Alive and Loving It

In this deeply moving episode of Alive and Loving It, Dr Rosy Daniel and Karen Mellers welcome David Lorimer – mystic, writer, poet, philosopher and one of the leading voices exploring the relationship between science, spirituality and human consciousness.

David’s beautiful episode brings together his spiritual poetry, with an exploration of what near death experience tells us about how to live at this troubled time in human evolution. He also touches into his learning from his study of the Divine Feminine and the urgent need for a new vision for humanity. 

Joining us from a monastery in France, David shares his beautiful poetry and a lifetime of profound reflection on what it means to be human, the nature of consciousness, the mystery of life and death, and our potential for spiritual evolution. With more than 50 years of study of near-death experiences, he shares what these experiences reveal about the nature of consciousness, the possibility of life beyond physical death, and what really matters as we shift into the perspective of living life as an eternal being on a journey of spiritual evolution. 

David believes humanity is at a critical evolutionary choice point. The systems and values driving much of our world towards division and destruction need a radical transformation. But what might take their place? Drawing on the teachings of Bulgarian spiritual philosopher Peter Deunov, he offers five guiding principles: Love, Wisdom, Truth, Justice and Virtue. We think about what it means to live from the wisdom of the heart and how at this pivotal moment in human history, we can move beyond fear, division and separation towards a more loving, conscious and compassionate world.

David stresses the need for us to develop ‘the strength of centred presence’, and why he feels that meditation, prayer and contemplation are so important in maintaining and living in our connection with our deeper spiritual nature and intelligence.

The conversation also takes us into the fascinating world of Gnostic Christianity, Mary Magdalene and the Gospel of the Beloved Companion. David reflects on the importance of the Divine Feminine, the recovery of hidden spiritual wisdom, and the need to bring the mind and the heart together.

Throughout the conversation, David reads several of his own beautiful poems, including ‘We Are Here to Love’, reminding us that we are here to practise kindness, compassion, forgiveness and reconciliation, and to recognise our profound interconnectedness with all life.

In this episode, we explore:

• Humanity at an evolutionary crossroads: why a radical change in our values and systems is needed.
• The five principles of Love, Wisdom, Truth, Justice and Virtue.
• Centred presence: finding inner peace and spiritual strength amid external chaos.
• Why the transformation of the world begins within us.
• Near-death experiences and what they reveal about consciousness, love and life beyond death.
• The soul blueprint: discovering our deeper purpose and recognising dates with destiny.
• Bringing the mind into the heart: the heart as the seat of love, wisdom and our true being.
• Gnosis and the hidden wisdom of the Gnostic Gospels.
• Mary Magdalene, the Gospel of the Beloved Companion and the rising Divine Feminine.
• The importance of cooperation, mutual aid, community and a new vision for humanity.
• The healing power of poetry, prayer, meditation and contemplation.

Connect with David Lorimer

• Scientific and Medical Network: https://scientificandmedical.net/
• Galileo Commission: https://galileocommission.org/
• David’s website – https://davidlorimer.co.uk 
• David's books: https://www.lulu.com/ including his new book Being Together; Love, Truth and Hope
• Podcast: Imaginal Inspirations - https://redcircle.com/shows/imaginal-inspirations 
• YouTube: Inspiring Purpose - https://www.youtube.com/@DavidLorimer.InspiringPurpose 

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

What does it really mean to be true to yourself? And what happens when the life you’ve built no longer feels like you?

Discover how Australian Authenticity Coach Kat John transformed her relationship with chronic pain, identity and self-worth in a profound self-healing journey to find her personal freedom and live authentically

In this deeply moving episode of Alive and Loving It, Rosy Daniel and Karen Mellers welcome Kat John, Australian authenticity coach, author and former registered nurse, for an honest and inspiring conversation about self-discovery, personal transformation and the courage to live in alignment with who we truly are.

Kat’s journey is a powerful reminder that the person we present to the world is not always the person we were born to be. From childhood, many of us learn to adapt ourselves to gain love, approval and acceptance. Little by little, we construct a persona that helps us fit in and feel safe. But what happens when that carefully constructed identity begins to feel like a prison?

Kat shares her extraordinary personal story of chronic pain, profound despair and the life-changing wake-up calls that led her towards a different way of living. At just 24, after years of debilitating nerve pain and opioid dependence, she encountered a neurologist who challenged her to imagine what life might look like if she were truly free to be herself.

