CTZN

Latest Episodes:

Run for Something: Erin Schrode Jun 07, 2018

Show notes

Erin Schrode was an activist in the womb. By the age of 13 she had started a non-profit called Turning Green, a global student-led movement devoted to cultivating a healthy, just and thriving planet through education and advocacy around environmentally sustainable and socially responsible choices. She is young and passionate and hungry.

And it’s not that she’s fearless but rather fear-with. She can face her fear and do it anyway. And at the age of 24, she surprised even herself when she decided to run for office, becoming the youngest person ever to have run for Congress. In this podcast, Erin talks to us about taking risks, doing the right thing and living a life of service.

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If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @erinschrode and click below to tweet:

What gets lost when we wait for the right time? @runforsomething's @erinschrode talks with @kkellyyoga about taking risks - because the stakes are too high not to make an impact: ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast #CTZN @ctznwell

More about this episode:

In this podcast, we talked with Erin Schrode about what it takes to take risks and make leaps. And it reminded me of an article I read recently that said the problem for women is not winning - it’s deciding to run. When women run they are just as likely to get elected as men.

But as Erin described her process of deciding, you could hear that narrative that women in particular embody - that we are never ready, never good enough, never smart enough or resourced enough to do anything much less run for office. I was inspired by Erin’s story of choosing to go all in, despite what was stacked against her.

And she had me reflect on what gets lost when we wait for the right time? What’s at stake when we don’t go for it? When we live up to our potential? And her secret is this: before she decides to do anything big, she asks herself three questions:

1-Where can I be most impactful?

2-What am I most passionate about?

3-What best sets me up for a lifetime of service?

And she is proving that we can start before we’re ready. And often when we do, we surprise even ourselves around what we are capable of.

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Breaking the Silence: Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts May 31, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, we are sitting down with Dr. Chelsea Roberts, school teacher, yoga influencer, activist and truth-teller, as we talk about breaking the silence and how to live up to the promise of oneness in yoga and wellness communities. She believes in the power of yoga in restorative justice work and is on a mission to create more inclusive and authentic spaces of healing.

Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts, former school teacher and Doctor of Education Studies, is breaking the mold and changing the face of yoga. She says that if we really want to be committed to healing in the yoga and wellness world, we have to be willing to confront the truth of how we are replicating systems of oppression and exclusion in those spaces. We have to break the silence.

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @chelsealovesyoga and click below to tweet:

Dr. Chelsea Jackson Roberts @ChelseaJaya is changing the face of #yoga. She says if we're committed to healing, we have to confront the truth of how we're replicating systems of oppression & exclusion in those spaces. ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast @ctznwell @kkellyyoga #CTZN

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Taking Back Our Power: Jamia Wilson May 24, 2018

Show notes

Jamia Wilson is many things: an activist, a feminist, a storyteller, a media-maker and a thought leader. But more than anything, she is a truth teller. In this podcast, you experience the full power and spectrum of Jamia’s feminist truth and perspective. And what I found most compelling in our conversation was her ability to be both brave and vulnerable at the same time. Jamia isn’t afraid to get uncomfortable, to tackle tough issues and to hold the complexity of our intersectionality. The deeper that we're willing to go within ourselves - in our own ability not just to speak the truth, but to know it - the more we can hold the truth for others.

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @jamiaawilson, and click below to tweet:

.@jamiaw isn't afraid to talk about the tough stuff and confront with love. Check our her truth-telling interview with @kkellyyoga on #CTZN Podcast at ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast @feministpress @ctznwell

More about this episode:

What I really appreciate about Jamia Wilson is that she is never afraid to “go there” - to talk about the tough stuff, the issues that make people uncomfortable, to confront one another with love. But as we discuss in this podcast, speaking truth to power isn’t just something we fling around. It’s a skill set that we cultivate and channel. To build the muscle of authentic and courageous communication requires self awareness, a commitment to relationship and a curiosity and consciousness about how we got here and what it’s gonna take to change.

And that is the perfect superpower for Jamia who is an activist, author and the executive director of the Feminist Press. Jamia is not just known for her provocative words, but is becoming the go-to interviewer for provocative conversations with some of the the biggest feminist icons of our time including Solange, Erykah Badu and the legend herself Congresswoman Maxine Waters.

