Dumbo Feather Podcast: Recent Episodes
Conversations with extraordinary people
A podcast from your friends at Dumbo Feather magazine. More conversations with extraordinary people. New episodes monthly.
Join me in this eye-opening conversation with Dr. Riane Eisler, a distinguished social systems scientist and cultural historian. Riane’s personal journey– fleeing the Nazi regime as a child– deeply informs her dedication to understanding and addressing the roots of violence and oppression in human societies.
Together, we explore Riane’s groundbreaking concepts such as partnership societies and dominator societies, and dive into what the caring economy means within our current system, and how we can forge a new path forward. At the age of 93, Riane embodies invaluable wisdom crucial for our era, and I can’t wait for you to listen.
Books Mentioned:
The Chalice and the Blade by Dr. Riane Eisler
The Real Wealth of Nations by Dr. Riane Eisler
Nurturing Our Humanity by Dr. Riane Eisler
Resources:
The Partnership Technology Toolkit: An Essential Resource for a Better Future
Want to turn this wisdom into action?
Visit https://www.smallgiants.com.au/wisdomandaction to find out more, or email us at podcast@smallgiants.com.au.
Small Giants Academy - Impact Safari
Small Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy
Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader
And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.
Berry x
Produced by Audiocraft
Theme Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode, I speak with historian of religion Rune Rasmussen and we delve into the fascinating realm of Nordic animism and shamanism. We discuss the power of lore, the profound lessons embedded in mythology and how these stories can help us understand humanity. Rune’s insights shed light on why embracing animistic worldviews can offer profound pathways to understanding, healing and connection. While animism might sound fantastical, there are some great nuggets of wisdom in this episode that can help us reflect on our past, so that we can create a brighter future.
Want to turn this wisdom into action?
Visit https://www.smallgiants.com.au/wisdomandaction to find out more, or email us at podcast@smallgiants.com.au.
You can find Rune at:
Nordic Animism
Nordic Animism Youtube
Want to turn this wisdom into action?
Small Giants Academy - Impact Safari
Small Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy
Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader
And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.
Berry x
Produced by Audiocraft
Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join me as we dive into the transformative world of biomimicry with renowned biologist and author, Janine Benyus. Drawing inspiration from nature's 3.8 billion years of evolution, biomimicry offers a profound new perspective on innovation, and Janine's groundbreaking work weaves solutions found in the natural world with human creativity, challenging us to rethink our approach to design and decision-making.
Want to turn this wisdom into action? Visit https://www.smallgiants.com.au/wisdomandaction to find out more, or email us at podcast@smallgiants.com.au, or look at our Impact Safari: Rewilding The British Isles.
Books mentioned:
- Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature by Janine Benyus
- Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
Initiatives mentioned:
- Biomimicry 3.8
- Project Positive
- HOK - U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters
- Green Pod Labs
- Accommodate
And if you want information deliver straight into your inbox, follow our newsletter Wisdom and Action Newsletter.
Love,
Berry
Produced by Audiocraft
Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join us for this thought-provoking episode with Arielle Gamble, CEO of Groundswell, where she reflects on her transformative journey from art and human rights advocacy to leading a climate action platform. Arielle talks about her recent TED talk on legacies, navigating the intricate web of climate change, and her artistic approach to sense-making. We delve into the role of art, magic, and love in addressing global challenges and creating emergent solutions in the metacrisis.
Books mentioned:
All We Can’t See: Illustrating the Nauru Files
God is an Octopus by Ben Goldsmith
Wilding by Isabella Tree
Listening mentioned:
On Being with Krista Tippett
Want to turn this wisdom into action?
Small Giants Academy - Climate Leadership Accelerator: Into the Arena
Small Giants Academy - Impact Safari
Small Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy
Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader
And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.
Berry x
Produced by Audiocraft
Music: Acquila by Monique DiMattina
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join me as we delve into a transformative conversation with Isabella Tree, renowned author and rewilding innovator. Isabella shares her profound journey from inheriting a struggling farm in Sussex to pioneering a rewilding project that has sparked global attention.From the liberating decision to cease conventional farming practices to the introduction of free-roaming herbivores, Isabella's story embodies resilience, innovation, and deep respect for the natural world.
Want to turn this wisdom into action? Visithttps://www.smallgiants.com.au/wisdomandaction to find out more, or email us at podcast@smallgiants.com.au, or look at our Impact Safari: Rewilding The British Isles.
You can also check out our friends at:
Knepp
The Regenerators
Odonata Foundation
World Wide Fund for Nature
For investors, check out these exciting biodiversity and nature funds:
BCF fund from Sentient
Nattergal
And finally if you want information deliver straight into your inbox, follow these newsletters:
Wisdom and Action Newsletter
Bush Heritage
Rewilding Britain
Big love,
Berry x
Produced by Audiocraft
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We’re back with another amazing episode! Our guest this week is Anna Funder, an incredible Australian writer whose books Stasiland and All That I Am are prize winning international best sellers. Her most recent work, Wifedom, is an exploration of Eileen O'Shaughnessy, George Orwell's first wife who was almost successfully erased from history - until now. Anna shares her inspiration for the book, reflecting on her own experiences within a seemingly egalitarian marriage as she unravels the intricacies of patriarchy, a system deeply embedded in language and societal norms. We explore the complexities of gender dynamics, the invisible labor of women, and the need for accurate language to dismantle patriarchal structures so that we can foster a deeper understanding for envisioning new possibilities and emergent futures.
Books mentioned:
Wifedom by Anna Funder
Stasiland by Anna Funder
All That I Am by Anna Funder
Stravinsky's Lunch by Drusilla Modjeska
The Complete Works of George Orwell by Peter Davidson
Animal Farm by George Orwell
1984 by George Orwell
Want to turn this wisdom into action? Visit:
Small Giants Academy - Impact Safari
Small Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy
Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader
And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.
Berry x
Produced by Audiocraft
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We are so thrilled to introduce you to the legendary Nora Bateson! Nora is a celebrated filmmaker, writer, and president of the International Bateson Institute in Sweden. Her interdisciplinary work combines biology, cognition, art, anthropology, and psychology where she delves into ecological patterns in living systems. Nora introduces us to the concept of “warm logic” and “double binds” and challenges traditional ways of thinking that are rooted in linear causality. We also explore the difference between the "Situation Room" approach, driven by immediate problem-solving, and the holistic perspective of the "Meadow," which emphasises ongoing mutual learning, adaptability and context. It sounds like a lot, but we promise it's worth it. There's even a saucy poem in the mix! We are so excited for you to listen - let us know what you think by leaving a rating and review on your podcast app, or email us at podcast@smallgiants.com.au and visit us at https://www.smallgiants.com.au/wisdomandaction.
Books mentioned:
- Small Arcs of Larger Circles: Framing Through Other Patterns by Nora Bateson
- Combining by Nora Bateson
- Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm by Isabella Tree
Websites to explore:
Warm Data Lab
Bateson Institute
Nora’s blog
Knepp
Want to turn this wisdom into action?
Small Giants Academy - Impact Safari
Small Giants Academy - The Mastery of Business and Empathy
Small Giants Academy - Interconnected Leader
And finally if you want information delivered straight into your inbox, follow the Small Giants Academy newsletter here.
Berry x
Produced by Audiocraft
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to the first episode of the Wisdom and Action podcast, brought to you by the Small Giants Academy. Join host Berry Liberman as she chats with Ben Goldsmith, a leading figure in green investment and the rewilding movement in the UK and Europe. The conversation navigates the complexities of valuing nature, rewilding, and the financial markets in the restoration process. As Berry and Ben explore the mysteries of our connection with nature, they touch on the profound impact of grief and loss, and Ben shares his personal journey about how nature became a source of solace and joy in the aftermath of losing his daughter Iris. Drawing from Ben's book, "God is an Octopus," and his podcast, " Rewilding the World with Ben Goldsmith," we’re introduced to systems thinking, biodiversity and how we can reweave ourselves back into the miracle of life on this planet.
Want to turn this wisdom into action? Visit https://www.smallgiants.com.au/wisdomandaction to find out more, email us at podcast@smallgiants.com.au or look at our Impact Safari: Rewilding The British Isles.
You can also check out our friends at:
Knepp
The Regenerators
Odonata Foundation
World Wide Fund for Nature
For investors, check out these exciting biodiversity and nature funds:
BCF fund from Sentient
Nattergal
And finally if you want information deliver straight into your inbox, follow these newsletters:
Wisdom and Action Newsletter
Bush Heritage
Rewilding Britain
Big love,
Berry
Produced by Audiocraft
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We’ve been brewing something special here at The Small Giants Academy and can’t wait to show you. The Wisdom and Action Podcast… coming soon.
Produced by Audiocraft
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Legendary Hollywood screenwriting teacher Joan Scheckel shares her insights about the true value of meaningful storytelling. Joan has refined a creative process called The Technique – a deep storytelling discipline so deep and profound, you dare not do it if you're not 100 per cent committed to your craft.Joan has worked on hundreds of films: from Little Miss Sunshine to Whale Rider to Transparent. Talking with Joan, we are in the presence of a true master.
