Exploring all things shamanism, nature-based spirituality, earth-honouring traditions, deep ecology, storytelling and mythology, the path of awakening, holistic health and wellness, ceremony and ritual, rites of passage, and a remembering of the sacred ways.
Are you involved in sacred ceremony, plant medicine, psychedelics, and the exchange of money for these offerings? If so, tune into this episode where Caiyuda expands upon the recent social media drama, teasing apart some nuance and providing perspective on the converging themes of financial exchange, ceremony, transaction, reciprocity, culture, integrity, predatory behaviour and more. Enrol in the Visionary Medicines Program: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/visionary-medicines Join the Newsletter & Access the Free 21 Page eBook: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter --- Money, Ceremony & The Predator Path: A Modern Inquiry Section I: Money & The Sacred (Why is this Conversation so Charged?) Section II: Transaction, Reciprocity & The Stories We Inhabit Section III: Expanding the Context (Destruction, Privilege & Listening through Times of Change) Section IV: Pricing as a Portal, Payment as an Invitation Section V: Visibility, Vocation & Sacred Relating --- CONNECT WITH CAIYUDA YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora Twitter: https://x.com/caiyudakiora Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best Medicinal Mushroom, Tonic Herb & Adaptogenic Blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au (Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout) --- Get 10% off your Certified Organic 100% Grass Fed & Finished Beef Organ supplements at Cell Squared: https://www.cellsquared.com.au/?aff=140 (Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout) --- Get 10% off Blu Blockers and Red Light Therapies at BaxterBlue: https://www.baxterblue.com.au/?ref=CAIYUDA10 (Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout)
Mark Nara is the founder of Tattoo Pathway: an educational resource created to guide both clients and tattoo professionals toward a deeper, more meaningful approach to tattooing—one rooted in growth, intention, and sacred practice. Mark has been walking this path for roughly two decades, starting with an old-school apprenticeship before transitioning into more of a spiritual apprenticeship with a traditional holy man, which opened a new chapter of integrating tattooing with spiritual reality. Enrol in the Visionary Medicines Program: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/visionary-medicines Join the Newsletter & Access the Free 21 Page eBook: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter --- TOPICS WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE:
Luis Piazzetta is a medicine musician and the founder of Beyond Sounds - a school of medicine music. His musical journey began at the age of four, leading him from the heart of Brazilian culture to recording studios worldwide, where he has supported over 50 artists in expressing their creativity and recording their albums. Recently, his focus has shifted to Beyond Sounds, an online platform blending music and medicine. Through this project, he explores how music can expand consciousness, teaching and inviting indigenous representatives to share their traditions and deepen our understanding of their world. Inspired by his jungle expeditions and traditional initiations, Piazzetta's music emanates from a place of reverence and connection, inviting listeners to immerse themselves in emotion and embrace the joy of being alive. --- Enrol in the Visionary Medicines Program: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/visionary-medicines Join the Newsletter & Access the Free 21 Page eBook: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter --- TOPICS WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE: Musical Heritage and Family Influence The Healing Power of Music Voice and Healing in Medicine Music The Power of Music and Creative Expression Overcoming Limiting Beliefs in Singing The Intersection of Music, Self-Worth, and Validation Singing in Medicine Spaces: A Transformative Experience Understanding Medicine Music: Definition and Intent Prayer vs. Performance in Medicine Music Cultural Sensitivity and Appropriation in Music The Role of Language in Prayer and Music Tuning into the Energy of the Space Navigating Confusion and Holding Space The Power of Presence in Ceremony The Role of Silence in Healing Music Understanding Rhythm and Its Importance Beyond Sounds: A Journey into Medicine Music Luis Sings Us A Prayer to End The Episode --- CONNECT WITH CAIYUDA YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- CONNECT WITH LUIS: WEBSITE: https://www.beyondsounds.school INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/luispiazzetta https://www.instagram.com/beyondsounds.school YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@beyond_sounds WHATSAPP: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Lf90NUpfFqjEYsMhBLJwZh?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAacnfCy3VJGUnUztpx2Om8QUTzR_BTf_-y9rAmf4NMKO38OhvyaNtgMyX7F7-A_aem_SjrOTB34V4Z6qVRX4ZqFfw --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best Medicinal Mushroom, Tonic Herb & Adaptogenic Blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au (Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout) --- Get 10% off your Certified Organic 100% Grass Fed & Finished Beef Organ supplements at Cell Squared: https://www.cellsquared.com.au/?aff=140 (Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout) --- Get 10% off Blu Blockers and Red Light Therapies at BaxterBlue: https://www.baxterblue.com.au/?ref=CAIYUDA10 (Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout)
Enrol in the Visionary Medicines Program: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/visionary-medicines Join the Newsletter & Access the Free 21 Page eBook: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter --- TOPICS WE COVER IN THIS EPISODE: Diving deep into Mysticism & Consciousness The psychotic, the mystic and the uninitiated The relationship between human consciousness and plant consciousness How plant medicines can help us with problem solving processes and novel solutions "The role of plants is to save society" the inbuilt desire to alter consciousness San pedro cactus as understanding time as non-linear The symbiosis between beekeepers and their bees Are we as humans a virus to the planet? The choice to be creative or destructive Bei's early relationship with San Pedro Cactus Drinking medicine in the spiritual centre of the universe Huachuma and the body-mind-voice-speech complex San pedro cleaning the body-mind-spirit Purging the body through the visual cortex "These plants dont make people sick, people make themselves sick" Attuning to the idea of coherent innovation The role of a sponsor and prayer in Red Road ceremonies The role of San Pedro in spiritual stamina, focus and personal power The dynamics of ceremonial design Red cedar, the Lao Gong point, prayer and intentions Ayahuasca, cannabis and hops as feminine spirits San pedro as grandfather Ram Das - how do you want to die? How different geographical environments affect the characteristics of San Pedro Bei's take on the difference between Pachanoi, Bridgesii, Peruvianus Dialling down sympathetic cues to explore hyperspace The ceremonial framework of "less is more" and safety of the nervous system Working with music and the natural catharsis cycle of the body Music vs no music during journeys The morphogenetic field of certain mantras Poor boundaries and power dynamics within seekers and facilitators Bei's unshakeable faith in San Pedro's healing capacity Prohibition of plant medicines are a crime against humanity The importance of normalizing plant medicine conversations A final prayer to wrap up the convo --- YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- CONNECT WITH BEI: blessthesuninourheart@gmail.com https://www.instagram.com/anopportunitytoheal --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best Medicinal Mushroom, Tonic Herb & Adaptogenic Blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout --- Get 10% off your Certified Organic 100% Grass Fed & Finished Beef Organ supplements at Cell Squared: https://www.cellsquared.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout
These aren't your usual truths. And honestly, the second one might seem strange, but it's crucial to understand if you want to level up on your exploration and awakening journey... --- DOWNLOAD the FREE eBOOK "13 Secrets of Becoming (and Choosing) A Visionary Medicine Facilitator": https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter JOIN THE VISIONARY MEDICINES PROGRAM: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/visionary-medicines --- YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout
Are you using your spirituality as an excuse to stay stuck? This is huge in the new-age community. Denouncing materialism because you think it's “unspiritual”. The irony is that you say you're content, yet you secretly long for something more. In this episode I offer a few insights to help you stop hiding behind your spirituality as a shield against ambition. Thanks for tuning in, and enjoy. Caiyuda --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter VISION QUEST: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/vision-quest YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout
Most people have been taught a very limited understanding of what "mind" is and how it works. We typically think of mind as being locked inside our skulls – just our brain doing its thing. But this understanding of "mind fields" - particularly if you're an energetically sensitive person, can help change everything. Thanks for tuning in, and enjoy. Caiyuda --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter VISION QUEST: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/vision-quest YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout
If you're interested in sacred shamanic medicines and you care about following your dreams and manifesting your vision-for-life, this is for you. Most people desire to call in their dream life, that's obvious, especially so when you've had life changing medicine journeys and gain a glimpse of greater potentials. But how you go about it all will determine whether you rise to your own definition of success, or remain stuck living a life of complacency and mediocrity. What I've found is that there are three major problems holding people back from creating their dream life. In this episode I'll share those insights alongside several powerful frameworks that you can implement immediately to get you closer to actually realizing your dreams, especially so if you're someone who values the medicine path in conjunction with creating a vision-led life. Thanks for tuning in. Caiyuda --- VALUES: https://caiyudakiora.com/values NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter VISION QUEST: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/vision-quest YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout
2025 is almost here. And while most people have big dreams, they continue to live a life of mediocrity. Don't spend another year being one of them. You need intentional action. You need purposeful direction. Stop the distractions and stagnation. Stop the procrastination and confusion. You need vision. Here's how you can cultivate it. Solocast 10: 2024 --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter VISION QUEST: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/vision-quest THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@caiyuda INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
It's been over a decade now since I started this journey in the shamanic healing arts for awakening and higher consciousness. And it's really over the past few years, with THIS year in particular, that the gears have shifted in a big way. The Pilgrimage, Vision Quest, Kayaking with Whales, Interstate Journeys, Body Transformations, Further developing Esoteric Faculties of Mind, Desert Dreaming, Heavy Grieving... This year has been a huge one, and it feels right to acknowledge this past season of my life on the podcast and share it with you all. There's a fair bit of gold in this one - I reckon you'll gain some great insights and find it to be a valuable listen. Thanks for tuning in, I appreciate it. Solocast #9: 2024 --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter VISION QUEST: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/vision-quest THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora TWITTER: https://x.com/caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
