conscient podcast

Hello,

I’m interrupting my period of pause in the production of this podcast to share some very sad news. 

A good friend and colleague, Chantal Dumas, passed away on May 17th 2026 after a long struggle with cancer. She was 66 and had much more to live and to give. 

I invite you to share a moment of silence. 

J’offre mes profondes condoléances à la famille de Chantal et à son cercle d’amis qui ont été si présents et fidèle avec elle ces derniers mois. 

My deepest condolences to Chantal’s family and to her circle of friends, who have been so present and in solidarity with her these last few months. 

In order to commemorate Chantal’s life and her creative work, with her permission, I’ve prepared an English language translation of our September 13, 2025 conversation on balado conscient épisode 170 chantal dumas -  une certaine douceur, recorded in Chantal’s apartment in Montreal. 

(field recording of me entering Chantal’s apartment with her ‘big ben’ door chime and a very sonic kiss).

We’ll miss you, Chantal.

A friend once told me that when a loved one passes, one way to honour their memory is to continue the best of their good work. 

But I’m not sure how to do this. 

What I’ll try to do is keep in mind Chantal’s lived vitality, her kindness, her humour and her unique ability to help us listen to each other and listening to the earth. 

I’ve put some links for further information in the episode notes for those who want to know more about Chantal’s life and work. 

Thanks to artist Sabrina Mathews for the narration and to all those who helped me with this episode.   

But before we listen to the episode, I’d like to play you another recording I made at Chantal’s apartment on September 13th, 2025, after our interview. 

In front of us was a componium, which is a kind of music box that plays from a strip of punctured paper. I asked Chantal to explain how the instrument works and to play a composition she made for the instrument, first in forwards mode and then backward. This presentation is not translated into English, but I think you’ll get the gist of it. 

I invite you to listen to this bonus episode of conscient podcast, in memoriam - chantal dumas - a certain gentleness. 

*

(original episode)

Imagine listening to the heartbeat of the Earth, feeling the rumbling of tectonic plates, and experiencing geological time.

This is the experience offered by the electroacoustic composition ‘Oscillations planétaires’, ‘Planetary Oscillations’, a creation by my guest for this final episode of the sixth season of balado conscient, sound artist and long-time friend Chantal Dumas.

Chantal shares her unique perspectives on capturing the hidden movements of the Earth.

“Planetary Oscillations” is an invitation to listen deeply to the planet beneath our feet, a reminder of the immense timescale of geological processes, and a call for both environmental and spiritual awareness.

You’ll hear Chantal talk about some of her childhood memories, including the soundscapes of the countryside and also the Villeray acoustique project, an initiative by Chantal and Magali Babin, in collaboration with Espace Projet,which offers signage in public spaces where listening, as a sensory experience, is associated with historical, cultural and ecological information specific to that territory.

By the way if you’d like more information on this project, listen, in French, to é171 chantal dumas et magali babin (collectif dB) - villeray acoustique, in French, on balado conscient.

I thank Chantal for our valuable exchange and for everything she is and has done, with love, from us all.

Photo of Chantal Dumas by Claude Schryer (September 14, 2025, Montreal)

This conversation was recorded on September 14, 2025, in Montreal in French and was translated into English by Claude Schryer and narrated by Sabrina Mathews. 

Oscillations planétaires© 2017-18, 19, Chantal Dumas (SOCAN) / Ymx média (SOCAN)℗ 2019, Enregistrements i média (SOPROQ) Appears on the album Oscillations planétaires, empreintes DIGITALes, IMED 19163

Thanks to Jean-François Denis.

Thanks also to Magali Babin for use of an excerpt from her field recording 'Marche Pour Andrea 4 juin 2012 Parc Jarry'

LINKS (selection)

Obituary

Chantal Dumas web site (in French)

Bandcamp

électroCD

Electrodoc

The Radio Art Hour 020: R.I.P. Chantal Dumas

é171 chantal dumas et magali babin (collectif dB) - villeray acoustique (in French) 

UNE PSYCHOGÉOGRAPHIE SONORE ~ ENTRETIEN AVEC CHANTAL DUMAS (in French)

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Note : I'm currently 'pressing pause' and am not producing new content until further notice. 

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.  

Your feedback is always welcome at claude [at] conscient [dot] ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Thanks for listening. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on March 21, 2026

pressing pause

An extended break from the production of conscient podcast, balado conscient, a calm presence and related social media

Why do this? 

One reason is that I noticed that I sleep better when I don’t produce podcasts or essays about the end of the world as we know it.

Imagine that.

But it’s also because my learning and unlearning journey, which I began back in 2020, some 5 years ago, has come full circle. 

It feels like the end of a chapter.

I sometimes think of it as a five-year mission to explore strange new art, to seek out solutions to the ecological crisis and to boldly talk about things that have never been talked about before. 