This week’s conversation is between Berry and Canadian culture activist Stephen Jenkinson. His work is really hard to classify. You may have read his conversation with Pierz Newton-John in issue 54 of Dumbo Feather magazine. Stephen has worked extensively with people who are dying, and their families. He’s worked in medical care, agriculture, and he’s also a canoe builder and sculptor. Stephen’s the author of Come of Age and Die Wise. He travels the world performing the Nights of Grief and Mystery Tour, coming to Australia in late 2023.
This is episode 2 of our mini-series with Nate Hagens, where he and Berry explore the role of energy in our lives and in our economies, and how our short-term thinking around energy in the past two centuries in particular is bringing and will continue to bring huge implications.They wrestle with our collective behaviours and thinking, and unpack some of the adaptive solutions and opportunities available for us to work with the circumstances we are in.You can dive deeper into the work of Nate Hagens through his podcast and programs, “The Great Simplification".You can also explore more in our work over at smallgiants.com.au
Gabor Mate is a Hungarian-Canadian physician who specialises in addiction and childhood development.His most recent book, a must read, is The Myth of Normal, all about trauma, illness and healing in a toxic culture. We apologise for the rough audio in this chat, but hope you'll still be able to take in many of the gems it harbours.
Introducing our new mini-series with Dumbo Feather favourite, Nate Hagens! You may remember our conversation with Nate from a couple of episodes back, where he gave us a big picture overview of the various interlocking crises of this moment, or what he calls "the human predicament."We are going deeper into this with a mini-series that unpacks a range of issues and asks the question, "What can our collective future look like?" In this episode, Berry and Nate explore the topic of human behaviour, and why that is critical to addressing many of the systemic challenges we face. If you haven’t listened to our first chat with Nate, go back now to The Good Society #1.
Dr Julia Kim is the Program Director of the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan. Long time readers and listeners of Dumbo Feather will be familiar with the GNH framework, which many organisations, cities and communities around the world have implemented to shape a more sustainable and holistic vision of their success. Julia shares more on that and why Bhutan is such a rich place for leadership exploration in this chat with Small Giants Academy head of programs, Tamsin Jones.You can learn more about the Gross National Happiness Centre over at gnhcentrebhutan.orgJoin Small Giants Academy on an Impact Safari to Bhutan in 2023. Visit impactsafari.com for more
It's the brilliant, joyful and wise Esther Perel!Esther is the foremost expert on human relationships and sexuality right now on the planet, and author of the New York Times bestseller Mating in Captivity, which shook the ground beneath us with the concept of erotic intelligence.She is a cultural force & global icon, creator of two outstanding podcasts series: Where Should We Begin, which takes us into the therapy room as she counsels real couples through their conflicts, and How's Work? about the invisible forces that shape workplace dynamics.Esther joined us for an intimate event in Melbourne in November 2022 to launch her new game, Where Should we Begin, and her chat with our editor-in-chief Berry was a celebration of everything that brings us alive.
In this episode, Kirsty chats with Frances Haugen, the woman who leaked internal documents that demonstrated a lack of empathy and care from Facebook executives about the impact that its products were having, particularly on young women and girls.
Facebook has since changed its name to Meta, but its suite of products is the same: Facebook, instagram and WhatsApp are visited by billions of people globally, every day.
Frances is a big thinker: she wants to be part of the story that changes the narrative around social media to a more inclusive, positive digital environment for everyone.
If you want to know more about her plans for social media that’s good for humanity, head to franceshaugen.com
For the past couple of months, we’ve been exploring what the good society is all about, how we can create systems and communities that support people and planet to thrive.
On this episode, we have a slightly different take on the topic. Dumbo Feather’s editor Kirsty de Garis is speaking with someone who had made her way into just about every kitchen in Australia with her gorgeous cookbooks – Hetty McKinnon.
Hetty is a Chinese-Australian cook who established Arthur Street Kitchen in Sydney’s Surry Hills in 2011, and not long after released her first cook book, Community, which shared the much-loved vegetable recipes she was serving.
Since then, many a fine cook books have followed, including her most recent: Tenderheart, a book about vegetables and unbreakable family bonds.
Hetty spoke with Kirsty in September 2022.
Hi friends! This is our third episode in our Good Society series, where we unpack the current systems we live, work and play within and ask how they can do better and be better for people and planet.
This week, Berry talks with Oliver Burkeman, a long-time columnist for The Guardian, where he wrote a column about productivity that ultimately lead to his latest book, 4000 Weeks - Time Management for Mortals.
First, Oliver says, we need to accept that we can't do everything. Given that reality, what truly great options should we say no to - and grieve - while simultaneously building a good life?
We’ve got episode two of our Good Society Series, where we’re unpacking the current systems we live, work and play within, and ask how they can be better for people and planet.
What does it mean for us to thrive within our planetary bounds? What structures are getting in the way of that? Throughout this series, we look at who we want to be as a society & how we can use our heads, hearts and hands to get there.
In this episode, Berry sits down with professor Dan Ariely, one of the world’s leading thinkers in behavioural economics.
Dan’s a founding member of the Centre for Advanced Hindsight, which does all kinds of fascinating empirical research into human behaviour – particularly when it comes to money, health and the planet – and uses it to tackle complex socio-economic problems.
Dan is particularly interested in irrationality, and how it is present in so much of the everyday decisions we make. He believes that with the right structures and systems in place, we can eliminate some of the opportunity to do things that we know aren’t good for us or the world.
Dan serves as a Professor of psychology and behavioural economics at Duke University and is one of the faculty members on the Small Giants Academy Mastery of Business and Empathy.
Some of his books include Predictably Irrational, Dollars and Sense and the Honest Truth about Dishonesty. You can also read our conversation with him in issue 55 of Dumbo Feather magazine, Creating the Next Economy.
Learn more about Dan’s work over at danariely.com.
We are excited to share the first in our 6-part series on the The Good Society, where we’re unpacking the current systems we live, work and play within, and ask how they can do better and be better for people and planet.
What does it mean for us to thrive with another within our planetary bounds? What structures are currently getting in the way of that? What are the stories we need to be telling to get there?
Throughout this series, we look at who we need and want to be as a society, and how we can use our heads, hearts and hands to get there.
First cab of the ranks is the brilliant Nate Hagens, a speaker, educator & thought leader from the US, who tackles the big picture issues facing human society and our planet.
Nate is Director of the Institute for the Study of Energy and Our Future – an organisation focussed on educating and preparing society for the coming cultural transition.
His podcast The Great Simplification, like much of his work, explores money, energy, the economy, and the environment – and brings in world leaders on these subjects to unpack how everything fits together, and where we go from here.
Nate spoke with Berry about sense-making and the systems science underpinning many of the crises we currently face, and we loved it so much that we’re bringing him back for more! Stay tuned for Berry’s series with Nate which will go deeper into many more of the issues they chat about in his episode.
You might have noticed a recent run of incredible female leaders on the show – well, they keep coming!
This episode Berry sits with one of the world’s leading teachers of mindfulness meditation – Sylvia Boorstein.
Sylvia is one of the people who literally brought buddhism to the West in the 1970s, and like many of them is Jewish. She is a mother, a grandmother, a psychotherapist, and a founding teacher of Spirit Rock, a world-renowned Buddhist meditation centre in Woodacre, California.
The titles of Sylvia’s books are telling of her good humour and simple wisdom, among them including “Happiness is an inside job,” Road Sage, It’s Easier than you think, “That’s funny, You Don’t look Buddhist,” and our favourite, “Don’t just do something, sit there.”
It was an honour for us to have this time with Sylvia, and to hear her reflections and hopes in the latter stages of her life.
Sylvia will feature in our upcoming issue of Dumbo Feather magazine, if you’re not already a subscriber, go to dumbofeather.com and soak up more goodness like this in print.
Gayle is co-founder of Melbourne-based Global Leadership Foundation, and she works with boards and senior leaders all over the world in raising emotional health, building resilience, and transforming leaders and organisations.
Gayle is one of our guest facilitators on the Small Giants Academy Mastery of Business and Empathy program, which is currently open for 2023 expressions of interest.
Kemi Nekvapil is one of Australia’s leading coaches for female executives and entrepreneurs, as well as an author and a highly sought-after international speaker.
Her latest book is Power: a woman’s guide to living and leading without apology, and in this chat with our editor Kirsty, she talks about some of the stories and ideas behind writing it.
Jamie Wheal is the founder of the Flow Genome Project and an expert in the neurophysiology of human performance. His latest book is "Recapture the Rapture: Rethinking God, Sex and Death In a World That's Lost Its Mind."
In this conversation with Berry, he posits solutions for the crisis of meaning many of us face today, and guides us towards a new (old) frontier that he calls "Meaning 3.0".