This is the story of my Personal Pilgrimage and Vision Quest in the Central Australian Desert. For several days and nights I fasted in a small circle, in solitude, on top of sandy red desert dunes. The desert is harsh and my Quest was gruelling. Fierce winds whipped my tarp into a frenzy, the scorching sun was relentless, and the incessant attack of flies was next level. The days were unbearably long, and the nights ticked over slow as slow. Despite the sleep deprivation and extreme conditions, the desert landscape is punctuated by a beauty beyond words. Rainbow bee-eaters darted between trees. Dawn and dusk brought a radiant palette of pastel colours. Wind gave ancient voice to the needle-like foliage of desert oak. Shooting stars careened across vast night sky. The veil of perception thinned, giving rise to mystical encounters with desert spirits. You can expect to hear about all of this, including some of the challenges I faced, some of the themes such as grief and worthiness that I was presented with, some of the big questions that I was tussling with and got some clarity on, the importance of mystical encounters with the divine, the various emanations and qualities of the desert, my developing relationship with the wind, some insight and wisdom for high-level creatives, and a whole lot more. Enjoy the ride. Solocast #8: 2024 --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter AWAKENING THE SEER WITHIN: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/awakening-the-seer UPCOMING EVENTS: https://caiyudakiora.com/upcoming-events VISION QUEST: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/vision-quest THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
There's a price to be paid for the rapid acceleration of transformation: the intensification of the death-rebirth process. My earliest Ayahuasca sessions fit the bill precisely, and for the first time ever, I share about those initial experiences on the podcast. Remembering these profound experiences can be a challenge, and we often experience the fading, so I offer some practical insight into how to enhance our recall and anchor our experiences into our mind-body-soul complex with more lucidity. I also riff on Rumi's wisdom, Rick Rubin and "The Creative Act", Christopher Basche's book "LSD and the Mind of The Universe: Diamonds From Heaven", and some timeless wisdom from the mountains. Enjoy the ride. Solocast #7: 2024 --- UPCOMING EVENTS: https://caiyudakiora.com/upcoming-events VISION QUEST: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/vision-quest THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
If you're interested in embodied alchemical transformation on the path of psychedelics and plant-based shamanism, sacred song, music as medicine, and becoming one with the elements, this one's for you. Dr Alex Pardhy is an ex Medical Doctor turned medicine woman & mentor to visionary leaders on the path of awakening. Leaving emergency medicine in 2017, Alex trained in transformational modalities, shamanism, psychedelia and sacred medicines, tantra, shadow work and more, merging traditional healing tools with leading edge metacognitive maps & psychedelic expansion to support people in unlocking their true potential in service to global systems change. In this episode we talk:
If you've ever thought the plant medicine world was too serious, or if you take yourself too seriously, well... this is for you. Nick Sun was an award-winning, international stand up comedian for 13 years. Then he drank Ayahuasca and had a malefic entity exorcism that ended a 12 year bout of depression. Following this, he met Gaia, who informed him that the world was turning upside down and that she needed help. The Ayahuasca spirit then activated his deceased herbalist healer grandfather's DNA within him and his life took a turn for the weird. He chronicled his spiritual awakening and descent to the underworld in his new book: No' Mo' Trippin'. In this episode we talk about approaching the sacred with the profane, Nick's role of comedian within the world of plant medicines, mind parasites and demonic possession, the great forgetting and the myth of progress, disconnecting to reconnect (including disconnecting from plant medicine), land spirits in the Australian desert, paranormal experiences, hairy men, and more... CONNECT: https://www.amazon.com.au/No-Mo-Trippin-Nick-Sun/dp/0645682705/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1 https://nicksun.com.au/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeRTMPLaHRHqjffwvHFHr0Q https://nicksun.medium.com/ https://www.facebook.com/richard.mackerel.52 Connect with Nick: https://nicksun.com.au/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeRTMPLaHRHqjffwvHFHr0Q https://nicksun.medium.com/ https://www.facebook.com/richard.mackerel.52 If you vibe what we're putting out, please spread the word in one way or another. A social media share / screenshot / tag would be amazing, or you could leave a review, or join the community through our in-person gatherings. --- THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
I've just returned from another full power Pilgrimage out in the Vic High Country. I've got some reflections to share in regards to the wild spirits of the mountain, ritual approach, and sharing sacred language. Come tune in to have the wild animal within stirred. Solocast #6: 2024 --- THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
Carmen Nemet is a natural incense crafter, earth based reiki practitioner, ceremonial beauty therapist, horticulturist and a practicing animist who weaves her love of plants throughout her offerings. Her aim is to support others to deepen their connection to the wild of nature through smoke medicine, spirit work and eco-activism. The birds and botanicals have become the Elders; the great teachers in her life; walking in right relationship as a forever student. In this episode we explore the threads of ceremonial beauty therapy, bird awareness, decolonizing smoke medicine, bioregional observation, ancestral connection, earth honouring practices, and tending our altars to feed the feathers and stones. https://www.instagram.com/lulanimoon_therapies/ https://www.lulanimoon.com/ If you vibe what we're putting out, please spread the word in one way or another. A social media share would be hugely appreciated. --- THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
Nikhil is a visionary creator, mystic, innovator, strategist, master coach, designer and the author of "GODFORCE: Liberate Your Mind, Master Your Reality, Unleash Your Primal Genius." As the co-founder, CEO and Ecosystem Architect of ASRAYA (asraya.io), he leads a pioneering community that fuses ancient wisdom with modern technology. This unique blend fosters growth, interdependence, and collaboration among visionaries and change-makers. With an extensive background in serving hundreds of conscious entrepreneurs, startups, and organizations, Nikhil excels in brand strategy, design thinking, creative direction, UI/UX design, leadership development, and technological innovation. He is passionate about building purpose-driven brands, crafting digital strategies, and amplifying impact through a holistic approach that harmonizes business success with personal growth. A profound spiritual awakening at 18 steered Nikhil into an in-depth exploration of the esoteric and metaphysical. This journey shaped a worldview dedicated to the evolution of human consciousness, focusing on blending ancient wisdom with future possibilities. His aim: to create a present enriched and liberated, grounded in reverence for the Great Mystery. Travelling across 70 countries, he has broadened his perspective and deepened his commitment to fostering unity and tapping into our collective power to build a better world. Living near San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, in an artist's haven and ranch property, perched on a crystal cliffside, Nikhil shares his life with his partner and two Pomeranians. He is deeply invested in building global communities, spearheading innovation, and learning to live in harmony with the land. His life, characterized by a seamless blend of spiritual depth and impactful innovation, is a continuous invitation to others. He encourages co-creation of a future that honors the full spectrum of human experience and integrates both light and darkness in the quest for profound collective evolution and mastery. https://nikhilkale.com/ https://asraya.io/ https://www.instagram.com/primal.alchemy/ If you vibe what we're putting out, please spread the word in one way or another. A social media share would be hugely appreciated. --- THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
There are a lot of definitions when it comes to "soul". In this episode, I riff on the journey of soul initiation, the descent of the soul, waking the bone pile, awakening our potential, and how these themes are relevant within the context of my next iteration of offerings, The Pilgrimage: Shamanic Wilderness Expeditions. If you vibe what I'm putting out, please spread the word in one way or another. A social media share would be hugely appreciated. Feel free to tag me @caiyudakiora Solocast #5: 2024 --- THE PILGRIMAGE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/pilgrimage NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
Nathan Meola is a medicinal storyteller, intuitive bodyworker, and master of ceremonies living on the Central Coast of NSW. He spends his time sharing the medicine of myth, story, and ancient wisdom to awaken the mythic imagination and help people slow down so they can hear the whisper of their soul and connect with the wild one within. His work stands at the crossroads where the ancient craft of storytelling meets meditation, sound healing, and ceremony. He hosts regular story circles, men's gatherings, improv movement workshops, and storytelling courses in person and online. He comes from a lineage of hands on healers from the mountains of Puglia on the East Coast of Italy and uses the power of touch to help people heal from trauma, let go of the past, and release the stories that are woven into the fabric of the body. --- CONNECT WITH NATHAN: FB: https://www.facebook.com/nathanmeola IG: https://www.instagram.com/nathanbearheart/ --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
Got a new prescription from the doctor... the witch doctor, that is. To prescribe myself a little poetic license with this one and offer a little communion with the wild. Wild Mountain Dreaming and the Reservoirs of Stillness. Settle in as I stir the mythic wellsprings of imagination and vision, and take you on a little journey. Solocast #4: 2024 --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
Solocast #3: 2024 --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout. --- Nurecover Portable Ice Bath: https://au.nurecover.com/collections/portable-ice-bath Enter CAIYUDA at checkout for 15% off
Solocast #2: 2024 --- Nurecover Portable Ice Bath: https://au.nurecover.com/collections/portable-ice-bath Enter CAIYUDA at checkout for 15% off --- Healing with DMSO Book: https://healingwithdmso.com/ --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
Solocast #1: 2024 --- NEWSLETTER: https://www.caiyudakiora.com/newsletter WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout.
Vision Questing & Soul Reclamation: Wilderness fasting to connect with Soul & Spirit. Renée Danú joins us for another episode and season of Birdsong. Renée is a plant wisdom keeper, animist herbalist, ritualist & ceremonialist, green witch, forest tender, medicine woman, shamanic practitioner, teacher, mentor and writer. Her work as an earth doula, bio-regionalist and wild crafter is deeply supported by the forest she lives in and tends to, providing her with an abundance of local plants to alchemise into botanical medicines that are part of her Apothecary she calls Wild Kin. Renée sees herself as a continual apprentice of the earth wisdoms, Druidism, specifically the path of ovate and hedge druidry, and all botanical ancestors in the container of the old ways, animism and folk herbalism. She is an ardent student of the most learned teachers of herb craft, the plants themselves. Her journey of study & continual learning is in deep reverence, rites of passage & initiation and has spanned upwards of 30 years. She offers ceremonial work with seasonal plant kin and their otherworldly botanical consciousness aligned to the old ways, bioregionally in deep reverence and totality. She offers apprenticeships in the Plant & Earth Wisdom Pathway, she calls an "Earth Doula-ship™" as well as the Shamanic Pathway and Ceremonial Crafting. She also offers Botanical Consciousness Counsel, as well as in person and on-line courses, and also 1:1 Shamanic + Plant Spirit Healing Sessions. --- Renée's Links: WEBSITE: https://www.kinofthefiaindanu.