Rarely in life do you meet someone who moves through the world in complete service of others, filling their cup through small but regular actions that offer the world gifts of time, seeds, toilet paper, knowledge. Todays guest is just this person, intrinsically generous…even going so far as to say she stores her excess yields in other humans which in turn proliferates the generosity bug & reap returning acts of kindness as gifted lemon slice & moving boxes.

Today we get to the bottom of what it looks like to blend permaculture principles into your life as a lifelong renter & we talk in earnest about the challenges of this prospect too & why its only getting harder to break the housing realities of so many in Australia, UK & the US.

We dive into why its so important to advocate for yourself when you are - in her words ‘neuro spicy’ & of course no conversation with the urban Nanna would be complete without a thorough rundown on all things foraging!!!

This chat coincides with the launch of Annas newly released book “Everyday Permaculture” which might well become one of those books that you find on the shelf in every household - it definitely SHOULD Be!

“Being so deeply steeped in capitalism makes it hard to ask people to become a permie not a consumer”

“I never expect any member of community to be doing better than others - everyone brings something to the table & we need to value that diversity to see all of us thrive” 

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Loved this, try another:

Anna the Urban Nanna previously

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We talked about-

• Growing up undiagnosed neuro spicy - “You’re not broken you’re just wired differently”
• Being a wisdom keeper
• Building confidence for self advocacy despite imposter syndrome
• Being accessible, taking small bites
• Seeing community as ‘A healthy forest’, messy, live, flourishing, decaying, breathing
• Finding ways to connect rather than divide
• There’s no room for consumerism in the foragers mindset
• Foraging teaches you to ask how much is enough
• Catching & storing energy in other people - breeding goodwill & gratitude 
• The destabilising vagaries of life as a renter- fighting against injustice to have a roof over your head 
• Housing crisis realities 
• Creating belonging when you don't have a stable location to call home.
• Breaking up with stuff & setting it free by gifting it to others who will use it.
• Building neighbourly relations
• Being an active part in the betterment of someone else's life
• Living with a spirit of generosity
• Creating a community corner of offerings for free
• Not existing in a monetary society
• COMMUNITY

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"We live in a society where uninitiated men grow up"

In this conversation, Hayley and Nick Warner explore the profound themes of transformation, relationships, and the importance of rites of passage in personal growth. They discuss the challenges of authenticity, the journey back to self, and the cost of inauthenticity in life and relationships. Nick shares insights on the significance of responsibility in relationships, the role of fatherhood as a rite of passage, and the necessity of returning to the heart in a society driven by the mind. The dialogue emphasises the importance of community, mentorship, and the healing power of facing one's pain and fears.

Nic Warner is a father, a mentor, a rites of passage facilitator, and an expert in personal growth, he has helped countless individuals unlock their potential, navigate change, and create lives of purpose and fulfillment across the globe. He focuses on work for both the masculine and feminine, a tantric approach, with a particular passion for helping men break through their masks and step into their truest essence. 

Pod Partners Rock: Australian Medicinal Herbs Discount code 'Future5' 

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Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
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Buy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters, Huddle, Creating a tomorrow of togetherness

We talked about

• Rites of passage are crucial for personal growth.
• Authenticity is often challenged by societal expectations.
• The journey back to self requires courage and trust.
• Inauthenticity can lead to a life unfulfilled.
• Responsibility in relationships is key to healing.
• Fatherhood is a significant rite of passage for men.
• Community support is essential for transformation.
• Pain can be a teacher if we allow it to be.
• Fear can guide us towards our true path.
• Living in alignment with one's heart leads to fulfillment.

Follow Nic Warner- https://www.nicwarner.com/

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"What would it mean for us to start asking questions via embodied feelings rather than spreadsheets & rational outcomes…turn off our head and turn on our belly."

“You don’t build communities you build relationships - communities build themselves”

Adrian Black is fresh off the plane from 5 weeks of living in an intentional community - a program designed to create a transformative culture. He shares his experience of transferring from being a series of individuals operating in cohesion of each other to operating as a whole via emotional release ceremonies with tears, grief, joy, laughter & dancing.