In celebration of Issue 70 of Dumbo Feather magazine, all about a Meaningful Life, Berry sat down with one of the greatest living thinkers of our time: Professor A C Grayling.
This week we’re sharing a conversation we had with waste queen Veena Sahajwalla as part of Vivid Festival 2022.
Veena is a trailblazer in the field of recycling science. She heads up the SMaRT Centre at UNSW, and among her epic scientific breakthroughs include perfecting a technique that brings together waste tyres and waste plastic in the production of steel, and waste textiles and waste glass in the manufacturing of ceramics.
We love Veena's story and ability to offer very practical solutions to the waste crisis. Her work leads us away from the current take-make-waste industrial towards more circular economies.
Big thanks to Vivid for hosting this conversation.
Our much-loved contributor Lydia Fairhall sits down with a hero of hers, the Worimi storyteller, Paul Callaghan.
Paul is an author and consultant who specialises in leadership development and wellbeing. In his mid-30s, he encountered a period of depression, after realising the success he had been striving for didn’t match up with his internal measure.
Drawing on a variety of tools, including Indigenous teachings, he was able to navigate his way to a truer, more whole embodiment of himself.
In 2022, Paul released a book with his friend Uncle Paul Gordon, entitled, The Dreaming Path: Indigenous Thinking to Change your Life.
Peter Garrett is a member of one of Australia's most successful bands, Midnight Oil.
He’s also served as environment minister in the Rudd-Labor government, and been a long-time advocate and campaigner on a range of issues, including human rights and climate change.
In this chat with contributor Myke Bartlett, he talked about the role of culture and the arts in enacting change, and how we can infuse our systems with integrity.
Roman Krznaric is an internationally renowned public philosopher who writes about the power of ideas to change society. Born in Sydney, he now lives in Oxford with his kids and wife Kate Raworth, who many of you will know as the designer and thinker behind Donut Economics.
Roman is the founder of the world’s first Empathy Museum and Research Fellow of the Long Now Foundation, a long-term cultural institution promoting “slower/better” thinking.
Roman’s most recent book is The Good Ancestor, which calmly calls for a reorientation towards the future, inviting us to consider the legacy we leave, for the benefit of our far-off descendants.
He spoke with our contributor Sarah Darmody in September 2020.
Elizabeth Sawin is unlocking the power of multi-solving for people and planet.
A student of biology, she became fascinated with the interconnectedness of all things, in a world that is often ready to simplify and seperate. Climate change sat at the heart of those connections, leading her on a path to activism and the co-founding of Climate Interactive, a group that uses system dynamics — an approach to understand the behaviour of complex systems — to drive meaningful and equitable climate action.
This year, Elizabeth has moved on to a new role as director of the Multisolving Institute, which focuses on solutions that address the climate emergency while also improving health, well-being, equity, and economic vitality.
Elizabeth developed the idea of ‘multisolving’ to help people see and create conditions for these win-win-win solutions. Earlier this year, she spoke with our contributor Myke Bartlett for our systems change of issue of Dumbo Feather magazine.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hey there! In this episode we share an interview we did back in 2017 with Tim Winton, one of Australia’s most beloved and prolific writers. At the time, Tim was on a publicity tour for his collection of non-fiction essays, The Boy Behind the Curtain, which, among many things, explores class.
In this chat with Dumbo Feather interviewer Myke Bartlett, Tim shares some of his insights on Australia’s changing socio-economic landscape, and how he has confronted snobbery to open himself up to many different kinds of perspectives and ways of living.
This week on the podcast we have Dr Tim Dean – author of "How We Became Human, and Why We Need to Change," a book about how our evolved moral minds are out of step with the modern world.
Tim has a Doctorate in philosophy from the University of New South Wales on the evolution of morality and has expertise in ethics, philosophy of biology and critical thinking.
This chat with Berry spans some of the big ideas and questions around his most recent inquiry into human morality.
If you’d like to spend three hours with Tim Dean exploring the philosophy of human morality, join him and the Small Giants Academy for the Future of Morality masterclass on Tuesday December 7, 2021 from 6-8pm eastern daylight savings time via Zoom. Grab your tickets at smallgiants.com.au or head over to @smallgiants on Instagram.
We have just launched issue 68 of Dumbo Feather magazine – themed “Treasured Spaces,” and one of the conversations we had for that was with author and TV presenter Holly Ringland.
We came to know Holly through the ABC series, Back to Nature, in which she and actor Aaron Pedersen travel through vast, awe-inspiring Australian landscapes hearing the stories of the land.
In this chat, Holly speaks with Dumbo Feather editor Nathan Scolaro about her experiences making the show, and the importance of treating our selves as treasured spaces.
Holly’s first novel is The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart, about a young girl with an abusive farther who is taught the language of Australian flowers by her grandmother to say the things that are too hard to speak. The book has become an international bestseller, and is currently being adapted into a television series produced by and starring Sigourney Weaver.
Tune into the ABC’s stunning six-part series Back to Nature on ABC iView.
For more stories and conversations like this one, get yourself a copy of our Treasured Spaces issue from your local bookshop or retailer, or over at our website dumbofeather.com
Welcome to our third and final instalment of the Dumbo Feather music mini-series. Our guest is a very good friend, someone we’ve had in the mag before and worked a lot with over the years, Dr Catherine Crock.
Catherine’s a paediatrician at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, and 20 years ago, she founded a remarkable foundation and program called Hush – which brings musicians into hospital environments to compose music that will reduce anxiety and stress for patients and their family and friends.
Catherine’s work has evolved to look at and transform the culture of healthcare to one that is centred around kindness and empathy. In this conversation, she talk with Dumbo Feather editor Nathan Scolaro about the Hush legacy, and shares some of her favourite pieces from an extraordinary 19 albums.
You can learn more about Hush and shop for some of the albums over at hugh.org.au, and sign up for Gathering of Kindness at gatheringofkindness.org
This episode we’re bringing back an old favourite, a conversation we recorded in 2018 with psychotherapist Esther Perel who has changed the way we think about love, connection and sex.
Her books, Ted Talks and podcast “Where Should We Begin” have all become international sensations as she focuses on relational intelligence, and often brings us inside the therapy room to explore intimacy and eroticism and where those parts of ourselves become stuck.
In this chat with Berry, Esther explores why modern relationships are more complex and nuanced than ever. It was recorded for our Love issue of Dumbo Feather magazine, which you can kind find over at our website, dumbofeather.com.
This week's chat is led by our good friend Helena Norberg-Hodge, champion of all things localising. She is joined by none other than Johann Hari, the Swiss-British journalist behind the smash hit book Lost Connections, which uncovers the real causes behind depression and the unexpected solutions, some of which land right in Helena’s work – connecting with community.
This episode is brought to you by our friends at Patagonia.
Much-loved Dumbo Feather friend Hugh Mackay joins us on the podcast this week, sharing the insights, research and thinking behind his latest book "The Kindness Revolution." Hugh spoke with us as part of an interactive Small Giants Academy conversation event in July, hosted by our head of programming, Eleanor Gammell.
Thanks to Australian Ethical for partnering with us on this episode.
In May 2021, we ran our first four-week Storytelling for Change Course at Small Giants Academy. Each Wednesday, 15 participants would gather in the Zoom room to talk about how story shapes our individual lives and the cultures we are part of. We learned skills for finessing our stories and were joined by some of our much-loved Dumbo Feather storytellers, including Padraig O Tuama, Lydia Fairhall and Danielle Caruana.
Across the course, participants were tasked with composing a story from their life, which they then shared in the final week. We were all blown away by each other’s heartfelt, creative, hilarious sharings, and felt the magic of being intertwined in one another’s stories.
In this episode, three participants from the course have very generously recorded their stories for you all to hear. First up we have Lizi Hamer reading “The Car Ride” followed by Hermione Stewart reading “Love Survives” and finally Ben Duke with “The Blue Lagoon.”
Ben Duke is a performer and choreographer and the artistic director of the U.K. based dance theatre company Lost Dog. You can check out more of his work over at lostdogdance.co.uk. And Lizi Hamer is an author and storyhunter and Regional Creative Director at Octagon. You can check out more of her work over at lizihamer.com
Welcome to episode 2 of our music mini-series on the Dumbo Feather podcast, where we’re sharing readings, conversations and most importantly music to celebrate our latest issue of Dumbo Feather magazine.
In this episode, we’re bringing you a reading by Melbourne-based recorder virtuoso Genevieve Lacey. Genevieve creates poetic, sensual worlds in a variety of contexts – from the stage to the garden to the radio.
During the ups and downs of 2020, Genevieve created the album Bower. In the following reading she shares what that experience was like for her and others within the arts community here in Australia.
