Talks 21 — The Karel Janeček Podcast

Karel Janeček
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Každých 21 dní zve Karel Janeček k upřímné a otevřené konverzaci výjimečné osobnosti z různých oblastí – vědy, filozofie, vzdělávání, zdraví, technologií, spirituality a systémových změn. Talks 21 je prostorem pro lidskost, hloubku a inspiraci. Hledáme nové perspektivy, odvahu vidět věci jinak a přístupy, které pomáhají žít smysluplný, opravdový a svobodný život – pro nás i pro naše děti.  Every 21 days, Karel Janeček hosts open and honest conversations with outstanding guests from science, philosophy, education, health, technology, spirituality, and systemic transformation. Talks 21 is a space for depth, authenticity, and inspiration. We seek fresh perspectives, the courage to see things differently, and ideas that help us live lives that are authentic, meaningful, and free – for ourselves and for our children.

  1. 4d ago

    Leigh McCloskey: Art as the Language of Creation | Talks 21

    What if art is not just a form of expression, but the language through which we create our world? Artist Leigh McCloskey walked away from Hollywood to explore that question, and has spent more than forty years doing it. You may know him as Mitch Cooper from Dallas. But Leigh has spent years hand-painting the inside of his own home in Malibu in California (US) – the floor, the walls, the ceiling, even the books – turning it into a single immersive artwork he calls The Hieroglyph of the Human Soul. We recorded this entire conversation inside that room. He is also the creator of Tarot ReVisioned, seventeen-year exploration of the archetypes and symbolic structures of the tarot. For Leigh, art is not something we do for a living. It is the language we use to create who we are. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 Why art and science were once different tools for exploring the same questions, and what we lost when they drifted apart. 🔹 Leigh's belief that we are not here to arrive somewhere, but to unfold and grow – and why the moments when we feel most stuck may be exactly when something new opens. 🔹 How art can move and even heal us – not by explaining anything, but by letting us truly feel something. 🔗 If you would like to learn more about Leigh's work, you can find it at leighmccloskey.com. Timestamps 0:00:00 Theme song  0:00:18 Introduction  0:01:38 Why Art and Science Were Never Meant to Be Separate  0:12:15 What a Home Can Give That the World Cannot  0:22:51 How Beauty Is Earned Rather Than Taken  0:33:38 Why We Are Here to Blossom Rather Than Arrive  0:46:06 What Happens When Power Becomes an Addiction  0:56:21 How Being Ordinary Lets Us Finally Be Ourselves  1:05:46 Where You Can Learn More About Leigh's Work 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    Leigh McCloskey: Art as the Language of Creation | Talks 21

  2. Jul 30

    How Architecture Shapes Our Brain – Neuroscience & Architecture Panel | Talks 21

    Can the room you're in right now be quietly changing your brain? An architect, a circadian rhythm expert, and a neuroscientist suggests that it can.  I sit down with three special guests who look at that question from different angles: 🎙️ Kristine Mun is a Los Angeles-based architect, researcher, and educator whose work bridges architecture, neuroscience, and computational design. She serves on the executive committee of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture. 🎙️ Satchin Panda is a circadian rhythm expert whose research has helped advance our understanding of time-restricted eating and how the timing of food, light, and sleep influences health. 🎙️ Thomas Albright is a neuroscientist at the Salk Institute, a world-renowned research institution in La Jolla, California. His research focuses on visual perception, and he has applied his findings to fields ranging from architecture to forensic science. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 Why a hospital window can influence how quickly a patient recovers. 🔹 How changing the wall patterns in a Baltimore classroom affected students' stress and test results. 🔹 Why darkness at night is often overlooked in modern architecture. 🔹 What changed for patients and doctors at psychiatric hospital and a cardiac unit in Prague once they synced indoor lighting to the natural day-night cycle.  🔹 Why, according to Kristine, architecture has spent decades designing for comfort instead of health, and what that has cost us in terms of community and connection. 🔗 If you would like to learn more about my guests' work, you can find them at: Kristine Mun, PhD, and Thomas Albright, PhD – Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture: anfarch.org Satchin Panda, PhD – Circadian Rhythm Expert: mycircadianclock.org Timestamps 0:00:00 Introduction 0:03:34 How the Spaces We Live and Work In Affect Our Minds  0:12:37 What Is a House, Really 0:22:12 How Light and Nature Influence Our Health 0:34:15 How We Experience Space With Our Whole Body 0:41:56 Why Children Need Nature to Grow Up Right 0:56:36 How Architecture Can Help Us Feel Less Alone 1:03:40 Why It's Time to Design Houses Around the Human Body  1:09:06 How AI Is Changing the Way We Design Buildings 1:19:25 Why Comfort Should Not Be Architecture's Only Goal  1:23:57 Where You Can Learn More From Our Guests 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    How Architecture Shapes Our Brain – Neuroscience & Architecture Panel | Talks 21