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/kinofthefiaindanu FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/kinofthefiaindanu EMAIL: info@kinofthefiaindanu.com --- Caiyuda's Links: WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 --- AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast: https://www.superfeast.com.au Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout. --- TIMESTAMPS: [2:30] Renée shares about her transition to Kin of the Fiàin Danú: Kindred of the Wild Great Mother [5:00] Ancestral connections and the culture of Renée's blood [8:40] The reclamation of different parts of self and ancestry [12:00] Self devotion, part's theory, and having conversations with the sacred other [13:00] Of blood, bone, spirit, and inspiration [16:52] Vision Quest: Nature-based Shadow Work [21:07] Wisdom: Becoming bigger than the fear itself [23:33] Hearing the call and Heeding the call [26:00] The foundational architecture of deep sovereignty and “fathering” the soul home [28:04] The multi-dimensionalities of preparing for Vision Quest [30:58] Dropping into the Heart and listening to the land [33:00] The story of sweat lodge and claustrophobia as medicine [36:30] How to introduce yourself to a new bioregional environment [39:00] Renée's earth-based practices and herbal medicines that helped her prepare for Vision Quest [44:30] Being mindful of bringing in too many distractions into the Quest circle [45:30] The mysterious deepening of an intimacy with earth [47:00] What level of trust and safety do you have in your body? [49:00] Sungazing medicine, powerful reparenting, and walking ourselves home [53:00] Curiosity is the antidote to fear [57:00] Integration and the “crème da le crème of self development” [58:45] The classic return of the hero's journey [59:40] Holding the gold / protecting the treasure: discernment on our sacred sharings [1:03:30] The Fading: being carried by something much greater than our sense of self [1:07:00] Shamanic insights on relating with the elementals [1:09:45] Nature as a mirror: The story of the snake and worm [1:17:00] The imagery, visions and symbologies that grab our attention [1:22:00] Starting our day with a question of aliveness: What is alive in you today? [1:23:00] What do we mean by “hollow bone” and how do we cultivate it? [1:30:00] Revisiting old teachings with new perspectives [1:31:15] Soul initiation: our second birth is a fall towards death and the underworld [1:35:45] Renée's many offerings and how Vision Quest might influence her work
Lara Charlotte joins us once again for this fresh season of Birdsong. Her “formal” bio is below, but as I introduce her on the show... She's a mystic, she's holistic, she's a plant healer, divine revealer, wise witch incarnate, fresh from the amazon with that wild jungle glow, she's a star tracker, a crypto stacker, the rose lover, Venusian stunner... Lara Charlotte. We talk embodied astrology and the era defining shift of Pluto moving from Capricorn to Aquarius. Exciting times ahead! As for Lara: She was born in Aotearoa, New Zealand and descends from settler colonisers of mostly English, Irish and Scottish lineage. Since 2012 she left a corporate career due to a personal health crisis and has since immersed in a journey of soul remembrance, transformational healing and devotional service. She spent over 5 years in full-time training with traditional shamanic plant medicines in the Peruvian Amazon, a path she continues with until now. Lara also co-founded a retreat centre working with hundreds of guests in deep transformational processes. She has trained to be trauma informed and hold a space for others that is mindful of diversity, western mental health frameworks and the ongoing process of personal awakening throughout our lives and across generations. Lara is a devoted lover of the mythic realms that are discovered in deep relationship with self, body, nature and story across time and space. Her current work draws on the range of modalities listed here and is adapted to suit the unique needs of each person and situation. She has also featured on various podcasts and presents to workshops and trainings on her work and life experiences. LARA'S LINKS: WEBSITE: https://www.pathoftherose.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/mythic_muse/ https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-astrology-podcast/id541401108?i=1000595961684 CAIYUDA'S LINKS: WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast. Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout. https://www.superfeast.com.au/ TIMESTAMPS: [1:17] Lara's ancestral connections and recent time with Plant Medicine in the Amazon Jungle [6:54] The quest to relieve personal suffering and The Path of Relationship [8:46] Starting to contextualize astrology [13:00] HOW does astrology work... OR... WHY does astrology work? [16:30] Why should we care about astrology? [22:06} Ancient cultures and their animistic relationship to the stars [28:36] The type of astrology that Lara practices [34:00] Zodiacs, houses, slices of pie and planetary positions [37:00] The significance of Pluto's return in these transformative times [40:26] Pluto, Capricorn, Corruption and the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 [48:30] Pluto moving into Aquarius and the theme of Revolution [52:00] Pluto retrograding back into Capricorn [53:00] The spectrum of maturity and opportunity: immature and mature Aquarius [54:00] Decentralized currencies and the astrology chart for Bitcoin [57:45] Astrology, opportunity, invitations and creative empowerment [1:00:00] Quantum leap potentials through alchemizing astrology [1:02:30] Elon Musk “the Musk Rat” and what he's missing... [1:04:30] 2026, Air Trine, Digital Tech chaos... and balancing it out by integrating opposites [1:08:30] The qualities of the planets and gaining access to the transpersonal planets [1:12:20] Experiential understanding and big wolf dreaming [1:14:20] Lara's big initiatory transmissions on astrology [1:15:40] Embodied astrology and body-centred and psychosomatic practices [1:19:00] Shifting into the body's receptive wisdom to connect with the planetary gods [1:23:35] Saturn return and surfing wisdom metaphors [1:24:40] Astrology, plant medicine and synchronicity [1:30:00] Doing the “pluto” work, digesting the trauma and birthing new visions [1:31:05] Hope, into Trust, into Knowing = Empowerment [1:34:49] The Heart Alchemy Program & Devotional Sadhana [1:44:38] Lara's encouragement to newbies on the Astrology Path
Ahoy fine folk of the internet, Birdsong is back with Season 2! Exploring the many themes related to nature awareness, shamanism, spirituality, awakening, holistic health and wellness, deep ecology, passage rites, initiatory experiences, and remembering the sacred ways, with expansive conversations with some of the great minds, hearts and souls across our realm. This first EP is a re-introduction into where things were, why we went AWOL, where things might be heading, with a few learnings and wisdoms shared along the way. --- WEBSITE: https://www.caiyudakiora.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/caiyudakiora TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@caiyudakiora SPOTIFY: https://open.spotify.com/show/30AGOxSHAtdxs8xnCw1STa?si=fad30c997d474a07 AFFILIATE LINKS: Get 10% off some of the best medicinal mushroom, tonic herb and adaptogenic blends at Superfeast. Use code CAIYUDA10 at checkout. https://www.superfeast.com.au/
Jonathan Blake Salazar joins us in Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Jon is a dear buddy of mine; a healer in training; an aspiring Ayahuascero, an accomplished musician and one of the sweetest guys you'll ever meet. We first met at Spirit Quest Sanctuary, with fond memories of deep work together with Ayahuacsa and Huachuma. When it comes to Jonathans music, it's bright, hopeful, uplifting, with a tinge of nostalgia to simpler times; rising from a deepening connection to our Earth. Jonathan Blake Salazar has won "Best Male Singer-Songwriter" at the OC Music Awards, “Best Singer-Songwriter” at the Malibu Music Awards, “Best Male Artist” at the So Cal Music Live Awards, Nominated for a LA Music Award, Nominated for the Hollywood Music In Media Awards, has earned a Fender Guitar endorsement, a QSC speaker endorsement and his spotify averages 35,000 monthly listeners. You can follow Jonathan here: Jonathan on Spotify Jonathan on Apple Music Jonathan on Instagram Jonathan on Facebook POINTS OF INTEREST: Enlightenment, liberation and the path of service The Path of the Heart and The Path of Prayer How do we both connect with the sacred? Honouring our humanness and quirks and imperfections Finding the path of plant-based shamanism Meditation and levitation Blackout drinking and alcoholics anonymous The difference between a hallucination and a vision Spiritual teachings and spiritual teachers Being in ceremony space feels like home The white wizard, Don Howard, and Spirit Quest Sanctuary Drinking Huachuma and tears of gratitude Jon's developing relationship apprenticing to Ayahuasca The infinite depths of Ayahuasca and the path of service Plant dietas - bobinsana, piri piri, lopuna blanca and more…. Don Jose Campos: The shaman and ayahuacsa Dieting ayahuasca How does plant-based-shamanism inform Jonathans connection with the music industry Jon's plays us his song “Fall” on guitar, which he wrote in the jungle working with Ayahuasca
Andrew Steed joins us for Season 1 of Birdsong (2021). Andrew is a Shamanic Teacher, Inspirational Speaker, Storyteller & Guide to Sacred Travel. Since 1996 he has been working internationally in the USA, Canada, Jamaica, Barbados, India, Ireland and the UK. Since 1999 he has led over 50 pilgrimages in the British Isles and Ireland. These sacred journeys offer profound opportunities for both personal and planetary healing. He leads an annual Wild Hunt at the Dark Half of the year weaving with reclaimed indigenous medicine of the ‘Celtic' people. He has celebrated this ceremony that honours and celebrates death 25 times in 5 different countries. He is an author of several books including ‘Powering Up Your Life Stories' which was birthed through working with youth in a high school in Pennsylvania. This poignant medicine book is now in its second year as part of the University of East Washington's curriculum for students who are going into the field of counselling and wellness. He spends his free time taking strolls by the sea, discovering and connecting to wild places and relaxing in his own back garden with his fiancé Joyce. He can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/andrew.steed.58 And via his website: www.andrewsteed.com POINTS OF INTEREST: * The bridge to the heart and honouring the sacred * The multi-dimensional medicine of Amrun * Amrun: the song that sings us and dances us * The Second Battle of Mag Tured: A year and a day with Amrun * Andrew's epic story of sailing the high seas in Jamaica, singing home the ancestors and weaving Amrun for 13 hours * The Wild Hunt * What is The Wild Hunt? * Honouring and celebrating death * The many faces of death * Singing home lost and displaced souls * Sweeping clean the worlds * Trapped energy and transmuting our sorrow into joy and peace * What is “Keening”? * The Dagda's Harp and the Three Strands of Poetry * Andrew's dreaming story of his pilgrimage to Iona, Scotland * The lament of the dead and professional Keeners * The key elements of the Keening process * The ancient word “UAITHNE” * The gift and beauty of preparing Andrew's father's funeral and watching it together
Itzhak Beery join us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Itzhak is an internationally recognized shamanic teacher, healer, speaker, community activist, and author of three Amazon bestseller books: - The Gift of Shamanism: Visionary Power, Ayahuasca Dreams, and Journeys to the Other Realms - Shamanic Transformations: True Stories of the Moment of Awakening - Shamanic Healing: Traditional Medicine for the Modern World. Born in an Israeli Kibbutz, Itzhak grew up to have a fine art career and was the owner of an award-winning boutique Ad agency in New York City. A midlife crisis led to his transformation from a skeptical atheist, and business executive, into a passionate believer in shamanism and spirit, aligned with his life purpose. For over twenty years, Itzhak has been bridging the physical and spiritual and sharing the practical wisdom his indigenous and Western teachers entrusted in him. He was initiated into the "Circle of 24 Yachaks of Imbabura" by his Quechua teacher in Ecuador and by Amazonian Kanamari Pajè in Brazil. Itzhak is the founder of ShamanPortal.org, The Andes Summit, and co-founder of the New York Shamanic Circle, he is on various major global spiritual center faculties. Itzhak received the 'Ambassador for Peace Award' from The Universal Peace Federation and the UN. www.itzhakbeery.com www.nyshamaniccircle.org www.shamanportal.org www.theandessummit.com TIMESTAMPS: [4:15] Exploring the sacred with Itzhak [6:24] The Quechuan word “Huaca”, altars, & charging up items with sacredness [10:12] Shamanic Transformations: True stories of the moment of awakening [14:40] Teachings on the sacred from my daughter [16:00] A story about the Dalai Lama of the Andes [21:50] Integrating the sacred into regular ordinary every-day life [22:47] Spiritual Yogis or Pushy New-Yorkers? [26:00] “Becoming one with the rain” [30:10] No lluvia, no vida: no rain, no life! [34:18} Before plant medicine, cultivate a relationship with spirit [36:53] Humans are primitive animals compared to a creature like the bee [39:13] Children drinking ayahuasca? [41:50] The cross-cultural pollination of greed and scarcity [47:30] The real price of a cup of ayahuasca [51:23] The superficiality of spirituality [53:52] Planting seeds to better understand shamanism [56:45] Rediscovering the qualities of water, fire, air, and earth [1:00:15] Plant medicine is only a small branch of shamanism [1:02:11] We all have the ability to be shamans, some of us just don't develop it… [1:04:23] Dreaming the dream of meeting Don José Joaquin Pinéda [1:09:25] Advice on mentors, teachers, apprenticeships, and being in service [1:16:15] Itzhak's projects, offerings and the Andean summit [1:19:47] Being an ambassador of our traditions and lineages… [1:21:39] Do all shamans need human teachers? [1:25:51] My filipino folk / faith healer ancestry [1:27:05] Refusing the call to the path and initiatory sickness [1:33:16] Confirmation of the path and being tormented by the spirit world [1:38:40] At the end, all the shamanic work has to be grounded in being in service [1:41:48] We all have to take responsibility that we are healers
