Wildheart

In this week’s episode we chat about the archetype of the wayfarer, and how they can be a helpful guide for this phase of the year.

Why have we chosen to talk about the wayfarer?

* The wayfarer is our archetype for March on the Rewilding Wheel!

* Our conversation links to last week’s episode on the topic of exploration

What do we chat about?

* How the wayfarer can guide us through the ‘back-forth’ energy of early spring

* The difference between wayfaring and wayfinding

* How the wayfarer helps us to welcome space, expansion, and an intentional journey

* The ability to take action and be curious and open

In this week’s episode we chat about the idea of exploration, and the different ways we can choose to explore.

Please note: we had some technical issues with this episode, so there are a couple of moments when Maddy’s voice drops out for a second or two, but these don’t take away from the conversation as a whole!

Why have we chosen to talk about what it means to explore?

* Last episode, we talked about unfurling as a bridge between the early emergence of February and the exploration of March, so now we’re focusing on what this later explorative phase of spring is all about

* The archetype we pair with March in our Rewilding Wheel framework is the Wayfarer (who we’ll be talking about next episode), but this part of self is very much connected with exploring and venturing out into the world

What do we chat about?

* Dynamic vs rooted exploration - travelling in the world vs going ‘down the rabbit hole’

* The dance and ‘both/and’ of external and internal exploration

* The importance of curiosity when we explore

* Honouring your own version of exploration

In this week’s episode we chat about the process of unfurling, and how it mirrors the transition from winter into spring.

Why have we chosen to talk about what it means to unfurl?

* In this season of the podcast, we’ve talked about emergence, trust, invitations - all these ideas have touched on the idea of cautiously gathering the strength to tentatively ease out into the world after winter, and now we’re reaching the point where we’re ready to truly start putting that into action.

* ‘Emerge’ at the start of this season was about shifting our attention towards this sense of moving upwards and outwards, but it’s a word that implies a kind of holding back - like a tension or tenseness that comes from being hesitant. ‘Unfurl’ has more ease to it - reminiscent of allowing our limbs and our minds to let go of the ‘containedness’ of winter and become more free and relaxed.

* It’s not happening yet here in the UK, but we might associate it with the coming of slightly warmer temperatures, in the same way we allow ourselves to soften and uncurl a bit when we warm up after being cold.

What do we chat about?

* Relaxing and softening into the process of unfurling

* The vulnerability and fear that often comes with taking up more space

* Welcoming the both/and possiblities of gentle and empowered unfurling

* Growing into change

In this week’s episode we chat about invitations, and how they can help us to feel empowered and aligned.

Why have we chosen to talk about what it means to invite?

* We’ve talked about emergence and trust the last couple of weeks, and something that’s linked to both these ideas is openness - firstly in terms of moving up and out into the open as we emerge, and then secondly as we lean into trust throughout that process of emergence, we connect with openness in the sense of receptivity

* It’s this latter kind of openness that brings us to the word ‘invite’ - when we experience life with open eyes, an open mind, an open heart, what we’re doing is actively inviting in / welcoming in possibility, connection, awareness… we’re offering an invitation to ourselves, to others, to the wider world - intentionally choosing to be present and ready

What do we chat about?

* Passive and active invitations (gentleness mixed with something more active)

* A bodily response to an invitation, and why listening is the key

* How seeing things as invitations rather than instructions can help us to reinstate the possibility of choice

* Why invitations encourage us to be more open and receptive to life

In this week’s episode we chat about trust, and what we need to be able to cultivate a sense of trust in self, in others, and in our future.

Why have we chosen to talk about trust?

* As we chatted about in last week’s episode, emergence is a slow, gentle process that means we can’t necessarily see results or feel its effects immediately - so there’s a bit of blind faith involved to start with

* Similarly spring in general is a time of hope - we hope that the seeds we planted last year will grow (or grow again) this year, and we hope that the seeds we’re planting now will come to something later in the cycle

* As we start to move towards taking action, we also have to trust in ourselves and our ability to bring our plans and ideas to life, to follow the path we’ve set out on (or find the path if we’re still searching), and to be the version of ourselves that we want to be

What do we chat about?