He normalises 'cortisol crying' - metabolising to release deep emotions & reminds us that we have just two needs: belonging & authenticity. He has learnt to avoid ‘happiness’  & ‘perfectionism’- which are colonial constructs that set us up to fail and he is now focussed on actively bringing people together to celebrate with people, give gratitude & take the energy of the world to focus on something beautiful and worthwhile.

His final advice is to check in regularly on three things - how are your thoughts, your feelings & your body.

References 

• Ceres
• Francis Weller - the Wild Edge of Sorrow
• Dr Gabor Mate
• Joanna Macey
• Glarisegg EDE

Pod Partners Rock: Australian Medicinal Herbs

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Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
Regular Support - Patreon
Buy the Books - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters, Huddle - creating a tomorrow of togetherness

Loved this ep, try this one - Charlie Showers  

We chatted about:

• Live as nature not with nature 
• Having agency & care in how we make our decisions
• Ecovillage Design Education course 
• Awakening deep memory
• Relearning how to functionally live together in community
• Unpacking the word community
• Focus on Community first, Family second & individual third
• The role that grief plays in our world & what it truly means to be alive 
• When a physical space can hold SO many things & ask nothing in return
• Loneliness at an all time high 
• Accessing the interconnectedness of everything 
• Being authentic, not performative
• Hearts holding the heartbreak of the world around us
• What is your fear telling you - be curious
• “I don't always need the light, I just need to remember that it will return”
• Avoiding polarisation - replace this with “Experience all that is is to be human” 
• The role of ritual in community 
• Frustrated by the reductionist view of the most complex system of all time
• Why decision making isn't as simple as a list of pro’s & cons
• Making the community self aware of how to manage conflict
• Non linear decision making
• How do I show up in the relationships in my life. holding care, compassion & curiosity

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“Those who have descended from the colonisers, we carry privilege but we also suffer the need to apologise” 

Landscapes can etch into your very being & create a remembering. Making us feel whole & reminding us that we are just a thread in the complex web of the natural world. While somewhat insignificant your thread has a role to play as a relative to the threads it lies next too. The way we all interact with each other - both human and other than human, will be our making or our undoing.

Hilary Giovale, author of “becoming a good relative” is based in the ponderosa pine forests of Arizona, opposite a reservation & lives next to the sacred mountain of kinship which she now considers to be her most important teacher. This feels like an important conversation to have had - as two white women without indigenous heritage -  it feels uncomfortable to have, and we will forever be learning, but Hilary (a 9th generation settler in the United States) begins the process of unpacking what it means to be in right relationship with the people & place that we each call home - pushing past the burden of white fragility to build pathways of robust healing & reconnection to our landscapes - to reconciliation with first peoples.

She shares what it means to create ancestral alters & how to connect with these elders who’s stories she tells us, are still unfolding.

She reminds us that while the work we have to do is exceptionally confronting, grief won’t kill us & that the time to heal in the bosom of natural landscapes is now.

"Elders are always identified by the community, never by the individual - they are usually unwilling but always shows up for the community, is wise, is generous, is funny, is humble,  Our communities can guide us to where the elders are."

Loved this? Try another:    Indira Naidoo

Pod Partners Rock:Australian Medicinal Herbs Discount code 'Future5' 

Support the Show
Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
Regular Support - Patreon
Buy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters, Huddle, Creating a tomorrow of togetherness

We talked about

Being fed a whitewashed mythology that was a narrative constructed to serve the cultivation of industrialisation.

Realising she had been segregated from the truth of her countries culture

Intergenerational task of building right relations - backwards with her parents & forwards with her children

Creating ancestral alters

Eldership

Healing rituals/programs - ritualised apology & forgiveness

The history of settler colonialism has created trauma, damage, theft of knowledge, land & culture.

“Grief won’t kill you”

The relief of grief through letting tears flow

Common threads of wisdom which runs through indigenous cultures regardless of the continent

Going to the land in a reciprocal & respectful way & asking permission to be guided

Asking “how if at all can I help” informs how to be in right relationship

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“How we raise our children is facilitating a denaturing of our human-ness. The opportunity is to be centred within & rebuild our culture” 

Dan Kittridge is the bare footed gent who coined the term Nutrient density off the back of his dao-ist strategy to create a life that afforded him the time & space to be at home with his young family, living simply with just 10k per year on the land.