Jamia recalled some of what she’s learned from this lineage of feminists saying “it’s not just about reclaiming your time but about reclaiming your power.” In this interview, she challenges us to contemplate how we can be more fearless about leaning into our purpose, trusting our instincts and channeling our power. Powerful advice from a powerful woman.

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Joy Is an Act of Resistance: Paola Mendoza May 17, 2018

Show notes

In our conversation, Paola Mendoza talks about our capacity to hold two truths at the same time. And she really embodies that. She is relentless in her resistance to the racist policies of this administration, to defending and protecting the undocumented community, and to fighting for the freedom and wellbeing of women and children.

But she is simultaneously passionate in her expression, ecstatic in song and dance, and generous in her love as an organizer and mother. And she shows us that we can be many things at the same time. We need to be.

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @paolamendoza, and click below to tweet:

"Without joy, you can only resist for so long before you break." @paolamendoza on #CTZN Podcast with @kkellyyoga @ctznwell ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast #joyisanactofresistance @resistancerev

More about this episode:

Paola Mendoza – filmmaker, author, mother, and resistor - is taking on some of the biggest issues facing humanity, and she believes that artists have a unique and essential role in catalyzing change and opening the heart of America.

In this episode, Paola talks about the essential role of joy in our activism. And I've struggled with this, especially as a white, cisgender, straight person, with lots of privilege points. My activism has been intense and serious and sacrificial. I didn't give myself permission for joy. I was righteous in my commitment, but I was constantly burned out and tired. I became snarky and cynical, and I forgot how to have fun.

What I learned from Paola, and what I'm starting to practice myself, is that joy itself is an act of resistance. In our conversation, Paola said, "Without joy, you can only resist for so long before you break." And communities on the front lines are really modeling this.

Joy is the medicine. It keeps us resilient, it keeps us inspired, and it keeps us going. When we claim our joy, it is a radical act of defiance. In it, we affirm our existence and worthiness. Our expression in and of itself is disruptive to the status quo that tries to get us to be complicit and conform. When we sing and dance and draw and sculpt, we are shaping a new story of what is possible for ourselves and one another. One that is centered in love, justice, and interdependence.

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Love Your Enemies (It Will Drive Them Crazy): Sharon Salzberg May 09, 2018

Show notes

In this episode, we are talking about love. Not the mushy, romantic kind of love. But Real Love - how to love when it’s hard or less obvious; how to love when we don’t agree; how to love in the face of so much division and oppression.

And we are turning to the incredibly wise Sharon Salzberg, meditation master and and best-selling author. Sharon has been teaching Metta meditation, or loving kindness, since 1974. She’s been seminal, not just in bringing meditation and mindful practice to the west, but in modernizing the practice, making it relatable and accessible. Her latest book, Real Love, does just that. In our conversation, we tackle everything from loving our enemies to empathy burn-out to befriending our inner critic and to voting as an act of love.

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @sharonsalzberg, and click below to tweet:

“Real Love is not about letting yourself off the hook. Real love does not encourage you to ignore your problems or deny your mistakes or imperfections. You see them clearly & still opt for love.” @sharonsalzberg on #CTZN Podcast with @kkellyyoga @ctznwell ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast

More about this episode:

Sharon’s book really challenged my ideas about love, especially given the state of the world. It’s hard to love people who are perpetuating harm and separation. But if I’m being honest, I equally struggle with loving myself. And whenever I’d hear or read about self love, I’d roll my eyes. It just seemed impossible to me. Instead I had my own flavor of love - one that was conditional and perfectionist. A perspective, I realize, that is not very different from the culture of scarcity and supremacy that is profiting off of the idea that love or worthiness must be earned; that one must be “good enough” to get or give love.

But that’s not what Sharon is talking about. Instead, she offers a more complex and inclusive perspective on real love. She says: “Real Love is not about letting yourself off the hook. Real love does not encourage you to ignore your problems or deny your mistakes or imperfections. You see them clearly and still opt for love.”