Maybe they have, but it’s worth repeating.

You know, it was a trek, with many mistakes and a few discoveries. 

And, of course, there are many, many more stories yet to be told that can inspire us to action, or at the very least comfort us in troubled times.

There are many more examples of transformative artworks that I hope we will know about and eventually experience.

There are many more questions, good questions, to be asked by artists.

Also, artists can play a role in providing us with a few moments of respite and escape from the doom and gloom around us. 

I see the value in this kind of media and storytelling work and support whoever is doing it, as best I can. 

But for me, it’s time to press pause. 

There’s a quote that I want to read to you that’s my northern star. It’s by the great Vietnamese zen master Thich Nhat Hanh:

• What we most need to do is to hear within us the sound of the Earth crying. 

I’m going to think about this and have it at the heart of my daily life and think about what it means to listen deeply to the sounds of the earth crying, which is essentially ourselves. 

How can this insight lead to healing?  We’ll see where my spirit takes me.  I really have no idea where it’s going to go.  

Before ending this last Substack posting I wanted to remind you that I’ve recently published four new podcast episodes of conscient podcast, 2 in English et 2 en Français. 

On conscient podcast: 

• An ENCORE presentation of e41 – emergency preparedness from 2021 with Jen Rae, a Melbourne, Australia based artist, researcher, facilitator and educator of Canadian Red River Métis and Scottish descent who talks about the intersection between art, emergency preparedness, disaster risk-reduction and resilience, which seems very timely in 2026 as these issues are amplified. There is some very good ideas and positive energy coming out of Jen’s work. 
• e244 roundtable - death as transformation, recorded on December 2, 2025 and originally broadcast on December 13, 2025 as an episode of the Making Waves radio program, where I moderated a panel of sound artists and previous guests of conscient podcast, Azul Carolina Duque, Kenneth Newby, andWendelin Bartley about our understanding of ‘death as a natural transformation of energy and consciousness, not an end’ and how our practices as sound artists relate to this transition.

Sur le balado conscient :

• un episode ENCORE l’épisode 27 - l’énergie créatrice libreavec l’artiste sonore, musicienne, réalisatrice radio, sculpteure et une bonne amie de longue date, Hélène Prévost qui nous parle de sa tristesse pour l’état du monde et comment l’art, s’il est libre, peut devenir un puissant levier de changement et de ralliement social. Un bon rappel pour 2026. 
• é171 - villeray acoustique avec deux artistes sonores, Magali Babin et Chantal Dumas, le collectif dB, un entretien enregistré pour un article dans la Revue Circuit, qui parle du projet de recherche-création Villeray acoustiqueune exploration de l’écoute de ce quartier de Montréal comme expérience sensorielle. Vous allez entendre notre conversation et aussi une prise de son du parc Jarry à Montréal par Magali Babin. 

There you go.

Thank you so much for reading and listening over these many years. 

It’s been my privilege to be able to express myself and receive your feedback. 

Thanks to my guests and collaborators on all these platforms.

I’m now going to go silent for a long time, possibly forever, depending on the outcomes of my reflections. 

Take care. 

See you down the road…

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Note : I'm currently 'pressing pause' and am not producing new content until further notice. 

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.  

Your feedback is always welcome at claude [at] conscient [dot] ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Thanks for listening. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on March 21, 2026

• Death might be one of the most relational acts possible. I think death is that threshold moment where that illusion is dissolved. Our death is a moment of redistribution of nutrients, of memory, of rhythm, of vibration into the wider field, from the illusion of a single self into the remembering of an entangled self. I love to think about death as a teacher of surrender and a trust in the intelligence of regeneration. 

- Azul Carolina Duque

(Below is the script that you can hear me narrate in this episode.)

Its January 20, 2026. I was going to publish this roundtable called death as transformation later this year to inaugurate the 7th season of the conscient podcast but I changed my mind – imagine that - and have added it to season 6 because I’ve decided to take a long break from producing both of my podcasts and my Substack in order to do some thinking and meditation and self-care but I wanted to get this very special episode out to you now in case I decide not to continue with the podcast after my break.

It's one of those pivotal moments. 

Here’s back story on this episode. 

In November 2025, Artistic Director of New Adventures in Sound Art, Darren Copeland, asked me if I would like to participate in an episode of his monthly Making Waves radio program, which is broadcast on WGXC 90.7 FM in New York's Upper Hudson Valley and also available as a podcast. 

Darren wanted to talk about one of my favorite topics, climate change and asked me what would I like to talk about specifically? And to my surprise I immediately answered: death. 

I went on to explain that I meant death in the sense of how our spirit and consciousness continues when our body goes back to the earth, and what might this spirit and consciousness sound like? I was also interested in how this heightened awareness might help us relate to complex issues like climate change and societal disruption. 