Genevieve has generously shared some of the music from Bower to accompany her reading, which has been magnificently producer by sound engineer Jim Atkin. The order of music is as follows:
Lou Bennett Baiyan Woka arr Erkki Veltheim
Erkki Veltheim Nocturne over blue ruins
Johann Jakob Froberger Lamentation faite sur la mort très douloureuse de Sa Majesté Impériale, Ferdinand III
Andrea Keller I Surrender
Madeleine Flynn and Tim Humphrey A Mutual Support for Precarious Times
Bree van Reyk threaded in amongst the infinite threading
Meet Jade Miles from Black Barn Farm! Black Barn is a regenerative, intentional orchard and nursery that operates on permaculture principles. They run farm tours and workshops, and promote homesteading within the rhythms of the seasons.
Jade recently released a beautiful book called Futuresteading: Live Like Tomorrow Matter which is full of practical skills, recipes and rituals for connecting with your environment and community, and embracing a simpler, steadier way of being. Jade shares her story and passion for building localised food systems with our publisher Berry.
Lydia Fairhall reads her essay from Issue 64 of Dumbo Feather magazine titled "On Healing."
Greetings friends! This is the first of three music episodes of the Dumbo Feather podcast, a mini-series we’ve put together to celebrate our music issue of the magazine, which you can get over at our website dumbofeather.com or at speciality newsagents and retailers.
For the next three months, we’re going to spotlight some of the musicians featured in the pages of the issue and bring their stories and music to you ears.
We’ve got two musical powerhouses for you in this episode. Indigenous opera singer, contemporary songwriter and performer Jess Hitchcock, and piano virtuoso, composer and local Fitzroy jazz player Monique diMattina.
Thanks to our partners Bank Australia for helping us bring this mini-series to life. If you’re looking to put your money somewhere that’s having a positive impact on people and planet, then get yourself over to Bank Australia. Bankaust.com.au
Today we're sharing the recording from the launch event of our truth issue of Dumo Feather - it’s a conversation between two familiar voices on the podcast – author and activist, Sarah Wilson, and publisher of Dumbo Feather Berry Liberman.
We are very sorry about the poor audio quality. The event was recorded live in Sydney and streamed over Zoom, hence the sound didn't come out so great. But, the conversation is so insightful and useful for anyone grappling with the divisiveness and mistruths of this moment, we really wanted to put it out there.
The event took place in March this year. Big thanks to our partners Nature Footwear for sponsoring the episode.
Hello! Today we are sharing a conversation between two extraordinary women who have both featured in the pages of our magazine, Claire Dunn and Ella Noah Bancroft. Both are passionate rewilding facilitators, leading their communities into deeper relationship with the natural world, them selves and others.
Claire has just released her second book, Rewilding the Urban Soul, which we’ll be hearing more about in an episode down the track. Here, she is getting us acquainted with Ella’s mission. Ella is a Bundjalong woman based in the Northern Rivers who writes stories and poems, leads workshops, has a podcast, and for several years has been running the Returning, an annual event that provides a place for all women to relearn the way of their past.
We love the intersections in Ella’s work. As well as rewilding, she is thinking deep and wide about decolonisation, the rise of the feminine, belonging, sexuality and movement.
Thanks to The Cape for sponsoring this episode!
In anticipation of our music issue of Dumbo Feather, we're sharing an oldie but a goodie with you all. It’s our chat with Aussie music legend Xavier Rudd, which took place a few year’s back.
Xavier is a folk, blues artist and multi-instrumentalist, whose songs speak to the heart of many environmental and social issues. He’s speaking here with another familiar voice, songwriter and Dumbo Feather friend, Lydia Fairhall.
In this episode we hear from Fiona Armstrong, Executive Director of the Climate and Health Alliance.
These legends exist to highlight the health impacts of climate change, believing that if the health sector leads on climate advocacy, then decision-makers and the public will act, because we the community care about health and trusts health voices.
Earlier this year, The Climate and Health Alliance released a fascinating study titled “Australia in 2030” which presents narrative scenarios of 5 possible futures for our country.
Fiona talks about those scenarios, as well as her work in climate and health advocacy, with Dumbo Feather contributor, Myke Bartlett.
Thanks to Bank Australia for sponsoring this episode.
One of the things we love at Dumbo Feather is learning about new models of success which we can implement in our communities and nations to ensure more prosperity across the board - for people and planet, not just the top one percent.
A trailblazer in this work is Kate Raworth, an economist for the University of Oxford who devised the doughnut economic model, which defines the social and environmental boundaries we must live within in order to thrive. If you haven’t come across this work already, we suggest you press pause now and familiarise yourself with the doughnut - there’s plenty about it online. And then dive into this scintillating chat with Kate, which was recorded mid-2020 as part of our Small Giants Academy Next Economy series. The conversation was facilitated by our publisher Berry Liberman.
Also, check out the work of Regen Melbourne and their localised take on Kate’s work. The Melbourne Donought is being used to chat a more regenerative future for the city. You can learn more about it at regen.melbourne.
This episode was produced on the lands of the Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nations - we acknowledge the traditional owners, and elders past and present.
In this conversation, we hear from one of the seminal writers in tree communication, Peter Wohlleben, who’s book “The Hidden Life of Trees” revolutionised our understanding of how trees nurture and talk to each other. The international bestseller draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to reveal the ways in which trees are like human families and communities, supporting the young ones as they grow, sharing nutrients to those who are sick or struggling, even warning each other of impending danger.
The masterpiece was recently made into a documentary film, screened here in Australia by our friends at Transitions Film Festival. As part of that screening, Peter was interviewed by another friend of ours Sarah Wilson, who’s recent book “This One Wild and Precious Life” is, among many things, an ode to hiking and being in forests.
Two years ago, our publisher Berry Liberman sat down with Worimi singer-songwriter Lydia Fairhall for one of the richest and most joyful inquiries of our inner and outer landscapes. Since then, Lydia has become a mentor and friend, whose wise counsel has expanded so much of our thinking and work. The conversation featured in our commemorative 60th edition of Dumbo Feather, titled "Belonging."
Our current issue of Dumbo Feather magazine is all about truth and critical thinking. Our editor-in-chief Berry Liberman sat down with the wonderful Lisa Marchiano, a social worker and Jungian analyst based in Philadelphia (who you might know from her podcast This Jungian Life), to discuss discernment, the challenges posed by mass movements, and why we need to make friends with doubt.
If these ideas sparked your curiosity, then get a hold of issue 66 of Dumbo Feather magazine, available at selected news agencies and specialty stores, and over at our website: dumbofeather.com
You can tune into Lisa’s weekly podcast This Jungian Life, or the mini series she made with Berry called Myths Morals and Money, wherever you get your podcasts. Lisa’s new book “Motherhood” can be ordered via her website lisamarchiano.com
Thanks to the guys at Cheshire audio and YAGA for editing this episode. Dumbo Feather is part of the Small Giants Academy, an education and media initiative providing wisdom and action for a hopeful future. You can learn more about our work, and check out all the wonderful events we currently have on offer, over at smallgiants.com.au
International dharma teacher and Dumbo Feather friend Catherine Ingram attended a recent Small Giants team huddle and shared this potent reflection on uncertainty with us.
This episode we bring you a reading of one of our essays from the Rest issue of Dumbo Feather magazine. It's by our much-loved contributor Lauren L. Hill, who you can also hear over at the Water People podcast, and it's called "Minding My Mothers."
Thanks to the guys at Cheshire Audio and Yaga for editing this episode and weaving together music, sound and voice so beautifully.
We are catching waves on the podcast this month with longboarding champion Belinda Baggs, who hails from Torquay, Australia. Belinda is a surfing ambassador for Patagonia Australia and the co-founder of Surfers for Climate, a sea-roots movement dedicated to positive climate action. She chats with Dumbo Feather favourite and fellow champion surfer, Lauren Hill.
This month's chat is with the delightful & insightful Lucy Peach, author of the book Period Queen.
Hailing from Fremantle WA, Lucy is a folk singer, performer & a long time champion of the power of the menstrual cycle. We love the way Lucy talks about the period and the invitation that is present in each stage of that cycle.
This conversation was had in October last year for our current issue of Dumbo Feather magazine, which is all about rest and the cycles that we are both part of and are part of us. If you dig the topics that come up, then definitely pick up a copy of the mag - either at your local retailer or online over at dumbofeather.com.
Lucy is chatting with our publisher and editor in chief, the joyful & always on point, Berry Liberman.
In this episode, we chat with Nipun Mehta from issue 60 of Dumbo Feather. Nipun is founder of Service Space, an incubator of labor-of-love projects that are powered by inner transformation. His role is to bring an abundance mindset back into out communities, where giving might well be the ultimate reward, and where there are many kinds of capital to trade: from love and kindness to labour and time. This chat was recorded live as a webinar for SOCAP, a global impact investment summit that takes place annually.