John Keith Kelley Lockley joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. John is a fully initiated shaman, or sangoma, in the Xhosa lineage of South Africa - the same tribe that gave us Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. Traditional healers or shamans (sangomas) of the Xhosa People of South Africa use sacred ceremonies involving herbs, songs and trance rhythms to connect with the ancestors and the natural world to encourage a profound remembering and honoring of the human spirit. John is unique in being initiated in three timeless traditions: African Shamanism as a Xhosa Sangoma, Yoga and Zen Buddhism, and he also holds a degree in Clinical Psychology. He's the author of the book, Leopard Warrior, and the audiobook, The Way of the Leopard, which you can find over at Amazon, through his publisher, Sounds True, or you can head directly to his website to find out more about him and his work. Connect with John: www.johnlockley.com TIMESTAMPS: [2:42] John opens our conversation with a beautiful traditional chant [6:22] “As sangomas, we dream…” [7:23] Don't think the sacred; feel it [9:53] “What good is your own enlightenment when the birds are dying…?” - John's passion for the wilderness [10:22] Spirituality and apprenticeship are about giving; being in service [13:10] What does it mean to be connected to your soul and the sacred inside of you? [15:10] The importance of clarifying intention, connecting to heartbeat, devotional practices of giving thanks and choosing our humanity [18:14] The alchemy and rise of the umbilini (similiar to kundalini) [21:15] Has your yoga studio watered their plants recently? [22:24] Tending the gardens of our own hearts [25:06] Swimming with great white sharks off the coast of South Africa [29:14] As the Zen Masters would say: “Why do you eat everyday???” [29:45] Becoming a shaman or a traditional sangoma is painful [31:28] Every animal is a reflection of us in some way… and has something to teach us [32:16] The archetypal symbolism, alchemy and medicine of the salmon [34:23] Falling in love with the rhythm of our heart pulse [37:48] How is the land speaking to you? [38:40] The electric nature of the body; the spine as a lightning rod [41:46] The heartbeat as a magical spring; a spiritual gateway into another world [46:10] What is divination? Divination is to read the soul… [49:45] What is John's prayer for self, family and the world? [51:09] Fatherhood and motherhood from the perspective and life experience of a sangoma [53:25] The medicine of lightheartedness and silliness and playing music with your children [56:55] John's 1:1 mentoring, private sessions and monthly ceremonies
Steve McKenzie joins us for Season 1 of Birdsong (2021). Steve (Soulpaths Founder) is a trained Vision Quest facilitator and Vision Quest protector trainer (Stalking Wolf lineage, New Jersey). He is a Family Constellations facilitator (Margarete Koenning) and provides group workshops, as well as one-one constellation work. He is an Ontological Coach (Newfield Institute) and provides personal nature-based mentoring. He conducts Sweat Lodges and Ancestor Circles at a variety of gatherings and venues, including his base at Kupidabin Wilderness, near Samford (QLD, AUS). Steve also works with similarly-minded men to deliver Men's Soul Connection weekends. He understands the relevance and place for ceremony and ritual, connection with Nature, living our life purpose, earth spirituality, shamanism, sacredness, consciousness, working with ancestors, Elderhood, ancient wisdom, and inner transformation. He has deep respect for the First Nation peoples and Ancestors of this land and ensures such ceremonies honour and acknowledge the peoples and the Spirits. Connect with Steve: www.soulpaths.com.au TIMESTAMPS: [5:55] A tiny little cricket on Vision Quest changed Steve's life… [9:45] Horse riding through Mongolia inspired Steve to live in a yurt for three years [16:00] Perceptual shifts from living in a traditional spherical dwelling vs square shaped buildings [20:08] Why the initial trip to Mongolia? [24:37] Feeling the call to adventure - Steve's initial Vision Quest and Stalking Wolf training [27:57] Sitting alone in a three meter circle in the wilderness, for four days, with no food [30:34] Approaching the rhythms of nature and observing the little things [32:45] Distractions, fixating on time and tracking the movement of the sun [34:39] Opening the heart to the medicine of the tiny little cricket [39:04] Ancestral spirits, spirit beings, and the spirit world [41:52] The journey of the soul & Bill Plotkin's eco-soul-centric model of initiation [50:55] Everyone has their own unique gift to share with the world [55:25] Clearing the atmospheric fog of conditioning to see the glimmers of gold within [57:41] What is your archetypal soul name? [59:00] Holding space at the base camp while people are out Questing [1:01:07] There are energetic concentric rings that ripple out from every single event [1:07:36] Shamanic ways of knowing and supernatural / extrasensory modes of perception [1:11:34] Questing in a group setting vs Questing by one's self [1:16:00] Musings on ancestral trauma and baggage
In Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong, Imelda Almqvist join us. In Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong, Imelda Almqvist join us. Imelda Almqvist is an international teacher of Sacred Art and Seidr/Old Norse Traditions (the ancestral wisdom teachings of Northern Europe). She has published three books: Natural Born Shamans: A Spiritual Toolkit for Life (Using shamanism creatively with young people of all ages) in 2016, Sacred Art: A Hollow Bone for Spirit (Where Art Meets Shamanism) in 2019 and Medicine of the Imagination - Dwelling in possibility (an impassioned plea for fearless imagination) in 2020. She has presented her work on both The Shift Network and Sounds True. She appears in a TV program, titled Ice Age Shaman, made for the Smithsonian Museum, in the series Mystic Britain, talking about Neolithic arctic deer shamanism. She is currently finishing up her fourth book, about the pre-Christian spirituality of The Netherlands and Low Countries. She has already started her fifth book: about the runes of the Futhark/Uthark. Her response to the 2020 pandemic was starting an on-line school on Teachable called Pregnant Hag Teachings, to make more of her classes available on-line. Imelda's website: http://www.shaman-healer-painter.co.uk Imelda's YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/imeldaalmqvist Pregnant Hag Teachings: https://pregnant-hag-teachings.teachable.com/ TIMESTAMPS: [3:39] Sigrdrifa's Prayer (or Invocation): commonly used to open sacred space in the Northern Tradition [5:42] Sacred art and the meaning of what's sacred [9:30] Norse gods, ancient books and the language of the soul [15:08] “Painting my way onto the shamanic path” [15:59] The old Norse god Baldr [17:37] Shamanic initiations [21:29] Core shamanism vs Norse shamanism [25:24] The Poetic Edda, Prose Edda & Nordic history [31:02] The shamanic characteristics of these ancient texts - prophecies, oracles, runes, chants and more… [33:05] Direct revelation and the high seat ceremony [37:33] If everything was preserved and written down things would become prescriptive [38:44] Gods are living evolving beings within their relationship to human beings [40:11] Sitting on grave mounds as a Northern European shamanic practice [49:29] Rune stones, rune magicians, and reading runes as a divinatory practice [55:10] Runic resources and books [56:19] Runes of the FUTHARK / UTHARK [1:00:14] Viking berserkers, amanita muscaria, and musings on the destabilizing nature of ayahuasca [1:06:22] Safety, boundaries, wild animal spirits and wild states of consciousness [1:09:03] Connecting with the nature beings in our own environment [1:10:23] The spirits of the trees and the great reindeer mother [1:12:40] Mystery teachings from the poison mother [1:15:17] Nordic methods and suggestions for cultivating psychic or intuitive abilities [1:19:20] Cultivating 3-5 spiritual practices for depth rather than breadth [1:21:38] Natural Born Shamans: Shamanism for young people of all ages [1:25:13] Medicine of the Imagination - Creating a healthy functional vital reality [1:27:45] Writing as a spiritual practice [1:30:00] Pregnant Hag Teachings - Rune Magicians, Intro to Seidr, and more…
Kyle Laz joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Kyle is a passionate herbalist, sound practitioner and intuitive healer… a modern day wizard if you like, and some of us know him as the chocolate wizard. For 15 years Kyle has dedicated his life to deeply researching and exploring plant medicines and their application to body, mind and spirit. He has visited many of the key sacred sites of England and Europe, gaining spiritual and practical knowledge from his experiences, which has allowed him to understand the diverse relationships between western health and spiritual concepts and be able to offer holistic healing in this way. With a strong focus on the five elements, he continues to develop practical processes to recognise, ground and integrate profound, mystical experiences. He works and trains with a range of modalities including Reiki 1, 2 and Master Teacher attunements, Acutonics, Sound Healing, Massage, Flower Essences, Crystal Healing and Chocolate Ceremonies (a fusion of herbal wisdom, sound and chocolate). TIMESTAMPS: [3:58} Pause and presence for the sacred [7:34] Dancing between words and worlds [8:36] Reframing having an addictive personality and being lazy [11:40] What is a chocolate wizard? [13:09] What do you want to be when you grow up? [14:51] The interconnectivity of chocolate [17:00] Chocolate and the plant medicine path [19:20] Chocolate in the name of love [21:37] Conversations between cacao and mushrooms [28:48] Plant intelligence and the intersection of human consciousness [33:14] There is no “bad chocolate” [35:58] Food of the Gods + Sugar + Milk = Evolutionary Seed Spreading [39:11] Chocolate as a gatekeeper into ceremony [43:18] The synergistic intermingling between various herbs and chocolate [46:16] “Phytochemysticism” - as above, so below [48:01] Amplifying energetics with chocolate + herbs + intention [50:27] Energetic exchange between participant, practitioner and chocolate [53:46] Esoteric mysticism chocolate traditions? [56:37] Current day uses of cacao with breathwork, dance and sound [1:00:55] What to keep in mind when buying and using chocolate [1:03:05] Induction into the Secret Chocolate Society [1:07:01] Chocoloate Dreaming Rituals [1:14:30] Connection with self, connection with earth
Your Mate Tom join us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Your Mate Tom is a world travelling documentary filmmaker who takes a brutally honest and practical approach to grounded spirituality & psychedelics. With roughly 230,000 youtube subscribers on his channel Yourmatetom, and several millions views on multiple videos, his down-to-earth approach has been well received by psychonauts and psychedelic enthusiasts within the youtube community. He's also the host of the Yourmatetom podcast, which you can find on all platforms that host good podcasts! Tom's YouTube Channel: / @yourmatetom TIMESTAMPS: [2:05] Reminiscent connections [6:00] Sacredness, duality, non-duality [7:13] Hermeticism's law of polarity [8:27] Practical and grounded spirituality [10:12] Shadow work and Jungian psychology [13:17] The dark abyss of Tom's Iboga experience [14:36] Differing approaches to psychedelic use [17:15] Shifting from meditation to prayer [18:10] Dipping Tom's toes back into psychedelics [20:50] Exclusively taking psychedelics in a ceremonial context [23:47] Musings on the preparation process before psychedelics [28:50] Being a warrior in a garden, rather than a gardener in a war [29:36] From plant-medicine-peace-and-beauty to Chilean-anarchic-revolutions [33:00] Strange meditations practices and sitting for 365 days straight [35:26] Shamanic spirit worlds versus reductionist mechanistic perspectives [40:00] Paul Chek, AlfaVedic, Walter Russell and the Electric Universe [43:08] YouTube censorship… what's going on with Yourmatetom's channel? [48:37] The modern day technological witch hunt [50:07] The Wild West of YouTube [52:52] Decentralization and the path forward? [55:05] Reconciling tech time and investing in the big monopolies of social media [59:12] Memorable collabs and opportunities from being a YouTuber [1:03:00] Biblical learnings and the “Western Cannon” [1:05:40] Ceremonial and ritual practice in Tom's life [1:09:07] Youtube fame - how has this affected Tom's life? [1:10:50] What does Tom wish he knew when he first started YouTubing? [1:11:42] Dealing with the haters and navigating social media [1:19:45] Future projects and shining the light of self awareness