So I helped Darren select an expert panel of sound artists and on December 2, 2025, I moderated a 55 minute recording for the December 13, 2025 edition of Making Waves that featured three former guests of my conscientpodcast : Azul Carolina Duque, who you can hear on e211 art as medicine, Kenneth Newby who you can hear on e207 living with grace and Wendelin Bartley who you can hear on e222 restoring our connection with nature.

So what you’re about to hear is a rebroadcast of this conversation.

This conversation is quite magical because we were able to share some very intimidate stories about our own vulnerabilities, our relationship to death and how our practices as sound artists relates to this transition. 

You’ll hear that I ask each of my guests to respond to this 12-word sentence by a friend of mine, Tim Brodhead: 

• Death as a natural transformation of energy and consciousness, not an end.

And won’t worry the episode is actually a lot of fun and quite enlightening. It’s really more about transition than an end. I’m so pleased that it concludes this chapter of the conscient podcast and in a way begins whatever might come next. 

Thanks so much for listening. Thank you Darren, Azul, Kenneth and Wendelin.

See you next time. 

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Note : I'm currently 'pressing pause' and am not producing new content until further notice. 

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.  

Your feedback is always welcome at claude [at] conscient [dot] ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Thanks for listening. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on March 21, 2026

• The thing about a preparedness mindset is that you are thinking into the future and so if one of those scenarios happens, you've already mentally prepared in some sort of way for it, so you're not dealing with the shock. That's a place as an artist that I feel has a lot of potential for engagement and for communication and bringing audiences along. When you're talking about realities, accepting that reality, has the potential to push us to do other things. 

Welcome to another ENCORE episode of conscient podcast. 

I do this because if you missed an episode the first time it was published you can hear it again. 

However this is the last ENCORE episode for a while because I’m taking break from the production of this podcast, of its sister French language version, balado conscient as well as my a calm presence Substack for what looks like undetermined period of time. 

I wrote about this in my last Substack posting called pressing pause. 

My plan is to meditate on my next steps in this ongoing learning and unlearning journey and do a bit of self-care as I learned to do during the Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet course last fall.

But before pressing pause, so to speak, I wanted to publish this ENCORE episode because it’s about an issue that we will be talking about increasingly in the months and years to come: which is, how do we, as artists and cultural workers, respond more effectively to emergency situations and to ongoing societal disruption. 

And who better that Jen Rae, a Melbourne, Australia based artist, researcher, facilitator and educator of Canadian Red River Métis and Scottish descent.

And before going any further I want to acknowledge that Jen Rae lives, creates and works on the unceded traditional lands of the Wurundjeri, Boon Wurrung, Woi Wurrung, and Wathaurong people of the Kulin Nation and offers deep respect to their elders - past, present and emerging. 

So, this 47-minute conversation was recorded, remotely, on May 10, 2021. Jen and I talked about a wide range of issues including the intersection between art, emergency preparedness, disaster risk-reduction and resilience. 

Here are some of the questions that were raised: 

• How do we embrace an emergency preparedness mindset? 
• What do we increase our focus on community resilience?
• How can we challenge Western-centric narratives? 
• How can we further value inclusivity? 
• How can art and speculative fiction in particular, help free our minds and inspire action?

You’ll find some answers, also more questions, at the The Centre for Reworlding in Australia, where Jen is the creative research lead. 

I’m also publishing this ENCORE episode to listen back to conversations recorded during the COVID pandemic. 

For artists, in particular, it was a tough time. For a few of us it created opportunities for new forms of digital engagement but for most artists it was a nightmare of lost income, isolation and disconnection. 

COVID, difficult as it was, can be thought of as a kind of test run for larger scale emergencies that will come as the climate crisis and related disasters unfold. So I’m grateful that artists like Jen Rae and The Centre for Reworlding are proactively are working, and this is a quote from their web site, to ‘advocate for the mainstream integration of culture & the arts in climate action and disaster management discourses, policy frameworks and all-years education’.

So let’s go back to 2021. And, as I did with all of my episodes at that time, you’ll hear excerpts from previous episodes that try to connect the thinking of my guests with some previous guests and that’s a lot of fun. It was a lot or work but then I had a lot of time on my hands. 

So without further ado, episode 41 ENCORE. Warm thanks to Jen for this 2021 conversation and hopefully we’ll talk again if and when I come back to producing this podcast. 

For more information on Jen’s work, see https://www.jenraeis.com, http://www.fairsharefare.com/ and The Centre for Reworlding.

Links to a selection of Jen’s work mentioned in this episode:

• REFUGIUM: film premiering 27 April 2021 (online and in real life - in collaboration with Claire G. Coleman)
• Who needs artists in a climate crisis?: Raising the Bar, 13 November 2019
• Refuge Talk Series: Preparing for a pandemic (21 May - 1:01:35-1:08:08), Living in a pandemic (27 May) and Recovering from a pandemic (4 June)

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Note : I'm currently 'pressing pause' and am not producing new content until further notice. 