  3. Jul 9

    Ross McKenzie: Healing Beyond a Bipolar Diagnosis | Talks 21

    What if a bipolar diagnosis is not the end of the story, but the beginning? Filmmaker Ross McKenzie spent more than twenty years finding out. In this episode of Talks 21, I sit down with Ross McKenzie, a Canadian filmmaker and co-creator of the documentary Bipolarized. More than thirty years ago, at the age of twenty-one, Ross experienced what he describes as a spiritual emergency. This led to hospitalisation, a bipolar diagnosis, and eighteen years on lithium – and ultimately to a twenty-year journey to understand what had really happened to him. Today, he works as a life coach, helping others look beyond their symptoms to uncover their root causes. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 What Ross calls becoming "the CEO of your own healthcare," and why this path requires patience, support, and guidance from people with real expertise. 🔹 The role of medication, why it can be essential in stabilising extreme states, but why, in Ross's view, it is only part of the answer.  🔹 Resilience, shadow work, and why the hardest moments in life may carry more meaning than we initially realise. 🔗 If you would like to learn more about Ross's work and his documentary Bipolarized, you can find them at rossmckenzie.com. Timestamps 0:00:00  Theme song 0:00:13  Introduction 0:01:27  What a Spiritual Emergency Taught Ross About Healing 0:08:25  What Ross Believes Our Symptoms Are Trying to Teach Us 0:18:53  Why the Hardest Moments Might Be the Most Valuable 0:33:34  Why Ross Believes Facing Our Shadows Sets Us Free 0:40:56  How Ross Learned to Be the CEO of His Own Healthcare 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    Ross McKenzie: Healing Beyond a Bipolar Diagnosis | Talks 21

  4. Jun 18

    The Future of Food Starts in Your Shopping Cart I Talks 21

    How can we grow our food in a world shaped by climate change, and what can nature teach us about resilience? In this episode of Talks 21, I sit down with three guests who each bring a different perspective:  Calla Rose Ostrander – co-founder of Terra Regenerative Capital, who has spent over a decade helping farmers, investors, and governments advance regenerative agriculture;  Henry Gordon-Smith – founder of Agritecture, a global consulting firm focused on climate-smart agriculture, who has led over 350 projects across 45+ countries and teaches at Columbia University in New York, one of the most prestigious universities in the US.  Andrew Carter – a pioneer in controlled environment agriculture with over 20 years of experience, including co-founding Smallhold, one of the largest specialty mushroom producers in the US. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 What regenerative agriculture means in practice and why it matters now.  🔹 How, according to Henry, restoring agriculture to cities could strengthen food security.  🔹 What the indigenous people of California understood about cultivating nature that we are only now rediscovering.  🔹 Why mushrooms are natural digesters and what their role is in restoring soil health.  🔹 Why Calla believes every food purchase is, in a sense, a quiet vote for the kind of world we want.  🔹 Why the future of farming lies in bringing nature and technology together. In a world where we constantly hear that human activity is putting pressure on the planet, this conversation offers something different: an optimistic yet grounded look at the future of our food and the planet that produces it. Timestamps 0:00:00  Theme song 0:00:13  Introduction 0:03:01  How Technology and Nature Can Work Together 0:10:52  Why There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Solution in Agriculture 0:22:46  What Indigenous Cultures Knew About Farming That We Forgot 0:36:42  Why Saving the Soil Matters for Climate Balance  0:50:41  How Mushrooms and Compost Turn Waste Back Into Food  0:56:41  What Role Does the Economy Play in Regenerative Agriculture 1:06:15  How Trusting Nature Brings Us Back to Ourselves 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    The Future of Food Starts in Your Shopping Cart I Talks 21

