The Wild Minds Podcast

In this episode of the Wild Minds Podcast, I’m in conversation with Mac Macartney, a storyteller, leader, and founder of Embercombe, exploring what it means to live and lead in service to life.

In this far-reaching conversation, we explore The Children’s Fire — an ancient principle that no law, decision, or action should harm the young of any species, and how it might transform leadership, education, and our relationship with the natural world.

We talk about education rooted in the simple yet radical commitment that no child should leave school without feeling good about who they are, and the power of play as an antidote to a culture that leaves so many children, and adults, masking their pain and feeling worthless beneath the surface.

Topics include:

• Exploring The Children’s Fire — the ancient principle that no decision should harm the young of any species.
• Reimagining education so no child leaves school without feeling good about themselves.
• Unpacking the hubris of superiority — how our systems consistently enforce it.
• The power of play and nature connection as antidotes to hopelessness and masking how we truly feel.
• Insights from Mac’s leadership company on redefining the purpose of business — beyond profit and growth — and valuing well-rounded human beings.
• Reflections on indigenous wisdom, community ownership, and leadership rooted in service rather than self-interest.
• A call to rethink wealth, power, and responsibility so that resources and decisions serve the many, not the few.
• An invitation to imagine a more joyful, courageous, and humane society.

Shownotes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-71-mac-macartney-interview

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

In this episode of Wild Minds, I'm exploring what it’s like to have big questions that don’t always fit into your job title. Whether you’re a teacher, therapist, or just someone who feels things deeply, this conversation is about the risk, and importance, of staying open, curious, and honest in times of change.

Topics include:

• What it feels like to hide parts of yourself in professional spaces
• The fear of sounding “too out there” or being seen as unprofessional
• Why curiosity and wonder matter more than ever, especially in helping roles
• How feelings and intuition often get pushed aside—even though they guide so much of our real understanding
• A look at where our sense of mind and consciousness might actually come from
• How Indigenous wisdom and quantum science both challenge the idea that we’re separate from nature
• What happens in our body when we feel awe or connection
• Why being open-minded isn’t soft or silly—it’s essential for making sense of the world

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-70-scientific-enough-to-wonder

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

In this powerful and expansive conversation, Pam Montgomery (teacher, author, and plant spirit ally) invites us into a deeper relationship with the natural world.

We explore what it means to communicate with plants, how to trust our intuition, and how ancient ways of knowing are being remembered at this time of global rebirth.

In this episode....

• Through personal story, scientific insights, and spiritual practice, Pam helps us reimagine our role in the web of life.
• Pam’s grandmother introduced her to the idea of talking with plants – a formative influence that shaped her lifelong path.
• Communication with plants isn’t imaginary; it’s relational, vibrational, and increasingly supported by emerging science.
• Devices like those from Damanhur allow us to hear plants "sing," revealing their responsiveness to intention and environment.
• True communication happens through resonance, light, and sound – not just words – with the heart as the central sensing organ.
• We are vibrational beings too; like plants, we can tune into our environment and one another on subtle energetic levels.
• Pam describes “first voice” – the intuitive message that arrives before the rational mind interrupts – and how she trains herself to listen to it.
• Slowing down and entering the present moment opens a “portal” to meaningful encounters with nature.
• Nettle is explored as a plant ally that wakes us up and demands presence, while yarrow helps with energetic boundaries and healing.
• Nature responds when we become coherent – as our nervous systems settle, the world around us comes closer.
• Bonding with nature releases oxytocin, the “love hormone,” which initiates the body’s restorative response.
• We are already in relationship with plants through our breath – consciously acknowledging this can be a gateway to deeper connection.
• Pam speaks of a global rebirth and the possibility of a “new earth” rooted in interbeing, where all life can thrive together.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-69-plant-communication-with-pam-montgomery/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on the quiet strength it takes to pause, listen, and allow our inner world to guide how we show up - especially in uncertain times.

