Becoming Nature Podcast

In this episode, I speak with Woniya Thibeault who appeared on the show "Alone" and was the first woman to win a season. Woniya joined two seasons of the show. First lasting 73 days alone in the wild on the brink of starvation. And won the second season ‘Frozen', as the first woman in ‘Alone' show history. It felt even more special to speak to her, as she won the show on my birth land of Labrador. We talk about shares her experience in Labrador and the similarities and differences between that location and the Northwest Territories. Woniya reflects on the importance of self-care and the societal pressures around winning and money.

Sophie Strand is a writer based in the Hudson Valley who focuses on the intersection of spirituality, storytelling, and ecology. But it would probably be more authentic to call her a neo-troubadour animist with a propensity to spin yarns that inevitably turn into love stories. Her first book of essays The Flowering Wand: Lunar Kings, Lichenized Lovers, Transpecies Magicians, and Rhizomatic Harpists Heal the Masculine is forthcoming in 2022 from Inner Traditions. Her eco-feminist historical fiction reimagining of the gospels The Madonna Secret will also be published by Inner Traditions.   She is currently researching her next epic, a mythopoetic exploration of ecology and queerness in the medieval legend of Tristan and Isolde.

Sarah has been a death doula and ritual healing practitioner since 2012.  Her work helps dying people and their families connect with each other, and with the innate wisdom of the dying process.  Sarah's approach draws on nature-­based spirituality, sacred sciences, and the richness of the human soul. She designs and facilitates ceremonies that help her clients to integrate experiences of death, loss, and transformation. These rituals honour the spiritual significance of what's happening, and bring healing to the living, the dying, and the dead.

As one of the leading storytellers, Jan Blake has been performing worldwide for over twenty-five years. Specialising in stories from Africa, the Caribbean, and Arabia, she has a well-earned reputation for dynamic and generous storytelling. Recent highlights include Hay Festival, where she was storyteller in-residence, the Viljandi Harvest Festival in Estonia and TEDx Warsaw. As well as performing at all the major storytelling festivals both nationally and internationally, she works regularly with the British Council, leads storytelling workshops for emerging storytellers, and gives masterclasses for teachers, brands, and businesses. She also regularly captivates school children with mesmerising stories.

Executive Editor at the Center for Humans and Nature Gavin Van Horn, joins on for a conversation about kinship. How it is beyond genetics and more about the relational. 

This conversation has invited me to look at those in my mirror. Where I try to polish and where I accept the invitation. In the broader scale where we in West are so busy polishing that our arms are falling off. It takes some breathing deeply and a commitment to not turn away. About Bayo Bayo Akomolafe (Ph.D.), rooted with the Yoruba people in a more-than-human world, is the father to Alethea and Kyah, the grateful life-partner to Ije, son and brother. A widely celebrated international speaker, posthumanist thinker, poet, teacher, public intellectual, essayist, and author of two books, These Wilds Beyond our Fences: Letters to My Daughter on Humanity’s Search for Home (North Atlantic Books) and We Will Tell our Own Story: The Lions of Africa Speak, Bayo Akomolafe is the Chief Curator of The Emergence Network and host of the online postactivist course, ‘We Will dance with Mountains’.

How easy is it to buy farmland and give it back to nature. This is what we are talking about today.  David Katznelson was born and brought up in Denmark, David specialised in Cinematography at the National Film & Television School in the UK. Since graduating in 2000, he has lived in London, and shot a number of feature films, TV pilots, TV series and won several awards including an EMMY, a BAFTA and an RTS He has now bought a huge piece of land in Denmark and wants to create a national park. Listen in on his journey. 

She spent 7 years writing the book, about her journey around the World, meeting indigenous people and seeking the will of wild. This is where this conversation begins. what is wild, wilderness what is it to be an apprentice to something what does it mean to give time a note on activism and climate despair and fatigue It was just as rich speaking with her, as it is reading her book. Jay Griffiths has written on the politics of time, and the importance of wildness in the human spirit and the natural world in childhood. She was born in Manchester, studied at Oxford and has lived in Wales since 2000.  Her fiction includes A Love Letter from a Stray Moon, about the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, and Anarchipelago, about the road protests.  She was the Hay Festival International Fellow for 2016.