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.  

Your feedback is always welcome at claude [at] conscient [dot] ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Thanks for listening. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on March 21, 2026

uplift

here are some uplifting words for the new year drawn from 9 episodes of conscient podcast et 3 extraits du balado conscient

This posting of a calm presence was designed as an audio listening experience though it also exists in written form, here.

Ceci est un episode bilingue. Afin de faciliter la compréhension des extraits en anglais, j’ai ajouté une transcription de l’épisode en français dans les notes d’épisode. J’ai aussi ajouté un petit sommaire oral en français à la fin de chacun des épisodes en anglais. Personnellement, je trouve intéressant d'écouter quelqu'un parler dans une autre langue, car je peux me concentrer sur le ton et l'intonation de la voix. 

This is a bilingual episode. For those who do not understand French I have added a transcript in English in the episode notes. I also created a short English language oral summary for each of the French language episodes. Personally, I find it interesting to listen to someone speak in another language because I can focus on the tone and inflection of the voice.

Please note that the pace of my narration is rather slow with the occasional short silence.

This is how I like to listen to narrations, with lots of space to ponder what is being said but also to consider what might lie in between the words and in the timbre of the voice. I’m also recording this reading in one take, flubs and all, similar to a late night radio monologue where it’s ok to be imperfect and where time is suspended. 

Finally, a reminder that I now publish a calm presence postings one  at a time, for a few weeks and then replace it with a new one and so on. In other words, what you’re listening to now, recorded on January 1, 2026 at 8.51 am it will be erased sometime in February 2026, never to be published again but I hope it might be retained in memory for those who  need it, which is why I created this Substack in the first place, for those in need of a calm presence.

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Note : I'm currently 'pressing pause' and am not producing new content until further notice. 

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.  

Your feedback is always welcome at claude [at] conscient [dot] ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Thanks for listening. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on March 21, 2026

(note: to read the original a calm presence Substack posting click here)

It’s Thursday November 27th, 2025, at about 10pm. 

I’m sitting by a fireplace at our cottage in Duhamel Québec and I want to tell you a story called 4%.  

When I turned 50 on December 3rd, 2009, I decided to take 50 days off from my work, which was not easy at the time. My goal was to sort through the many boxes of stuff in our basement: letters, sketches, notes, articles, posters, booklets and so on.  

At the end of the 50 days I wrote a Facts and Arguments article, ‘I took 50 days of when I turned 50’ that published in the Globe and Mail on February 18, 2010 about how and why I got rid of 80% of my archives during those 50 days off. 

Here are two excerpts from that article: 

• I dug a hole in the snow and spent the next three hours burning the documents, page by page. Sometimes I would hesitate over an item but decided to see the process through. As paper transformed into ash, I internalized the voices and messages frozen in those documents. They will now die with me. I thanked the authors and my collaborators. This felt good and right. I smelled like a forest fire. 
• I started composing music when I was 12 in North Bay and have been active in a number of cultural fields since, including music, arts administration, programming and event production. Like many people, I kept records of my work - photos, recordings, scores, correspondence, programs and essays. I'm not quite sure why I kept it all, but I figured one day I would know. Perhaps it was vanity, but more likely an act of self-preservation.

It's 16 years later now and I have no regrets. 

In fact, as I turn 66 in a few days I’m about to get rid of another 80% or so of the remaining 20% of my archives which leaves me with about 4% of my original belongings and that feels just about right. 

Why did I do it?  

Mostly it’s because I don’t want to leave a mess for my family when I die but there’s another reason…

I’m currently taking a course called Zen and the Art of Saving the Planet(ZASP), which is a learning journey to nurture insight, compassion, community, and mindful action in service of the Earth, based on the work of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and has been developed by the monks at Plum Village in France. 

One of the course’s many teachings refers to the Diamond Sutra, a 9th century Mahāyāna Buddhist text that focuses on concepts of emptiness, reality and wisdom. 

What caught my attention during the course, and made me think about my archives, was how the Diamond Sutra questions the notions of self (separation), of what it means to be human, of our relations with all living beings and of one’s life span. As I processed these teachings, I felt it was a good time to let go of non-essential things. 

So, what did I get rid of and why? 

Gone are my cassette and DAT tape collection of field recordings from the 1980’s and 1990’s. Many of these sounds are in my compositions but the rest have no value. I threw out some back in 2010 but it’s now time to let them all go as the tapes fall apart. I create a little ritual to thank the voices recorded before letting them go.  

Gone are piles and piles of articles and essays about acoustic ecology, climate change, environmental art and so on. I don’t think I’ll ever get around to reading them, so I gave away those that had value and burned the rest. 