Tim Low joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Tim is an Australian biologist, and an author of several books and numerous articles on nature and conservation. His seventh book, Where Song Began: Australia's Birds and How They Changed the World, became the first nature book ever to win the Australian Book Industry Awards prize for best General Non Fiction in 2015. An earlier book, Feral Future, inspired the formation of an NGO, the Invasive Species Council. His earlier books helped popularize Australian bush tucker. Four of his books have won national prizes, and alongside these books, his reports, articles and talks have contributed to ecological thought and environmental policy in Australia and beyond. Written for a general audience, his books have attracted broad academic interest and serve as recommended reading in many university courses. http://www.timlow.com TIMESTAMPS: [3:55] Why Tim doesn't typically use the word sacred [7:35] We use singular words to define pluralities, such as wilderness and nature [8:00] Nature beings adapt to the suburbs and cities [9:30] Human progression being bad for nature is too simplistic a perspective [10:40] Satin Bowerbirds are technological innovators with their love for blue plastic [12:55] Is nature something that we as humans can enhance? [14:50] Is humanity and our bioevolutionary role to be the great diversifiers of nature? [17:03] Where Song Began: the origin of songbirds from Australia [19:30] Australia gave birth to the most intelligent birds [23:44] The universal language of birdsong [24:24] The noisy miners, lorikeets and goshawk [26:25] Bird calls and snakes [29:23] The differing dialects of bird species [32:00] Awareness, associations, and vegetation relationships out in the field [34:30] The supercontinent Gondwana and the emergence of songbirds from Australia [36:15] Childhood dreams of becoming a paleontologist and my dinosaurian revelation of the lyrebird [37:56] The cassowary [38:56] Bird teeth, the goose, and its serrated tongue [41:06] The ancient Gondwanan connection between gum trees and other species [43:00] The importance of understanding deep time to be decent environmental managers [47:20] Songbirds and parrots have co-evolved with eucalypt trees for many millions of years [50:50] We can learn more about Australia from our birds moreso than our mammals [53:11] Feral Future and how we can move forward with practical solutions to invasive species [54:39] The conservation issue of fire-ants [57:16] Every species has its own agenda [1:00:00] Current problematic invasive species here in Australia [1:02:26] Human transport systems perpetuating invasive species [1:04:04] Think global, act local? [1:08:00] People's relationships to nature can be very shallow [1:08:49] Connecting with nature can be like jogging??? [1:10:11] Finding your nature niche to take interest in [1:11:16] Aldo Leopold - Nature writer and father of wildlife ecology [1:14:34] Observing the similarities between animal species to learn more about the classification tree [1:16:34] Tim's next book further exploring invasive species [1:17:05] The super-colony of Argentine ants causing global destruction [1:21:30] Nature vs computers, bandicoots and platypus
Benjamin Venes joins us for Season1 (2021) of Birdsong. Benjamin is a Melbourne based Medium, Healer and Artist. His purpose is to help people discover their own power, strength and wisdom through compassion, creativity and spiritual guidance. Benjamin's journey has taken him to India, Nepal and South-East Asia, where he studied, observed and experienced the awakening of his own spiritual power. He has spent many years dedicated to the disciplines and teachings of psychic ability and mediumship and has provided sound readings for people from all walks of life. He also teaches one day intensive classes in psychic development, mediumship, and spiritual healing as well as weekly classes at helping those who have a desire in developing these abilities at a more committed level. Benjamin Venes is also a Reiki Master Teacher. Benjamin's creativity has expressed itself in works of poetry, paintings and novels. All works of art are an expression of the self, evolving into life. TIMESTAMPS: [2:06] Sacred silence and the soul [5:12] Teasing apart Benjamin's philosophies on consciousness [6:30] What are psychic abilities and why Benjamin doesn't like the word “psychic” [9:05] Musings on mediumship and the spirit world [13:21] The consciousness of our planet [14:20] The definitions and reflections on spirit and soul [22:05] Reincarnation and the souls perspective [25:05] Skepticism and the early days on the path of psychic mediumship [35:40] Writing books, documenting the spirit world and wise mentors [39:20] Common misconceptions on the psychic medium path [43:40] Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced psychic and mediumship development [48:00] Mental mediumship and Physical mediumship [50:49] Mastering energy and becoming sensitive to the subtleties [53:01] Learning to work with colours [54:50] How to discern what energies to let in: untrained vs trained mediums [58:13] The protocols of working with spirit and relationships with the doorkeeper [1:00:30] How to tune into our predominant extrasensory mode of perception [1:02:28] What is the most common mode of extrasensory perception in the collective? [1:06:16] The mundane no-nonsense attitude of spiritual and intuitive development [1:08:55] The 1-2-3 next steps to take on the psychic and medium path? [1:13:50] What does a reading look like? Is it ritualized in any manner? [1:16:55] Be skeptical but don't be cynical [1:20:20] Being the voice of the spirit world [1:22:30] Spirit art / spirit portraits [1:24:50] Final words of wisdom: think for yourself
Tom Barnett joins us on Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. This episode was removed and banned from YouTube. Surprise surprise! Tom Barnett is a holistic health practitioner and mindset coach, covering diverse topics from law, culture and sociology to human health and spirituality. Many people from all walks of life have found value in Tom's relaxed and calm demeanor while getting right to the point, providing valuable, stable content that will remain applicable for life. Over the past few years, Tom's value has been truly appreciated for his consistent ability to ground people in what matters. He become quite the media sensation from one of his earlier videos, which is where I first became familiar with Tom, as did a lot of people. It was titled something like “you cant catch a virus.” What he was essentially explaining was the difference between germ theory and terrain theory, and why you cant catch a virus, which we'll get into in this conversation. Tom spent over a decade with chronic fatigue, and it was through his learning and understanding which he developed through six years of study of science which included medicine, six years of natural health and medicine, and three years solely looking into the nature of viruses, bacteria, protozoans and parasites, that he cultivated the knowledge to reclaim his health and taught others how to do the same. Past clients include everyday people with everyday problems, professional athletes, high ranking CEOs and royalty. He has formal training and experience in lifeguarding, security operations, advanced driving instruction, and is a former athlete. More than anything, he has refined the rare art of thinking for oneself. Outside of his work as a researcher and educator, Tom is a keen surfer, writes music and enjoys travel, food, nature, martial arts, comedy and meditation. https://tombarnett.tv/ TIMESTAMPS: [3:26] Tom's progress on his second book about detox and knowing our rights [4:40] The overarching feeling of being completely engulfed by and cared for by a higher power [7:45] The western system cuts people away from the sacred [9:30] Holistic health is balance on the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual [13:00] The density of the physical body [14:40] Looking to the wisdom of nature to understand viruses [15:20] The transmissability and contagiousness of pathogens [16:11] Why the hell are so many people sick today? [18:00] The truth about viruses and the role of microbiology in detoxification [21:20] What does it mean when we say a virus is not alive? [24:10] All life has its own innate intelligence, including viruses [26:50] Pasteur's Germ Theory vs Bechamp's Terrain theory [29:59] The reason why so many people are getting sick at the same time and the reason why it's not linked to a contagious virus [32:00] What we're seeing is a selective process and the collective outcome from toxic pollutants and radiation [34:00] What's the difference between man-made viruses vs viruses that are created from our own internal cellular processes? [37:18] Our protective bodily mechanisms and the only way to get a virus into the body [39:00] The virus is a smokescreen to cover up for all environmental toxins that actually make people sick to push the injection agenda [40:42] What are we seeing the same set of symptoms throughout the collective? [42:44] Hydroxychloroquine, azithromycin and zinc? [44:46] Stephen Harrod Buhner and the nature of anti-viral herbs [49:10] The caution of herbs and heavy metals [50:50] The body is an electric system and is susceptible to metallic minerals [53:08] Fat is what protects us from all forms of toxicity [54:18] Fasting doesn't get rid of deep-seeded environmental toxins [55:05] Detoxification through oral chelation vs wholesome diets [57:15] Tom's thoughts on using supplements [1:00:40] We need more calories to functional optimally in today's world [1:02:15] The natural state of our body wants raw foods [1:03:00] Healing with urine therapy [1:06:30] Tom's “wee-monade” [1:09:15] When detoxifying it's important to include high levels of saturated fat in the diet [1:10:27] Is Victoria Australia the testing ground for a police state and new type of governance? [1:11:55] Learning our rights can be like learning a new language (a very important language!) [1:13:00] Every law comes from the bible: the hierarchy of laws [1:16:05] Tom's journey of learning about the law [1:17:15] The world of commerce: creditors, debtors and asking questions [1:20:07] Public and private worlds are mirror images of each other [1:22:40] What are the bare-bones fundamentals to start learning? [1:24:00] Embodying information through practicing, role-playing and actioning [1:28:44] In what ways has asserting our human rights been of direct benefit to Tom? [1:30:30] If you've got the tenacity to see it through, you'll win the battle but might lose the initial war [1:31:38] Solutions empowerment, know your rights group, and other resources for learning [1:34:30] Tom's final message and words of wisdom on sovereignty and knowing our rights RESOURCES & LINKS: Subscribe to Tom's channel on YouTube Connect with Tom on facebook Sign up to Tom's mailing list Andy Cutler Chelation Oral chelation for mercury Boyd Haley and Emeramide (youtube) Solutions Empowerment Know Your Rights Group A Warrior Calls Cal Washington Creditors in Commerce (youtube) UnitedCollective.org United Collective Common Law Court Understanding jurisdiction in law (youtube) You, The Law, and Legislation - Common Law Courts Youtube Tom Barnett Interview with The Godfather of True Law, Equity, Suveran, The REMEDY for OPPRESSION
Kristian Stephan-Martin joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Kristian is a captivating thought leader, relationship and sex coach, and dancer, committed to helping people live an unbounded life. I recall taking notice of Kristian after seeing his TedX talk at Melbourne Uni, titled “Reconnecting To The Inner Feminine.” Since then we've kept in touch and I've followed his journey as a workshop facilitator, podcast host and professional bachata dancer. Kristian fiercely advocates that freedom" and aliveness are found in you becoming more of YOU, not anyone else, and that the path to doing so is clearing all that is covering up your True Nature.
