Bryn Edwards at The WA Real

The purpose of this conversation is to hopefully expand your frame of reference of what it is to be in your bodies 24/7, what that means to your experience of life and where a movement orientated practice can take you through the lens of my specific personal example.

Earlier this year, I successfully completed the 20km solo Rottnest Channel Swim. I had previously completed the challenge in 2016, but, despite successfully crossing, that ended up being a net negative experience physically.

Therefore, this time around I enlisted the help of Mark Bernacchi, experienced explorer of all things ‘movement’ and the co-founder of Modus Movement Studio in Myaree Perth.

Originally, I approached Mark for guidance with preparation for the swim with the aim of increasing the integrity of my body so that, at the age of 47, I would come out of it in a net positive physical position.

However, by embracing the culture and philosophy Mark has created at Modus and its application to the challenge of swimming 20km in open ocean, I started to experience the movement of my body in a deeper and broader context that exceeded the swim itself and spread out to all aspects of my life.

This has given rise to a movement practice that continues to be an integral part of my life today. The practise has redefined my physical experience in life and yields so many exciting possibilities for future exploration that far exceed swimming.

This conversation charts that journey.

So, who would benefit from this conversation?

• Anybody who exercises or undertakes physical challenges; particularly anybody who exercises using singular repetitive based movement patterns, such as swimming, running, cycling, etc.

To learn more about Mark and Modus visit:

• Instagram – @modusmovement

Rebecca Dawson returns to share a deeper lens on what many of us are experiencing through some of the major themes of her recent book ‘FU – The Return of the Magnetic Human’.

As always with Rebecca, this was a playful, expansive and exploratory conversation that put its roots in to many of the surrounding recent events.

Explore further with Rebecca at - www.rebeccadawson.net/

Despite our best efforts to ‘wipe our feet’ of our personal life on the doorway before we go into work, the reality is that this does not occur and that we take all of us to work – the good bits, the untidy bits, the contradictory bits; whether we like it all not.

Find out more about Gabriella and her book - www.gabriellabraun.co.uk

More and more of us are undertaking amazing challenges in life – such as an Ironman triathlon, marathon, climbing Everest or for me very recently, swimming 20km in the ocean to Rottnest Island.

These are amazing, life affirming feats that require a lot of time, focus and energy. There is a wealth of information relating to leading up to and during the event, but there’s been very little focus on what happens afterwards and the journey post event.

In this very honest conversation, I talk and reflect with Perth swim coach Paul Newsome about this very ‘live’ issue for me and his experience both as a competitor and coach of many others who have undertaken such feats.

Many will tell you the importance of reducing stress, lowering anxiety and calming your nervous system, but how is that journey experienced in real life and what are some of the points along the way as you unwind where you’ve come from?

In this brutally honest conversation, I reflect on my journey over the past 3 years of practising Trauma Release Exercise Tremoring with Richmond Heath, Founder of TRE Australia. Together we explore the changes, impacts and growth over time that this simple but powerful practise has had on my nervous system and way of being in life.

From a start point common to many - a state of high anxiety hyper-vigilant functioning in the world where I genuinely thought “I was ok” - to a place of being where I can begin to meet the complexity of the outside world with an inner existential trust and truly begin to grow.

It’s certainly not all blissful states of ease and grace serenely passing through life because, as you will find out, that concept is a response to an early point on the journey.

Why did I record this conversation?

I am no different to millions / billions of people who heavily wear the anxiety, depression, despair and stress resulting from the everyday living in the current human experience – but does it have to hang so heavily upon us? I believe not, but what is the journey ahead and what can be done about it?

I believe more conversations like this need to happen so that we can chart the journey ahead and normalise it into our collective way of being.

Link to online Richmond’s TRE course: https://www.trecourse.com/

Link to Richmond’s High Anxiety Functioning Video: https://www.treaustralia.com/product/tre-for-high-functioning-anxiety/

Learn TRE Tremoring in Western Australia with Fran Fuller: https://www.treaustralia.com/providers/listing/frances-fuller/

In a complete change around, I was interviewed by Shaun Nannup, Si Lapping and Mark Booth.

The focus - the wisdom gleamed from the journey of 4 years and 200+ conversation with the WA Real Podcast.

A big thank you to all guests and listeners who all helped to make this happen - gratitude overwhelms me. 

This week I enjoyed another great deep conversation into philosophy with Dr. Alan Tapper.

Alan has lectured philosophy at Curtin University, informed policy and has also been instrumental in leading philosophy being taught in schools.

This is another great journey into philosophy, starting during the Age of Enlightenment and Rationality working to present day, discussing the how this period influences our modern day and illuminating many elements we may take for granted.

This is a great and deep conversation that will educate you while taking you on a journey.

This week I welcome back Mike Dyson onto the podcast, who talks about his continued work with men through his company Good Blokes Co.

It's been three years since Mike was on the podcast last, in this conversation he shares with us many of the patterns and consistencies that he sees across his work.

He talks about the ‘Man Box’, which seems to be a crappy version of masculinity that is passed down generation by generation, that involves a lack of emotional literacy and a lot of shame and guilt. He also talks about how a lot of this can play into the hands of violence.

Mike also talks about opening up a space for healthy masculinity and what that involves in terms of men defining what they want to be into in terms of their masculinity.

This is a great conversation; Mike gets very passionate, sharing a lot of wisdom and knowledge from his years of doing the work in the men's space.

https://www.goodblokes.co/

This week I had a great conversation with Perth-based comedian Bonnie Davis, who is better known for her alter ego, the comedic character Famous Sharron - who is famous for absolutely nothing at all.

In this conversation, you get a really great insight into the amount of work and the process that goes into being a comedian and developing a character like Famous Sharron.

We hear about the history and the development of this character and what Bonnie's been through to take her to where she is today.

Now famous Sharon doesn't actually appear in this conversation, which is maybe disappointing to some of her fans, but her theme of ‘celebrate yourself really shines through in this conversation and it's really interesting to hear how Bonnie has embraced that herself.

Bonnie is a lot of fun to talk to and this is fascinating conversation from a behind the scenes of being a comedian point of view.

www.famoussharron.com/

This week I explore theology and our relationship with something bigger than ourselves with Dr. Jim Cregan, former lecturer of theology and Notre Dame University in Fremantle.

Jim explains what the study of theology is and delineates it from institutionalised and organised religion.

Jim explains how considering the questions that theology raises helps us to orientate ourselves in life and society and, as a consequence, develop stronger existential strength and inner compass within ourselves. Jim also puts forward how a lack of orientation in life could be behind much of the anxiety and mental health issues that we see arising today.

This a great conversation with a lot of depth and will leave you with much to consider. Jim is a very thoughtful gentleman and it was a real pleasure to speak with him.