This season is taking an interesting turn as I find myself paying closer attention to my inner life - to sensations, to moment-by-moment shifts, and to the subtle places where I might be reacting. I’m learning to be alongside feelings, not rushing past them, but staying curious.

In this episode, Marina explores:

• Beginning with a moment of feeling off-track, and the choice to stop and listen inwardly.
• Reflecting on the value of not knowing - and how uncertainty can be fertile ground.
• How discomfort is offered not as something to fix, but as a doorway to something deeper.
• An honest look at how ego can subtly shape even well-intentioned work.
• Inviting us to stay rooted in the body, in the earth, and in our own deep sensing
• How grief and disorientation are acknowledged as natural responses to collapsing systems.
• How there’s reassurance that we don’t need all the answers in order to stay in service.
• How true leadership may mean staying with the unknown rather than rushing through it.
• Reflecting on Joseph Cornell’s approach - beginning from a felt state that sets the tone for learning, and how Flow Learning starts from inner alignment
• Ending with an invitation to keep listening to the thread of life - and letting it guide the way

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-68-leading-with-our-inner-life/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Course in Forest School Activities

Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free

In today's episode I have the deep honour of welcoming Joseph Bharat Cornell - a world-renowned author, educator, naturalist, and pioneer in the field of nature connection.

Joseph’s Sharing Nature books have sold over a million copies and been translated into twenty-five languages, sparking what’s been called a worldwide revolution in nature education.

Back in the 1970s, Joseph pioneered an experiential, heart-centered approach to learning in nature, now known as Flow Learning™.

This transformative model, along with his joyful and accessible activities, has touched the lives of countless children and adults across the world - from inner-city classrooms to remote wilderness trails. His latest work, Deep Nature Play, continues this mission, guiding us into a deeper sense of wholeness, creativity, and connection through immersive play.

In this deeply inspiring conversation with Joseph Bharat Cornell, we explore the power of nature connection, experiential learning, and the inner stillness that transforms how we live, teach, and relate to the world. Meditation, yoga philosophy, and other wisdom traditions  greatly influenced his work.

Joseph has lived in the Ananda Community as a monk and teacher since 1975 and in this episode, we discuss how...

• Joseph shares how moments of stillness and inner joy led him to a life of nature connection
• The natural world evokes a sense of reverence and belonging when we engage through feeling rather than intellect
• Flow Learning™ offers a four-stage process that supports deep, meaningful experiences in nature
• Joyful play helps quiet the ego and allows children and adults to be fully present
• In states of deep play and nature immersion, there is a diminished sense of ego — attention shifts from self to experience
• Experiential learning is transformative — people retain the feeling of an experience long after facts are forgotten
• Studies show that while most information is quickly lost, the emotional tone of an experience is remembered
• Lasting learning happens when the whole being is involved — body, heart, and mind together
• True education begins with experience; understanding follows naturally
• Facilitators need to cultivate their own inner stillness in order to guide others
• Activities like “Build a Tree” and “Camera Game” help participants enter a state of reverence
• Calm feeling allows for deeper perception and connection than reactive emotion
• Nature is egoless - being outdoors supports inner clarity and connection
• Play is a universal language that encourages openness across all ages
• Experiences like “Interview with Nature” use imagination to build empathy and awareness
• Reflection and storytelling help integrate and deepen nature-based learning
• Meditation and inner practice are essential parts of Joseph’s work and life
• Hope comes from developing inner awareness — our calm presence can subtly influence the world.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/joseph-cornell-podcast/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

In this solo episode, I'm reflecting on how cultural narratives, inner archetypes, and seasonal wisdom shape our understanding of being human - and how returning to embodied presence and natural cycles can guide us toward wholeness.

