In this rare solo episode of Live Free Ride Free, host Rupert Isaacson shares his own extraordinary story—tracing a path from his multicultural childhood in London to horseback adventures, indigenous rights campaigns, and the creation of groundbreaking autism and equine therapy programs. Rupert weaves together vivid life experiences: from retraining an unruly ex-racehorse as a boy, to helping the Bushmen of the Kalahari win historic land claims, to transforming his son’s autism journey through horses, nature, and movement. This is a deep dive into service, resilience, and the magic of following the call of adventure.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How a childhood nervous breakdown led Rupert to horses and nature ([00:11:00])
• Lessons from growing up between multiple cultures and identities ([00:05:00])
• The entrepreneurial path to buying his first horse at age 14 ([00:13:00])
• Adventures and dangers as a young journalist in Africa and North America ([00:34:00])
• The role of indigenous wisdom in Rupert’s life and work ([00:56:00])
• Behind-the-scenes of the Bushman land claims in South Africa and Botswana ([01:00:00])
• How his son’s autism diagnosis reshaped his mission and methods ([01:36:00])
• The creation of Horse Boy Method, Movement Method, and Takhin Equine Integration ([01:39:00])
• Why service is the key to sustaining your dreams ([01:46:00])

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Meeting legendary wolf expert Rick McIntyre in Yellowstone and conceiving the Live Free Ride Free podcast ([00:02:00])
• Training an unmanageable ex-racehorse and discovering his calling ([00:14:00])
• Hitchhiking into the Kalahari and first encounters with Bushman healers ([00:57:00])
• Witnessing the unexpected twist that won Botswana’s largest land claim ([01:30:00])
• The life-changing advice from Dr. Temple Grandin on helping his autistic son ([01:34:00])
• The reindeer healer in Siberia who transformed Rowan’s progress ([01:42:00])

📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:

• Rupert Isaacson – The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land https://longridehome.com/books
• Horse Boy Method, Movement Method, Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.co
• Long Ride Home - Horse Training: https://longridehome.com

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us: Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

What happens when a successful publisher hits rock bottom—and finds his way back through psychedelics, storytelling, and soul work? In this episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert Isaacson sits down with Ralf Daab, a Cologne-based publisher and spiritual entrepreneur, to explore how dreams, and intuition reshaped his life. From sex with his soul-self to conversations with ancient Persian sultans, Ralf shares candidly about death, rebirth, and the creative power of expanded consciousness. It’s a story of heartbreak, transformation, and discovering that the spiritual path doesn’t have to begin in the jungle—it can start with a walk past a horse paddock in Germany.

✨ “You don’t change your life in one journey. The transformation is forever.” – Ralf Daab

✨ “What if the Sultan was God, the Universe…and You?” – Ralf Daab

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why Ralf left the fast-paced world of international publishing for inner healing and mindfulness ([00:13:00])
• The unexpected impact of channeling, spiritual entrepreneurship, and synchronicity ([00:27:00], [01:04:00])
• Why ancient Persia and a mystical Sultan guided Ralf toward his creative mission ([00:36:00])
• How a recurring dream of a plane crash resolved through psychedelic insight ([00:55:00])
• What dying at age 96 on a beach in France taught him about living fully now ([00:59:00])

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Ralf and Rupert meet during a chance encounter while picking up horse poo in Germany ([00:03:00])
• Ralf’s first journey: flying with birds and experiencing Earth from space ([00:30:00])
• The Sultan appears again and says, “I am God, the Universe… and You.” ([00:39:00])
• Channeling guidance in early morning states, leading to unexpected new business ventures ([01:04:00])
• Ralf dancing on a beach in France after accepting death and realizing he was 16 again ([01:01:00])

📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:

• Ralf Daab – High on Living publishing house and his book: Da Bist Ja Wieder: 32 Episoden (Self-published) https://amzn.to/3IM031z
• Rupert Isaacson – The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land https://longridehome.com/books

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:
Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

Filmmaker Craig Foster (My Octopus Teacher) and wildlife sculptor-naturalist George Bumann return to Live Free Ride Free for a sweeping, soul-deep conversation on rewilding the human spirit. With Rupert Isaacson, they dive into the healing force of biodiversity, the true meaning of conflict resolution, and why tracking—not just animals, but ourselves—is essential for becoming fully alive. From snails in beer bottles to raven politics at the dump, they explore how the smallest natural encounters offer the biggest epiphanies. This episode is an invitation to reclaim our 3-million-year-old blueprint for joy, freedom, and kinship with all beings.