That simple but profound question became the beginning of a new relationship with her body, her intuition and her inner world. Through daily visualisation of herself in freedom, movement, and listening to her inner voice Kat gradually reconnected with life, Kat now describes herself as a Well Being and she has gone on to help thousands of others to come home to themselves in heightened aliveness and greatly improved health. 

In this episode, we explore:

• Why we lose touch with our authentic selves – how childhood experiences, family dynamics and cultural expectations shape the personas we build to feel accepted and loved.
• The courage to change your life – why stepping away from familiar identities, relationships and ways of living can feel frightening, even when we know something needs to change.
• When life delivers a wake-up call – whether we need to reach rock bottom to transform, or whether self-awareness can help us make changes before a crisis arrives.
• The mind-body connection – Kat’s personal experience of chronic pain and the role of visualisation, movement and renewed engagement with life in her recovery journey.
• Movement as liberation – from expressive dance and Five Rhythms to Qigong, Kat explains how movement helps her reconnect with joy, freedom and her deepest self.
• Learning to trust your intuition – how to recognise the inner voice that knows when something is no longer right for us.
• Sovereignty and self-leadership – what it means to reclaim your inner authority, respect your own timing and stop forcing yourself to live by other people’s expectations.
• The power of vulnerability – why admitting that we are struggling and asking for help can be the beginning of profound change.
• Getting ourselves out of the ‘uncomfortable comfort zone’ – recognising the quiet unease that arises when we have drifted away from our truth.

Learning more from Kat – 

Website www. katjohn.com.au

Instagram - @kat.john

Kat’s offerings include:

• The Good Life, a self-paced programme exploring eight key areas of life; 
• Authentic the Program, an evolution of her signature authenticity work  
• Her book - Authentic
• One-to-one coaching
• And coming soon a new membership combining Qigong, somatic and expressive dance, coaching tools and meditation.

Kat says “You do not necessarily need a dramatic wake-up call to begin listening to yourself. As you listen, ask yourself: Am I living true? Am I living wild? Am I living free? And get yourself great coaching support to make this precious journey home to yourself. 

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Kat John's transformative journey
• 02:01 The significance of dreams and manifestation
• 03:56 Connecting with nature and community
• 08:00 The crossroads and decision to change
• 09:00 The challenge of living authentically
• 11:57 Wake-up calls and dark nights of the soul
• 16:02 From healthcare to holistic healing
• 20:08 The neurology wake-up call
• 23:58 The power of visualisation and intention
• 29:57 The journey to pain-free living
• 33:00 The role of movement and dance in healing
• 37:58 Living in sovereignty and self-trust
• 45:07 Programs and offerings for self-empowerment
• 54:04 Embracing authenticity and vulnerability

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

What if there is a simple, ancient practice that can help us reconnect with a healing field that is much greater than ourselves?

In this deeply inspiring episode of Alive and Loving It, Rosy Daniel and Karen Mellers welcome Jeremy Colledge, a lifelong student and teacher of Qigong, to explore the extraordinary world of Qi, energy, consciousness and self-healing.

Jeremy has studied Qigong for more than 35 years and taught it for around 25 years. His passion has now culminated in a new documentary, Hidden in Plain Sight, created to introduce more people in the West to a practice that is deeply embedded in Chinese culture but remains surprisingly little known here.

From the City of London to Qigong

Jeremy shares the personal journey that brought him to Qigong. Whilst living what he describes as a highly toxic lifestyle as a City foreign exchange broker in London, the death of his father brought him to a profound turning point.

After exploring yoga and Tai Chi, Jeremy discovered Qigong, and immediately felt that it offered a practical, accessible way of working with the body, breath, mind and energy that could get him and his life back into balance and be incorporated into everyday life.Unlike the complex forms of Tai Chi, Jeremy describes Qigong as something you can practise almost anywhere, even in an airport!

What is Qigong?

We explore the ancient roots of Qigong and its relationship with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taoism, movement, meditation and wellbeing.

Jeremy explains his understanding of the Qi field: the idea that we are continually surrounded by an energetic field which is limitless and abundant, and that Qigong can help us reconnect this field to restore ourselves, and reconnect us with nature and the wider universe.

The conversation takes us into fascinating territory, including consciousness, quantum science, the work of Dr Pang Ming, the relationship between Eastern wisdom and Western scientific ideas, and the possibility of accessing a much greater sense of abundance rather than scarcity.

Can energy become stagnant?

For anyone interested in the mind-body connection, this is a particularly fascinating part of the conversation.

Jeremy explains how Qigong works with physical movement and relaxation, while also exploring the Chinese understanding of how emotional and psychological patterns can affect the flow of energy through the body.