Angaangaq Angakkorsuaq is a shaman, traditional healer, storyteller and carrier of the Qilaut (winddrum), whose  family belongs to the traditional healers of the Far North from Kalaallit Nunaat, Greenland. His name means ‘The Man Who Looks Like His Uncle’. Since he was a child he was trained by his family- especially by his Grandmother Aanakasaa – for becoming a shaman. The spiritual task given by his mother is: “Melting the Ice in the Heart of Man”. www.icewisdom.com

My dear friend and mentor Stefana Serafina is our guest today. Her work has transformed my life. The way I live in my body and what I experience because of the intimate relationship with its language. It became a very rich conversation about body, my body, your body, the body as the extension of Earth. . A conversation and reflection about the risk of not including our bodies (again!) in the visioning for the new world that might be shaping with this crisis.  About the body having to be the guide and the way in this hopeful emergence of a renewed human race.  I’m so excited to share her work with you! We would love to hear what you take away from this episode.   ABOUT STEFANA: Stefana Serafina, M.A., is an embodiment educator, writer, and embodied empowerment facilitator based in the San Francisco Bay. She is recognized for her unique and multi-faceted approach to body–based self–discovery and transformation. She is the founder of Intuitive Body and Dance ©, which has grown into an international platform providing resources, experiences, and education for returning to our bodies’ inherent intelligence

Rachel Corby is a very special teacher, and I’ve had the privilege to have her teach courses 2 years in a row. In this episode we will be talking about working with plants. About what plant whispering means and how this work is more important today than ever. She is a very experienced and respectful teacher - to the plants and students and her wisdom runs deep.  

This conversation is with Leah Lamb. She is a storyteller, a writer and thinker. An activist. Last year I joined her course and dived in to the world of storytelling and storytellers from around the world. This art is revolutionary and we are all storytellers. So what stories are we telling? Listening to? And trusting? Leah Lamb is a writer and producer. She is the creator of Soul Stories and the Speak the Spark, storytelling for a new paradigm, program.  Her work plays with a lexicon that weaves myths, archetypes, and the hero’s journey into our modern world. She’s been a voice for the environment as a producer and host of the green channel at Current TV, and have written for Fast Company, Vice, Spirituality & Health Magazine, National Geographic News Watch, GOOD, The Huffington Post, and the Discovery Channel’s Planet Green. 

We are back and we kick off season two with a talk about sustainability, leadership. We take journey back to where we began moving away from nature and it’s intelligence and more importantly ´, where we stopped seeing ourselves as nature, a part of this eco-system. The guest is Laura Storm, my friend, inspiration and, in May, my partner holding a retreat we’ve called ‘Rewilding yourself in the Workplace’. Laura Storm has spent her entire career working in the intersection between business, leadership, sustainability, climate change policy and innovation leading and creating impact- and purpose-driven organizations, conferences, campaigns and movements.  Currently she dedicates all her work to Regenerators that she started in February 2018 and is getting ready to launch her book on Regenerative Leadership in June 2019 with her colleague and leadership expert Giles Hutchins. 

Sandra Ingerman is a world renowned teacher of shamanism and has been teaching for more than 30 years. She has taught workshops internationally on shamanic journeying, healing, and reversing environmental pollution using spiritual methods. Sandra is recognized for bridging ancient cross-cultural healing methods into our modern culture addressing the needs of our times.    Sandra is known for gathering the global spiritual community together to perform powerful transformative ceremonies as well as inspires us to stand strong in unity so we do our own spiritual and social activism work while keeping a vision of hope and being a light in the world. This conversation is about sacred ceremony. 