✨ “You feel the beating heart of the intertidal in your own beating heart.” – Craig Foster

✨ “Noticing is the beginning of healing.” – George Bumann

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why extreme biodiversity supercharges physical vitality and mental clarity ([00:04:00])
• How conflict dissolves when we're in kinship with more-than-human communities ([00:19:00])
• Why tracking—animals, people, and ourselves—is the original language of connection ([00:33:00])
• What George learned about group dynamics and animal behavior from Yellowstone’s wolves and ravens ([00:45:00])
• How sculpting, storytelling, and species documentation help heal our cultural broken-heartedness ([00:58:00])
• What happens to human consciousness when we spend uninterrupted time in nature ([01:06:00])
• Why snails, magpies, ravens, and city foxes may be more important than elephants and whales ([01:17:00])
• The myth of separation: how the illusion of “self vs. nature” feeds personal suffering ([01:30:00])
• How ego functions in wild systems vs. modern society—and how culture can recalibrate it ([01:39:00])
• How George and Craig help people rewild through art, archives, biodiversity, and beauty ([01:53:00])
• The final invitation: how noticing becomes a daily ritual of reconnection and joy ([02:03:00])

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Craig’s experience of pure vitality on a pristine research island—surrounded by mantas, sharks, and rays ([00:02:00])
• George’s intimate vocal impressions of coyotes, wolves, and elk—including one he heard that morning ([00:07:00], [01:13:00])
• What snails in beer bottles near Miami taught Craig about resilience and belonging ([02:06:00])
• The concept of Mother Nature as the ultimate shareholder of all human endeavors ([00:29:00])
• What happens when children in urban schools are given cameras—and how their perception shifts over days ([00:18:00])
• George’s ravens at the dump: what “vermin” reveal about the power of noticing ([02:09:00])
• Craig’s octopus friend who walks bipedally and eats sharks—and lets Craig film her doing it ([02:22:00])

📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:

Craig Foster – My Octopus Teacher, Sea Change Project (https://seachangeproject.com)

1001 Sea Forest Species Project

George Bumann – Wildlife sculptor, educator, and naturalist (https://georgebumann.com)

David Graeber – The Dawn of Everything https://amzn.to/464fE6e

Bates Method – Natural eyesight restoration https://amzn.to/4kFMqhF

Dr. Chantel Prat – The Neuroscience of You https://amzn.to/3TFhPWs

Rupert Isaacson – The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land https://longridehome.com/books-ru/ 

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

Dr. Ben Conner, professor of practical theology and founder of the Center for Disability and Ministry, joins Rupert Isaacson for a radical rethinking of Christianity and environmentalism. From reinterpreting "dominion" in Genesis to empowering neurodivergent voices in ministry, Ben challenges assumptions about American evangelicalism, conservation, and the role of theology in planetary healing. Together, they explore how to reconnect children, horses, and communities to a sense of sacred kinship with nature—through wonder, embodiment, and relational theology.

✨ “Maybe the vocation of a mountain is just to be a mountain.” – Ben Conner

✨ "Jesus in the wilderness was being re-nurtured by creation itself." – Ben Conner

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why many American evangelicals misunderstand the concept of "dominion" in Genesis ([00:07:00])
• The roots of Christianity’s alienation from nature: Enlightenment rationalism, individualism, and soul-saving escapism ([00:14:00])
• How children (especially neurodivergent ones) teach us to see God through curiosity and wonder ([00:48:00])
• Practical steps to re-integrate theology, land, and disability in ministry and daily life ([00:52:00])
• The theology of kinship: how mountains, rivers, horses, and people are all called into vocation ([01:07:00])
• The idea that Christianity is often more about identity and power than faith in Christ himself ([01:15:00])
• Rupert's comparison of CS Lewis and Tolkien as hidden eco-theologians ([01:26:00])
• Creating church outside: the rise of Wild Church and Refugia communities ([01:30:00])
• Ben's story of his son recovering from brain trauma and becoming his teacher in theology ([01:36:00])