Gone are documents and minutes from organizations that I helped to incorporate like the WFAE, CASE, SCALE and so on. I trust that my colleagues in those organizations have kept key documents in their corporate archives so my files are now redundant.

I’ve streamlined my digital footprint on the internet, for example, I removed all 80 of my a calm presence Substack postings, which I now publish one at a time, this posting being the latest, which replaces erasure and so on. This lightens things up and keep me more anchored in the present. 

I love books but gave away most of my books in the ‘take one - leave one’ community library in front of our house and trust that they will find their way to the right people.  

I also gave away unused clothing and objects around the house are no longer required but that others might be able to use.  

I’m telling you this because you might go through a similar process at some point in your life. It’s good to think about what we leave behind and in what kind of order. 

So, what did I keep? 

A few binders, organized chronologically, with original manuscripts, photos, letters, certificates, etc. and an SSD drive with my digital originals (essays, podcasts, my Substack, electroacoustic compositions, etc.). I also kept a few t-shirts but that’s about it. It all fits in a medium sized box. 

That’s it. 

I plan to continue learning and engaging with issues I care about, of course, but it’s a bit of fresh start. I’ll be going to the library more. I might even buy a new book or audio book once in a while, but the idea now is to keep knowledge flowing in the present – to read listen to things as they come out - and to keep the archives very light.  

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on December 5, 2025

• Take care of the earth. We have grandsons and great-great-grandsons, and we have to, we, our generation, has to teach the young people what we lived, the beauty of the world that we lived, not the disaster we have today.

Hello conscient podcast listeners,

Many of us do international travel, probably a bit too much. 

When I travel, I consider it a privilege that comes with responsibilities. 

For example, whenever we can we try to give back by donating to local charities in the region where I’m visiting or maybe making sure that we tip appropriately and that the people we am with get a fare wage. We also try to by buy credible carbon offsets. That kind of thing. 

You might recall e235 lallan – art from the soil, which I recorded while in the Tirthan Valley in Northern India :

• My advice to artists would be drop every garb that you have, drop every piece of knowledge that you think you have. Head to the jungles, head to the rural places. We are living in a time of crisis.

You might also recall e236 keiko torigoe – the power of listening, which was recorded in Tokyo, Japan:  

• The environmental issues currently at hand, including global warming, are related, but I believe that at their root lies the decline of our listening ability and the power of listening as humanity.

Both episodes were recorded quite spontaneously on my iphone. I hadn’t planned to record these interviews, but as I listened to some of the stories around me and I thought it could be a gesture of reciprocity to make these voices available on this podcast to help raise awareness about activities in that country but also to point out commonalities between us all in the world. 

So, what you’re about to hear is my third conversation in this series, this time with Francisco Rodriguez, a Chilean born banker, who with his wife Sylvia, manage the Anaconda Lodge on the shores of the Napo River near Tena, in Ecuador, where my wife Sabrina and daughter Clara were doing some eco-tourism. 

So we had the pleasure of staying there and meeting Francisco and others from the region. 

I sat down with Francisco – you’ll hear some birds and insects in the background - about his relationship with the Amazon forest as a living entity as well as their collaborations with the Kichwa indigenous people who are the traditional custodians of these lands and waters. 

You’ll hear some beautiful sounds and good stories about the Amazon, which I found uplifting but you’ll also hear about some of the very serious challenges that they currently face, which call upon increased solidarity from the rest of the world, given that the Amazon is the lung of the earth. 

You’ll notice this episode is a bit more than 15 minutes. I added some soundscapes that makes it a bit longer than usual, which I hope you’ll enjoy.

Warm thanks Francisco, Sylvia, all the guides and staff at Anaconda Lodge for their kindness and hospitality. 

Episodes notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Key Takeaways:

• Support Indigenous communities by living alongside them and understanding their challenges, rather than offering temporary aid.
• Learn about the Amazon’s diverse cultures and ecological fragility through reading and authentic resources.
• Reduce your carbon footprint by making small, conscious changes in daily habits to support global environmental efforts.
• Recognize the Amazon as a single, interconnected entity, not divided by national borders, but by Indigenous territories.
• Understand the impact of Western influences, such as processed food and consumer goods, on uncontacted tribes and their traditional way of life.

Story Preview

Discover the journey of Francisco Rodriguez, who left the banking world to dedicate his life to protecting the Amazon and working its Indigenous peoples. Hear how he and his wife Sylvia created Anaconda Lodge as a bridge between cultures, fostering understanding and solidarity for the ‘lung of Mother Earth.’ 

