The Wisdom & Action Podcast

We join American biologist and writer David Haskell on a sonic journey, back to the first sounds made on Earth.David's latest book is "Sounds Wild and Broken," a lyrical exploration of the diverse sounds of our planet and the perils that sonic diversity now faces. It’s an exquisite lens through which to think about our relationships with the living world, and how we can enter more fully into a conversation that is always waiting for us. David is a professor of biology and environmental studies at the University of the South in Tennessee, and author of the widely-acclaimed book "The Song of Trees."He spoke with Nathan in March 2022.

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This week we’re revisiting some of the spirit and empowered thinking that emerged from the chaos of 2020, with a conversation we had at the time with the deputy lord mayor of Sydney, Jess Scully. Jess is an extraordinary young councillor who is helping bring more voices to the political table, while creating pathways to reclaim public spaces, address housing problems, and enable more resilient and connected cities and communities. Jess is also an arts curator and writer, a passionate advocate for the role of creativity in our lives. At the time we caught up with her, she had just released her first book, Glimpses of Utopia: Real Ideas for a Fairer World.It’s a wonderful conversation that spans her experiences in politics, advocating for more participatory forms of democracy, her vision for our cities, as well as what was coming for her at the time as young mum four months into the pandemic. Jess is chatting with our programming manager at Small Giants Academy, Eleanor Gammell.

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This is part two of our conversation with social philosopher and thought leader, Daniel Schmachtenberger. If you haven’t listened to part one, go back and do that, as it lays all the groundwork for what he and Berry explore in this episode.If you like what you hear, then grab a copy of our systems change issue of Dumbo Feather magazine, with Daniel on the cover, over at dumbofeather.com or your local newsagent or retail store.

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We’ve got an epic conversation with one of the most sophisticated thinkers on the planet today, the social philosopher Daniel Schmachtenberger. Berry spoke with Daniel for our systems change issue of the magazine, a special edition for this crucial moment in history, which comes out March 24. Daniel is co-founder of Civilization Emerging and The Consilience project, and has a particular focus in his work on existential threats to humanity, and the importance of collective sensemaking. He’s able to illustrate the three-dimensional, and intersectional realities of the problems we find ourselves in right now – from war to climate change to social upheavel - and suggest that we have not reached the limits of our cognitive capacity to solve for them. He is inspiring many, including us, to look clearly at this moment before it’s too late. Because this was a humdinger of a chat, which will require you to pause, process and rewind in many parts, we’ve split the conversation into two episodes - the second to be released soon.

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Maree Lowes is best known as the actress and storyteller behind dirtgirl, from the acclaimed children’s television series dirtgirlworld. She uses video, words and action to advocate for people & planet, moving in the pursuit of reciprocity with each other & our non-human kin. Maree has evolved beyond the screen to walk shoulder-to-shoulder with families, farmers and First Nations communities, championing regenerative thinking and modes of regenerative agriculture. This is how she came to be Dr Bronner's first Australian Ambassador.Maree has so much to say about how we can live in loving relationship with the planet. Here we talk about regenerative thinking, and Maree gives her tips on cultivating resilience in uncertain times - cue "psychological flexibility".The keep up with Maree's work & messages of the communities she amplifies, you can follow her on Instagram at @mareelowes To watch Maree as dirtgirl, head to iView and search Get Grubby TV or dirtgirlworld

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On this episode, we have unlearner, uneducator Manish Jain. Manish is deeply committed to regenerating our diverse local knowledge systems and cultural imaginations. He is one of the leading voices on the planet for “de-schooling” our lives and co-founded some of the most innovative educational experiments in the world, including the Swaraj University, India's first university dedicated to regenerating local cultures, economies and ecologies. The interview was held by Alex Jensen from Local Futures, and was part of our Localisation issue of Dumbo Feather magazine.You can learn more about Local Futures and more incredible people involved in the localising movement, Like Manish, over at localfutures.org

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This episode is a lecture from one of the wisest and most masterful storytellers of our time, the Canadian teacher, writer and culture activist, Stephen Jenkinson.Stephen is a former palliative care specialist who has written two internationally acclaimed books, Die Wise: A manifesto for sanity and soul, and Come of Age, the case for elderhood in a time of trouble.He is also a farmer, and co-founder of Orphan Wisdom, a teaching house for the skills of deep living and making human culture. This lecture was recorded live in April 2019.

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Robyn Davidson is best known as ‘the camel lady’—a reference to her journey as a young woman crossing the Australian desert with four camels and her dog in 1977. Today, Robyn feels like a different person, yet there’s one quality that has remained a constant in her life: her ability to adapt to change.In 2017, Robyn sat down in front of a live audience with our publisher, Berry Liberman, to talk about adaptability—and how to embrace the flux that is ever present in our lives.

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Spiritual teacher Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee reads one of his writings for Dumbo Feather, titled, “A Letter to My Granddaughter.” Llewellyn is a writer and teacher based in Northern California whose work focuses on spiritual responsibility in our present time of transition.

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In this episode, we get to know Pat McCabe, a Navaho mother, grandmother, artist and ceremonial leader who has been deeply immersed in indigenous, land-based ways of living. Having grown up in a multicultural neighbourhood in California, she is also accustomed to the realities of the industrialised world. It makes her an invaluable bridge-builder and cross-cultural communicator, and a powerful voice for the transformation needed to deal with our ecological and social crises. In this conversation for Issue 63 of Dumbo Feather magazine, Pat speaks with our friend and founder of Local Futures, Helena Norberg-Hodge.

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