We discuss how modern life, sitting for long periods, driving, working at computers and constantly looking down at our phones can leave the body tense and restricted.

The healing power of the Qi field

Qigong offers a gentle way of moving, releasing and reconnecting with the body experienced by Rosy’s clients on retreat with Jeremy and currently through Jeremy’s weekly classes and online resources. Jeremy also describes his experiences of people who were too exhausted to practise physically but who simply rested within the group and absorbed the atmosphere of the healing Qi field generated by the class.

The Eight Phrases: a beautiful Qigong meditation

One of the most special moments in this episode is when Jeremy introduces us to Dr Pang Ming's Eight Phrases which he sings to us in Chinese and then interprets. 

Through voice, sound, imagination and stillness, he guides listeners towards an experience of expanding beyond the boundaries of the physical body, connecting with nature and the universe, releasing what is no longer needed and returning to the body with a renewed sense of harmony. It is a beautiful reminder that sometimes we need to move beyond analysing everything with the mind and simply come back into the body and experience.

Qigong, longevity and living fully

The conversation ends by looking towards the future: not simply extending lifespan, but extending healthspan – helping people remain active, connected and engaged with life for as long as possible. For Jeremy, true longevity is not about spending decades surviving in ill health. It is about looking after the body, cultivating vitality and continuing to live life fully.

Jeremy's new documentary, Hidden in Plain Sight, explores these ideas and aims to bring Qigong to a much wider audience.

In this episode we explore:

• What Qigong is and where it comes from
• Qigong versus Tai Chi
• The Qi field and our connection with the universal energy field 
• Dr Pang Ming and Zhineng Qigong
• Qi, consciousness and quantum science
• Energy, stagnation and the mind-body connection
• Qigong for relaxation, movement and wellbeing
• The importance of bringing awareness back into the body
• Group practice, coherence and co-regulation
• The Eight Phrases meditation
• Qigong, longevity and healthspan
• Jeremy's new documentary, Hidden in Plain Sight

A beautiful, thought-provoking conversation about energy, consciousness, healing, connection and the possibility of living a more vital and fully embodied life.

Find out more about Jeremy Colledge’s Classes

Jeremy offers online Qigong classes, including a free weekly Wednesday self-healing class, as well as courses and retreats. Website www.quantumqigong.co.uk 

Documentary: Hidden in Plain Sight

You Tube - www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LUb6S2L4JI

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Jeremy Colledge and Qigong
• 02:01 The relationship between Chinese medicine and quantum science
• 11:04 Jeremy's journey into discovering Qigong
• 21:11 The concept of Qi fields and their healing potential
• 34:07 Practical Qigong exercises and their benefits
• 43:55 The power of intention and openness in energy work
• 50:10 Expanding into the universe and connecting with the Qi field
• 53:55 Jeremy's documentary and resources for learning Qigong

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

What if our understanding of ourselves, our planet and the universe is undergoing a profound shift - from separation to wholeness, from competition to cooperation, and from fear to love?

In this fascinating episode of Alive and Loving It, Rosie and Karen are joined by Dr Jude Currivan, cosmologist, quantum physicist, author, futurist and member of the Club of Rome, for a far-reaching conversation about consciousness, spirituality, science, artificial intelligence and what it means to be human.

Jude shares how her own extraordinary journey began in childhood, with experiences of precognitive dreams, out-of-body experiences and a deep intuitive knowing. Rather than seeing these experiences as something unusual or exclusive, she believes that our capacity for non-local awareness and deeper knowing is part of our natural human heritage.

From a universe of separation to a living, loving universe

One of the central themes of this conversation is the possibility that our prevailing worldview which is based on separation, materialism and a mechanistic universe is giving way to a new understanding of reality.

Jude describes emerging scientific thinking as pointing towards a unitive science of a living, loving universe: a universe that is interconnected, relational, sentient and evolving.

Rosy has explored the interdependent relationship of life energy, consciousness and healing love through her own 40 years of integrative healthcare experience. Together they consider how as awareness, love and connection increases our relationship to living and dying is transformed. 

Jude offers a beautiful distinction: unity is not uniformity. We are radically diverse and individually unique, yet simultaneously unified as part of a greater wholeness.

And for those who were ill or suffering Jude’s message is beautifully simple: we cannot endlessly breathe out in service to others without also breathing in and caring for ourselves.