Sarah Wilson is ALL IN. Her new book, "This One Wild and Precious Life," articulates “a hopeful path forward in a fractured world.” As someone very familiar with suffering, she says we have “cocooned ourselves in a state of overwhelm, in this suspended state of adolescence.” Distracted and numb, we are in collective moral and psychological retreat from dealing with the multiple crises we face. The remedy is to find our way back to the things we love: our selves, each other and the natural world. We have to reclaim connection as a matter of great urgency.
Biomimicry is a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges. We hear from the co-founder of this extraordinary work, Dayna Baumeister about what it is and how it might help us to understand the role rest has played in the evolution of our species. Dayna chats with Dumbo Feather contributor and permaculture legend, Dan Palmer.
It's the musical episode of the Dumbo Feather podcast, featuring songs and reflections from this year's Small Giants Artists in Residence, including Lydia Fairhall, Bobby Alu, Neda Rahmani and Mama Kin.
Pico Iyer is regarded as one of the best travel writers of our time, but he's not just an explorer of the outer worlds, he writes beautifully on the inner journeys available to us, too.
Having written 14 books, travelled frequently by the side of the Dalai Lama, done four TED Talks with over 10 million views and written for Time Magazine, New York Times and many more, he is a wise voice for our times on matters of stillness, transformation and the heart.
As part of our localising campaign at Dumbo Feather, we have a ripper conversation for you with the former mayor of Frome and legend of local politics, Peter Macfadyen.
Peter is one of the architects behind Flatpack Democracy, a do-it-yourself guide to creating independent politics.
In this conversation with Berry Liberman, he tells the story of how he and a small group of independents successfully took over their local town council and put an end to business as usual.
We wrap up our weekly Zoom Conversation Series with none other than localising legend, Helena Norberg-Hodge. Helena is the founder and CEO of Local Futures, an organisation which works to promote a systemic shift away from dependence on globalised monopolies, and towards decentralised regional economies. Helena collaborated with us on Issue 63 of Dumbo Feather.
What a legend this woman is! The divine & soulful Danielle Caruana aka Mama Kin, one of Australia's most loved musicians, joined us in the Zoom room this week for a power wisdom hour - going deep on what it really means to listen.
It's the final episode of our liminal space (lockdown) mini-series with Berry and Dr Arne Rubinstein, exploring the elements of a rite of passage as they relate to this profound moment in time.
In this chat, they continue to explore the re-integration phase of a rite of passage, particularly how we can hold ourselves and one another accountable for the growth, lessons learned and gifts revealed during the transformation process.
We've so enjoyed producing this series for you, and would love to know how it was received and what you'd like to hear more of, especially as we continue to navigate change together as a community. Email us with your feedback and ideas to digital@dumbofeather.com
Big thanks to Arne for his extraordinary contributions. Be sure to engage with more of his work through The Rites of Passage Institute.
There was everything from beaming smiles to wet cheeks in the Zoom room this week with the glorious and exuberant Ronni Kahn. Ronni is the founder and CEO of OzHarvest, Australia's leading food rescue organisation. They've been at the forefront during this time feeding thousands of vulnerable people a week.
He's one of the great visionaries of our time and we got a juicy hour with him in our weekly lunchtime wisdom hour. It's Damon Gameau, the extraordinary filmmaker behind 2040.
We've separated, we've transformed, now how do we go back into the world as our changed selves? In this episode, Berry and Arne explore the final stage of a rite of passage: re-integration.
This week we chatted with Dr Arne Rubinstein about the DF mini-series he’s been making with Berry on the opportunity of this moment for transformation. Arne unpacks some of the elements and stages of a rite of passage and why they are so valuable to us right now.
Berry and Arne continue unpacking the process of a healthy transformation, this week looking at two more essential elements: the creation of a vision for the future, and the honouring of one's unique gifts and talents for the world.
Welcome back to the Zoom Room for our Dumbo Feather Conversation with Claire Dunn! Claire is a re-wilding facilitator, mentor, writer and much-loved Dumbo Feather contributor.
In 2010, she spent a year living in the bush without matches, which profoundly shaped the course of her life and her relationship with the more than human world.
We chatted with Claire about her re-wilding practices and how they are supporting her at this time.
It’s episode 2 of our Dumbo Feather mini-series “Transformation Through Rites of Passage,” featuring Berry in conversation with friend and the founder of the Rites of Passage Institute, Dr Arne Rubinstein.
After chatting about separation as the first major path of a rite of passage, Berry and Arne go deep on the next stage - transformation - exploring the critical role that both the sharing of stories and challenges or ordeals play within that.
With lightness, depth and humour, Berry and Arne move between the experience of an individual in these stages of development and the experiences of us as a global community transitioning to new paradigms and ways of being.
In the last 15 minutes of each show, Berry and Arne will answer questions and reflections from listeners. If you have something you'd like them to discuss, email digital@dumbofeather.com
A new podcast from our friends at Small Giants.
What shadows in our collective consciousness have created our flawed economic system? What could a new system that operates within the ecological boundaries of this planet look like? How can we dream into a more regenerative system for all? Impact Investor, Berry Liberman, publisher of Dumbo Feather and co-founder of Small Giants, is joined by three Jungian analysts, Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart and Lisa Marchiano to analyse capitalism through a Jungian lens.
This is episode 4 of the series, a special release for Dumbo Feather listeners. Subscribe to Myths, Morals and Money wherever you get your podcasts for the first four episodes and ongoing releases in the series.
Nearly 200 folks around the world gathered in the Zoom Room for our Monday lunchtime chat with legendary Dharma teacher, Catherine Ingram.
In the 1970s, Catherine co-founded the most prestigious Buddhist Centre in the west - the Insight Meditation Society - and since then has written seminal works, led retreats, run a weekly Dharma Dialogue series, and been a voice of nourishment and solace to thousands.
This is an edited version of her chat with Dumbo Feather's Berry Liberman and Nathan Scolaro.
In this special mini-series of the Dumbo Feather podcast, our publisher and editor-in-chief Berry Liberman examines this moment in history as a rite of passage with good friend and founder of the Rites of Passage Institute, Dr Arne Rubinstein.
Over the next few episodes, Berry and Arne will unpack the elements and stages of a rite of passage and look at how they relate to our individual and collective lives. They will ask, "How can this period be experienced as a rite of passage?" and "What does a healthy transformation look like?"
Berry and Arne discuss the opportunity that exists in this time of widespread isolation - which could be understood as a container or cocoon from which we emerge - and share ideas and insights for listeners to bring into their individual lives, families and communities.
In the last 15 minutes of each show, Berry and Arne will answer questions and reflections from listeners. If you have something you'd like them to discuss, email digital@dumbofeather.com
This week in our lunchtime Conversation Series, we chatted with singer-songwriter, storyteller and cover star of Issue 60, Lydia Fairhall about who's really in the driver's seat: body or spirit?
This is an edited version of her chat with Dumbo Feather's Berry Liberman and Nathan Scolaro.
Every Monday at 12:30pm, we're inviting Dumbo Feather guests to share their wisdom for this time with members of our community over Zoom.
This week we heard from social researcher and community champion Hugh Mackay.
This is an edited version of his chat with Berry Liberman and Nathan Scolaro from Dumbo Feather.
Every Monday at 12:30pm, we're inviting Dumbo Feather guests to share their wisdom for this time with members of our community over Zoom.
This week we heard from Dumbo Feather publisher and Small Giants co-founder Berry Liberman about leaning into new economic systems and re-imagining a future where all life can flourish.
This is an edited version of her chat with Dumbo Feather editor Nathan Scolaro.
In this podcast, five poets share a piece on extinction and their feelings associated with our changing planet. We hear from Bruce Pascoe, Danusha Lameris, Mark Tredennick, Peter Brown and Fleassy Malay.
If you want to hear more, check out the incredible Extinction Elegies project, put on by Red Room Company.
Thanks to Cheshire Audio and YAGA for editing this episode of the Dumbo Feather podcast.
Our first episode for 2020 is about empathy, and it’s a panel discussion recorded live at the M Pavillion in Melbourne late last year. The event was to celebrate A Mile In My Shoes, an interactive art project that invited participants to quite literally put someone else’s shoes on and hear a recording of their story.
Dumbo Feather editor Nathan Scolaro was joined by Dharma teacher Catherine Ingram and psychotherapist Sarah Pant to explore their experiences of the project, and also their thoughts on why empathy is fundamental to our survival as humans, and how we can help foster it in one another as we go about our days.
Show notes:
This podcast was edited by Lizzie Marton – the music is by Dennis Liu.
Big thanks to MPavilion, the Arts Centre Melbourne and the Empathy Museum which produced A Mile in My Shoes for making this event happen.
Read more of Catherine Ingram's story in issue 61 of Dumbo Feather.
Warren Roberts is a proud Thunghutti and Bundjalung man who founded YARN Australia, a social enterprise focussed on creating relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. In this chat with his friend and filmmaker Anton Rivette, he shares the work YARN has been doing since 2007, and the potential for healing social wounds by coming together in facilitated storytelling circles.
