Shambhala Living

In this episode I share a meditation I had 2 decades ago when holding a piece of meteorite. I was with a good friend Paul Barnet and we were at the time doing a year long meditation and energy healing course. I sat in meditation this particular night and went deep inside to another plane of existence. It felt like it wasn’t so much a planet like I call it in the episode but more a level of existence within my own heart. Another plane of existence that my higher self was existing upon or within. I was met by a Spirit guide and shown around this plane like I would be shown around a peaceful garden setting. I understood there was a purpose that each of us had there. I share some of the insights that came from that vision and how they shaped the next decade of my life. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

This episode explores the amazing work of Syntropic food forests and how we can work with nature to regenerate the land and grow food. I share my story of seeing this practice for the first time in a video called ‘Life in Syntropy’ https://youtu.be/gSPNRu4ZPvE I believe this way of working with the land is the most important way we can regenerate our connection to this planet.

In this episode I share ways to sow the seeds of change in the soil, the garden, our hearts and our life. I discuss why it’s so important to become a gardener and a guardian of the seeds of diversity. Now more than ever before the Earth is calling us to wake up and plant seeds of change. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

When planning a vegetable garden it’s all too easy to jump in with both feet and try to grow as much as possible in the first year. Many experienced gardeners will tell you that this is just setting yourself up for disappointment as the amount to learn, maintain and weed can quickly become overwhelming. Wholistic garden design is a set of design principles centred on whole systems thinking, utilizing the patterns observed in natural ecosystems. Holistic Garden Design Before you even begin to think about creating your new vegetable garden, it is a good idea to spend some time getting to know your site, and thinking about design. In the first lesson of our course we mention permaculture. Permaculture ethics are not the only thing that can be helpful to keep in mind as you start to plan your new growing areas. Permaculture also provides a series of design principles. The twelve permaculture principles are: -Observe and interact. -Catch and store energy. -Obtain a yield. -Apply self-regulation and feedback. -Use and value renewable resources and services. -Produce no waste. -Design from patterns to details. -Integrate rather than segregate. -Use small and slow solutions. -Use and value diversity. -Use edges and value the marginal. -Creatively use and respond to change. Keep these principles in mind as you begin to plan and create your garden Becoming a regenerative and sustainable food grower is about supporting bio-diversity and learning to work with the planet rather than against her. It begins with a simple premise; that the world is a living planet with core fundamentals that sustain balance. When these fundamentals are understood and met, life begins to thrive. An Introduction to Permaculture. Permaculture is a blueprint for sustainable living that can guide you as you create your new food producing organic garden. Permaculture, which is 'permanent agriculture' or 'permanent culture' is a simple series of concepts and practices that can help you to work to design, create and maintain an organic growing system. At its heart, permaculture has three core ethics: Earth Care People Care Fair share (and return of surplus to the system). We have an opportunity to plant the seeds of change and care for our planet and keeping these three core ethics in mind can help us to do so. By choosing to be a sustainable food grower, you are doing far more than growing your family's food. You are joining a movement of people around the world who care about our planet and are connecting back to earth by planting seeds for change and hope for generations to come. Food growing teaches us the cycle of life and the fundamentals of nature's systems to thrive. Through your own garden and the soil you will connect deeply to nature and the cycles of life that flow through it. If there is one legacy we can leave to our children, may it be the love for and the connection to the earth that comes through growing a garden. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

I share an idea to bring the ‘The magic of food growing’ to an online live audience. I had a conversation with my sister Leanne about how much her little girl loves eating the fresh snap peas from the garden. She asked about me putting on a little garden show online for her daughters day care as they have a garden there. They are all still in lockdown where they live in Sydney. So after that conversation that inspired this episode to share it into creation. A magic and food growing show live on zoom for kids of all ages. With the intention to inspire more children to start a little food garden. Each of us can be the magical guardians (gardeners) and plant the superheroes (seeds) of change that when watered with love, grow and regenerate our connection to the living Earth. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

In this episode I share the Desiderata, a powerful poem and message that was on the wall of the kwoon (our Kung Fu training space) and I would read it often during the time I was training for my black belt. It was a foundational message for my life and reading it again all these years later I still find it just as powerful. I hope you get something of value from this message. Desiderata: GO PLACIDLY amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy. By Max Ehrmann © 1927 Original text Desiderata History Desiderata was written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann, a poet and lawyer from Terre Haute, Indiana. The word desiderata means “things that are desired.” Ehrmann said he wrote it for himself, “because it counsels those virtues I felt most in need of.” These virtues have been valued by countless others as Desiderata rose in popularity in the late ’60s and early ’70s. It is making a strong comeback today, as parents and grandparents are passing along this wisdom to their loved ones. The Desiderata history is an interesting one, as there has been confusion surrounding the author of this prose poem. It is often mistaken that it was written by an anonymous author in 1692 and was found in Old Saint Paul’s Church. The Rev. Frederick Ward Kates was rector of the church from 1956 to 1961. During that time he used the words of Desiderata in a mimeographed booklet he gave to his parishioners to read. On the cover of the booklet was the church’s name and year it was founded: “Old Saint Paul’s Church, Baltimore, 1692.” The two became inextricably linked and even today it is hard to tear them apart. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

In this episode I tell the story of how a rare chance meeting I had with a native tribe in Costa Rica saved my life. I share the journey from my lowest point when my world came crashing down and how a transformational journey in the jungle ignited a passion for living in harmony with the Earth. After being on this 3 month pilgrimage I came back to the farm inspired to grow food forests and dive into the practice of Syntropic growing. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

This episode is part 2 of the interview with Chrissy. We talk about what lights Chrissy up, how to connect back to your heart compass and navigate through these challenging times with a peaceful and joyful heart. You can find more about Chrissy on Instagram under @tinyyogi and you can listen to her podcast here https://open.spotify.com/show/7tpKBrq06FqAo6zq9iFNlY?si=Azc0X5m7S7uQEMzGwpgflA --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

In this special episode I share the first interview of the Shambhala Living podcast. This late night chat by the fire with the co founder of Shambhala Living and my loving wife and the mother of our baby girl Birdie Skye. Chrissy talks about her journey from the U.S. to Brisbane and her love of yoga, movement and music. We talk about meeting in Bali and coming back to Shambhala Farm inspired to build the Yoga Shala. Chrissy shares how she lives with her heart wide open, and trusting in her heart compass has been her guiding light. Grab a hot drink and join us for this inspiring and raw conversation. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message

In this Episode I share the story of waking up in the middle of the night with the light manifesto epiphany. The story is in the episode and the manifesto is here: Shambhala Living Manifesto: I am light in form and in motion as the dance of a flame upon the backdrop of time. My breath is the wind, my body the earth, The ancient ways flow through my veins, Like rivers flow from the nourishing rains, I am the mountaintop and the valley below, I know the ways of the trees, the soil, the flowers and the bees. I plant seeds of hope in this garden of life, that grow into forests for generations to thrive. I am a gardener, a seed saver and a composter too, I am an instrument of light in this symphony of life, I hear the song lines of the earth beat deep in my heart, I hear the sound of the birds so joyful and diverse, All playing in harmony in this grand uni-verse. I feel gratitude and love for this journey I’m on, from sunlight, to plant to human and beyond. I inhale deep and ignite my heartlight, This body is the lighthouse, my mind the light keeper, I Shine bright, I am light!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/shambhalaliving/message