Artificial intelligence and the future of humanity

Jude also offers a fascinating perspective on artificial intelligence. She explains that whilst AI is exceptionally powerful at recognising patterns, the information on which today's AI systems are trained comes from a worldview based on separation. This can influence the kinds of choices and solutions AI generates. However, she tells us of colleagues who are introducing into AI frameworks such as the Elohim Game based on win-win-win thinking that benefit the individual, the collective and the planet.

The conversation raises an urgent question: what kind of intelligence are we creating, and what worldview are we giving it?

What is the Akashic Record, Indra's Net and the nature of time?

We then explore the ancient concept of the Akashic Record, alongside the beautiful Vedic image of Indra's Net, in which every jewel reflects every other jewel and everything is interconnected.

Jude connects these ancient wisdom traditions with contemporary scientific ideas about a holographic universe, memory, information and consciousness.

We also explore precognition, the experience of being beyond linear time and whether the future is already written or whether it is continually being created in the present moment.

The Club of Rome and a new vision for humanity

As a member of the Club of Rome, Jude is involved in exploring whole-system approaches to transformational change. She explains how the Club of Rome's work challenges us to look beyond isolated problems and recognise the interconnectedness of economics, healthcare, environment, governance, peace and human wellbeing.

Her message is particularly powerful: rather than simply pursuing endless economic growth, we might seek healthy abundance which gives us a better quality of life, deeper relationships, creativity, joy and regeneration rather than simply accumulating more and more.

“What is mine to do?”

Perhaps the most practical question to emerge from this extraordinary conversation is one that Jude asks herself every day:

“What is mine to do, and how can I best serve?”

Rather than believing that we have to fix the whole world, Jude invites each of us to discover our own contribution. Leadership, she suggests, does not belong only to politicians, scientists or global organisations. It can emerge through every individual act of kindness, care, creativity and courage.

She encourages us to act local, feel global and think cosmic — remembering that we are unique individuals, members of a human family and an inseparable part of a living planetary home.

And perhaps, ultimately, her invitation to us all is ‘to take love seriously’.

In this episode we explore:

• Consciousness, intuition and non-local awareness
• Precognitive dreams and different ways of knowing
• Quantum physics and consciousness
• The relationship between love, vitality and consciousness
• The shift from a worldview of separation to wholeness
• AI, consciousness and the future of humanity
• Win-win-win thinking and the Elohim Game
• The Akashic Record and Indra's Net
• The holographic model of the universe
• Precognition and the nature of time
• The Club of Rome and whole-system thinking
• Regenerative approaches to human development
• Healthy abundance rather than endless growth
• Finding your own purpose and contribution
• Vision, reverse visioning and creating the future
• Why leadership is the role of every one of us
• Love as our connection to a living and loving universe

This is a deeply thought-provoking conversation for anyone interested in consciousness, spirituality, quantum physics, holistic health, personal transformation, artificial intelligence, the future of humanity and our relationship with the living world.

Come and explore with us what might happen when we stop seeing ourselves as separate and begin to remember that we are part of something infinitely larger, interconnected and alive.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Jude Currivan's Journey and Insights
• 07:16 The Wake-Up Call: Childhood Experiences of Consciousness
• 17:59 The Universe as a Unitive and Loving Whole
• 35:30 The Akashic Record and the Boundary of the Universe
• 54:10 The Power of Worldview Shift and Collective Love

To find out more about Jude and her work go to website www.judecurrivan.com

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

What if having beautiful, healthy hair was less about constantly fixing, washing and styling it and more about understanding what your hair and scalp actually need?

In Episode 52 of Alive and Loving It, we are delighted to welcome Tabitha James Kraan, pioneering organic hairdresser, entrepreneur and creator of her award-winning range of natural and organic haircare products.

Tabitha has spent decades challenging conventional approaches to hairdressing and encouraging us to look at hair as part of our toxin free whole-body wellbeing. Her journey into organic haircare began in 1999, when becoming pregnant prompted her to question what toxins she was putting onto her own body and, importantly, what she was exposing her salon clients to. This led her to completely rethink her approach to hairdressing and ultimately to create her own organic haircare products.

In this fascinating conversation, Tabitha shares her passion for natural beauty, organic hair products, scalp health and sustainable hairdressing, and explains why she believes we need to rethink the way we wash and care for our hair.

We explore the importance of the scalp as living skin with a huge blood supply to our hair follicles which absorb all the products we put onto it. We talk about the role of the scalp's natural oils and why stripping away too much of that protective oil will leave hair and scalp struggling to find their natural equilibrium. Tabitha explains her philosophy of oil balancing, correct cleansing and moisture layering – three principles at the heart of her approach to healthy hair.