Show notes
This podcast was edited by Lizzie Marton - the music is by Dennis Liu. Learn more about YARN Australia by going to yarnaustralia.com. Thanks to our friends at G Adventures for sponsoring this podcast.
For our 40th podcast we’re sharing a catch-up between two old friends, Clare Bowditch and Dumbo Feather publisher Berry Liberman. As part of her national tour to promote her debut book, your own kind of girl, Clare visited Byron Bay and made space for this talk.
Only two friends catching up could pack this much love, honesty, tears and laughter into half an hour. In the process of writing her book, Clare has confronted the pain and suffering of her 20s, burdened by a deep sense that she didn’t deserve to be happy and coming to terms with the loss of a loved one.
A book recommended to her by a family friend explained her mental suffering in a way she could process and provided a coping mechanism. Her recovery and the moments of respite granted her the permission to be courageous. And she hasn’t stopped. Enjoying her second bite at life.
The podcast is bookended with two beautiful songs performed by Clare.
This edited conversation was produced by Lizzie Marton and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Read Clare's conversation with Dumbo Feather - https://www.dumbofeather.com/conversations/clare-bowditch-is-big-hearted/
Find out more about Clare and her book your own kind of girl - https://clarebowditch.com
This podcast is sponsored by our friends at G Adventures - https://www.gadventures.com.au
This month on the podcast we're sharing a conversation that happened at Dumbo Feather HQ, between journalist and author, David Leser, and interviewer, Michaela Kalowski.
In this intriguing interview David speaks about the backlash he received to writing Women, Men and the Whole Damn Thing, his account of the #MeToo movement. He discusses the historical roots of misogyny and the evolution of patriarchy, a system that he believes does so much harm to both women and men. And reflects on his own upbringing and the need for parents to allow their sons to embrace their feminine sides.
Show notes
This edited conversation was produced by Lizzie Marton and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Get your copy of Women, Men and the Whole Damn Thing - https://www.allenandunwin.com/browse/books/general-books/current-affairs-politics/Women-Men-and-the-Whole-Damn-Thing-David-Leser-9781760877729
This podcast is sponsored by our friends at ecostore (www.ecostore.com.au) and G Adventures (www.gadventures.com.au)
This month on the podcast we had the pleasure of sitting down with farmer and winemaker Matt Purbrick. You may already know Matt from Grown and Gathered, where he and his wife Lentil celebrate the joys of seasonal planting and bringing people around a table to enjoy the harvest. As a fifth-generation winemaker, viticulture is in his blood and he’s been busy making, bottling and drinking delicious, organic, sustainable wines with Lentil and his dad Alister.
We loved listening to Matt talking about his relationship with the land and the seasons, his belief that community and connection is everything, his fears around our changing climate and his fascination with ancestral wisdom.
Show notes
This edited conversation was produced by Lizzie Marton and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Find out more about Matt’s work at Grown and Gathered - https://www.grownandgathered.com.au
Minimum Wines - https://www.minimumwines.com
Read more about sustainable farming methods in Issue 58 of Dumbo Feather - https://www.dumbofeather.com/articles/dumbo-feather-issue-58-healing-land/
This podcast is sponsored by our friends at ecostore (http://www.ecostore.com.au) and G Adventures (https://www.gadventures.com.au)
Nathan talks to actor-turned-award winning documentary maker Damon Gameau at the Byron Writers Festival. Actor-turned-award winning documentary maker, Damon is the man behind the 2014 expose That Sugar Film, and more recently has released 2040.
2040 is an extraordinary piece of storytelling that shows us what the future might look like if humanity embraced the environmental solutions that are currently available to us. Things like regenerative farming, electric cars, new economic models, and empowering girls and women.
He shares some of the incredible impacts his documentary is already having on individuals, organisations and even our systems at large and why it's important to provide a hopeful narrative when it comes to the climate crisis.
Former palliative care specialist and now writer and farmer, Stephen Jenksinson, has a lot to say about grief, death and belonging. In this lecture, Stephen shares with us his ideas on ageing and elderhood in today's world.
This month our editor Nathan Scolaro, speaks with someone he feels very fortunate to speak with: Irish theologian, poet and mediator, Pádraig Ó Tuama on the topics of courage, storytelling, language, religion and more.
David Holmgren speaks with permaculture design expert and Dumbo Feather friend, Dan Palmer
This month on the podcast we’re hearing from TV presenter Osher Günsberg. Most well-known for telling other people’s stories—through his hosting gigs on The Bachelor and Australian Idol—Osher is now sharing his own life experiences, detailing what it’s like to live with mental illness in his raw and real book, Back After the Break. In this episode, recorded live for an event with our friends from The School of Life, Osher chats with Sian Prior on the theme of vulnerability—exploring social anxiety, why the first thing he does in the morning is write a gratitude list, and the importance of being his whole self in front of his family.
If you or anyone you know needs support, or wants to learn more about anxiety and depression, please contact any of the following: Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36. Lifeline on 13 11 14. MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978. Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
Show notes:
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Stay tuned for our next conversation—or hear it first by subscribing to the Dumbo Feather podcast on your favourite pod channel.
For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe to Dumbo Feather at dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
Read more about Osher’s book, Back After the Break, here: https://www.harpercollins.com/9781460710241/back-after-the-break/
Find our more about Sian and her book, Shy: A Memoir here: https://www.textpublishing.com.au/books/shy
For more from The School of Life, visit their website here: https://www.theschooloflife.com/
Read more and purchase a digital copy of Issue 57 of Dumbo Feather, Healing Ourselves, here: https://www.dumbofeather.com/product/issue-57/
Our conversation this month is with someone who has been hugely influential to us — Parker Palmer, a writer who works at the intersection of activism, social change and spirituality. Three decades ago, Parker helped establish the Centre for Courage and Renewal, which runs programs for people to come together in community and learn to lead from within. Here, Parker and Dumbo Feather editor Nathan talk about everything from eldership in the modern age to the importance of showing up in the world as your true self. Their conversation—centred around Parker’s new book, On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old—is a timely one, recorded just weeks before Parker’s 80th birthday.
Show notes:
Parker’s latest book is On the Brink of Everything: Grace, Gravity and Getting Old can be found here: https://onthebrinkofeverything.com/
You can read our first interview with Parker in issue 44 of Dumbo Feather magazine, or see more of his work on our website.
This podcast was produced by Lizzie Marton and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe at Dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
For over thirty years, childbirth educator, birth attendant and counsellor Rhea Dempsey has been helping women to feel more empowered and better prepared when navigating childbirth. This month on the podcast, she chats with Dumbo Feather friend and host of the All Being Well podcast, Kayla Robertson about everything from why our attitudes towards birth have changed so dramatically since the ‘80s to how we can help create better birthing options for mothers and babies. We hope you find their conversation as fascinating as we did.
Show notes:
Enter the 2018 Dumbo Feather Reader Survey here: https://dumbofeather.typeform.com/to/InJ1AF
Read more about Rhea on her site: http://www.birthingwisdom.com.au/about-rhea-dempsey/
Rhea’s conversation with our publisher and editor-in-chief, Berry Liberman can be found here: https://www.dumbofeather.com/conversations/rhea-dempsey/
You can listen to Kayla’s podcast—All Being Well—and find out more about her here: https://www.allbeingwell.com.au/
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu. For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe to Dumbo Feather at dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
This month on the podcast we’re a sharing a piece of spoken word storytelling by New Zealand-born writer and occupational therapist, Kirsten Taylor. Throughout this episode, Kirsten explores the changing relationship she’s had with her body from a young person to now. Our editor Nathan Scolaro first heard this story told live at The Weekly Service, a secular gathering in Melbourne where people share stories, contemplate ideas and engage in conversation—he was captivated by Kirsten’s story from the moment she began, hanging on every word. We published the piece in the healing issue of Dumbo Feather and because it works as beautifully on the ear as it does on the eye, we invited Kirsten to Dumbo Feather HQ to re-tell it for our podcast listeners.
Show notes:
To find out more about the Weekly Service head to their site here: http://theweeklyservice.org/
To enter Dumbo Feather’s $1000 travel pack competition thanks to our friends from Patagonia and Bellroy, head to dumbofeather.com/win
The music you hear is by Dennis Liu. This podcast was produced by Lizzie Marton.
For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe to Dumbo Feather at dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
In front of a live audience, for an event by our friends at The School of Life, Nigella Lawson and Hugh Mackay chat about everything from why cooking for others is one of the most significant ways we can show people we take them seriously, to the role of food and self-care, to why the first thing Nigella bought when she moved into her new home was a table. It’s a beautiful ode to the role of food in our lives—how it can bring us all closer together, and ultimately help us to find belonging.
Show notes:
Thank you very much Nigella, Hugh and our friends at the School of Life for allowing us to record this conversation.
Nigella’s book, At My Table can be found here: https://www.nigella.com/books/at-my-table
Hugh’s book, Australia Reimagined can be found here: https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781743534823/
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Stay tuned for our next conversation—or hear it first by subscribing to the Dumbo Feather podcast on your favourite pod channel.