  5. May 28

    Darin Olien: Why Modern Comfort Can Quietly Weaken Us | Talks 21

    How do modern conveniences and lifestyles shape our personal freedom and health? In this episode of Talks 21, I sit down with Darin Olien – producer of the documentary series A Road Map To Happiness, co-creator of the Netflix series Down to Earth with Zac Efron, systems thinker, and author of books focusing on superfoods, environmental health, and the hidden traps of modern life. We start with a question that runs through the whole conversation: what does it really mean to be happy, and how much of it is in our own hands? According to Darin, happiness is less a state of constant euphoria and more a sense of inner equanimity – cultivated through small daily choices, the strength of our community, and a sense of purpose. We also explore a paradox many of us live with today: the comforts we create as a reward for our work can, at some point, begin to weaken us.  Whether you are reflecting on what a good life means to you, sensing that something in modern comfort is off, or looking for a more grounded view on community, freedom, and contentment, this conversation offers a thoughtful place to start. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 What, according to Darin, truly makes a human being happy. 🔹 Why the quality of our community may matter more for longevity than food or supplements. 🔹 How the conveniences of modern life can quietly turn against us. 🔹 Why stepping out of the comfort zone and meeting some pain belongs to a healthy life. 🔹 How personal sovereignty and a sense of purpose shape real contentment. 🔗 You can explore more of Darin’s work in his bestselling books SuperLife and Fatal Conveniences, or follow the updates regarding his upcoming project at www.roadtohappy.net. Timestamps 0:00:00  Theme song 0:00:13  Introduction 0:02:44  How Do We Reach Happiness According to Darin 0:11:07  The Role of Money in Happiness 0:13:09  Why Darin Doesn’t Wait for Others to Solve Problems 0:17:34  Why Real Happiness Lives Outside the Comfort Zone 0:21:10  The Story of Karel’s Awakening 0:24:20  How Darin Rebirthed Himself Through Pain 0:32:41  The Hidden Purpose of Pain & Suffering 0:41:41  How to Build Happiness One Habit at a Time 0:45:23  How Fakeness Is Pushing Us Back to What’s Real 0:50:34  Why Darin Believes Change Starts with Individuals 0:59:03  Darin’s Road to Happy Movement 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    Darin Olien: Why Modern Comfort Can Quietly Weaken Us | Talks 21

  6. May 7

    Daniel Pinchbeck: The Collapse of Civilization Is Our Greatest Opportunity | Talks 21

    Is the collapse of civilization actually our greatest opportunity? In this episode of Talks 21, we sit down with Daniel Pinchbeck – writer, cultural critic, and systems thinker, whose work has shaped conversations about the future of humanity for over two decades. We dive deep into Daniel's vision of a world at a turning point – from the hidden mechanics of cognitive capitalism and the rise of AI, to the spiritual crisis of meaning in the modern world. Daniel explains why capitalism has reached its breaking point, how technology is reshaping the human mind, and why the coming collapse may not be the end we fear, but the beginning of something far greater. Whether you're drawn to the philosophy of consciousness, concerned about the direction of modern society, or searching for a vision of what could come next, this conversation offers a rare and grounded look at the forces shaping our shared future. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 Why according to Daniel capitalism has reached its limit and what comes next. 🔹 How technology can either liberate us or take control of our minds. 🔹 Why so many people today feel like life has no meaning. 🔹 Why this crisis may be the beginning of something better. 🔹 The importance of initiation and why today's leaders are missing it. 🔗 You can explore more of Daniel's work in his books Breaking Open the Head, The Return of Quetzalcoatl, and How Soon Is Now?, or through the Liminal Institute, his platform for exploring consciousness and civilizational change: liminal.news.  Timestamps 0:00:00  Theme song 0:00:13  Introduction 0:01:07  Where Humanity Stands Today 0:04:38  The End of Materialism and the Return of Spirituality 0:11:53  Karel's Journey from Narrow to Expanded Rationality 0:15:58  What Kind of Future Awaits Us 0:20:45  How Do We Cultivate Ourselves Without Struggle 0:25:06  Facing the Collapse of Civilization 0:45:13  How to Communicate Across Divides 0:50:23  Do We Still Have a Chance 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    Daniel Pinchbeck: The Collapse of Civilization Is Our Greatest Opportunity | Talks 21

  7. Apr 16

    Rick Doblin: Net Zero Trauma by 2070 | MDMA & Psychedelic Therapy

    Can MDMA-assisted therapy solve the world’s most deep-seated conflicts? In this episode of Talks 21, we sit down with Rick Doblin, the visionary founder of MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies). Rick has spent over 40 years working tirelessly to transitionpsychedelics from counterculture to FDA-approved medicine. We dive deep into Rick’s personal journey – from his first encounters with LSD and the influence of Stan Grof, to his strategic battle against the DEA and the founding of MAPS in 1986. Rick candidly shares the mistakes made during the commercialisation of MDMA and his radical vision for "Net Zero Trauma" by 2070. Whether you are interested in the science of healing, the politics of drug reform, or the potential for psychedelics to foster peace in regions like Israel and Palestine, this conversation offers a profound look at the courage required to change the world. In this episode, we discuss: 🔹 The impact of the Holocaust and the Vietnam War on Rick’s mission. 🔹 The strategic shift from individual therapy to cultural and policy change. 🔹 The current status of the FDA approval for MDMA in the United States. 🔹 How to build bridges with those who think differently to find common ground. 🔹 Rick’s philosophy: focus on effort over outcome to build a lasting legacy. 🔗 You can support MAPS by sharing resources, joining upcoming events, or participating in their educational programs. Consider engaging in community conversations, volunteering, or supporting ongoing research to help shape the future of psychedelic medicine: www.maps.org  Chapters 0:00:00 Theme song 0:00:13 Introduction 00:01:32 Rick’s Path to Psychedelics 00:18:22 Shifting Focus: From Individual Therapy to Public Policy 00:25:02 The Biggest Mistake in Building MAPS 00:31:46 The Future of MDMA Approval in the United States 00:34:58 A Vision for 2070: Achieving Net Zero Trauma 00:45:21 Healing Global Conflicts with MDMA 00:51:13 How to Overcome Fear and Spread Courage 01:03:45 Rick Doblin’s Legacy and Life’s Work 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    Rick Doblin: Net Zero Trauma by 2070 | MDMA & Psychedelic Therapy