We also talk about the ingredients we put onto our hair and scalp, the difference between natural, organic and conventional haircare and the plasticised toxic hair products, and why sustainability matters – not simply for our own bodies, but for the planet too.

For anyone experiencing dry hair, oily hair, an irritated or itchy scalp, thinning hair, ageing hair or simply wanting to move towards a more natural beauty routine, this episode offers plenty to think about. So, if you love natural health, organic beauty, sustainable living, healthy ageing and simple ways to care for yourself more consciously, this is an episode not to miss.

In this episode we explore:

• Natural and organic haircare
• Absorption of hair products and dyes through the scalp
• Why scalp health matters
• The importance of the scalp's natural oils
• How over hair washing affects the scalp and hair
• Oil balancing, gentle cleansing and moisture layering
• Choosing cleaner, more sustainable hair products
• Natural approaches to dry, oily and ageing hair
• Haircare and wellbeing
• Sustainable and ethical beauty
• Why beauty can be both luxurious and environmentally conscious
• Tabitha's journey from traditional hairdresser to pioneering organic hairdresser
• How reconnecting with nature can influence the way we care for ourselves

Find out more about Tabitha James Kraan and her organic haircare philosophy: 

www.tabitha-jameskraan.com

To buy Tabitha’s products AND support the Podcast go to www.aliveandlovingit.org/marketplace  

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to the episode and guest Tabitha James-Kraan
• 01:02 The significance of natural hair archetypes and beauty standards
• 02:07 The environmental impact of frequent hair washing and product use
• 03:23 The importance of reducing shampoo frequency for health and planet
• 08:55 The story of how a midwife changed Tabitha’s perspective on hair colouring
• 09:09 The dangers of hair dyes and chemicals absorbed through the scalp
• 12:03 Common toxic ingredients in hair care products to avoid
• 13:02 The impact of synthetic dyes and plastics in hair products
• 15:57 The issue with nanoparticles and microplastics in water systems
• 17:40 The link between chemicals in hair products and cancer risk
• 18:48 Holistic hairdressing and minimal contact colouring techniques
• 22:59 The effects of harsh detergents and surfactants in shampoos
• 24:22 The cycle of over-washing and natural oil production
• 26:39 Benefits of reducing hair washing frequency for health and environment
• 31:00 Embracing grey and natural hair as a form of self-expression
• 34:21 Customising hair colour to enhance natural grey patterns
• 40:17 The role of oils and conditioners in maintaining healthy hair
• 43:17 The importance of choosing natural dyes and gentle treatments
• 45:01 Final thoughts on holistic hair care and environmental responsibility

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

What happens when we lose trust in the extraordinary wisdom of the female body? In this deeply inspiring episode of Alive and Loving It, Rosy Daniel and Karen Mellers are joined by pioneering midwife, educator and advocate Sheena Byrom, founder of All4Maternity, for a powerful conversation about trusting our bodies during pregnancy and birth, women’s choices, empowering midwifery and the importance of staying connected to our innate physiology.

Sheena has been a midwife since 1978, giving her more than four decades of experience witnessing the changing landscape of maternity care. She shares the extraordinary story of the moment she first caught a baby during her midwifery training - an experience that left her in tears and opened her eyes to the profound beauty and power of birth.

The conversation explores the increasing medicalisation of childbirth, including rising rates of caesarean sections and induction of labour, and the culture of risk and fear surrounding modern maternity care. Sheena emphasises that birth can never be completely risk-free, but that maternity services need to recognise when intervention is genuinely necessary while also understanding the potential for medical harm when intervention becomes routine.

Importantly, Sheena stresses that this is not about saying one type of birth is good and another is bad. A caesarean birth can be necessary, empowering and life-saving, and every woman deserves to have her choices respected without judgement. The essential principle is to balance giving women and midwives unbiased, understandable information with building trust in ourselves and our bodies as women as we prepare for one of the most powerful and beautiful moments of our lives. 

We explore the importance of knowing your body, understanding anatomy, staying mobile during pregnancy and labour, preparing emotionally, and developing trust in your own innate physical intelligence. Sheena shares why continuity of midwifery care and supportive relationships can make such a difference and why doulas and trusted birth companions can provide the vital connection and reassurance to let our bodies relax into their natural function.

There is also practical wisdom for pregnancy and birth, including skin-to-skin contact, optimal cord clamping, avoiding unnecessary separation of mother and baby, early breastfeeding and supporting the physiological processes surrounding birth. Sheena and Rosy share the power of visualisation during labour including Sheena’s beautiful image of crossing a river with each contraction.