Chapter Summary

00:00 Introduction to Amazon and Indigenous Voices
02:44 From Banker to Amazon Advocate
05:50 Living with Indigenous Communities
09:58 Ecotourism and Amazonian Consciousness
14:25 Understanding the Amazon from Afar
20:00 Sustainable Living and Jungle Communication

Featured Quotes

• We always hope that when they go back home, they use less fossil fuel.
• You have to think one thing, these people have been beating up by our, by we Western people for over 500 years.
• Our main goal is to make our guests to understand where they are.

Behind the Story

Claude  shares his third recording from international travel, this time from the Anaconda Lodge near Tena, in Ecuador. He, his wife Sabrina, and daughter Clara experienced ecotourism firsthand which led to this conversation with Francisco Rodriguez. The episode highlights the value of reciprocity when traveling and making voices from different regions accessible to a global audience.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Note : I'm currently 'pressing pause' and am not producing new content until further notice. 

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.  

Your feedback is always welcome at claude [at] conscient [dot] ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Thanks for listening. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on March 21, 2026

• In an era where pressures on climate and environments grow even stronger, we should not underestimate the transformative power of art. (Ambassador of the European Union to Canada Geneviève Tuts)
• When you do the trigger, the emotional part, you can go down hope and fear both. Both lead to action but ultimately, we need to transform being passive into really active contributors to solving this and what a better way than art? (Akash Rastogi, Chief Capital Strategy Officer at Canada’s Ocean Supercluster) 
• We want to activate the creativity of communities through the arts to create the cities of the future, basically, right, the cities we want to live in (Juan Eraso, leader of international programs at Culturans)
• ‘Change happens. There's always going to be ways to adapt. That's not to say that the initial change might not be catastrophic but there was always going to be something left and you have to work with that’. (e208 clara schryer - science as story). Now it breaks my heart to hear that because for a young person to say that means that they don't anticipate there won't be a lot left and yet… (Claude Schryer)
• We know that when we work with green spaces, we work with life, we work with art, we can rebuild, we can regenerate, but we have to do it differently. (Claude Schryer)

Yes, to doing things differently. 

Yes, to more evocative, emotionally resonant art.

Yes, to dissolving boundaries.

(Background sound from Jubilee Queen Cruise Ship in podcast)

When I got an invitation from Jana Macalik, Director of the Global Centre for Climate Action at OCAD University to participate on a panel about art and climate - one of my passions - I was excited and honoured to accept. 

This panel was part of an event called Dissolving Boundaries that took place on October 4, 2025, as part of Nuit Blanche Toronto, which of course went on all night. It featured the premiere of a large scale, beautiful large-scale art projection by Alessandro Gisendi and Marco Noviello of the OOOPStudio in Italy. Their work was projected onto the massive Canada Malting Silos on the shores of Lake Ontario in Tkaronto. 

Dissolving Boundaries was co-presented by the Global Centre for Climate Action at OCAD University and the European Union (EU), through its Delegation to Canada. I want to thank them for their hospitality and congratulate them their vision in collaborating, partnering and bringing this work and this conversation to us. 

The timing was good for me. I was wrapping up season 6 of my conscient podcast / balado conscient after some 350 episodes since I started it in 2020 and I was about to take a break, but then I got a call to talk about how arts and culture can help move audiences from awareness to action and I could not refuse that. I felt good about speaking freely and really listening to the different points of view. 

We were on a ship called the Jubilee Queen Cruise Ship so it quite moving, literally, to be on a boat looking out onto the projection and talking about art, culture and climate. 

Here’s Ana Serrano, OCAD University’s President and Vice-Chancellor explaining what the event was about: 

• But we can't stop, really. We don't really have much of a choice. So, convening like this, trying to figure out ways to create evocative, emotionally resonant works that will catalyze people into thinking about their relationship with the land, with water, with climate and their daily actions is what tonight is all about.

First you’ll hear Ana Serrano shares some inspiring opening remarks, followed by an engaging speech by the Ambassador of the EU to Canada, Geneviève Tuts. You’ll then hear panelists, with Ana as facilitator, speak one by one. First Alessandro Gisendi, Akash Rastogi (Chief Capital Strategy Officer at Canada’s Ocean Supercluster) myself, Juan Erazo (Culturans) and Alice Xu (Director of Policy, Planning and Program Enablement; Environment, Climate and Forestry Division at the City of Toronto).  

At the end of the recording you’ll hear a question from an audience member, who happens to be a friend of mine, Coman Poon (e202 coman poon - what are you doing with your life ?) ask about ‘extraction for the sake of economic autonomy’, which we all commented upon. The conversation continued until it was time to view the art projection!

I want to express my warmest thanks to the organizers, fellow panelists, audience members and in particular to OCAD sound technician Omar Qureshi, who recorded this session for me.

Enjoy. It’s good to talk about these things with creative energy. 

May the conversations continue.