I was so excited to interview Luke. The way he shares his knowledge and skills inspiring. His love for this Earth poors through the screen. His mission is close to mine and I feel honored to share this with you listening. About Luke: Luke McLaughln is a naturalist, teacher, rewilder, mentor, survivalist, and founder of Holistic Survival School. Luke has committed his life to mastering and teaching ancestral and indigenous living skills in order to help people find their balance and connection to the Natural World.  Luke learned his skills working at a primitive wilderness therapy program in the West Desert of Utah.  With over 500 days on the trail, Luke has mentored hundreds of people in the wilderness and learned how Earth skills teach us vital life lessons

I can’t begin to tell you how much I looked forward to interviewing this woman. I watched her on the Alone Show and was blown away by how she approached going out into the wild Alone. She is a true inspiration. Her love or the planet can only rub off on you. It became talk about the practical and down to earth ways of connecting - and why it is important. About Callie: Folk Herbalist. Songstress. Gardener. Witch. Magic Maker. Seeker. Life Enthusiast.   Born and raised on Lopez Island, Callie spent her formative years living a nature-based lifestyle in the Pacific Northwest. Her love of the outdoors and relationship with sacred plant medicine led her to open Pachamama Apothecary in the spring of 2016. Shortly after the shop opened, Callie was blessed with the opportunity to spend 72 days living alone in the foothills of the Andes Mountains in Patagonia, Argentina. She fished, foraged and relied completely on the land for survival. Her journey can be viewed on Season 3 of ALONE, on the History Channel.

Today’s guest is Alexandra Pope. Alexandra is the co founder of redschool.net along side Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer. She is also the author of several books including 'The Wild Genie: The Healing Power of Menstruation', 'The Women’s Quest Workbook' and co author of 'The Pill: are you sure it’s for you' and their book Wild Power  Alexandra is a women’s leadership coach and educator at the forefront of the emerging new field of menstruality, exploring woman’s psycho-spiritual journey from menarche to menopause and beyond.   5 years ago I followed a calling and did a menstrual, women’s body training with a beautiful teacher Laila Torsheim here in Denmark. It became confirmation of so many truths in my body, that I simply did not have a fully developed language for. She introduced us to our lovely guest today. A woman and a mission worth knowing.  I had the privilege of working a little closer with them during the launch of their book ‘Wild Power’ and it is a must read for women wanting to get intimate with their cycle. I will leave a link in the show notes.  To learn more about their amazing work go here: www.redschool.net

I interviewed Bea Johnson for the first time four years ago. At that time zero waste was beginning to grow. Today it is not only for the *fanatics* who like? to chill, it is becoming a well known and even more importantly - integratable life style. In our family we are still not close to zero Waste. But we have made many changes and are working our way there slowly. As you will hear Bea talk about the 5 R's, I know where I still feel challenged - the refuse one. We don't buy a lot. But we say yes to way too much stuff we don't need. I feel fueled and filled again with inspiration after speaking to her. And even though you may not feel called to go *all the way*, I guarantee you will be called to make a few changes in your home. If we all did just a fraction of what she is doing, I can hardly imagine how it could shift things around. For more info go to www.zerowastehome.com 

Today’s guest is Easkey Britton. A scientist, academic and social activist, with a PhD in Environment and Society, Easkey is always one to look in places others aren’t for the answers to difficult questions. Her curiosity and passion for fairness and gender equality are the qualities that others to her. She is co-founder of the non-profit Waves of Freedom which uses the power of surfing as a creative medium for social change and spear-headed the world’s first global Surf for Social Good Summit in Bali, Indonesia.  Her work and unique connection to the ocean led her to being asked to talk at TEDx Dublin and as a keynote speaker she has presented her work at international conferences, addressed global organisations and published numerous book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals. Easkey is a one off, wild hearted and free spirit. She’s ridden some of the biggest days in Ireland; no audience, no blue skies, no golden sands, just her and a crew she trusts. Doing something she loves; chasing cold water mountains.