Through All4Maternity, Sheena is helping to educate and support the maternity community through evidence-based, peer-reviewed journals, online learning, imagery and inclusive resources designed for midwives, student midwives, doulas, childbirth educators and others involved in maternity care.

This is a heartfelt conversation about trust, connection, informed choice, physiological birth, women's empowerment and the extraordinary wisdom of the body.

In this episode we explore:

• Sheena’s journey into midwifery
• The magic and emotional power of witnessing birth
• The changing landscape of maternity care
• Caesarean birth and induction of labour
• Risk, fear and the medicalisation of birth
• The importance of informed decision-making
• Why women need unbiased, accessible information
• Knowing your anatomy and understanding your body
• Birth plans and navigating modern maternity services
• Continuity of midwifery care
• The role of doulas and supportive birth companions
• Staying close to physiology wherever and however a baby is born
• Skin-to-skin contact and keeping mother and baby together
• Optimal cord clamping
• Early breastfeeding and family connection
• Birth trauma and the influence of social media
• Visualisation and preparing emotionally for labour
• Supporting and valuing midwives
• Empowering women to trust themselves and their bodies

Find out more about Sheena and All4Maternity through their website www.all4maternity.com 

Read the Journals – Practising Midwife and Student Midwife.

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction to Sheena Byrom and the series
• 01:00 Sheena's journey into midwifery and early experiences
• 02:43 Building confidence in social media presence
• 16:08 Rise in caesarean and induction rates and concerns
• 20:58 Medicalization of childbirth and risks involved
• 34:55 The importance of respectful, physiological birth
• 44:43 Supporting bonding and early family connection
• 50:12 Trusting intuition and visualizing a positive birth experience
• 52:02 Closing thoughts and gratitude for Sheena's insights

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

In this episode of Alive and Loving It, Rosy and Karen meet the fascinating Janice Clyne of Nourished by Nature — scientist, fermentation expert, forager, educator and passionate advocate for real food. Janice shares her journey from a career in food science and whisky research to discovering the ancient art of fermentation and building ‘Nourished by Nature’, where she now inspires people to reconnect with food, nature and their own wellbeing.

In this episode we explore:

• Why fermented foods can be so valuable for gut health and how they may support the diversity of our gut microbiome.
• How to make your own sauerkraut and vegetable ferments at home — and why you don't need complicated equipment or starter cultures.
• The fascinating relationship between the gut, brain, cravings and mood.
• Why eating real, minimally processed food and a diversity of plants matters.
• The joys and benefits of seasonal eating and foraging.
• How to introduce fermented foods gradually and listen to your own body's response.
• The difference between fermentation and pickling.
• The core philosophy of taking responsibility for our own health and making small, sustainable changes.

Janice's message is refreshingly simple: eat real food, choose the best quality you can, eat seasonally, enjoy plenty of plants and experiment to discover what fermented foods work well for you.

With her scientific curiosity, infectious enthusiasm and wonderfully independent spirit, Janice is a true force of nature. This is a conversation full of practical ideas, inspiration and joy and may well be the key for restoring healthy digestion and mental wellbeing. 

Find out more about Janice and Nourished by Nature at www.nourishedbynature.uk. There you can get Janice’s ebook full of recipes ‘Janice’s Guide to the Galaxy’.
 You can also become a Member of her Wellness Hub to join her lively community of happy fermenters! 

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and Janice's background in science
• 02:37 The broken system of health and the power of traditional foods
• 04:10 Unlearning misinformation and returning to basics
• 07:04 Janice's journey from microbiology to fermentation
• 13:21 The benefits of fermented foods for gut health
• 20:17 A day in the life of Janice's kitchen and fermentation process
• 26:41 Cravings, gut health, and the microbiome connection
• 36:08 Supporting gut diversity and the impact of fermented foods
• 43:37 Listening to your body and intuition in health choices
• 45:01 Practical tips for starting with fermented foods
• 55:20 Janice's community, wellness hub, and future plans

Janice’s links:

Instagram – @nourishedbynature
TikTok – @nourishedbynature
Website – www.nourishedbynature.uk

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

In this powerful opening episode of Season 5, Rosy Daniel and Karen Mellers welcome Dr Rob Verkerk PhD, founder and Executive and Scientific Director of the Alliance for Natural Health (ANH). An environmental scientist, ecologist, researcher and longstanding natural-health campaigner, Rob has spent more than two decades challenging the systems and regulations that shape what we can know, choose and use in healthcare.