*

Episodes notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Key Takeaways:

• Activate community creativity through art to design future cities and foster positive change.
• Bridge the gap between rational climate data and emotional engagement to motivate action.
• Reassess economic models to prioritize natural assets and foster international cooperation for scalable solutions.
• Integrate nature-based solutions into urban planning and daily life, celebrating local initiatives.
• Leverage cross-sector collaboration, including Indigenous wisdom, to address complex climate challenges with accountability and compassion.

Story Preview

In a world grappling with urgent climate pressures, this episode reveals how art can ignite powerful emotions, transforming passive observers into active contributors. Hear how artists, scientists, and policymakers converge to create evocative experiences that inspire hope and drive tangible solutions for a sustainable future.

Chapter Summary

00:00 Art’s Transformative Power in Climate Action
05:42 OCAD U’s Vision for Climate Action
12:55 EU’s Commitment to Sustainable Future
18:11 Dissolving Boundaries: Art Installation
23:02 Oceans, Innovation, and Emotional Triggers
27:44 Art as a Tool for Community Creativity
33:14 Nature-Based Solutions and Urban Greenery
37:26 Reconnecting with Nature
39:55 Cross-Sectoral Collaboration for Future Cities
42:44 International Cooperation for Ocean Climate Solutions
45:26 Art’s Role in Changing Habits
47:40 Building Connections for Climate Action
49:16 Addressing Societal Values and Economic Flaws
52:05 Indigenous Wisdom and Future Paths
53:41 Closing Remarks and Art Installation Details

Featured Quotes

• In an era where pressures on climate and environments grow even stronger, we should not underestimate the transformative power of art. (Ambassador of the European Union to Canada Geneviève Tuts)
• When you do the trigger, the emotional part, you can go down hope and fear both, both lead to action, but ultimately, we need to transform being passive into really active contributors to solving this. And what a better way than art? (Akash Rastogi, Chief Capital Strategy Officer at Canada’s Ocean Supercluster)
• We know that when we work with green spaces, we work with life, we work with art, we can rebuild, we can regenerate, but we must do it differently. (Claude Schryer)

Behind the Story

This panel discussion, “Dissolving Boundaries,” was recorded on October 4, 2025 on the Jubilee Queen cruise ship during Nuit Blanche Toronto. It featured the premiere of a large-scale art projection by Alessandro Gisendi and Marco Noviello of Oops Studio, projected onto the Canada Malting Silos. Co-presented by OCAD University’s Global Center for Climate Action and the European Union, the event brought together diverse art and climate experts to explore the role of art and collaboration in addressing climate change.

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Note : I'm currently 'pressing pause' and am not producing new content until further notice. 

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020. It’s my way to give back.

This Indigenous Land Acknowledgement statement was developed by members of the Algonquin community for my former employer the Canada Council for the Arts. I have adapted slightly to make it my own.

• I acknowledge that my studio, located in Ottawa, is on the unceded, unsurrendered Territory of the Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation whose presence here reaches back to time immemorial.
• I recognize the Algonquins as the customary keepers and defenders of the Ottawa River Watershed and its tributaries. I honour their long history of welcoming many Nations to this beautiful territory and uphold and uplift the voice and values of our Host Nation.
• Further, I offer my respect and affirm the inherent and Treaty Rights of all Indigenous Peoples across this land and honour commitments to self-determination and sovereignty that have been made to Indigenous Nations and Peoples.
• I acknowledge the historical oppression of lands, cultures and the original Peoples in what we now know as Canada and fervently believe the Arts contribute to the healing and decolonizing journey we all share together

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.  

Your feedback is always welcome at claude [at] conscient [dot] ca and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Thanks for listening. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on March 21, 2026

erasure

emulating sand mandalas

(note: you can read the original posting here)

It's November 1st, 2025 and as you can hear, I'm not at home. We've been traveling for the last couple of weeks in Ecuador. We're now in the Amazon near Tena in the territory of the Kichwa people (Anaconda Lodge).

I'm reading you this a calm presence posting called erasure. What I've just done, or I will do soon, is erase all 81 postings that I have made in French and in English, on this Substack.

I’m starting from scratch, and it feels good.

Let me explain…

When I first launched a calm presence in February of 2024, my intentions were to share my learnings ‘for those in need of a calm presence’. That's a term that I borrowed from Dharma teacher Catherine Ingram.

And it was successful. People would respond and I would essentially think out loud.

But I've come to realize that these essays and opinion pieces - heartfelt as they might be - are snapshots in time that quickly become outdated. 

They weren't meant to be kept, really, but I kept them anyway, because that's the way we do things.

We don't throw things out, partially because of vanity, but also to have a trail of one's work or thinking. 