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Why many American evangelicals misunderstand dominion and where that theology came from ([00:07:00])
• The Enlightenment-era origins of individualistic Christianity in the U.S. ([00:14:00])
• "You aren't seeing the rabbit anymore. You're seeing yourself and the schemes and appetites you bring to the world." – Matthew Scully, quoted by Ben ([00:35:00])
• Why start theology with children and people with disabilities ([00:48:00])
• Horses have vocations too: understanding agency, refusal, and partnership ([01:06:00])
• How Ben's son, initially disabled, became a theological teacher ([01:36:00])

📚 Books, Thinkers, and Movements Mentioned:

• Thomas Berry – *The Sacred Universe *https://amzn.to/4ltj1rJ
• David Clough – *Creaturely Theology *https://amzn.to/4kbRslF
• Victoria Loorz – Church of the Wild (and the Wild Church Network) https://amzn.to/4lx1Gyd
• Matthew Scully – *Dominion *https://amzn.to/4erqXr2
• Randy Woodley – Harmony Way & Indigenous Christianity https://amzn.to/4lv6Uuc
• Patty Krawec – *Becoming Kin *https://amzn.to/3TPCjvy
• Four Arrows – *Restoring the Kinship Worldview *https://amzn.to/4kazIXT
• Deb Rienstra – *Refugia Faith https://amzn.to/4khixUO *
• A Rocha USA (https://arocha.org)

🛍️ Contact Ben Conner:

• Center for Disability and Ministry: https://westernsem.edu/center-for-disability-and-ministry
• Faculty Page: https://www.westernsem.edu/faculty/conner/
• Podcast: Disabling the Church

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:
Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:
Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

"The foundation of Western rationalism? A series of mystical dreams."

Artist, philosopher, and occult scholar Dr. Justin Sledge joins Rupert Isaacson to illuminate a forgotten dimension of Western thought. With over 870,000 YouTube followers on his channel Esoterica, Dr. Sledge has built a global audience passionate about the academic study of magic, mysticism, and esotericism. In this fast-moving and rigorously researched conversation, Justin pulls back the curtain on the mystical roots of rationalism, the dream logic behind Descartes, and how occult traditions shaped the very sciences that claim to have left them behind.

Why should we care? Because the stories we’re told about history shape the world we live in now—and as it turns out, much of what we consider to be modern, empirical, or secular is deeply rooted in visions, divine languages, and hermetic transmissions.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why Descartes founded modern philosophy after a mystical dream ([00:14:58])
• How John Dee “downloaded” an angelic language and changed history ([00:11:15])
• What Judaism really says about the afterlife—and how it’s changed over time ([01:44:00])
• Why ancient aliens and Atlantis myths persist despite zero evidence ([01:02:29])
• The origins of Western esotericism and how they shaped Newton, Leibniz, and Spinoza ([00:13:00])
• Why witch trials targeted women, but occultist men survived with status ([00:50:00])
• How occult philosophies were hidden in plain sight in Enlightenment thinking ([01:10:00])
• What Gobekli Tepe, Egyptian afterlife myths, and Enochian grammar have in common ([01:22:00])
• The mystical tension between religious tradition and rational skepticism ([01:33:00])
• How Justin grew a massive global audience for deep esoteric study on YouTube ([02:00:10])

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• "If you wake up in heaven, you should be angry. That’s hell." ([01:36:01])
• Justin describes reading 16th-century Latin texts as a teenager ([00:11:15])
• Rupert confronts academia’s discomfort with magic’s role in rationalism ([00:20:00])
• Justin explains why he believes religion creates meaning—not literal truths ([00:27:00])
• A conversation about Yahweh’s evolution from tribal god to sole deity ([00:40:00])
• Justin's take on Gobekli Tepe and why its burial is stranger than its building ([01:22:00])
• How Judaism splits the afterlife timeline: Sheol, Heaven, Reincarnation ([01:44:00])
• "The past isn’t dead. It’s not even past." – William Faulkner quoted ([02:14:00])

📚 Books, Films, Causes & Contact:

Dr. Justin Sledge: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel
Website: https://www.justinsledge.com/
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannel
Rare Bookstore: https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/
Study Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/

Related Episodes: Craig Foster – My Octopus Teacher & Amphibious Soul: https://youtu.be/X1-tZ_XhvUo
Emelie Cajsdotter – Talking to Forest Spirits: https://youtu.be/YOUR-LINK-HERE
Warwick Schiller – Journey On Podcast: https://youtu.be/sTeXpmGc8Ls

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home: 
Website: https://longridehome.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems: 
Website: https://ntls.co
Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

🎧 Browse Our Playlists: Live Free Ride Free: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUcRPFFblvSlyVsZX682F63uQ5WpiZNfu
Equine Assisted World: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8f9kQxaWe5Fv25usp3pXM9rLZR2VyUYz

💡 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.

Artist, regenerative grazier, and rewilding facilitator Nick Viney joins Rupert Isaacson for an expansive conversation from the wilds of Dartmoor to the edges of imagination. With boots-on-the-ground wisdom from 20 years of land restoration, livestock management, and community-building, Nick makes a compelling case for restoring ecosystems through play, art, and radical listening. This episode is a masterclass in how to bring trees back, slow the water, and let the wild shape us.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The forgotten role of imagination in restoring landscapes (Starts at [00:03:00])
• How regenerative grazing works and why it's not “just moving cows” (Starts at [00:12:36])
• A real-world experiment: 40 years of non-grazed land on Dartmoor (Starts at [00:31:16])
• The critical role of beavers and why they’re returning to the UK (Starts at [00:47:00])
• Why reintroducing wolves might be inevitable — and good for everyone (Starts at [01:13:00])
• How art can spark environmental change and communicate complexity (Starts at [01:27:00])

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• How she revived her artistic self after years of working for others ([00:02:00])
• Nick describes the joy of animals grazing fresh pasture every day — "It's pristine every single day" ([00:12:36])
• Rupert and Nick debate whether Britain is still a forest landscape or not ([00:19:25])
• What a bramble patch teaches us about songbirds and tree nurseries ([00:32:00])
• The haunting power of glow worms and how they reflect land recovery ([01:45:00])

📚 Books, Films, Causes & Contact:

Websites:

• Nick Viney Art & Projects: https://nickviney.co.uk
• Glamping & Land Connection: https://rewildingfutures.co.uk
• Beaver Watching & Rewilding Coombeshead: https://rewildingcoombeshead.co.uk

Other Rewilders Mentioned:

• Róisín Campbell-Palmer
• Gerhard Schwab (Bavaria)
• Derek Gow (UK)

Books:

• Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm by Isabella Tree – https://amzn.to/43j3Dbj

Conferences:

• "If Not Now, When: See Beyond" (July 25–27, 2025) – Rewilding Coombeshead
• Rewilding Coombeshead Conference by Derek Gow (July 26–27) – https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/keep-it-wild/t-kraexje

🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:

• Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home:

• Website: https://longridehome.com
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems:

• Website: https://ntls.co
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

💡 Affiliate Disclosure:

• Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.

Farrier, ultra-runner, and Derby training guide Stevie Delahunt joins Rupert Isaacson for a surprising, funny, and soulful conversation that gallops through Patagonia, Mongolia, Oregon, and the inner landscapes of fear, boredom, and awe. They unpack the difference between trauma and triumph, how endurance sports can help rewire the brain, and what it means to truly listen to animals, land, and spirit. Whether you’re derby-curious, nature-hungry, or wondering how to make a more meaningful life with your horses, this one’s a ride.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Type 2 Fun, Trauma, and Triumph (Starts at [00:02:00])
  • Stevie explains the now-legendary classification of fun and how it relates to challenge, fear, and resilience.
• How Endurance Racing Became a Spiritual Path (Starts at [00:06:00])
  • From half-marathons to the Mongol Derby, Stevie shares how testing her body helped her discover her spirit.
• The Mongol Derby and the Ego Question (Starts at [00:24:00])
  • Rupert and Stevie unpack why winning might not be the point, and what spiritual seekers are really after.
• Why Boredom Might Be the Enemy of Mental Health (Starts at [00:35:00])
  • A deep dive into boredom, awe, loneliness, and the human need for challenge and connection.
• Psilocybin and the Herd: Inter-Species Conversations (Starts at [01:06:00])
  • Stevie describes what happens when she microdoses with horses present and what they've taught her.
• Spiritual Mentors, Trees, and Land Consciousness (Starts at [01:40:00])
  • From reindeer in Mongolia to juniper groves in Oregon, Stevie discusses what it means to hear land and trees speak.
• Nomadism and the Restoration of Wonder (Starts at [01:55:00])
  • Why mobility may be the cure for modern malaise, and how Stevie is redesigning her life and business accordingly.

