This week’s conversation explores the idea of ‘unlearning’ and what it means to widen our perspectives, change our minds, shift our behaviours and ‘update’ our knowledge about the world. Unlearning can be something of a provocative term for some people, and yet holds the invitation for us to shift some of the habits, behaviours and mindsets that are contributing to so many of the crises we face in order to enable a healthier future for people and planet.

In this conversation we explore some of the different resonances of unlearning in our cultural contexts, think about what and why we need to unlearn, and talk about what it looks like as a process for healthy growth.

During this episode we reference the following:

• The Blind Men and the Elephant
• The Death of the Author - Roland Barthes
• The Amritsar massacre
• The Danger of a Single Story - Chimamanda Adiche
• Controversy around teaching Of Mice & Men
• Doughnut Economics - Kate Raworth
• Thinking in circles not straight lines - Blogpost (Rachel Musson)
• Can changing our perspective change everything - Blogpost (Rachel Musson)
• Neuroplasticity in action (2 minute video)
• The Work That Reconnects - Joanna Macy
• From domination to restoration - Article (Jon Conradi)

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When we allow ourselves to fall in love with the world, everything changes. But sometimes we need someone to help us to fall in love in the first place...

This special episode is a dedication to the life, work, wisdom and utter brilliance of Dr Stephan Harding, a globally renowned ecologist, teacher, elder and truly beautiful soul who recently passed away. His work has had a profound influence on both of us and a significant influence on the work we do at ThoughtBox. We therefore wanted to give this episode to Stephan in order to share our appreciation and to reflect a little on some of the magic he weaved during his lifetime; in particular the infectious way he inspired hundreds of thousands of people to fall in love with the world.

Dr Stephan Harding | 8th July 1953 - 2nd September 2024

In this episode we reference the following:

• Wild Podcast - Why settling Mars is a really dumb idea - Kelly Weinersmith
• Why You Want a Physicist to Speak at Your Funeral, Aaron Freeman
• Cosmic Eye video
• The Deep Time Walk App
• Outrage & Optimism Podcast with Dr Stephan Harding
• How flowers talk to bees (David Attenborough)
• Wild Geese - Mary Oliver poem

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This week's conversation opens the box on the multiple crises we're facing in this moment in time. It's big, scary and overwhelming to face up to just some of the things happening around us - and yet not looking and not talking about them is also part of the problem.

In this conversation we speak about some of the elephants in the room - from the climate and nature crisis to the genocide in Palestine to the growing global refugee crisis - and the different responses happening around the world. In particular we explore why it is we're not talking about these complex problems and dig into understanding the way our nervous systems are responding. We explore the importance of resourcing and resilience, of partnering our nervous systems and how to find the courage to face the mess we're in and do something about it.

DISCLAIMER: This conversation is big, complex and honest. We share it with care for however we're each feeling in the world right now - and with deep consideration of and energy for the capacity that exists to change the stories we're a part of.

In this episode we reference the following:

• The Polyvagal Theory
• How to imagine a better future, TED Talk, adrienne maree brown & Barantunde Thurston
• Robin Wall Kimmerer
• Dr Bonny Badenoch - The Heart of Trauma
• The Truth and Reconciliation Commission
• Wise Goose Coaching

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This week's conversation is all about the power of rest to positively disrupt the status quo. Together, Rachel and Holly explore some of the following thoughts:

What is rest? Who benefits when we rest? What happens when we stop ‘doing’? How can we be human beings, not just human doings?

How is rest an act of resistance against the legacy of colonialism and a capitalist culture? Is rest a privilege?

Join us as we wrangle with these and many other ideas over a cup of tea and conversation. 

During the podcast, we refer to the following:

• PACTS (a new education initiative empowering UK students to engage in democracy)
• The Rebelliousness of Rest by Rachel Musson (blog article)
• Rest is Resistance: Free yourself from grind culture and reclaim your life by Tricia Hersey (book)
• Bayo Akomolafe (writer and speaker)
• Frederick by Leo Lionni (children's book)
• The Language of Emotions by Karla McLaren (book)
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck : A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson (book)

If you'd like to continue the conversation with us, we run a free weekly(ish) group on Thursdays, 13.00-13.30 UK Time, where we explore key questions about co-creating a healthier world for people and planet. It's open to everyone and we'd love to see you there. Find out more at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/cc/thoughtclub-3671229

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.