A few days ago we were hiking in the Andes and the Tibetan Buddhist tradition of sand mandalas came to mind, so I went to Wikipedia. Sand mandalas are defined as :

• the creation and destruction of mandalas made from colored sand. Once complete, the sand mandala's ritualistic dismantling is accompanied by ceremonies and viewings to symbolize Buddhist doctrinal belief in the transitory nature of material life. 

The transitory nature of material life, which is more or less what a calm presence is about. 

This got me thinking : what if, with all due respect to Tibetan culture and any cultural borrowings, I emulated the creation and the destructive process of sand mandalas with the content and form of a calm presence. 

If not emulate, then at least be inspired by this way of creating, knowing that it will be returned to the Earth, so to speak.

And since this is a digital art or digital project, I started thinking about what it meant for all those digits that retain the knowledge somehow, or at least carry it, what happens when they get dispersed? 

And so it opened up a whole new world, new way of thinking about writing and dissemination and memory and related issues. 

I was inspired by the sand mandala tradition. 

I'll read you a quote of how it's described : 

• into flowing water to symbolize the cycle of life and the dissolution of the physical world.

So when the sand is returned, it is through water and then dispersed back into nature. And there's the healing energy side to things that also interests me and that I will explore further. 

I think the idea is when somebody reads a calm presence posting, it is metabolized. 

They retain whatever they want to retain. It can be a word or two, a couple of thoughts, and then that's it. There's no need to go back to it. After a few weeks of it being present in our lives, it disappears.

And another comes along when it's relevant and so on and so forth. There isn't the accumulation, there's simply an experiencing that goes on as part of day-to-day life. 

I like that and I'm going to give it a try. 

And if you so wish, you can continue to follow and hear or read these postings, which won't be much longer than this one today. 

And before leaving, I want to thank the 290 subscribers to a calm presence. It's been good to have the company and the exchange, but I also want to remind you that you're more than welcome to unsubscribe if you want to take a break. Don't feel obliged, I won't be offended.

This is a kind of word-of-mouth activity. 

The way that I read and share, I think, is the way I like to work. If something inspires you or motivates you or resonates somehow, I just let that be shared in whichever way you want. Sometimes it's a story, sometimes it's an electronic transfer passing on. 

This is the first of these new postings, the Sand Mandela inspired series which will disappear soon. 

I wish you all the best.

*

Cover photo of moss at 4100 meters, Quito, Ecuador by Claude Schryer

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish a free ‘a calm presence' monthly Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on December 5, 2025

This is my narration of October 16, 2025  ‘my arcanum’ a calm presence Substack.

You’ll hear that I’ve added some keyboard music here and there generated on a Yamaha e353 keyboard which I bought to help me learn my tenor 2 parts for the Canadian Centennial Choir here in Ottawa but as I recorded the narration I started playing a muted banjo patch in chuck boom boom style and it reminded of listening to radio artist Joe Frank in the 1980s who often had this kind of marimba sound in his radio plays and it always mesmerized me and so I had some fun adding the different sounds of this synthesizer, integrating it with the narration and I think what I was trying to is to lighten up a bit as I narrate these rather dark thoughts. 

Excerpt from the beginning of the posting:  

It was inspired by tea with artist and family friend Barbara Cuerden on September 27th, 2025. 

While chatting, Barbara mentioned Saul Bellow’s 1987 novel More Die of Heartbreak, notably this excerpt from page 27 : 

• An arcanum is more than a mere secret; it's what you have to know in order to be fertile in a creative pursuit, to make discoveries, to prepare for the communication of a spiritual mystery.

Ah-ha.

I told Barbara and my wife Sabrina, quite spontaneously, and perhaps foolishly : 

• I think my own arcanum is full. I don’t think I need to know anything more at this point… 

I didn’t mean to say that I know everything, not by any means, but rather that I have heard and produced so many podcasts, read so many books, seen so many films, read and written so many essays, organized and attended so many webinars and workshops, had so many conversations etc. so that I don’t think, at this point, more knowledge will help.

My learning and unlearning journey with conscient podcast and balado conscient has come full circle and it was time to let all that knowing settle, consolidate and metabolize.

However, one topic in particular continues to haunt me: 

• How to be an activist in the context of societal collapse? 
• How to genuinely stay positive and hopeful? 
• How to behave normally knowing that our species is in freefall? 

I hope these words are helpful to you. Maybe some of them resonate. 

Feel free to share any comments in this forum or to me directly: [email protected]

Warm thanks to Kamea Chayne, Lyla June Johnston, Vanessa Andreotti, Shaun Chamberlin, Indy Johar, Clara Schryer and Riel Schryer for using their words with special thanks to Barbara Cuerden for telling me about arcana.

*

END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). 

It’s my way to give back.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and its francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I I publish free ‘a calm presence' Substack see https://acalmpresence.substack.com.

Your feedback is always welcome at [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

Share what you like, etc

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on September 28, 2025