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Rupert and Stevie explore how trauma and triumph often share a border zone of spiritual insight ([00:05:00])
• What Stevie learned about love from a mare named Sparta under the influence of psilocybin ([01:08:00])
• A snowstorm in Patagonia turns life-threatening, and fire becomes salvation ([01:33:00])
• Rupert and Stevie debate whether the spiritual path should involve competition at all ([00:26:00])
• The surprising intelligence and opinion of a horse named Sonic who wants to roam free ([01:11:00])
• Why we may need risk and awe as much as we need oxygen ([01:13:00])

📚 Books, Films, Causes & Contact:

Websites:

• Stevie Delahunt’s equine training & coaching: https://intergalacticequine.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/adventuristbarbie

🌎 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:

Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home

• Website: https://longridehome.com
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems

• Website: https://ntls.co
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

💡 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.

🚨 Support the Cornwall Rainforest Research Station: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-cornwall-rainforest-comm

Robin and Merlin Hanbury-Tenison are currently raising funds to build the UK's first Atlantic rainforest research station through their Thousand Year Trust. This station will serve as a hub for groundbreaking studies into biodiversity, climate resilience, and the mental health benefits of temperate forests. The crowdfunder is live until May 21st, 2025, and donations will be matched by Aviva—with additional matched funding unlocked if the target is reached.

Legendary explorer and indigenous rights activist Robin Hanbury-Tenison OBE, DL, DSc, DHc, MA, FLS, FRGS, and his son Merlin Hanbury-Tenison—veteran, conservationist, and author—join Rupert Isaacson for a deeply hopeful, multigenerational conversation about the revival of Britain’s ancient rainforests. From leading Britain’s largest-ever scientific expedition into the Borneo rainforest, to launching the UK’s first Atlantic temperate rainforest research station, the Hanbury-Tenisons are weaving together indigenous wisdom, military resilience, climate science, and future-forward ecology. This wide-ranging episode explores rewilding, cultural change, land access, trauma recovery, and how to heal both people and the land—together.

🌿 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Cracking the Rainforest Code (Starts at [00:03:03]) Robin reveals how his Borneo expedition uncovered the self-contained nutrient cycle of tropical rainforests and why this discovery matters more than ever.
• Britain Was a Rainforest (Starts at [00:08:00]) Merlin explains how 20% of the UK was once covered by rainforest, and why reclaiming that heritage is vital to the nation’s identity and ecology.
• Healing in the Forest (Starts at [00:06:00]) Hear how Merlin, his wife Lizzie, and Robin himself all found profound healing from trauma and illness within their patch of Atlantic rainforest in Cornwall.
• The Sheep Problem (Starts at [00:16:00]) The surprising story of how non-native sheep transformed Britain's landscapes—and how that continues to affect biodiversity today.
• The Rewilded Farm: Cabilla Cornwall (Starts at [00:21:21]) Merlin describes transforming a 250-acre family farm into a working model of rainforest restoration and regenerative agroforestry.
• A Blueprint for Upland Farming’s Future (Starts at [00:22:00]) Can a small-scale reforestation project create scalable, profitable farming solutions for the next generation? Merlin thinks so.
• The Economic Case for Rewilding (Starts at [00:24:00]) Carbon markets, ecotourism, and a post-Brexit subsidy system: How today’s farmers can make more money from forest than from sheep.
• Access and Culture (Starts at [00:27:00]) Robin and Merlin reflect on how to balance ecological restoration with public access, cultural heritage, and resistance to change.
• From Survival International to the Thousand Year Trust (Starts at [00:52:00]) Robin and Merlin connect the dots between indigenous wisdom and rewilding Britain—from the Kalahari to Cornwall.
• An Optimist’s Vision of 3025 (Starts at [01:00:00]) Merlin lays out two possible futures for humanity: a Mad Max apocalypse or a thriving rewilded world. He believes we can choose the latter.