Daniel Henryk Rasolt joins us for Season 1 of Birdsong (2021). Daniel is an independent researcher and writer and the founder of Unbounded World, an initiative that takes an integrated approach to environmental and cultural preservation. He holds a degree in astrophysics and works in diverse disciplines related to energy, the environment, health and traditional cultures. Daniel has traveled to more than 85 countries on this beautiful and vulnerable planet, uses his skills of writing and analysis to communicate environmental and social issues through personal experience and research. He exposes the circumstances of the indigenous communities, and the usurping and degradation of their natural territories, through his writing and through working with indigenous leaders, organizations, universities, researchers and policy makers. TIMESTAMPS: [3:30] What does honouring the sacred mean from an astrophysicists point of view? [5:45] What daily practices does Daniel have to engage with the sacred? [7:15] How Daniel came to hold his perspectives and ways of seeing the world [9:30] Astrophysics paving the path to take a more expansive look at things [12:00] Complex systems science: the ins and the outs [17:00] Making an effort to realize that everything is interconnected and has a relationship with everything else [18:30] Misconceptions and reductionism within science [21:30] Why is complex systems science finding it hard to weave into the general scientific community? [23:50] Scientific specialization and reductionism through the medical system [25:30] Integrating scientific worldviews with indigenous worldviews [29:30] Some of the primary issues that our indigenous communities are facing based on Daniel's experiential immersions [33:20] Building bridges between indigenous communities [36:30] The threats and resistance that indigenous leaders face when standing for the sacred [40:00] Cultural risks, in particular, through indigenous plant medicine entho/eco-tourism [46:30] Finding footing on more fertile soils: cross-cultural pollination and collaboration [48:30] Western culture needs to stop encroaching on and determining indigenous wants and needs [52:00] Getting outside of our current systems and structures: we need a massive paradigm shift [56:00] Taking responsibility as individuals [59:00] How do we transition from ego-centric to eco-centric? [1:02:30] The Rights of Nature: The Law of the Land [1:06:00] As a scientist, what is Daniel's perspective towards animism, soul and spirit? [1:13:00] Philosophical musings on consciousness [1:15:30] A framework of moving towards a more resilient interconnected future [1:28:00] Final remarks to close up the conversation RESOURCES & LINKS: The Powerful Alliance Between Integrated Science and Traditional Food Systems - Thrive Self-Imposed Isolation of Indigenous Communities Due to COVID-19 Reinforces the Need for Clean Off-Grid Energy Sources - Resilience How Rights of Nature victories in Colombia's rainforests can inform shared knowledge systems globally - Shareable Scientists Must Learn How to Interact With Indigenous People - Ensia The Koreguaje Tribe: Threatened Guardians of the Northwest Amazon - The Revelator "They Cannot Keep Us Silent" - Earth Island Journal “Deforestation in Colombia” - The Ecologist https://unboundedworld.com/ https://unboundedworld.com/blog/science-society-and-environment/ https://unboundedworld.com/tribes/ https://www.facebook.com/UnboundedWorld7/ https://www.instagram.com/unboundedworld7/ Twitter: @DHRasolt
Laura Dawn joins us for Season1 of Birdsong (2021). Laura is a psychedelic advocate, author and international speaker, who has been leading transformational retreats for 10 years. She teaches how to intentionally explore psychedelics and sacred plant medicines within a holistic framework as powerful visionary tools for growth, transformation and creative manifestation. Laura is passionate about teaching people how to consciously microdose psychedelics within the framework of a daily morning practice, to inspire you to open your creative channel, up-level daily habits and tap into flow states so you can create with a purpose. She grew her first online brand to 1.5M people on FB, sold it for 6-figures, wrote 2 published books, built a volcanic hot spring retreat center from scratch and built a 6-figure retreat business — all using the visionary techniques and practices she teaches. Laura's website: livefreelaurad.com Laura's Instagram: @livefreelaurad TIMESTAMPS: [2:00] The polarization and division on social media and finding shared ground [5:00] Social media trauma [7:45] The extension of our nervous system through technology [9:00] Co-regulation and the devolution of humanity? [13:15] Offering gratitude to the land of Hawaii [17:30] There is no good or bad: sami and hucha energy [19:40] Laura's entrepreneurial upbringing [23:30] Meltdowns and nomadic travels [26:00] Psychedelics on the beach and building a retreat centre [30:00] The intersection between psychedelics and creativity [32:00] Microdosing within the framework of a morning practice [33:45] Microdosing, flow states and leveraging the window of opportunity [36:30] Integrating and Preparing for psychedelics and sacred medicine experiences [39:00] Strengthen your body: it's a vessel for creation [40:30] Cultivating emotional resilience: filling your own cup [43:00] Becoming more aware and connecting with your underlying energy [46:00] How to deal with haters and navigate resistance [47:40] What does it mean to be a leader and bridge the gaps of division [48:30] Working with ayahuasca and microdosing [52:30] The importance of having a clear heart [54:30] Embodying the medicine [55:00] Shame is the toxicity of our time [56:00] The stickyness of cultural appropriation [58:00] How can we all #dobetter? [1:02:00] Navigating a very broken system [1:03:45] The warriors path and being a true leader [1:07:00] Instead of seeking to be right, what if we could seek the right answers? [1:08:00] Implementing higher reaching questions? [1:09:30] Becoming experts at ourselves [1:13:30] Seek first to understand before being understood [1:17:00] A prayer for humanity and protecting the sacredness of earth [1:19:00] Beyond anthropocentrism: plant medicines as teachers [1:21:30] Navigating cultural appreciation
David Haskell joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. David is best known as a writer, scientist, and sound recordist; his work playing its role in reminding us that life's substance and beauty emerges from relationship and interdependence. His first book, The Forest Unseen, was finalist for the 2013 Pulitzer Prize in nonfiction and received numerous other honors. Haskell's latest book, The Songs of Trees, examines the life-giving links between people and trees. The book was winner of the 2020 Iris Book Award and 2018 John Burroughs Medal, and was named one of the Best Science Books of 2017 by Science Friday, among other honors. Haskell received his BA from the University of Oxford and PhD from Cornell University. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and Professor at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN, where his classes have received national attention for combining action in the community with contemplative practice. In addition to his books, he has published scientific papers, essays, poems, and op-eds. TIMESTAMPS: [4:20] David's thoughts on “the sacred” [6:55] Transcending the self to connect with other beings [8:37] “The sacred isn't something that descends on us, it's almost like an aroma rising up from the soil” [11:40] Transcending our humanness to tap into the universality of language? [12:18] The dangers of anthropomorphizing and navigating the middle path [13:20] Part of the joy of the diversity of humanity [14:30] We are replacing the voices of nature with technology [16:10] Scientific education rarely encourages direct personal experience in the wild [16:47] What are the songs of the trees? [18:46] The acoustic dimension of a song and beyond… [20:26] The multi-dimensional meanings behind the music of trees [22:00] Trees: the great connectors and the blurriness of death [24:00] Listening with our hands [24:53] Using technology to listen to the whispers of trees [26:55] Electronic calipers and the 24 hours cycle of a maple tree [31:43] Listening to trees is a fairly ordinary experience… and that's the whole point [32:20] A particularly memorable tree in Manhattan [33:40] Listening to the “second song” of a forest through musical instruments [35:00] The extraordinary ceibo tree in the Amazon [37:25] Putting a hydrophone down by the roots of a palm tree in the ocean [39:45] Constructive vs destructive ways to use technology [42:38] Spending 10x more time with trees than we do with tech [43:49] The etymology of Sewanee, Tennesee + Jon Young and the “sitspot” [45:00] Returning to the same patch of earth over and over again [48:04] The Forest Unseen - a celebration of life in the forest [49:50] Lending an ear to the language of the birds [51:30] Where Song Began - Tim Low (the origin of songbirds / parrots) [52:47] The different layers of bird song - starting at the names of species [53:30] Most people go through life without being able to name different birds [54:00] Learning bird sounds can add colours and dimensions to our life [54:50] Sound and aroma are some of the last senses to go when we leave our body [55:50] Tuning into the voices of the living earth as our ancestors did [56:30] Another layer of learning bird song: the multiple rhythms of the seasons [58:45] Each individual bird, just like humans, has its own personality and identity [59:20] The changing landscape of soundscapes and the sorrow from birds disappearing [1:00:00] What kind of ethical responsibilities do we have as participants in the greater weave of life? [ 1:03:20] Re-establishing right relationship insinuates we're in relationship to begin with [1:04:00] To be an animal is to consume other beings, but how do we go about it and do the right thing? [1:05:10] Paying attention to our senses as an act of right action [1:06:00] Cultivating awareness around the aesthetic response of beauty vs ugly [1:07:30] How do we tell the difference between beauty as a moral guide vs beauty as a great deceiver? [1:10:00] Beauty within the context of harmony [1:10:48] Is beauty actually subjective? [1:12:58] Writing a new book about the flourishing of sounds and the destruction of soundscapes [1:13:50] As an educator, David believes we have a crisis of shutting off the senses within the learning experience [1:16:45] The mentors, role models and teachers that opened the portal to nature, poetry and literature [1:17:34] The teachings of Jane Goodall and Rachel Carson [1:20:30] The final invitation by David…
Willow Jayne joins us for Season 1 of Birdsong (2021). Willow is an award winning entrepreneur turned medicine woman and sacred sexuality coach. She shares a one of a kind coaching style with all of the tools she has acquired throughout her own personal healing journey, weaving together shamanism, psychology, sacred sexuality, spirituality, neuro-science and cutting edge business strategies that enable her clients to attain emotional, sexual, financial and relational freedom through connecting to their innate sense of wholeness within. Willow went through the process of reclaiming her own personal power after experiencing mental illness and sexual trauma, which she documented in her book “Mental Health Warrior”, which is full of tools to support others on their own healing path. She specializes in supporting women-entrepreneurs through the process of self actualization, in particular, guiding those who have experienced abuse and trauma, facilitating the reconnection to their inner sense of confidence, trust and wisdom, to accomplish their soul's mission on earth. Willow has been super generous and has offered our Patreon members a couple of discounts to her courses, which includes $111 off her “Path Of The Medicine Woman” course and 5% off her “Sacred Sexuality” course, beginning on the 1st of Sep 2020. TIMESTAMPS: [3:26] Willow's relationship to the sacred and staying connected to divinity [5:47] Ceremony isn't something we enter into, ceremony is life itself [7:00] The importance of grounded spirituality [8:55] Willow's misunderstood childhood and the darkness, sadness and sorrow within [13:38] Seeking our sense of self in the external vs the internal [14:30] 18 years old and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder [15:47] Surrendering to god and meeting a shaman [17:10] The new cartography of the psyche and the shamanic view of mental illness [18:43] Mental Health Warrior and the map of the medicine wheel for healing [19:20] One of the first principles for healing is going into the pain [21:11] The huachuma / san pedro journey that catalyzed Willow's sacred sexuality work [23:11] Learning how to honour our boundaries [24:02] Finding language for the divine feminine and divine masculine awakening [27:55] Leaning into our weaknesses to become more integrated and embodied [29:40] The prophecy of becoming masters of our own energy and inner worlds [31:38] There is no good and bad energy, only “sami & huacha” - light & heavy energy [35:58] Trailing the fundamental principle of cultivating awareness [37:04] The sacred feminine medicine wheel for personal growth and spiritual expansion [39:02] If we don't feel it, we don't heal it [44:44] Sharing something in common - changing our names… [48:58] The old saying “you've changed man” [50:36] How to navigate resistance and backlash from others when we step into a new identity [53:55] The challenge of the sisterhood wound [55:21] Creating enough safety for women to explore this work [57:34] Anchoring the vision for the masculine and feminine walking together [59:57] The two most prominent unhealthy patterns and how to resolve them [1:03:00] Daily ceremonies and rituals to stay grounded and centered [1:05:52] We are in a spiritual war at the moment [1:07:03] The Aquarian Age: We are all leaders [1:10:25] Acknowledging Willlow's teachers and mentors [1:12:00] Earth centered sensuality and rolling around in mud