Over the next 20 years he became clear that his role was simply to serve & that it's not his job to know what he's doing or attempt to implement a plan rather to be sensitive to what's shown to him & respond in a way that was lead by love enabling him to get out of his head, get out of the ‘shoulds’  & get into the heart, asking instead, what flows.

The result has been the creation of the bionutrient institute, a global speaking profile & a life long commitment to renaturing which he says sits at the centre of solving the poly-crises we face.

“Having the right to land to provide adequate housing & food for every family should be a foundational right. The land cannot be sold but you have access to it sufficient for a simple life.”

"As long as we engage with a colonised mind of separation/fear/division, we will not be able to engage with an indigenous mind of love/flow & unity"

“As long as the structure of our lives require us to work jobs for money that are separating us from nature, we are paddling upstream. It becomes difficult to tune into the flow of nature.”

Loved this? Try these:

Manda Scott - Becoming accidental gods

Damon Gameau - A call to arms for storytellers 

Pod Partners Rock:Australian Medicinal Herbs  - discount code Future5

Support the Show
Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
Regular Support - Patreon
Buy the Books - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters  & Huddle Creating a tomorrow of togetherness

We talked about:

“We are not the body we are carrying around we are effectively individual consciousness that has physical attributes. Accepting this changes the way we interact with each other.”

What is a soul - is it ecological? Or is it transcendent love? 

Getting ourselves into right relationship requires a serious restructure of our way of being

Beginning to decolonise starts during early childhood 

The money vs time equation

The rule of law is a paradox of control that can be equally exasperating & supportive

Understanding that there is a greater order & you don't have to control everything - you just have to be receptive to what is shown to you.

Using nature to model ourselves- symbiosis. Be your own brilliant unique system & then add mycelium to connect others brilliance

The role that feelings have in the way we make decisions

We dont need to KNOW anything - we are already wired with the knowledge we need

If we just work with nature - we will remember who we are and what we are supposed to do.

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"I could live a lifetime here and still be learning  - it’s a relationship - the greatest relationship of my life"

Alice Irene Whitaker lives in a small cabin in the woods, is a mother of three, an author of the book “Homing" and host of the  'Reseed podcast, which is about rebuilding our relationship with nature.

Surrounded by creek, meadow, and forest, Alice Irene began a new lifelong journey of repairing her fractured relationship with both herself and the natural world. Dismantling a history of anorexia, obsessiveness, and workaholism, she decided to stop taking and start caretaking. 

She shares how taking the leap to a life in a small cabin in the woods where seasons are apparent, repetition is a daily mantra and a shedding of her previous identity onto the forest floor has given her an opportunity to  live a lifetime in her new landscape and still be learning from the outside world every day - she sees her surrounds as a relationship-the greatest relationship of her life. 

Loved this? Try another one:

Ep 122 Nat Wilmott - Living her dream

Pod Partners Rock: Australian Medicinal Herbs

 
Support the Show
Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
Regular Support - Patreon
Buy the Book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters

We talked about:

Shifting from an extractive life to a regenerative one

Falling in love with a landscape & experiencing the feeling of every cell in her body opening up.

Seeking treescapes

Acknowledging her body is built for creativity, rest & beauty not just output.

Listening to our own stories above the noise of the modern world

Rewriting our stories in the presence of the natural world rather than the presence of accolades, work & job promotions

Being a baby on her journey towards humanity

Justifying working like a machine because you are doing “burnout for good”

The paradox of finding rest despite being needed for the cause

When you take your growth mindset into the “for purpose” space - needing to unpack this.

Creating care and caretakers in our world.