Rob shares the extraordinary journey that took him from ecology and environmental science into natural health, nutrition, food quality, toxicology and integrative healthcare – and explains why he believes the health of people and the health of our environment cannot be separated.

In this episode we explore:

• Why environmental health and human health are inseparable
• How our food, water, air, stress, movement and environment influence health
• The growing importance of an ecological approach to medicine
• Why Rob believes current regulatory systems protect ‘big pharma’ and ‘big food’ rather than the people that they aim to serve and restrict access to natural health approaches
• The challenge of balancing risk and benefit when regulating herbs, nutrients and other natural products
• The Alliance for Natural Health’s work using science, research, education and law to influence health policy
• Why Rob describes his approach as “re-education rather than fighting”
• The importance of health coaching and behaviour change in creating better health outcomes
• The concept of the “health ecology” of the individual and the many levers we can influence 
• How building resilience, energy, strength, connection and purpose may help us age more healthily
• Why focusing on health creation rather than disease management could transform healthcare

There is also a fascinating discussion about the influence of academia, regulation, pharmaceutical medicine, food systems and vested interests, and why Rob works tirelessly to restore greater balance to both science and healthcare.

Above all, this is a conversation about choice, empowerment, connection and hope – and about moving from passive healthcare to proactive health creation.

About Dr Rob Verkerk PhD

Dr Rob Verkerk is an environmental scientist, ecologist and natural-health campaigner and the founder of the Alliance for Natural Health International. His work spans environmental science, agriculture, food, nutrition, health, science and regulation. He has spent more than 20 years working to protect access to natural health approaches through research, education, advocacy and strategic legal action.

The Alliance for Natural Health needs our support to fund this brave and important work.

Find out more and become a member! 

• ANH International – anh-international.org
•  ANH USA – anh-usa.org

Chapters

• 00:00 Introduction and overview of the episode
• 04:17 Rob Verkerk's background and connection to nature
• 09:04 The influence of environment on human health
• 12:04 Traditional cultures and wisdom of elders
• 15:50 The medicinal knowledge of rainforest plants
• 17:43 Legal actions to protect natural health products
• 19:28 The need for a risk-benefit approach in regulation
• 20:56 The impact of scientific bias and vested interests
• 23:32 Cost-effectiveness of health coaching in cancer care
• 26:17 The systemic failure of current healthcare models
• 29:14 Probabilistic approach to health determinants
• 31:37 The common soil of chronic and degenerative diseases
• 34:12 The disconnect between health expenditure and outcomes
• 36:17 Inspirations and personal stories of resilience
• 39:15 The influence of corporate interests on science and regulation
• 43:39 The decline of scientific integrity and trust
• 45:51 The movement for natural health and ecological medicine
• 48:31 How to support and get involved with ANH
• 52:02 The importance of connection and community in health
• 53:19 Closing remarks and call to action

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

This episode is a new opportunity to listen again to our inspiring guest Joey Walters who is an esteemed member of our Go Deeper Team. To learn more about her services please go t the Go Deeper Page on our website www.aliveandlovingit.org/go-deeper . And those of you who are our Guardian Patreon Members will also have access to a special gift from her on the Patreon Members pages. Details of how to become a Guardian to support and grow our podcast are found at the end of these show notes.

This week’s episode is one that so many listeners have been waiting for. After receiving multiple requests from our Alive & Loving It community, Karen and Dr. Rosy welcome the extraordinary Joey Walters, founder of Rising Connected — a woman whose teachings have profoundly shaped Karen’s personal and professional path. 

In this powerful, intimate conversation, Joey shares her journey from burnout in a high-pressure leadership career, to a decade of deep apprenticeship with Earth Wisdom teachers, to the emergence of her global work: Rising Connected, a community framework dedicated to awakening feminine truth, power and wisdom. 

Together, the three women explore the transformative healing of circle work, the need for safe connection in a disconnected world, and the foundational framework of Rising Connected’s 8 Agreements, principles that help women return to authenticity, embodied presence, choice, integrity, awareness, heartmind, and relatedness. 

This episode invites listeners into thesacred feminine paradigm: one that honours slowness, nervous-system regulation, emotional truth, and leadership rooted not in perfection, but in soul-led humanity. 