Beáta Alföldi joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Beáta is an international retreat leader, medicine woman, workshop facilitator, author, shamanic practitioner, sound healer, ceremonial leader, seer and speaker with a gift for assisting individuals through a deep transformation. Beáta has long travelled the world for training and formal study in the areas of earth-centred practices, shamanism, eco-psychology, mind-body counselling, energetic healing, ceremonial work and plant medicines. She currently facilitates private sessions, classes, workshops and international retreats in Australia, Bali and Mexico. TIMESTAMPS: [2:21] What does honouring the sacred mean for Beáta? [3:57] The sacred and the profane [6:27] Beáta's relationship with Huachuma: the sacred cactus medicine [10:20] What kind of medicine is Huachuma? [11:10] The doorway of the heart [13:02] The re-emergence of shamanism & the risk of superficiality in our modern times [17:11] Is your shamanic practitioner walking the talk? [20:15] The importance of psychic protection in shamanic work [21:24] Self care practices and living the simple life [25:34] Empathy vs Reverence [28:35] How does Beáta's conduct her Huachuma ceremonies? [30:30] Why doesn't Beáta work with traditional medicine songs? [32:20] Placing one ear to the soil, another to the stars, and learning directly from our earth [33:59] The collective sense of longing for “nostos” - the great return home back to our roots [36:50] Earth-honouring traditions and becoming a bridge between worlds [37:28] Our deep ancestors were all earth-honouring people [39:30] What gods are we worshipping? [40:22] There is no higher truth than the one we find in nature [41:40] Follow the money to find the agendas [42:15] The prophecy of the eagle and condor [43:25] The re-emergence of the wild and divine feminine [46:21] Collaborating to create networks and communities of grace [47:46] It's time to step up and stop waiting for someone else to “save us” [48:45] How do men hold the re-emergence of the sacred feminine? [51:38] Beáta flips the role and asks Caiyu a question in regards to supporting the feminine [1:02:07] Sending a prayer to the children to close up our space
Paisley Heart joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Paisley combines his obsession with spirituality, artistic expression, nature, ritual, entrepreneurship, and shamanic practice, while walking boldly between worlds, embodying the hybrid archetypes of the Wild Businessman and Lifestyle Artist. He's the founder of the shamanic rite of passage event “The Funeral” and the host of a panel style podcast titled “Curious Conversations”, while previously offering his unique gifts through his businesses which involved the digital marketing agency DigiLove and Independent record label Fight Music. Paisley has an unorthodox style which has often been challenging for his clients and for professionals in the industry, and pushing against these paradigms has become a strong and recognizable brand that he's proud of. He's a fascinating human who isn't afraid to explore the taboo and be quite open about the journey along the way. TIMESTAMPS: [1:29] The origins of Paisley Heart's name [4:10] Curious Conversations and Paisley's unique way of podcasting [6:52] A pre-amble on the sacredness of words and the energy of the shapeshifter [10:30] What does it mean for Paisley to honour the sacred? [12:27] Social media as a sacred ritual? [15:18] Living by the religion of infinite curiosity and no taboo [16:03] Planting seeds of the sacred into social media [18:25] Applying for Big Brother and the intersection between spirituality/entertainment? [20:08] Getting turned on by doing taboo things [23:26] What the Medicine Path means… [25:52] Polarization and triggering people through social media [31:55] Can we recognize the parallels in each other's journeys? [33:20] The Funeral: a sacred burial ritual [38:45] Open World Theatre with Atlas Talisman: A real life video game [41:29] Bringing beauty and artistry into the ritual experience [44:07] The theatrical nature and aesthetics of The Funeral [45:30] The fascination of going to people's funerals [49:21] Asking random people to help facilitate the ritualistic process [52:04] Why is the beach is the most appropriate environment for these rituals? [56:03] Asking permission from the land when we conduct ceremonial practices [56:42] What teachings and insights have been revealed through being a facilitator of rituals? [58:53] Listening to mentors yet finding your own path [1:00:54] The phenomena of spirits during the ritual process [1:07:15] Experiencing a dead friend “dropping in” to Paisley's body [1:12:50] How have these shamanic death initiations informed Paisley's sense-making of the global debacle we're all in? [1:19:56] Are rites of passage coming face to face with death the most important practices that we need in these times? [1:21:24] Near death experiences to find deeper value in life [1:25:19] The thing that's most alive at the moment is exploring sexual fluidity [1:30:27] “Trying to be all-the-way-gay” [1:33:30] Paisley's vision moving forward with his offerings [1:34:33] Paisley's final remarks and invitation to our listeners
Dean Pinon Sui joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Dean has been living in Peru studying traditional amazonian plant medicine for the last 8 years in the Shipibo tradition through the Ayahuasca Foundation. He has a background in psychology, buddhism and various body/mind synchronization practices, and is equally passionate about psychosis and awakening. Dean has a vast interest in technologies that address healing and liberation through the somatic medium of the subconscious mind, and this has brought him to study and practice therapeutic breathwork, intuitive readings and energy psychology as adjunct therapies to the plant medicine work, but, the core of his passion currently lies in guiding people through the alchemical ritual retreat known as the plant Dieta. Connect with Dean via his mailing list: pinonsui@protonmail.com
Michael Stuart Ani joins us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Michael has been a student of plant wisdom for fifty years. As a young man, the Lakota sage, John Fire Lame Deer, guided Michael through his first peyote ceremony and then sent him south to Mexico in search of the steps of the Ghost Dance. These steps led Michael to the Sierra Mazateca of Oaxaca, famous for its sacred mushrooms. From the end of the 1960's era through to the 1970's, Ani lived in the most remote part of the region. He became the only outsider who was ever allowed to collect Desheto, the sacred mushroom species of the deep tropical cloud forest of Chicon Nindo. He was instrumental in fighting the epidemics among the Yanomami people in the rainforests of Venezuela. He also helped to create a school to teach local indigenous people to be healthcare officers in the emerging Alto Orinoco Biosphere Reserve. His work in Venezuela was subsequently featured in the 1994 documentary, Yanomami, Keepers of the Flame, which won the US Environmental Film Festival's Best Documentary of the Year. Keepers of the Flame also became the feature film at the 1994 Brazilian Earth Summit. In 2002, Ani focused his attention back on the Northern States of the Americas and worked to restore some of the very last genetically pure Bison to the Brule, Lakota tribes on the Rosebud reservation in South Dakota. While on Rosebud, Ani responded to the requests of tribal elder Leonard Crow Dog and brought an eyeglass clinic to the reservation. Because of his efforts in South America and Mexico, and his work to build a ceremony house for renowned healer Grandpa Roy Stone, the Amazonia Foundation was honored by being included as an organization under the umbrella of the National Congress of American Indians. Michael has fulfilled his promise to Desheto by writing the book, “The Ghost Dance; an untold history of the Americas”. His catchprase “TALKING PLANTS” refers to a small group of fungi and plants that he believes have developed the ability to communicate with both humans and animals. Michael feels that these plants are key to survival in an uncertain future. TIMESTAMPS: [6:05] Epidemics in the Amazon and losing jungle knowledge [7:55] Shamanic knowledge is received directly from the plants and spirit [10:34] LSD is GOD in pill form - Tim Leary [11:30] Honouring the sacred by learning the region and communing with the “talking plants” [14:30] Trailing the Ghost Dance, the very first ritual of the Americas [16:15] John Fire Lame Deer, Wounded-Knee and Ghost Dance [21:30] Communing with nature and learning from “talking plants” [27:20] It's not just difficult for US to survive in the forest… [29:05] Apprenticing to the immediate ecology to receive the secrets of the talking plants [31:38] Plants are part of controlling whats going on in the world today and the beginning of the “psychedelic movement” [35:25] Gaian intelligence & our Achilles heel as a species [38:50] Shamans are falling out of the trees [39:55] Tribal communal ceremonies vs deep medicine man ceremonies [43:17] Western culture and mental fragmentations [45:22] Michael's role to keep one lineage in-tact [47:29] Spiraling around to new beginnings by looking to plant medicine cultures of the past [50:00] Learning from Amazonian epidemics and returning to nature for CV-19 [55:16] Using cannabis in it's whole form as a medicine [56:49] Tobacco doesn't carry the same risk when using in its natural form [58:06] Mom + Pop farming is the way forward [59:01] There's a spiritual war in the jungles and it's going to affect us all… [1:01:51] How do you get people to care about ecological disaster? [1:07:46] We are still facing a global witch hunt [1:11:02] What myths of the ancient Americas can help us today? [1:12:23] The different types of animal totems… for people, plants and places [1:18:35] What does the ceremonial ritualistic context for taking the sacred mushroom look like? [1:23:00] The entire ritualistic process… (this is a real gift to listen to!) [1:34:02] Sacred things must be kept hidden… until the exact moment they are needed [1:37:25] What message does Michael have to pass on to those walking the shamanic path?
Matthew J. Pallamary joins us on Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Matthew is an award winning writer, musician, and sound healer who has been studying shamanism all of his life. Matt has spent extended time in the jungles, mountains, and deserts of North, Central, and South America pursuing his studies of shamanism and ancient cultures, who incorporates shamanic practices into his daily life as well as into his writing and teaching. Through his research into both the written word and the ancient beliefs of shamanism, he has uncovered the heart of what a story really is and integrated it into core dramatic concepts that also have their basis in shamanism. He has fifteen books in print that cover several genres, many of which have been translated into foreign languages. He has also lectured about writing and shamanism at numerous venues throughout the United States. TIMESTAMPS: [4:56] Matthew's response to honouring the sacred [5:52] The journey from the head to the heart [6:50] Egypt and esoteric heart wisdom [7:50] We are all aspects and mirror reflections of divinity [8:27] The Holographic Universe [11:42] The acceleration of learning and morphogenetic fields [12:55] Shamanism is all about energy [16:05] What are the key pillars of shamanism at a universal level? [17:37] Jesus was a shaman? [18:35] Shamanism is based on direct experience [19:56] Left brain and Right brain magic [23:40] Traveling to the shadow realms [25:39] Witness consciousness [26:40] Matthew's specialty is South American Indian shamanism [27:14] Shapeshifting as a shamanic practice [28:37] Archetypes are massively dense symbols of knowledge [29:16] Sacred geometry as a universal language [33:07] The evolution of shamanism and new-age traditions [37:52] The more you expand your consciousness, the greater the responsibility [39:14] Everybody is a shaman, only most of us don't know it [41:22] The one primary wound we all have… [43:28] The heart is the compass [46:00] The evolution of language and the path of literacy [50:55] Australian Aboriginal walkabouts and songlines with an American twist [54:04] Digital tech vs Jungle tech [57:03] Musing on the two letter word: “it” [59:44] The shamanic approach to story structure and journeying to the underworld [1:03:05] Shamanism is all about transformation [1:05:22] We're four dimensional beings getting ready to embrace the fifth dimension [1:05:55] Death: A Love Story [1:14:30] Time goes in the blink of an eye [1:17:17] What makes for a good day of writing? [1:21:47] Distancing yourself from your writing [1:22:50] Postpartum depression after finishing bookwriting [1:26:10] Coffee + Cannabis + Writing [1:28:47] Musing on the editing process [1:32:15] Final remarks on the path of shamanism