Why care is not soft” and easy to dismiss but is as important as the wheels of industry

Motherhood transformation - the drama of opening up & cracking open to the idea of what is kept and what is left behind

Being oriented on suffering of others or peace for us all. Children have helped her enjoy the act of love & making it personal and care

Quote - “we are all mothers here”  it’s not just about giving birth but is needed for all of us and mother earth

What does it mean to go beyond the mothering of our own small household and relate this to

The power of repetition and observing the things which change and the things that stay the same.

Building relationships with both humans and non-human

Becoming child like when you sit & observe moss

Building networks of people who are interested in your niche areas of interest.

Natural world muse.

Being inspired by the tiny hummingbird

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"We need to cultivate a culture of listening in society." But what does it truly mean to listen?

In this episode, we delve into the profound impact that sound can have on our lives as we speak with renowned sound recordist Andrew Skeoch. With his expertise in capturing the essence of nature through sound, Andrew shares his journey of deep listening, the importance of empathetic listening, and how it connects us to the natural world and one another.

Andrew, the author of Deep Listening, records breathtaking natural habitats from across the globe which have gained worldwide attention, with albums that attract tens of thousands of weekly streams on Spotify. His work has also featured in major films like Rabbit Proof Fence, The Jungle Book (2016), and the upcoming Force of Nature starring Eric Bana.

Our conversation delves into the evolution of a heart-centered society that values cooperation over unhealthy competition. Andrew highlights the importance of understanding nature as an ongoing process and discusses how human sensitivity plays a crucial role in shaping our societal values. 

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Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
Regular Support - Patreon
Buy the book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters

Pod Partners Rock: Australian Medicinal Herbs  

Code for Discount: future5 

Andrew's Website: https://listeningearth.com/andrewskeoch/

We talked about:

• How to deeply listen, slow down and be present.
• Empathetic listening to nature and what we can learn by other species.
• Cooperation in nature often occurs across diverse species.
• Listening helps us connect with our inner selves and the environment.
• Nature's evolution shapes behaviors that benefit living systems.
• Listening is a powerful tool for social and political change.
• We need to cultivate a culture of listening in society.
• Nature teaches us that cooperation is more beneficial than competition.
• Human sensitivity varies, impacting societal values and interactions.
• We must learn from nature to create inclusive social structures.
• Practical applications of nature's principles are necessary for societal change.
• Understanding our evolutionary past can inform our future interactions.

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Claire is a multi generational Scottish beef farmer who says 'Ag has potency and potential to be a catalyst on the front line of climate catastrophe'.

As a Nuffield scholar 'exploring the scrutiny being placed on agriculture and how perceptions are changing', she embarked on a world research tour. While travelling, she fell in love with an Australian lad & now finds herself living in rural NSW. So after establishing a strong journalism career steeped in trust & long held relationships on home turf, she now finds herself on this wide brown land in the heat of summer without her networks & a need to rebuild a new life with people who she tells us are more laid back, more inclined to use humour dripping in sarcasm to navigate hard things & are exceptionally resilient.

“Leave judgements at the door & come without bias in order to communicate which is both talking but equally listening, we’ve all got to be prepared to change our mindsets”

“First gen farmers are more daring to have hard conversations & to really listen - they can be brave."

"For progress we need to think outside ag - and not just speak to ourselves." 

"When will people other than farmers step into the food system & support the much needed potential for farming to be the potent ecological change making piece it is . Farmers cannot be all the things, they are best to be the land stewards but others need to take up the roles of advocating, supply chain development, consumer education, policy change & story telling"

Links You'll Love
Claire Taylor Linked in

Nuffield Scholarship program

Loved this? Try these:
Gab Chan -  building political clout for ag

Helen Rebanks - in honor of the farmers wife

Support the Show
Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
Regular Support - Patreon
Buy the book - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters

Pod Partners Rock: Australian Medicinal Herbs  

Code for Discount: future5 

We talked about:

The politics of agriculture - overshadowed by a growing disconnect between politicians in the cities & farmers in the country 

Echo chambers are one of the biggest challenges in Ag. Its so important to look up & out to glean perspective on what's happening 

We need more patience and understanding in ag because there are deep cultural beliefs & values that will need to shift before practice change can occur

Why its time for farmers to build trust for those who are telling their stories & playing other roles in the food system so we can broaden the scope for support

Ripping the bandaid off & beginning a new life in another country.