 References 

• Rising Connected: www.risingconnected.com (Join Joey’s community & updates) 
• Earth Wisdom Teachings 
• Awakening Feminine Leaders (Joey’s earlier community) 
• Women’s Fires (Joey’s free online online gatherings) 

Karen’s Women’s Circles (based on The 8 Agreements) https://afreshidea.org/womens-circles/ 

Takeaways 

• The ‘8 Agreements’ are a living framework for awakening. 
• Circle work restores what the modern world has forgotten. 
• Burnout can be a sacred threshold. 
• Co-regulation is powerful medicine. 
• Slowing down is a feminine superpower. 
• Wintering is part of leadership. 
• We are in a collective feminine awakening. 

Chapters 

• 00:00 – Welcome & Listener Requests
•  01:20 – Introducing Joey Walters
•  02:00 – Burnout & the Birth of Rising Connected
•  04:00 – Earth Wisdom Apprenticeship
•  07:40 – The Healing Power of Circle
•  13:00 – Masks, Speed & Feminine Suppression
•  18:00 – Feeling the Full Emotional Spectrum
•  20:00 – Distorted Power vs. True Power
•  24:00 – The Myth of Perfection Falls Away
•  29:00 – Rising Connected’s 8 Agreements
•  37:00 – Wintering & Inner Leadership
•  41:00 – How to Join Circles & Work with the Agreements
•  48:00 – Final Blessings on the Feminine Path

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.

This episode is a new opportunity to listen again to our inspiring guest Evelyn Liddell-Davies who is an esteemed member of our Go Deeper Team. To learn more about her services please go t the Go Deeper Page on our website www.aliveandlovingit.org/go-deeper . And those of you who are our Guardian Patreon Members will also have access to a special gift from her on the Patreon Members pages. Details of how to become a Guardian to support and grow our podcast are found at the end of these show notes.

Sleep is not just rest; it is the foundation of your physical health, emotional balance and mental clarity. In this deeply insightful episode of Alive and Loving It, Dr Rosy Daniel, Karen Mellers and new co-host Evelyn Liddell-Davies explore the true causes of poor sleep and how to restore it naturally. This episode offers a compassionate, practical guide to reclaiming deep, restorative sleep without relying on medication. Blending integrative medicine, neuroscience and holistic wisdom, they reveal how modern life including stress, screen time, anxiety and overstimulation disrupts your natural sleep rhythms and nervous system. Learn how to create your own rhythm of rest and activity, calm your mind and reconnect with your body's natural intelligence.

You'll Discover

• Why sleep is essential for immune function, hormone balance and brain detoxification
• How anxiety, cortisol and overthinking keep you wired at night
• The powerful role of circadian rhythms, rest cycles and daily habits
• The impact of news, media and doom scrolling on your ability to switch off
• How napping, rest and nervous system regulation support long-term health
• Natural ways to improve sleep including herbal remedies, baths, touch and relaxation rituals

Sound Bites

• “Self-regulation is the key to good health”
• “Focus on gratitude to shift consciousness before settling to sleep”
• “Touch and intimacy promote better sleep”

Chapters

• 00:00 - Welcome Back to the Podcast
• 02:26 - Introduction to Season Four and New Focus
• 04:02 - The Importance of Sleep
• 11:21 - Mind-Body Connection and Sleep
• 14:32 - Anthroposophical Perspective on Health
• 20:17 - Finding Your Rhythm for Better Sleep
• 25:04 - The Role of Rest and Napping
• 27:05 - Hormonal Balance and Sleep Disturbances
• 29:00 - Navigating Anxiety and Stress Management
• 31:00 - Understanding Sleep Disruptors
• 34:07 - Creating Healthy Sleep Routines
• 38:46 - The Role of Intimacy and Touch in Sleep
• 45:01 - Natural Remedies for Sleep Improvement

Resources

• Circadian Rhythms and Sleep Hygiene: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm

Join our Alive and Loving it Community find the loving support that you need to change, grow and heal

This is more than a podcast, it’s a movement. A space to reignite your energy, find kindred spirits, align with your purpose, and step into a future of love, vitality, and limitless possibility.

🌟 Your kindred spirits are here! Visit www.aliveandlovingit.org for more resources, and follow us on Instagram @aliveandlovingitcommunity

Please will you become an Alive Guardian to support and grow our Podcast?  It would mean the world to us if you could become an Alive Guardian to support us in our mission to bring empowering holistic healthcare messages to people far and wide. Click here to join Patreon as a Member (aliveandlovingitguardians.org) and choose a monthly donation level that is right for you. Guardian Patreon members will receive wonderful extra content as a big thank you from Rosy, Karen and the Go Deeper Team for helping to make our dedicated work sustainable.