Love has the capacity to exist beyond difference and division, beyond imperfections and mistakes. And when we understand real love for ourselves, we can understand it for others - especially when it’s hard. What Sharon is teaching, and what I’m learning for myself, is that love, too, is a practice.

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Getting to the Heart of #MeToo: Tarana Burke May 02, 2018

Show notes

Tarana Burke set the #MeToo movement in motion long before the Harvey Weinstein scandal, the Alyssa Milano tweet or the Time’s Up campaign. It actually began more than a decade ago in Alabama to support brown and Black survivors of sexual violence. Since then, the call has gone viral, and Tarana is on a mission to help survivors navigate what comes after the hashtag. Whether you're a survivor or an ally, everyone has a place in this movement, she says. And as you’ll hear in this interview, she is proving that a movement of radical healing is not only possible, it’s happening.#MeToo is not just a movement for white cisgender women. It's about giving young people language, survivors a way forward, and the community coming together to combat sexual assault.

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Check out the MeTooMvmt.

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @taranaburke, and click below to tweet:

“If we don’t center the voices of maringalized people, than we are doing the wrong work” @taranaburke @kkellyyoga @ctznwell #CTZN ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast

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Change the People, Change the System: Seane Corn Apr 25, 2018

Show notes

She's blunt, brilliant, hilarious, and an abundance of wisdom. Seane Corn is a world renowned master yoga teacher, but to just call her a yoga teacher feels absurd. She is a provocative and moving public speaker. She's the founder of the nonprofit, Off the Mat Into the World, which has trained over 5,000 people in how to bridge personal transformation and social change. And she's about to be an author for her first book, which knowing her, will be a juicy “tell all” about her journey from spiritual practice to social action. But, what you will experience of Seane on this podcast, and what I know of her in person, is that she is relentless in her pursuit of truth and transformation.

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Buy Seane’s Book Revolution of the Soul

Check out Seane’s website for upcoming events

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @seanecorn and click below to tweet:

We can’t stand on the sidelines. We cannot sit back and have magical thinking that suddenly this is all going to transform without actually getting involved. @ctznwell @kkellyyoga @jerseycorn #CTZN ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast

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America Is Ready for Love: Marianne Williamson Apr 19, 2018

Show notes

Today, we are talking with Marianne Williamson, spiritual activist, best selling author, and total bad-ass. But what most people don't know about her is that she is a political powerhouse. In this episode, we’re talking about the relationship between spirituality and politics, how to be a strong woman in today’s world and getting back to loving America again. I call Marianne Williamson the matriarch of our movement. Because she’s not just bringing it on the spiritual front, she is bringing it on the political front and blazing a trail for what she calls integrative politics - a politics that is rooted in love and humanity and what we are here to do for one another.

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Check out her website for upcoming events, lectures and courses.

Buy her book Healing the Soul of America

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell @kkellyyoga @mariannewilliamson and click below to tweet:

“I don’t see politics so much a part of my spiritual practice, I see it as a part of my human practice. And i see my spirituality is about being human” @marwilliamson @ctznwell @kkellyyoga #ctznpodcast https://ctt.ac/dpEbw+

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Why Meditation Is Not Enough: Rev. angel Kyodo williams Apr 18, 2018

Show notes

Reverend angel Kyodo williams, born and raised in New York, is an ordained zen priest and sensei. She is acclaimed author of Radical Dharma and Being Black: Zen and the art of living with fearlessness and grace, and that is a perfect title to describe her. She is a force of nature. In this episode, Rev angel talks about how we need to hold the intersectional complexity of who we are in America and how we came to be here. She challenges us to go beyond what is politically correct or socially acceptable and do the simple and radical thing of practicing justice and being in relationship with one another.

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And check out her website for events, lectures and social syllabi on allyship and inclusive feminism.

Buy Radical Dharma: Talking Love, Justice & Liberation

If this episode resonates for you, we’d love for you to take a screenshot and tag us on Instagram stories @ctznwell and @zenchangeangel and click below to tweet:

We are looking at a pivotal point in our nation's history where we can take a turn towards very different america. And the question is “what side of that conversation are we going to be on?” @zenchangeangel @kkellyyoga @ctznwell #CTZNpodcast ctznwell.org/ctznpodcast

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