* Trust emerging from a strong sense of self - our ‘trunk’

* The need to feel held, protected and safe, in order to have the ability to trust

* The complexities of time, and how trust involves a wild hope for our future selves (and the world)

* How truth and intuition are intrinsically linked

Welcome back to a brand new season of the podcast! In this week’s episode we chat about emergence, and the complex transition from winter into spring.

Why have we chosen to talk about emergence?

* Emerge is the guiding word for February on our Rewilding Wheel

* There are wild signs of spring emerging right now - snowdrops, catkins, birds singing, lighter mornings and evenings

* We might also consider the emergence of the self - easing out of winter hibernation into the new calendar year and the start of spring

What do we chat about?

* Emergence requiring a phase of sinking / being immersed before it is possible

* Rising up and out with the air element

* The importance of protecting fragile new shoots as they emerge

* Expansion and welcoming space this spring

In this week’s episode we chat about belonging, and why it’s such a fundamental part of the work we do at the Academy.

Why have we chosen to talk about belonging?

* We’re following-on from last week’s episode on solitude, when we talked about finding a peaceful kind of aloneness, so now (especially here on Christmas Day if that’s something you celebrate) we thought it would make sense to turn that around and explore a word more related to community and connection

* Belonging is also a big part of the festive narrative, and finding belonging can be difficult (as we talked about last time), so how can we find a way into this idea of belonging if we don’t feel it’s something we currently have in our lives?

* The incoming lunar cycle is that of the Wolf moon, an appropriate backdrop to the conversation if we hold in mind the symbolism of the wolf pack

What do we chat about?

* Belonging as a felt sense of shared connection and understanding

* The intertwining of solitude and belonging

* Those moments of ‘yes, me too!’

* How finding belonging requires us to be open, loving and compassionate (to ourself and others)

In this week’s episode we chat about what it means to embrace solitude.

Why have we chosen to talk about solitude?

* As a time of going within and seeking soul wisdom, winter can be more focused on the individual self than the other seasons.

* This middle part of winter, however, is also often a time of celebration and gathering, which can feel lovely and uplifting, or it can feel totally the opposite depending on your circumstances. Sometimes we need or want a way to find a bit of space for ourselves, to take some time alone.

* It’s also a time that can feel really lonely because of the focus on ‘typical’ midwinter festivities and what these ‘should’ look like - we can often feel the heaviness of pressure and expectations.

What do we chat about?

* Solitude as the choice to be alone, rather than it being unwelcome

* How being wholly ourselves can make us feel ‘forsaken’ and/or ‘extraordinary’

* Solitude as a profound existential concept that we’ve been wrestling with for as long as language has been evolving

* On the inhale / exhale of deep connection and deep solitude, with one facilitating the other

In this week’s episode we chat about taking a slow approach to life, but how this isn’t all it seems…

Why have we chosen to talk about slowness?

* The season of winter is very much associated with rest, and slowing things down

* Opting for a slow approach can be a counterpoint to the busy festive period

What do we chat about?

* Slowness as a kind of intentionality

* Why it’s not all about pace

* Why the slow living movement can be problematic

* How slowness can help us to live more wildly

In this week’s episode we chat about winter being a time to renew, and how leaning into renewal all year round can support a wild, spiralling life.

Why have we chosen to talk about renewal?

* The upcoming Winter Solstice signals the rebirth and renewal of the sun

* The tree of December on our Rewilding Wheel is the birch, symbolically connected to fresh starts and new beginnings

* Evergreen symbolism is also present this month, reminding us to look for life in the dark, and find hope in the continuation of the cycle

What do we chat about?

* Renewal as rebirth and regeneration

* Finding strength through embracing the continual spiral of renewal

* Individual and collective scale renewal, and why both can be empowering and revolutionary

* How renewal is not discarding or forgetting what’s come before, but more a process of going back to the roots of something (stripping back the layers)