Settling her body into a new landscape]

Learning how to say yes to invitations

Learning to be vulnerable with new families and friends

Asking a new friend on a date - you’ll have different friendships at differnt times 

The things we do for love - taken in by the boss’s girlfriend 

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"Creativity is a life force - the universe is inherently creative - once we realise it's not ours - it takes the ego out of it & encourages all of us to utilise it as a gift for the greater good"

Fleur Chambers is a best selling author, mama, philanthropist & of course a master meditator. Actually she is the creator of the free meditation app: The Happy Habit.

Her post partum experience was the catalyst for seeking another way of being in the world & now she positions meditation as something much larger than just supporting the individuals need as a circuit breaker & asks us to get curious about leaning into an emergent way of being & exploring our intentions  without a sense of control and striving.  We unpack the deep wisdoms of the inner voice - the voice of nature, of the earth, of our body. 

We chat about the potency of parenting as an endless source of learning -importantly the value of dropping the expectation on everyone and replacing it with the essence of presence, learning to trust our own inner voice, opening the door on our potential & realising that growth is not about adding on but about peeling back & letting go.

She shares her theory that Creativity is an energy that doesn’t belong to us  and is simply a gift to the world at that moment in time

In this conversation she encourages us to unlearn & relearn towards a new story...

"Its time for a new story - where self esteem & confidence is no longer a patriarchal, corporate, growth dominated paradigm…instead the ease comes from learning to listen, acknowledging traumas, shared humanity, cherish, protect & preserve"'

Links You'll Love
All things Fleur Chambers: books, courses

Nate Hagens and Bill Plotkin podcast

Loved this ep, try another:

Ep 83 - Naturally Well with Jo

Pod Partners Rock: Australian Medicinal Herbs  

Support the Show
Casual Support - Buy Me A Coffee
Regular Support - Patreon

Buy the Books - Futuresteading - Live Like tomorrow matters

                           - Huddle - Creating a tomorrow of togetherness

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"The deepest trauma is disconnection from country."

What does it truly mean to heal? How can we reclaim our ancestral wisdom and break free from patterns of diseased thinking?

In this episode, we sit down with Valerie Ringland, a powerful voice in the world of Indigenous healing and restorative justice. Born on traditional Shawnee land in the U.S. and now living on Yuin Country in far southern NSW, Valerie brings a unique blend of Indigenous knowledge, and Western healing practices to her work. She’s the author of the transformative book "Healing Through Indigenous Wisdom," which offers 52 weeks of profound exercises designed to help us reconnect with ourselves, our land, and our lineage.

Valerie challenges us to reimagine cultural expression, confront our wounds head on, and see trauma not as a life sentence but as a spiritual calling. She invites us to explore shame, grief, and belonging as essential parts of our journey toward wholeness.

In this episode you will learn: 

- The role of rituals, ceremonies, and ancestral connection in emotional well-being
- How Indigenous wisdom offers powerful tools for self-discovery and community healing
- And why "never enoughness" is a modern disease—and how to break free from it

Get ready for a thought-provoking conversation that will challenge your perspectives, touch the deepest parts of your heart, and inspire you to reconnect with your true essence.

Connect with Valerie:

🌍 Website: Earth Ethos
📘 Facebook: Valerie Ringland
▶️ YouTube: Earth Ethos

Join Valerie at Her Upcoming Events (March 2025):

📍 Retreat Series | Far South Coast, NSW (Yuin Country)
March 28 @ 5PM | Tilba, NSW

📍 Author Talks – International Women's Day (Melbourne, VIC):
🗓️ March 8 @ 11AM | Qi Crystals, Caulfield
🗓️ March 8 @ 3:30PM | Theosophical Society, Melbourne

📍 Author Talks – Far South Coast, NSW:
📖 March 13 @ 3-4PM | Tura Marrang Library, Tura Beach
📖 March 24 @ 10:30AM | Bermagui Library, Bermagui

💫 If today's episode resonates with you, explore Valerie's retreats and author talks through her website Earth Ethos.

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