For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe to Dumbo Feather at dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
This month we’re bringing you a special episode of the Dumbo Feather Podcast, inspired by Issue 56 of Dumbo Feather—Embracing the Wild. We teamed up with New York based sound recordist, Matthew Mikkelsen, to take you inside one of the world’s last remaining natural amphitheatres—Olympic National Park in Washington State. We recommend you find a quiet place to listen to this one, to fully immerse yourself in the magic that Matthew has recorded.
Show notes:
Big thank you to Matthew Mikkelsen for his extraordinary work on this episode. You can read more about Matthew here: https://www.beinghear.com/team/
This show was produced by Matthew Mikkelsen and Nathan Scolaro.
This episode is part of the Dumbo Feather wilding campaign. For more on the wild, purchase Issue 56 of Dumbo Feather here: https://www.dumbofeather.com/product/issue-56/
This month we’re bringing you a live conversation with Issue 56 profilee, the legendary Bob Brown. For decades, Bob has inspired generations of Australians to feel a deep reverence for the environment—and campaign to protect it. In this episode, Bob talks with our editor, Nathan Scolaro, about his latest efforts to save the Tarkine, a wilderness region in north west Tasmania, and how embracing music, the arts and self-care is central to empowered activism.
Show notes:
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor, Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Join Patagonia and the Bob Brown Foundation in telling the Tasmanian government to nominate takayna / Tarkine for World Heritage protection, by signing their petition here: https://www.change.org/p/premier-will-hodgman-support-world-heritage-protection-for-takayna-tarkine
Find the Drew Dellinger poem Bob references here: https://drewdellinger.org/pages/poetry/961/hieroglyphic-stairway
Read more about the Bob Brown Foundation here: http://www.bobbrown.org.au/
You can purchase Issue 56 of Dumbo Feather, Embracing the Wild, here: https://www.dumbofeather.com/product/issue-56/
For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe to Dumbo Feather at dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
On the podcast this month is New York based illustrator, Mari Andrew. Mari’s captivating, relatable portrayals of her personal life and the world around her have made her an Instagram sensation, drawing a following of nearly one million people. Throughout this conversation, recorded live for our sister company, The School of Life, Mari chats with Dumbo Feather contributor Sarah Darmody and unpacks six guiding themes that have helped her navigate growing up, including resilience, authenticity and healing. Their chat is full of beautiful, tender moments and reveals. We hope you love it as much as we do.
Show notes:
Thank you to The School of Life Australia for hosting this lovely event.
Mari’s new book is called Am I There Yet: The Loop-de-loop, Zigzagging Journey to Adulthood.
You can check our Mari's illustrations on her Instagram page, https://www.instagram.com/bymariandrew/
This edited conversation was produced by Lizzie Marton and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Helena Norberg-Hodge joins our publisher Berry Liberman on the podcast this month. As a young woman in 1975, Helena was invited to join a film crew travelling to Ladakh, a remote region on the Tibetan plateau, just as it was opening up to tourism and other Western influences. She talks to Berry about the heartbreaking changes she witnessed during that time, and challenges conventional ideas we may have around progress and development. Above all, Helena advocates for an economy centered around community and the importance of carrying ancient wisdom into our future.
Show notes:
You can read more about Helena, and seven other incredible humans bringing about the next economy, including banker Muhammad Yunus and radical economist Kate Raworth, in issue 55 of Dumbo Feather magazine. https://www.dumbofeather.com/product/issue-55/
You can also read more about Helena’s experience in Ladak in her book, Ancient Futures. https://www.penguin.com.au/books/ancient-futures-9780712606561
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe to Dumbo Feather at dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
Featured on the podcast this month is our very dear friend, Hugh Mackay. Hugh has been examining how we live for six decades, so he's got some pretty great insights into what makes a good life. In this live event run by our friends at The School of Life, Hugh shares wisdom about how we can become a more compassionate and less anxious society, by looking at and working within our local neighbourhoods and communities.
Show Notes:
Thank you to The School of Life for letting us share these wonderful words with our podcast community.
This podcast was produced by Beth Gibson. Music is by Dennis Liu.
You can read more about Hugh’s new book, Australia Reimagined, by visiting: https://www.panmacmillan.com.au/9781743534823/
And you can find out more about The School of Life, by visiting their website here: https://www.theschooloflife.com/
For more conversations with extraordinary people, why not head to our site, it’s dumbofeather.com.
This month’s podcast is all about generosity—something our friend Ronni Kahn knows a lot about. Ronni founded OzHarvest—Australia’s leading food rescue organisation—driven by a passion to make a difference and stop good food going to waste. Along the way, she’s changed lives, changed the law (to make it safe for companies to donate surplus food) and opened Australia's first free supermarket. Chatting with Dr. Monty Badami for a live event run by our friends at the School of Life, Ronni tells us about her personal journey and offers advice on how we can open our hearts and be more generous in our daily lives. We’d like to say she’s inspiring, but it’s just not a good enough word.
Show notes:
You can read more about Ronni in our conversation with her from Issue 53 of Dumbo Feather—The Future of Power issue.
You can also find out more information about OzHarvest on their site: https://www.ozharvest.org
This conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie Marton, and the music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
For more conversations with extraordinary people, why not head to our site, it’s dumbofeather.com.
We head to Byron Bay to hear environmentalist Paul Hawken and filmmaker Damon Gameau in an epic conversation about the state of the planet. Paul’s renowned book, Project Drawdown, is the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming—it outlines the 100 most substantive solutions to address climate change. Throughout this conversation, Paul and Damon explore why empowering girls and women is the number one solution to reversing global warming, how gratitude is central to building a more sustainable future and why we know more about Mars than we do about a cubic centimetre of soil.
Show notes:
Read more about Project Drawdown: http://www.drawdown.org/
Find out more about Damon’s upcoming film, 2040: http://www.madmanproduction.com.au/releases/2040-2/
You can read more about Paul Hawken in our interview with him from Issue 52 of Dumbo Feather: https://www.dumbofeather.com/conversations/paul-hawken-is-a-solutions-man/
Paul references Bill McKibben’s piece, Global Warming's Terrifying New Math published in Rolling Stone Magazine. You can read it here: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifying-new-math-20120719
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
This month we’re in conversation with best-selling author and psychotherapist Esther Perel. Esther’s podcast, 'Where Should We Begin?' has become an international sensation. The recorded sessions between Esther and anonymous couples—who visit her for one session only at her private practice in New York—have become a public health campaign for relationships. Chatting with our publisher Berry Liberman, Esther explores why modern relationships are more complex and nuanced than ever before, her love for breaking orthodoxies and how she dignified the experience of her teenage son bringing his girlfriend home for the first time. It’s a cracker of a conversation that we published in our latest magazine, entitled How We Love, and we adored it so much we had to share it with you as a podcast too.
Show notes:
You can listen to Esther’s incredible podcast series, Where Should We Begin, on Audible and iTunes.
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
For more conversations with extraordinary people, subscribe to Dumbo Feather at dumbofeather.com. We deliver worldwide.
This month we’re sharing a particularly special conversation with Krista Tippett, creator and host of the much-loved radio show and podcast, On Being. For more than ten years, Krista has been asking spiritual leaders, poets, scientists and philosophers the big questions—about what it means to be human. She speaks with our publisher Berry Liberman about what it means to live a wise life, how can we connect more meaningfully with one another, and what questions we should be asking the Donald Trumps in our lives.
Show notes:
Production by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
In an age where we can find ourselves feeling exhausted on a daily basis—beloved cartoonist Michael Leunig brings perspective. A duck helping us navigate our way through choppy waters. In this episode Leunig chats with Myke Bartlett about how we can lean into the unknown, accept melancholy as an integral part of our lives, and find joy and beauty in the uncertain.
Show notes:
This conversation was recorded in front of a live audience for our friends at the School of Life.
You can find the images that Leunig refers to throughout this episode by visiting www.dumbofeather.com/michael-leunig
Production by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
Dr Saamdu Chetri is the Executive Director of the Gross National Happiness Centre in Bhutan. GNH focuses on the wellbeing of the country’s people rather than the traditional economic measure of Gross Domestic Product and over the past 40 years it has been a success story in Bhutan.
In front of a live audience, Saamdu chats with Danny Almagor, the founder of Small Giants, about his incredible story, how GNH can create the conditions for human and environmental flourishing and what ingredients are needed to live a happy life.
Show notes:
To find out more about GNH, head to their website: www.gnhcentrebhutan.org.
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music you hear is by Dennis Liu.
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.
Robyn sat down in front of a live audience at The School of Life with our publisher, Berry Liberman, to talk about adaptability—and how to embrace the flux that is ever present in our lives.
Show notes:
Thank you to the School of Life for co-hosting this event with us.