Andrew "FifthGod" Askaripour join us for Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Andrew is the host of the newly published podcast, Masters of Ceremony, where he focuses on the topics of Hip-Hop, Photography, Shamanism, Self-Development, Ancestral Wisdom, Health + Wellness, and more. Andrew, also known as Fifth, is born of Jamaican and Iranian descent, and he is a creative artist from Long Island, New York who sheds light on his experiences in the world through varying mediums of expression. He has a strong passion for photography, record production, cinematography, plant medicine ceremonies, ancient wisdom, and various spiritual practices, and he's all about documenting and creating genuine art that inspires others to walk a “Path of Remembrance” towards re-discovering their life's purpose and inner calling. TIMESTAMPS: [0:20] Caiyu tells a brief story about his connection with Andrew through drinking the plant medicine Huachuma [6:20] Caiyu and Andrew begin the conversation [6:54] Andrew opens up the space with a short prayer of gratitude [9:46] The theme of finding one's voice [11:26] Andrew's origin story beginning in Long Island, NY [15:13] Becoming entrenched within hip-hop, skateboarding and NY culture [21:30] Growing up on the Traditional American Diet [23:38] Andrew's 10 day fast as a catalyst for spiritual awakening [26:28] Exchanging Eastern philosophies for Shamanism and Earth-based cultures [27:09] Initiation into Ayahuasca + Huachuma in Ecuador [28:10] “When I was in ceremony, I felt like I returned home…” [29:33] The parallels between Andrew and Caiyu's journey [30:36] Exploring Hip-Hop with derogatory vs uplifting language [32:30] The essence of Hip-Hop [34:10] Many people are superficially exposed to Hip-Hop [34:33] The Golden Era of Hip-Hop: Music of education + a culture that transcends music [37:40] Trailing the similarities between Hip-Hop, Ceremony, Sacred Circles & Honouring the Sacred [37:57] The ancient symbology of the Sacred Circle [40:32] The original meaning of the “Cypher” in Hip-Hop context [41:30] “Hip-Hop exposed me to my first psychedelic experiences…” [43:57] The Sacred Plant Medicine Huachuma [46:52] Andrew's relationship to Huachuma [47:41] Initiations into the Andean traditions of working with San Pedro Cactus [49:20] “A sensation of feeling such a deep sense of ancient wisdom that there was no experience of time…” [55:03] Articulating an overarching difference between Ayahuasca + Huachuma [58:00] Finding one's voice during Huachuma ceremonies [1:01:01] Becoming a mouthpiece for other energies that can't speak in the same way humans do [1:03:29] Preparing for poetry [1:04:05] The number one thing most people fear aside from death… [1:05:40] An Offering to the East: A Poem by Andrew [1:07:57] Becoming a hollow bone for nature to speak through us [1:12:36] Everyone is a poet [1:15:25] Our words, prayers and offerings carry frequencies that have an affect on all of nature [1:15:40] Our words and poetry as an evolutionary life form [1:18:06] Learnings and teachings from being the host of a podcast [1:24:20] What is your mythopoetic title? (Andrew detailing his mission and message) [1:27:26] How do we know which voice is ours? [1:29:48] Letting go of the notion of possession [1:33:00] Pausing before speaking: the deep reservoirs of stillness [1:35:46] You must be patient with yourself [1:37:19] Presence precedes patience [1:38:53] Rapid fire questions [1:39:30] Balancing between how much to share and how much to keep private. [1:41:21] Bringing elements of the sacred into the digital world [1:42:20] What would you like to do more of that you're not currently doing? [1:43:13] Singing as a deep and sacred communion [1:45:57] Andrew's sacred morning water prayer [1:50:55] Closing up the conversation with a powerful and deep prayer: communing with our ancestors
Thomas Sochowicz from Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Thomas exclaims that his very first memory was riding down a ray of plasma light, from a star, into this realm when he was born. His first notable initiation was when he was 7 or 8 years old via Carlos Castaneda's "A Fire from Within". This led him to the study of nature and various esoteric lineages via books on Buddhism, Music, Hinduism, Alchemy, Astrology, Shamanism, Science, Occultism, and others. After high school he went through a hard life initiated by the streets of Detroit and the underground festival culture. From there he spent significant time in hermitage for meditation, retreat, initiation with teachers, elders (in particular through the red road), and other branches of self work. In February 2020 he had his third major near death experience, which we talk about in the show, alongside many other fascinating themes along the lines of Celtic Druidic shamanism, entheogens, the hidden serpents of wisdom, we unpack the concept of the 13th dimensional memory complex, we weave in Atlantis, and our plasma body evolution into the Aquarian age. Somehow Thomas has a way of tying this all in together in a very articulate way so that we can gain an understanding of where we are and where we're headed as a species… TIMESTAMPS: [2:55] Thomas opens up the space with a lovely honouring [5:18] Touching on Thomas' backstory and his car accident prior to covid-19 [7:47] Synchro-mysticism [8:22] Near death experience & the soul grid reconstruction with Sara Eaglewoman [12:50] Earth-based vs theatrical ceremony [13:21] The ability to dive into someones energy body for healing [14:30] Ectoplasm and ghostbusters [15:31] Trauma isn't exclusive to humans, but occurs to our Earth as well [18:07] The link between the 13 Collectives of the Pheonix + the 13th Dimensional Memory Complex [19:11] Morphogenetic fields of species… AND planets [23:23] Why is the phoenix and 13 dimensions linked into this, and can these states of consciousness be cultivated by all human beings? [26:03] The Phoenician language [27:04] The way that languages work & the importance of heart-brain synchronization [29:54] Plasma body evolution and preparing for the Aquarian age transition [32:33] Aquarius + Uranus = electricity + aliens [32:49] Aquarius is the water bearer but an air sign… what is the mysterious link to water? [35:36] Cosmological changes affect our DNA + nervous system [36:41] Spiraling and expanding to peak states of consciousness [38:13] What can we do on a practical level to prepare ourselves for plasma body evolution? [42:08] Getting clear and getting callings: tapping into certain frequencies [44:55] Circling back to: why the number 13? [48:43] Celtic Druidic Shamanism; Tuatha De Danaan [52:29] Energetic transmissions through oral traditions [54:39] The hidden serpents of wisdom [59:34] The connection between the ouroboros and reptilians [1:06:01] The prophecy of the serpents of wisdom, ouroborus AND aurora borealis [1:09:30] The lack of knowledge re: our own ancestral lineages and the desire to latch onto other cultures [1:11:31] Working directly with trees to connect with esoteric knowledge [1:17:54] Introduction to entheogens in sixth grade [1:24:00] Psychonautic explorations + the dark side of music festivals [1:24:46] Going to Peru for Dec 21st 2012 [1:26:43] Exploring plant medicine through Changa [1:28:55] Engaging with plant medicine in the right environment [1:30:40] The dark side of the dark side [1:31:30] The importance of plant medicine integration & thinning of the veils [1:35:59] The astrology wheel and Piscean / Neptunian themes [1:39:08] Closing up the container
Richard Henry Whitehurst from Season 1 (2021). Richard is an Educator, Ericksonian Psychotherapist, Transpersonal Hypnotherapist, published author, and an international speaker, having been involved in meditation, transformation, and helping others expand their awareness since 1970. He has roughly 30 years of clinical experience when it comes to therapeutic trance states and heart-centring orientations to heal trauma, increase emotional maturity, gain freedom from emotional pain, and engender positive changes in thousands of clients from all over the world. He's the former president of the Ericksonian Hypnotherapist Association of Australia, the former vice-president of the Queensland Professional Hypnotherapists Association, a certified HeartMath trainer and has lectured extensively in colleges, universities, workshops and conferences in America, England, Europe, India and Australia. Richard is the founder of The Overview Institute of Australia and its sister organisation, Planetary Human. TIMESTAMPS: [3:55] Richard opens by detailing his relationship to honouring the sacred [4:30] The foundational intrinsic awareness & heart-breath synchronization [5:25] The sacredness of the heart [6:35] The four beats in - four beats out meditation [7:15] Everything is sacred [7:35] The Planetary Overview [8:39] The wonderment of telescopes and our moon [9:44] Buckminster Fuller: We're all crew on a spaceship [10:37] Questions on being a Planetary Human & The Planetary Human Vision Keys [12:16] Planetary outlook and the only border that really matters [13:50] The Home Planet by Kevin W Kelley [15:31] Byron Bay & the Intense Raging Ball of Fire in our Sky [16:30] Lewis CK: You don't have the right to be bored [18:46] Birth and destruction: it's bloody and it's intense [20:05] An overview of The Overview Effect [21:00] The two most important things of psychedelic journeys [32921:38] Terrence McKenna: Culture is not your friend [21:50] Thomas Aquinas: Give me the boy til he's 7 and I'll have him for life [22:30] Cartesian split and extrapolating out “mind” [22:50] Cognizing “empty-ness” [24:54] Be the change you wish to see in the world [25:28] King Warrior Magician Lover [26:00] Resonant causation vs Impact causation [27:41] Intrinsic Awareness [28:40] OVERVIEW on Vimeo [29:23] “My websites are like home movies” [31:30] Edgar Mitchells succinct and potent quote [32:20] Suggestive language and gaining access to the imaginal realms [36:24] In the hood: Richards rapport on the streets [38:10] Emotional response from the planetary effect [39:30] Virtual reality and the magi-pod [41:13] The importance of reorienting our language and perspective [43:46] The various ways in which synchronization manifests [44:45] Living life as a waking dream [46:05] Idio-dynamic methods of inducing trance & integrating the masculine + feminine [51:30] Coronavirus: If this was a dream, what would be the characteristics of the symbolism of this dream? [53:10] It's all synchronicity and all consciousness matters [54:30] Musings on quantum entanglement and the interconnectedness of life [57:05] David Hawkins and the Map of Consciousness [59:30] Physics is coming around but some of the “old-school” just need to die off [1:00:00] We live in a misdirected civilization [1:01:55] Richard's experience with a bikie who did “collections” [1:03:10] Follow your bliss BUT ALSO follow your blisters [1:04:37] Jumping over stuff with our spirituality AKA spiritual bypassing [1:05:14] Men have been conditioned to be tough: “be a man” [1:06:40] Carl Jung: Neurosis is the result of insufficient suffering [1:07:45] If we fight our emotions they cling on [1:08:35] Psychedelics, skilled supervision and the need to suffer [1:09:40] Very few parents are trained to be parents [1:10:45] Resonant vs impact causation & the heroes journey from a masculine vs feminine perspective [1:12:59] Revisiting Terrence McKenna [1:13:30] Integrating resonant causation and impact causation [1:14:40] Supporting the re-emergence of the goddess principle [1:16:05] Joseph Campbell & The Hero's Journey [1:16:54] Douglas Gillette & The Shamans Secret [1:17:45] Embrace death from a place of intensified being [1:19:16] William Wordsworth Poetry - Ode: Intimation to Immortality [1:19:50] The Hero's Journey is not just for men [1:20:19] Many women are overbalanced in their masculine [1:22:25] Men need the empowered feminine principle [1:22:40] Islam gesture of receiving [1:23:57] Bottom Feeders: A Poem by Richard spoken by Caiyu [1:27:30] The key is we: the time of the lone wolf is over [1:230:48] Richard closes up with a short prayer: don't forget your magnificence
Lane Wilcken from Season 1 (2021) of Birdsong. Lane is a scholar, cultural tattoo practitioner, known as a mambabatok, and an advocate for the critically endangered practice of "batok" which are the cultural tattoos of the Philippines. He's studied many of the indigenous traditions of the Philippines and greater Pacific, with nearly three decades of research and experience. He's the author of "Filipino Tattoos Ancient to Modern" and "The Forgotten Children of Maui: Filipino Myths, Tattoos, and Rituals of a Demigod." He's also been a contributing writer to "Back from the Crocodile's Belly: Philippine Babaylan Studies and the Struggle for Indigenous Memory" and "Shamanic Transformations: True Stories of the Moment of Awakening," as well as several articles for various magazines and journals. In this conversation, we cover traditional cultural tattoo, animism, shamanism, mythology, origin stories, similarities between not just the Philippines, but many of the islands and cultures within and around the Pacific, cultural restoration, and several other threads that we stitch into the fabric of our dialogue. TIMESTAMPS: [3:35] Lane open the conversation with a Filipino prayer [6:25] How did Lane get started on this path? [7:30] The Philippines are a product of an admixture of peoples for over a millennia [8:15] Why did Lane feel so comfortable around Hawaiian culture? [9:15] The similarities between pre-contact Philippines culture and Polynesia [10:00] Lane's rite of passage into tattooing [18:20] Philippines: The Island of the Painted People [19:00] Ancient tattoo artifacts discovered roughly 4,000 years ago [19:45] The link between ancient tattooing and Chinese medicine / acupuncture points [21:20] Sacred geometry in tattoos and the potential link with psychedelic trips [21:56] Animistic relations and tattoo symbology [23:00] Filipino plant medicine and acacia?? [25:30] Animism and the understanding that everything has a spirit [26:00] Banyan trees and deification of the dead [26:35] Filipino afterlife beliefs [28:15] Filipino shamans (Babaylans) and ancestral rituals [31:36] Lanes grandmother as a Filipino healer [32:23] Lane discussing his “activation” of ancestral healing knowledge [35:00] Self-initiation as a response to the lack of connection with our ancestral roots [36:00] Was it predominantly the women who became the shamans? [37:47] The matriarchal thread throughout traditional Filipino culture [41:00] Women were considered spiritual portals into this world and the other [41:23] The story of the Babaylans being fed to the crocodiles [42:42] Headhunting traditions and eating part of the warrior as spiritual culture [44:00] Is there a link between symbology and practicality when it comes to shamanic canoe travel? [46:46] Cross-cultural pollination between seafaring Pacific cultures [49:33] The great debate of whether the Philippines is linked to South East Asia or Pacific Island [51:15] Mainland Asian culture vs Pacific culture [53:00] Linguistic similarities between traditional cultures [54:50] The sweet potato of the Philippines is of Native American origin [56:15] Did Maui, the Demigod, bring sweet potato to both the Philippines and New Zealand? [57:20] Laumuaig / Maui fishing up the islands [59:00] Tattoos as mnemonic devices that commemorate ancient mythology [1:00:36] For Filipinos, the Philippines is not our original homeland [1:01:30] The link between ancestral arrivings by bamboo tube and the symbolic feminine [1:05:10] Nurturing the soils of cultural restoration [1:15:38] The tribe known as the Dreamweavers [1:21:30] Cultural appropriation and rebuilding a visual vocabulary of entholinguistic groups of the Philippines [1:23:00] From pottery and textiles to tattoos on the skin [1:24:40] Receiving tattoo meanings through dreamtime realms [1:27:12] Lane gives thanks to close up the conversational container
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