🌲 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Merlin reveals how beavers and temperate rainforest help prevent flooding, drought, and mental health decline ([00:08:00])
• Robin recalls telling Margaret Thatcher the truth about tropical deforestation—and nearly getting handbagged for it ([00:13:05])
• Rupert imagines a British rainforest safari system, with wolves, lynx, and eco-lodges connecting restored farms ([00:48:00])
• Robin advocates for riding horses through a rewilded Britain as the most profound way to experience the land ([00:57:00])
• Merlin explains how spending 30 minutes in a temperate rainforest can drop your cortisol levels for two weeks ([01:13:00])

Learn more about Robin Hanbury-Tenison:

• Website: https://www.robinsbooks.co.uk

 Learn more about Merlin Hanbury-Tenison:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/merlin-hanbury-tenison-a069b636
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/merlinhanburytenison

 Follow the Thousand Year Trust:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thousandyeartrust
• Website: https://www.thousandyeartrust.org

 Visit Cabilla Cornwall:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cabillacornwall
• Website: https://www.cabillacornwall.com

 Read Merlin’s new book:

• Our Oaken Bones: Reviving a Family, a Farm and Britain’s Ancient Rainforests: https://amzn.to/3GvStaj

 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:

• Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

 Follow Us:

• Long Ride Home
  • Website: https://longridehome.com
  • Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
  • Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
  • YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome
• New Trails Learning Systems
  • Website: https://ntls.co
  • Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
  • Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
  • YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

🪺 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide, childhood trauma, and emotional abuse. If these topics may be triggering, we suggest skipping this episode or proceeding with care. If you or someone you know is affected by such experiences or is contemplating suicide, please seek support from qualified professionals and local mental health resources.

Emelie Cajsdotter—author, healer, and founder of a unique animal sanctuary in western Sweden—joins Rupert Isaacson for a sweeping, emotional, and revelatory conversation that bridges grief, neurodivergence, trauma, ancestral healing, and the reality of interspecies communication. With gentle intensity, Emelie recounts a childhood shaped by loss and isolation, and the moment a defiant pony broke through her emotional shutdown—igniting a lifelong journey of empathic interbeing with animals, ancestors, and nature spirits. If you’ve ever wondered what it really means to listen to another being—not interpret, not impose, but truly inhabit their experience—this conversation will change you.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Origins of Empathic Interbeing (Starts at [00:03:24])
  • Discover how Emelie conceptualizes her experience of merging consciousness with other beings, and how this connection reshaped her life.
• The Tragic and Transformational Early Years (Starts at [00:04:20])
  • A powerful account of Emelie's father's death and her upbringing by a psychic grandmother in urban Gothenburg.
• The Healing Begins: A Pony Who Refused to Break (Starts at [00:45:00])
  • Learn how a combative chestnut mare became the mirror that helped Emelie reclaim her will to live.
• When the Horse Says No: Redefining Respect (Starts at [00:54:00])
  • Explore how the long process of trust-building with this pony revealed a new framework for healing and training.
• Finding the Right Medicine (Starts at [01:04:00])
  • Hear how a chance newspaper clipping led Emelie to a New Zealand vet who changed the trajectory of her work and life.
• Nature Spirits and the Real World of Forest Beings (Starts at [01:14:00])
  • Emelie shares the moment forest spirits began to appear in her life, how they taught her about plants, and what they expect from us.
• Relationship Without Domination (Starts at [02:13:00])
  • Rupert and Emelie reflect on how to partner with animals beyond hierarchy and how this philosophy plays out in both their lives.

🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• Rupert and Emelie dissect why conventional animal communication often fails to reflect the animal’s true perspective ([00:02:00])
• The unforgettable first moment of full empathic merger between Emelie and a seemingly hostile pony ([00:48:00])
• The figure in the dark: a terrifying turning point during Emelie’s adolescent identity crisis ([01:11:00])
• How samba drumming and a fellow student helped Emelie find her own rhythm and life path ([01:16:00])
• Why the forest is not symbolic, but literally alive and relational—a reality that reveals itself when we listen ([01:22:00])
• The water spirits of Greenland, and what they teach about memory, time, and healing ([02:08:00])

📚 Books, Films, Causes & Contact:

Websites:

• Emelie Cajsdotter’s courses & school: https://www.miothewayofcompassion.com
• Animal sanctuary and nonprofit: https://www.friendsofmiyo.com

🌎 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:

• Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home

• Website: https://longridehome.com
• Facebook: facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
• Instagram: instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
• YouTube: youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems

• Website: https://ntls.co
• Facebook: facebook.com/horseboyworld
• Instagram: instagram.com/horseboyworld
• YouTube: youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

💡 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.

George Bumann—sculptor, wildlife researcher, educator, and author—joins Rupert Isaacson for a profound conversation exploring how animals communicate, what it means to truly listen to the natural world, and how this understanding can transform our inner and outer lives. George, who lives just outside Yellowstone National Park, offers insights drawn from decades of tracking wolves, grizzlies, elk, and bison, as well as from his unique perspective as both an artist and scientist. Remarkably, George can mimic the calls of animals like crows and wolves so precisely that he is able to call them in—and, even more importantly, he understands what those calls mean. This episode invites you to experience nature not just as an observer, but as a participant in its language.

🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The Art of Listening to Animals (Starts at [00:02:20]) – Discover how tuning into wildlife vocalizations deepens your connection with nature.
• Understanding Wolf Language (Starts at [00:27:30]) – Learn what wolf howls, barks, and yips reveal about their family dynamics and emotional states.
• Empathy and Emotional Intelligence in Wildlife (Starts at [00:36:00]) – Consider the emotional and social intelligence of animals like bears and wolves.
• Learning to Track with the Ears (Starts at [00:44:20]) – Gain insights into acoustic tracking and listening as a primary sensory tool.
• How Artistic Practice Deepens Animal Understanding (Starts at [00:52:00]) – Discover how sculpting animals refines observation and empathy.
• Teaching Children the Language of the Wild (Starts at [01:06:00]) – See how nature-based listening empowers and grounds young learners.
• The Inner Wilderness (Starts at [01:13:00]) – Explore how connecting with wildness helps heal internal disconnection.
• Calling the Animals: A Deeper Dive into Mimicry (Starts at [01:42:00]) – Hear how George uses mimicry to communicate directly with wild animals.
• Field Encounters That Shift Worldviews (Starts at [01:51:00]) – Reflect on how real-time animal experiences can transform human understanding.
• Conservation Through Emotional Connection (Starts at [02:06:00]) – Discover how empathy drives deeper conservation efforts.

🎧 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

• George describes how a single bark from a wolf can carry multiple meanings depending on pitch, pacing, and context ([00:27:50])
• A moving story of a bison mother and her calf that teaches a powerful lesson in patience and presence ([00:38:00])
• George and Rupert reflect on how grief shows up in animal communities, and how recognizing this can shift our own relationship to mourning ([01:11:00])
• A captivating example of acoustic mimicry and the moment George successfully called in a raven during a forest walk ([01:42:15])
• A transformative encounter between a young student and a wolf pup that sparks a conversation on education and presence ([01:53:00])
• George shares how a single elk bugle at dusk can carry emotional nuance, context, and ecological awareness across a valley ([02:06:45])

📚 Books, Films, Causes & Contact:

Websites:

Eavesdropping on Animals: What We Can Learn From Wildlife Conversations https://amzn.to/4iSJU7D

George Bumann: https://georgebumann.com
A Yellowstone Life: https://ayellowstonelife.com
Yellowstone Summit: https://yellowstonesummit.com

🌎 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:

🌐 Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

📲 Follow Us:

Long Ride Home
🌐 Website: https://longridehome.com
📘 Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
📸 Instagram:  https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
🎥 YouTube:  https://youtube.com/@longridehome

New Trails Learning Systems
🌐 Website: https://ntls.co
📘 Facebook:  https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
📸 Instagram:  https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
🎥 YouTube:  https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

💡 Affiliate Disclosure:

Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.