  8. Jan 26

    About birth and life’s first lessons – Lilia Khousnoutdinova: O porodu a životních začátcích | Talks 21

    👶 What does childbirth look like up close when we see it not only as a medical procedure, but as a life-shaping experience? The guest of this episode is my beloved wife Lilia Khousnoutdinova, a historian, political scientist, guide through rites of passage, and the founder of the Propolis 33 Foundation. In our conversation, we discussed why childbirth is not only about the arrival of a child but also an experience that shapes our relationship to life, safety, and trust. We also touched on topics that are often overlooked — mortality, conscious parenting, home births, and how the environment influences the course of childbirth. Lilia shared what works well in Czech obstetrics and where there is still room for improvement. I invite you to a conversation about why childbirth can be an empowering experience, why postnatal care is just as important as care during birth, and what we can all do to better support mothers. 🎬 This episode is also the final 12th episode of the first season of the Talks 21 podcast. After this episode, we are taking a short break before returning with more inspiring conversations from around the world. 🔗 More information about Lilia’s projects and the Propolis 33 Foundation can be found on her website: www.lilia.cz ===== 👶 Jak vypadá porod zblízka, když se na něj podíváte nejen jako na lékařský výkon, ale jako na životní zkušenost? Hostem tohoto dílu je moje milovaná žena Lilia Khousnoutdinova – historička, politoložka, průvodkyně přechodovými rituály a zakladatelka nadačního fondu Propolis 33. V našem rozhovoru jsme mluvili o tom, proč porod není jen o příchodu dítěte, ale také o zkušenosti, která utváří vztah k životu, bezpečí a důvěře. Došlo i na témata, která se běžně opomíjejí – smrtelnost, vědomé rodičovství, domácí porody a to, jak prostředí ovlivňuje průběh porodu. Lilia přiblížila, co se v českém porodnictví daří a kde je stále prostor pro zlepšení. Zvu vás k rozhovoru o tom, proč může být porod posilujícím prožitkem, proč je péče po porodu stejně důležitá jako během něj a co všechno můžeme pro podporu rodiček udělat. 🎬 Tento díl je zároveň závěrečným 12. dílem první série podcastu Talks 21. Po této epizodě si dáváme krátkou pauzu, než se vrátíme s dalšími inspirujícími rozhovory z celého světa. 🔗 Další informace o projektech Lilie a nadačního fondu Propolis 33 najdete na jejím webu www.lilia.cz. 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and watch more interviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaJaxm7F1tK58bEnVoVliqg?sub_confirmation=1 Listen to the Talks 21 podcast also on: 🎧 Spotify → https://bit.ly/spotify-talks21 🎧 Apple Podcasts → https://apple.co/3VWWzwv 🌐 Official website of Karel Janeček: https://www.kareljanecek.com 📲 Follow Karel Janeček on social media: Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/karel252/ Facebook → https://www.facebook.com/kareljanecekcz 📩 Want to receive new episodes by email? Subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 💬 Do you have a guest suggestion or feedback? Write to us at: media@kareljanecek.com

    About birth and life’s first lessons – Lilia Khousnoutdinova: O porodu a životních začátcích | Talks 21
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Každých 21 dní zve Karel Janeček k upřímné a otevřené konverzaci výjimečné osobnosti z různých oblastí – vědy, filozofie, vzdělávání, zdraví, technologií, spirituality a systémových změn. Talks 21 je prostorem pro lidskost, hloubku a inspiraci. Hledáme nové perspektivy, odvahu vidět věci jinak a přístupy, které pomáhají žít smysluplný, opravdový a svobodný život – pro nás i pro naše děti.  Every 21 days, Karel Janeček hosts open and honest conversations with outstanding guests from science, philosophy, education, health, technology, spirituality, and systemic transformation. Talks 21 is a space for depth, authenticity, and inspiration. We seek fresh perspectives, the courage to see things differently, and ideas that help us live lives that are authentic, meaningful, and free – for ourselves and for our children.

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