Topics include:

• Reflecting on adolescence and the vulnerability of youth in today’s world
• Exploring the dehumanising of men and women by imagining the openness of a baby - full of will, need, emotion and unarmoured presence
• Questioning what our culture teaches us about feeling, strength and identity
• Noting the impact of the attention economy and the algorithm-driven rise in misogyny
• Highlighting the link between social media profit, lack of content moderation, and the rise in mental health struggles and suicide
• Asking what we are really learning, individually and collectively, about being human
• Turning to the wheel of the year as a guide for wholeness and natural rhythm
• Honouring cultures across the world that live in relationship with the cycles of nature
• Embracing the vision of wholeness - being in conscious relationship with both light and dark, doing and being
• Summer as active, solar, and will-driven - the oak tree as a symbol of discernment, boundaries, and protective strength
• Affirming the will to take care of ourselves and others, staying rooted and solid enough to be vulnerable
• Recognising yin qualities - rest, receptivity, slowness, intuitive presence, and emotional openness
• Naming the winter as a time when we lose our yang and descend inward, surrendering active energy
• Acknowledging the deep burden many men carry in the over-culture of competition, hoarding and disconnection

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-66-our-maps-are-not-the-territory/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

The Advanced Certificate in Forest School and Outdoor Learning

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/certificate/

Welcome to Season 9. Today I’m in conversation with Marianne Siddons Heginworth, who is a therapist, ceremonialist, somatic practitioner, and long-time guide of the imaginal, archetypal, and wild relational landscapes.

In this episode, we explore resourcing, emotional intimacy, nature connection, and the inner work of healing - including an inquiry into masculine and feminine qualities - expressed in the following key reflections:

• Experiencing our first ever in-person recording, which brought a deeper sense of presence and connection
• Exploring the importance of resourcing before meeting painful or vulnerable parts of ourselves
• Understanding how resourcing creates safety and capacity without bypassing what’s truly present
• Grounding through the body, especially into the pelvis, as a foundation for nervous system regulation
• Using imagination to connect with archetypes, elemental allies, or inner protectors as supportive resources
• Separating parts of the self in order to identify needs and nurture an inner parent
• Balancing heart and will—learning to root and feel deeply while staying clear, steady and present
• Reflecting on masculine and feminine energies as dynamic inner forces rather than fixed gender roles
• Questioning cultural stereotypes and affirming emotional depth, power and sensitivity as human qualities
• Parenting with honesty and presence, offering emotional language and space for truth
• Naming the pressures of overculture and the courage it takes to speak and live from the heart
• Working with the Celtic tree calendar to align internal experience with the cycles of the year
• Honouring trees like Rowan as guides in times of descent, grief, and quiet transformation
• Returning to the body and the earth as resources that allow us to meet life with intimacy and integrity

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-65-marianne-heginworth-podcast/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Course in Forest School Activities

Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free

As we reach the end of Season 8 of the Wild Minds Podcast, I want to take a moment to reflect on this incredible journey we’ve been on together.

It’s been such a privilege to speak with so many inspiring guests, each contributing their knowledge and experience in reshaping our relationship with the natural world. In this final episode, I’m diving into some of the reflections and insights I’ve gathered over the season.

I’ll share personal thoughts on trust, fear, the power of silence, and the importance of reconnecting with the Earth. 

Here’s what’s on my mind as we close this season and look ahead to the next.

• I reflect on fear, paper tigers, and the importance of letting go, including a reading of The River Cannot Go Back by Kahlil Gibran, which explores trust in transformation and the unknown.
• Discuss the view of nature as alive and conscious, challenging the tendency to see it as an object rather than a subject.
• Share Robert McFarlane’s experiences in the Ecuadorian forest, where everything feels electrified and alive, shifting his perception of nature’s vitality.
• Question how we might experience the world through a different lens and open ourselves to communication with the more-than-human world.
• Highlight the scientific evidence of life in the soil and the Earth’s positive impact on human well-being, including beneficial bacteria, serotonin, and energy exchange.
• Emphasize the importance of deep connection to the Earth and to one another for mental and emotional health, drawing on John Young’s teachings.
• Critique screen-based culture and its effects on children and adults, including disconnection, mental health challenges, and the loss of embodied, social play.
• Share the value of silence and deep listening, drawing on Sam Lee’s message and the importance of making space to reconnect with ourselves and the Earth.
• Explore the concept of reconciled ancestors, inherited trauma, and our responsibility to heal and not pass on damaging patterns.
• Conclude with reflections on the oak tree’s symbolism, the balance of masculine and feminine qualities in nature, and a preview of next season’s focus on personal growth and valuing difference.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-64-rivers-oaks-and-silence/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