You know those times you listen to a voice, a talk, a something that when it’s over you feel changed? That’s how I felt the first time I listened to Stephen Jenkinson talk. Even more so after interviewing him.  In this episode we talk about *elderhood and the disappearance of elders in our society *wisdom and what it is to be wise *his new book ‘Come of Age’.  *his work with people facing death His way of presenting these important themes is not full of fear, it is full of life and hope.  Enjoy his words.    STEPHEN JENKINSON is an activist, teacher, author, and farmer. He has a master's degree in theology from Harvard University and a master's degree in social work from the University of Toronto. Formerly a program director at a major Canadian hospital and medical-school assistant professor, Stephen is now a sought-after workshop leader, speaker, and consultant to palliative care and hospice organizations. He is the founder of The Orphan Wisdom School in Canada and the subject of the documentary film Griefwalker.

In this Episode 3 I interview Clare Dubois.    You will hear why trees and reforestation is important.  Clare share the amazing and wild story of how it all began.  Why the focus is on the tropical rainforest. What and where can we go if we want to make change locally  More importantly why Sisterhood and what is the potential if we reconnect to our inner nature and come together as a tribe.    Links mentioned in the Podcast:    www.treesisters.org   https://billiontrees.me   Woman on Fire Video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogMLcpvfN2o www.carinalyall.com   About Clare Dubois and TreeSisters Clare Dubois is the founder of TreeSisters.org, a feminine nature based organisation inspiring the world’s women to take shared leadership around tropical reforestation. TreeSisters reflects Clare’s exploration of the links between feminine consciousness and Nature’s intelligence. She and her team experiment overtly to discover how to call forth the unique capacities and creativity of women on behalf of the trees. Currently funding over 2M trees a year, they are calling for all of us to help them reach a goal of a billion trees a year as fast as we possibly can in the face of accelerating climate change. Clare is known for her whole systems approach to behaviour change and her unending loyalty and love for the natural world. For two decades she created behaviour change processes within the personal growth and social change sectors, and volunteered for three years as the UK co-ordinator for a massive agro-forestry initiative in southern India called Project GreenHands (PGH) before initiating TreeSisters.  In her own life, her aim is to reclaim balance, rediscover freedom and health and to be 'walking permission' for those who are fed up of being held back, and just want to have a go.

6 Plastic Free Solutions for Your Everyday Life In this mini episode I present6 easy swaps from plastic to plastic freeyou can make in your home. These won't cost you much, some will even save you money. Comfort wise you should still be covered as well... ;)  Is it full on Zero waste with little selection, no. Is it a good start, YES. This may tickle your curiosity to more changes, more ways to limit your waste. We all start with what and where we can.  Some of them you probably know, or have heard of, maybe you just forgot or don't have resources for where to get your hands on them. Maybe this is your first time looking into what you can do to decrease amounts of trash and plastic in your household.  Either Way I hope you will find it helpful and feel free to share with your friends that may need some Inspiration.  The links presented are NOT affiliate links, just companies I really like or have been recommended. I've tried to link to companies that are located on different continents, so we lower the foot print that shipping World Wide can leave! Also most big Cities now have stores dedicated to Zero Waste living. Health Food Stores have more and more options for plastic free living etc. And the more we ask, the more they will respond to the demand. Our Dollar is our vote.  Go to www.carinalyall.com for resources

With us today on the Episode 1 and 1st Season of the Becoming Nature Podcast Show is Frederikke Magnussen. Co Founder of A Plastic Planet.  We talk about the facts about single use plastic, how we can turn off the tap and where we can put pressure to help turn the climate ship around.  A Plastic Planet (APP) is a grassroots movement launched in January 2017 with a single goal – to turn off the plastic tap. They want to dramatically reduce the use of conventional plastic; especially that used to package our food and drink. Recent history has proven that recycling this kind of plastic is not the answer; it is valueless, too difficult to reclaim and often contaminated. It’s fundamentally the wrong use of plastic in the first place. But right now, the public have no choice but to buy their food and drink packaged in this indestructible plastic. When you can buy gluten-free, fat-free, dairy-free; why can we not buy plastic-free? Learn more about their mission here: http://www.aplasticplanet.com/our-single-goal.php