• People maybe are used to being bombarded at this point with the news of what's happening. And that's the reality. And we need to face that. I think alongside that, we need to make moments of grounding, of rootedness and remembering our real belonging to this earth. Because without that, we don't quite have the energy. I think we're really zapped of that based from stress or from what we're hearing. It is oppressive to hear what's happening and to experience it for those of us who are experiencing that and have been. I guess for me, that's really what draws me to arts-based kin making is that we have to find ways to reconnect. And that's inevitably going to shift, in my opinion, how we then act in the world and that kind of transformation is deeply important in times of crises. 

- annais linares

My conversation with annais linares and Ben Finley, artists, researchers, sound makers, about their performance of Alchemizing Earthfullness a composition that explores self-rootedness, community connectedness and earth intimacy. The concert was as part of a Westben Chalk Talk Concert on November 9, 2024 on the traditional territory of the Michi Saagiig Anishinaabeg nation near what is now known as Campbellford, Ontario.This episode is bit unusual because you’ll hear excerpts from the concert combined with a post-concert conversation with annais and Ben about this composition and how it addresses issues of crisis and collapse, renewal and joy. Quite a bit of joy. A reminder that you can learn more about Green Dreamer’s alchemize program in e161 alchemize circle - a conversation with kamea chayne, of this podcast.  

Show notes generated by Whisper Transcribe AI

Action points

• Explore the themes of self-rootedness, community connectedness, and earth intimacy through the arts.
• Understand how the “Alchemize” program influenced the creation of original songs focused on regeneration and healing.
• Recognize the importance of balancing awareness of global crises with moments of grounding and reconnection.
• Consider how artistic expression can foster a sense of belonging and inspire action in the face of collapse.
• Discover the cyclical nature of creation and return, using art as a compost-like process for renewal.

Story Preview

Imagine a world where music heals, communities connect, and the earth feels closer. Join annais linares and Ben Finley as they share their journey of creating “Alchemizing Earthfulness,” a performance born from a desire to reconnect and find joy amidst crisis.

Chapter Summary

00:00 Facing Reality and Finding Grounding
01:34 Introduction to Alchemizing Earthfulness
02:58 The Venue and the Event
04:00 Composing Alchemizing Earthfulness
07:02 Themes of Connection and Healing
10:16 Breathing Through Crisis
12:11 Musical Reflections and Cycles

Featured Quotes

• annais linares : We need to make moments of, you know, of grounding, of rootedness and remembering our real belonging to this earth.
• annais linares : That kind of transformation is deeply important in times of crises.
• Ben Finley : …just being there opens something in us, too.

Behind the Story

annais linares and Ben Finley, inspired by the Green Dreamer’s “alchemize” program, co-composed five thematic songs exploring self-rootedness, community, connectedness, and earth intimacy. Their performance at the Westben Schoolhouse aimed to offer a space for healing and regeneration, a “breath out” from the constant barrage of crisis news. The cyclical nature of their music, beginning and ending with a similar “scaling” motif, symbolized a composting process of renewal.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

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 [email protected] and/or on social media: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, Threads, BlueSky, Mastodon, Tik Tok, YouTube and Substack.

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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 January 9, 2026