Commune with Jeff Krasno

Byron Katie became severely depressed while in her thirties. Over a ten-year period, her depression deepened, and for the last two years, Katie was seldom able to leave her bedroom. Then one morning, in the depths of despair, she experienced a life-changing realization. Katie saw that when she believed her thoughts, she suffered; when she didn’t believe her thoughts, she didn’t suffer. What had been causing her depression was not the world around her, but what she believed about the world around her. In a flash of insight, The Work was born. In this episode, Jeff does The Work with Byron Katie, recalling and reliving a difficult moment in his childhood and turning what was a painful memory into an opportunity for growth. To learn more about Commune’s course with Byron Katie, visit https://www.onecommune.com/the-work-of-byron-katie

Is it possible to remove all suffering from our lives? What is the difference between happiness and joy? Danielle LaPorte took this on as a research project for 10 years, and the metaphor she now uses is simple: Joy is the atmosphere, and happiness is the clouds passing through. Joy is foundational. And from that foundation you can begin to unpack your suffering. You can assemble the tools to for your joy. As Danielle says, "When you're in the pit, you forget you have a shovel." Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

Dr. Mary Pardee is a functional medicine and neuropathic doctor who specializes in gastroenterology. Often these days we hear the words, "gut health". But what does it actually mean? Our bodies, and especially our guts, are all built differently and it can become easy to end up going down the wrong gut health path when you're not aware of what's right for you. Learn how, in working with your doctor, you can get to the root of your own gut health and find ways to thrive both inside and out. Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

We often consider the fight for global warming as simply the elimination of greenhouse gasses. We need more fuel efficient or electric cars, more solar, and more wind power... But that only slows the dive toward catastrophe. Regenerative agriculture actually sequesters carbon and restores the earth to balance. Finian Makepeace, founder of Kiss the Ground, works with farmers and businesses to show them how to replenish soil, but there's a role for us all to play — as consumers and advocates. Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

What does it mean to live in "The Beautiful State?" Each of our individual lives are full of positives and negatives, of successes and failures, and of suffering. So how might we move past our suffering and enter a more beautiful state of being? Often people think we must overcome entirely our personal sufferings, but the beautiful state isn't about achieving the impossible. It is about creating and nurturing the kinds of lives we want for ourselves. Join our guest Preetha Ji as she helps us explore ways to achieve that beautiful state of being. Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

It's our pod-iversary! We've been doing the Commune Podcast one whole year now, and Jeff takes a look back on some of his favorite conversations. What have we learned this past year and how can we weave these lessons into our lives and relationships? We thank you for being such an important part of Commune and hope you're just as excited as we are for the year ahead! Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

Marianne Williamson is a world-renowned spiritual teacher and bestselling author (Return to Love). She’s also an activist and former congressional candidate. The thread in her career is one of spiritual transformation and political activism, but when Marianne began speaking and writing on those topics, a professional path wasn't really visible. In this episode, we hear about how Marianne carved her own career path, and talk about what happens when we look at the history of American politics through a global, spiritual lens. Listen in as we look back on an episode with Marianne from last year, especially now as she continues her political path toward one of love and understanding. Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

What does childbirth look like from the doctor’s perspective? And how can women better work with their doctors – and the medical system as a whole – to improve the labor and delivery experience? This week Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz shares insights, stories, and hospital hacks with Schuyler Grant, host of Commune's 21-day program Empowered Birth. If you are pregnant (or thinking about it), head on over to onecommune.com/birth to take the program completely free from August 12-September 1. Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

Why does our birth culture treat low-risk women like high-risk patients? And how does that imact birth outcomes? Schuyler Grant, host of Commune's 21-day program, Empowered Birth, talks with midwife Elizabeth Bachner on how to navigate the pressures of the modern medical system and make even a hospital birth more homey. To learn more about the Empowered Birth course and to take the program completely free from August 12-September 1, go to onecommune.com/birth. Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.

"Think for a moment about the stories you tell yourself about childbirth… None of us remember our own births, and many of us don’t even know our mother’s (or father’s) story of how we were born. And the births we hear about are usually the dramatic or traumatic, because a smooth, easy birth doesn’t make much of a story. What’s more, the way babies are born in movies and on TV certainly doesn’t help paint a picture of diversity and nuance in labor… you don’t see many women in a birth tub or crawling around on all fours on Grey’s Anatomy. In fact the power of the imagery most of us have – a woman on her back, screaming bloody murder – is more than pernicious… it is a recipe for stalled labor. In today’s episode, guest host Schuyler Grant attempts to change that imagery, starting with the story of her birth day. If you are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, check out Schuyler's new Commune course, Empowered Birth! onecommune.com/birth" Learn more about Commune courses and events at onecommune.com.