slow Food Manifesto" as a framework, this episode examines the difference between the brain's two hemispheres in ways that show a concerning correlation between her "Fast Food Values" – more like an aggressive agenda – and the rise of left hemispheric dominance that, in the words of groundbreaking psychiatrist and neuroscience researcher Dr. Iain McGilchrist, are a threat to the modern world. We'll hear from Dr. McGilchrist, neuroscientist and TED speaker Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, social entrepreneur and UC Berkeley faculty member Will Rosenzweig, and of course Alice – through a Commonwealth Club speech, UC Berkeley's Edible Education course, and my recent interview with her – to make the difference between the hemispheres clear.Special thanks to Dr. John Price of The Center for Healing Arts & Sciences in Houston, TX, for sharing his interview with Dr. Jill. You can find the entire interview linked on the Episode Page or via John's podcast, The Sacred Speaks (episode 54). Come back soon for an Everyday Mindfulness on the brain benefits of cooking – and for Episode 10, which will explore the unique "Brainset" with which Alice faces the future.Be sure to visit the Episode Page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/7 for additional resources on Alice, the hemispheres, and the leading neuroscientists whose voices enrich this episode.  EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Listen to these words honoring mothers, all mothers over time and history, in honor of Mother's Day 2023. Consider this a meditation on the concept of mothering: one you can sit quietly with, or one to consider thoughtfully as you practice mindfulness through everyday action, experiencing all that you notice and observe, all that arises inside you as you listen.  As always, you can find a resource page for each episode. This one is at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/6.Much appreciation to MJ and her little cousin, to Shobini, Jodie, Rocky, Shaherose, Clement, the friendly student outside the local high school, Shara, Mattea, Meike, Sophie, Cynthia, and the Hungarian gentleman in a favorite coffee shop who wept as he thought of his mother. Thank you for sharing your languages, your voices, and your support. To Everett, for your heartfelt reading of Langston Hughes' memorable poem, and to Carolyn, for stepping out from the Temple of Hercules in Amman, Jordan, to record and share the Mother's Day Proclamation you inspired me with last year: boundless thanks. EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

This is the first episode to feature an interview – and what a person to speak with. Alice Waters is an icon – a catalyst shaping the US Farmers Market, Slow Food, Farm to Table, and many other movements that champion both our health and the health of our planet. She's also the visionary founder of Chez Panisse, the legendary Berkeley, CA restaurant that challenged assumptions about what a restaurant might be, and won the many accolades that affirm its place in the history of cuisine. This episode focuses on three mindsets that have driven her impact. In Episode 7 we'll look at the skillsets she's enacted as she's – literally changed the world. In Episode 10, expect to explore what I see as the "brainsets" her intentions and practices have shaped – and how she uses them to advocate for a future where we celebrate our senses and the environment that activates them. Be sure to visit the Episode page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/5. You'll find some fascinating history and resources there. And come back soon for the rest of Alice's story. I promise you'll be as dazzled as I am. EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Run this mindfulness guide in background while you're living everyday life. It activates new ways of thinking that may boost  your mindful moments as you continue the exercises it suggests. This is the very first Everyday Mindfulness practice on this podcast. I'll share one every week, each with a focus on a life experience, activity, or part of the brain that deserves thought and reflection. As always, you can find a resource page for each episode. This one is at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/4If you're looking to boost mindfulness and the healthy results it delivers, start here. And come back soon for a new topic, cross-training your brain to bring mindfulness to more of your life. EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Understanding how the brain ages is a cause for concern to many – especially since we are all, well... aging. That's how life works. Yet  research points to a surprising "Aha!" about how mindful practices might support brain health in a meaningful way at any life chapter.  Listen in for the science going on in the grey stuff of the brain so you can direct your thoughts toward perhaps making it healthier, through all the years.  Be sure to try the short, easy visualization at the end of the episode. It will encourage both mindful thought and neuronal activity in a few important regions of the brain.Find episode notes and images at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/3Thank you for being here. I hope you'll subscribe and come back soon. Best,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

The brain's newest, most uniquely human, and singularly powerful Prefrontal Cortex – the PFC – delivers many of the functions and abilities we want more of in our lives. Yet it's not always available when we need it – until, that is, we learn how it works and how WE can work with it.This episode invites you to explore the PFC's abilities and the challenges to accessing them so that you can begin to practice the mindsets and mindstates that will, with time, keep that intentional powerhouse more readily online. I've shared some fun links, a video about the PFC, and follow-ups on this episode's resource page: www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/2. Take a look, and email me at [email protected] with suggestions, or  topics you'd like to learn more about. Thank you for being here and please listen in again soon. Best,EllenNeuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comwww.ellenleanse.com

Here are five important insights about the brain that might come in handy as you navigate this thing called life – and especially as you look to update habits or reset outdated ways of doing things. Pay special attention to Tip #5 ... it's a great one to have around if you're ready to make changes in your thoughts, behaviors, or ways of seeing the world. This is my inaugural episode (hooray!) so I'm very thankful to have you here. Please subscribe so you're first to know about future episodes – and visit this episode's page at www.thebrainandbeyond.com/episodes/1 for illustrations, helpful links, and other resources about the brain. Thank you for being here and please listen in again soon. Best, Ellen Neuroscience Educator, Author, and Coachwww.ellenleanse.comTheme music: Land Where I Belong by Lucia Lilikoiwww.ellenleanse.com