In this week’s episode of the Wild Minds Podcast, I speak with Looby Macnamara about permaculture, cultural emergence, and how small shifts in our habits and decision-making can lead us toward a more sustainable future. We discuss how thinking outside the box and embracing the unexpected can open up new pathways for growth.

Here are the key takeaways:

• Looby explains how permaculture is not just about gardening but about a way of thinking, feeling, and observing that affects all parts of life, including relationships, health, and well-being.
• The importance of Earth care, People care, and Fair share as foundational principles for creating a more sustainable world, and how cultural emergence can shift societal norms in a regenerative direction.
• We explore how to make decisions that align with permaculture ethics, moving away from judgment and fostering a “culture of allowance” to support thoughtful choices without alienating others.
• The idea of “doing the unexpected” and stepping out of traditional pathways, like the conventional education-to-job journey, to embrace the unknown and create new opportunities for ourselves.
• Reflecting on personal habits, I talk about how we can support teenagers in making healthier choices, such as moving away from fast food culture, in a non-judgmental way that empowers their decisions rather than imposes them.
• We discuss the power of context in decision-making, like the cultural norms around eating, and the differences between being “caring” (e.g., choosing comfort food like rum and coke) versus “healthy” (e.g., making choices that support well-being and Earth care).
• Looby highlights the importance of understanding the context when addressing choices, such as in the case of militant veganism or the ethics of eating roadkill deer, showing how context shapes our understanding and decisions.
• Looby shares how the Design Web can be used in everyday life, from parenting to teaching, to help people make better, more creative decisions and take responsibility for their choices.
• Emergence is central to Looby’s approach—how when we embrace uncertainty and let go of rigid expectations, we create space for new insights, collaboration, and action.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-63-cultural-emergence-and-permaculture-with-looby-macnamara/ 

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com 

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show!

This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Fire Webinar

Watch my free mini-webinar on working with fire: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/fire

In this episode, I reflect on the importance of slowing down and being present in the natural world, while exploring how our perceptions and beliefs shape our reality. I delve into the limitations of scientific objectivity, the influence of our environment on our well-being, and the need for a deeper, more holistic way of understanding ourselves and the world around us.

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

• The importance of engaging with the more-than-human world for reassurance, as a counter to the messiness of human-made realms (political, economic).
• The inadequacy of scientific objectivity as a worldview; reality is also shaped by subjective and environmental factors.
• How we now need to develop critical thinking skills, especially in navigating multiple perspectives and complex truths.
• Reflection on environmental education, particularly the spiritual dimension and how it is often excluded from mainstream teaching.
• Indigenous knowledge is a more holistic view of the world, combining heart, head, soul, and spirit, in contrast to the fragmented Western scientific approach.
• Insights on how modern science and technology (like AI, quantum physics, and systems thinking) challenge traditional mechanistic views of the world.
• The significance of our environment and its direct influence on our health, with much of our well-being shaped by it rather than clinical care – Salutogenesis.
• Historical shift around the 1750s during the Industrial Revolution, where human dominance and technological advances led to exponential growth and global impact.
• Exploration of the Dunning-Kruger effect: people with less knowledge often overestimate their competence.
• A call to reconnect with nature, slow down, and notice the present moment as a revolutionary act in a fast-paced world.
• Emphasis on the role of psyche in connecting to something beyond the self-conscious mind, with parallels drawn to the creative processes of great scientists like Newton and Einstein.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-62-untamed-knowing/

Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com

Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts

If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors!

Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode!

Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. 

Mentioned in this episode:

Free Course in Forest School Activities

Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free