This edited conversation was produced by our digital editor Lizzie Marton. The music featured is by Dennis Liu.
Jostein Solheim is the CEO of Ben and Jerry’s—a social justice company that just happens to sell ice cream. In this episode of the Dumbo Feather podcast our publisher Berry Liberman sits down with Jostein to chat about using business as a force for good, finding purpose, and why he prides Ben and Jerry’s on being a highly emotional company.
Show notes:
This edited conversation was produced by Beth Gibson, and the music featured is by Dennis Liu.
Further reading:
B Corporation: https://www.bcorporation.net/ Impact Investing: http://www.impact-group.com.au/what-we-do Small Giants: http://www.smallgiants.com.au/
Julie O'Shea is a living legend. After visiting a farm to buy some chickens, she found herself in a whirlwind that saw her save 400 hens in less than three days. Julie's story is uplifting, thought-provoking and joyous—she truly is making the world a better place. One rescue chicken at a time.
Show notes
Julie's hen rescue Facebook page can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/Rescue-Hens-Northern-NSW-104507923412983/
The interview for this episode was conducted by Nathan Scolaro, and this episode was produced by Lizzie Marton.
This episode has been created thanks to our friends at Intrepid Travel.
This week we’re hearing from Sydney-based artist, Laura Jones, about what happened when she spent ten days as an artist-in-residence at the Australian Museum Lizard Island Research Station.
Laura brings to life her experience of witnessing the Great Barrier Reef’s changing conditions, how she learnt to use her art as a form of activism and how she worked alongside science to interpret and bring attention to the problems that our planet is facing.
Show notes:
Laura's episode of That Time When has been published to coincide with the Dumbo Feather Climate Challenge. To register for the Challenge and to receive next week’s email straight to your inbox, sign up on our site, where you can also find Laura's diary entries from her time on Lizard Island.
Thank you so much to Laura for sharing your incredible experience with us.
If you have a story to share—or feedback—drop us a line! We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @dumbofeather or you can send us an email at hello@dumbofeather.com
Laura’s interview was conducted by Nathan Scolaro, and this episode was produced by Lizzie Marton.
For more extraordinary conversations, why not subscribe to Dumbo Feather magazine. We deliver worldwide.
This month we head out of Dumbo Feather HQ and take you on an adventure to the 2016 Melbourne Writers Festival, when we parked our caravan up at Federation Square and welcomed writers in for intimate conversations with a small audience. First up is British poet and educator Anthony Anaxagorou, a man who thinks deeply about each word he uses and the importance of being vulnerable. Then, we hear from Neil Strauss, New York Times best-selling author of The Game—a book which lead him to some pretty big realisations about himself and what makes a healthy relationship.
The interviews in this episode were conducted by Nathan Scolaro and Mele-Ane Havea. This episode was produced by Beth Gibson. Music by Dennis Liu. We would also like to thank our friends at the Melbourne Writers’ Festival.
This podcast is sponsored by Bank Australia.
Carol Ride is the founder of Psychologists for a Safe Climate, a therapeutic support service that helps people face our difficult climate reality. In this podcast conversation, she talks about the importance of doing inner work and grieving our dying planet in order to act meaningfully on climate change.
This episode of Dumbo Feather Live is part of our special Climate Change series, which we have created to go alongside issue 52 of Dumbo Feather Magazine (our climate change issue)—full of people who have turned their concerns for the planet into much needed action. Find out more about issue 52 at https://www.dumbofeather.com/
This podcast is sponsored by Bank Australia.
Welcome to another episode of That Time When, the series where we chat with people about moments big or small that changed the course of their lives.
This week we’re hearing from William Stubbs about the time he escaped being eaten by a bull shark—which led him to committing his life to men’s mental health. It all makes sense, promise!
This episode was sponsored by the good folk at Intrepid Travel.
Find out more about Will's work at spurprojects.org
We caught up recently with marvellous Helle Thorning-Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark.
She is is now CEO of Save the Children International, a role that’s all about giving children a voice. We loved hearing from Helle about keeping it real, deciding to be courageous and why we need to keep having difficult conversations.
This event was held in collaboration with The School of Life and Save the Children. Find out more at savethechildren.org.au
This podcast is sponsored by Bank Australia.
Discussed in this episode: 27:32: Convention of the Rights of the Child: https://www.savethechildren.org.au/about-us/media-and-publications/latest-news/years/2015/rights-of-the-child
This week we hear from Emma about what happened when a stranger’s lungs saved her life. In her late 20s, at the advice from her doctors, Emma went on the waiting list for a double lung transplant. This podcast explores the year she spent waiting for that phone call, her recovery, and what she’s learnt coming out of such a life altering experience.
Show notes:
Did you know that one organ donor can save the lives of 10 people? Head to donatelife.gov.au to find out more about organ donation in Australia.
Thank you so much to Emma for sharing your story with us. If you have a That Time When to share—or feedback—drop us a line! We’re on Facebook, twitter and Instagram @dumbofeather or you can send us an email at hello@dumbofeather.com Emma’s interview was conducted by Nathan Scolaro, and this episode was produced by Lizzie Marton. For more extraordinary conversations, why not subscribe to Dumbo Feather magazine. We deliver worldwide.
How do you take something complex and convey the information in a fun way? Just ask filmmaker Damon Gameau.
It's what he did with That Sugar Film. And what he's going to do with his latest documentary, 2040. It's all about what the world could look like if we addressed climate change using knowledge we already have. We are SO excited for this film.
It's still a work in progress and right now Damon is engaged in a global quest to find the best models on offer. We were so lucky to have him share some of his findings with us early.
Editor's note: The Five Star Movement is a provocative new way to approach politics. Dumbo Feather does not necessarily endorse its views, but believes it offers food for thought in redesigning a broken system. All movements have leaders with agendas and those agendas must be examined from within a holistic perspective of what is the best way forward for our societies.
Mentioned in the podcast: That Sugar Film: http://thatsugarfilm.com/ 6:00—Tropfest winner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxiSP_ch_oI *15:00—Project Drawdown: http://www.drawdown.org/
Introducing Dumbo Feather's newest podcast, That Time When, a series where people tell the story of what happened when they had a life-changing experience, planned or not!
Our first episode explores the world of Vipassana, and what happened when Farayi, a self-described corporate baby was silent…for ten days.
"You can come up with a really cool idea but unless you’re willing to put in all the effort to get it into orbit then it’s nothing."—Peter Drew
We chatted recently to Peter Drew about making art that starts conversations. He's the man behind the "Real Australians Say Welcome" poster series—and has many interesting things to say about what it takes to make art that stops you in the street.
Mentioned in this podcast: Peter Drew's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/peterdrewarts/ 6:35: The Design Files & "Real Australians say welcome" creative pile-on https://www.instagram.com/p/1kOclAG2TI/?taken-by=thedesignfiles *7:40: Shepard Fairey's "OBEY" campaign: https://obeygiant.com/
The Dumbo Feather podcast is a monthly series where we chat with inspiring, thought-provoking guests who are doing their bit to make the world better. Subscribe where all podcasts are found!
This podcast is supported by Bank Australia.
We loved hearing from singer-songwriter Missy Higgins about finding her way back to music after depression, turning her focus to social justice—and the difficulty of writing a protest song.
If you’re struggling with depression—or someone you love is—please check out this list of resources for Australia from BeyondBlue: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/national-help-lines-and-websites
We are always inspired by David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific. He is thoughtful, articulate and remarkably optimistic about humanity’s capacity to band together and stave off the worst effects of climate change. He makes us feel better!
We loved chatting with him about having tough conversations at BBQs, the language of resistance and why getting involved matters.
What will it take for us to give refugees a fair go? Julian Burnside QC has a few ideas. The barrister (and arts lover and storyteller and much more besides) has been fighting for better treatment for refugees for 15 years.
He chatted to us recently about the value of listening to other people, why we should all support living artists and the piece of music that never fails to lift his soul.
Mentioned in this podcast:
The Nauru Files: https://www.theguardian.com/news/series/nauru-files The film, Downfall Zero Degrees of Empathy by Simon Baron Cohen Oxbridge Blues by Frederic Raphael *Beethoven's Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit (Holy song of thanksgiving of a convalescent to the Deity). The version featured in this podcast is by Philharmonia Quartet. Courtesy of Naxos. http://www.naxoslicensing.com/track/NDE3NTIwOC03YWIzYjE/
Noni Hazlehurst, beloved Aussie actor and Play School presenter, fears our hearts are growing cold. That's why she wants to create a positive news channel full of stories that reflect our ordinariness and vulnerability, stories that empower us and make us feel good to be human.
We sat down with her to chat about her idea and why it's ok to feel things deeply. In fact, we need a whole lot more of it.
This podcast is proudly supported by our friends at Bank Australia.
Mentioned in this pod: That Logies speech: http://www.tvweeklogieawards.com.au/news/articles/2016/5/noni-hazlehursts-full-hall-of-fame-speech/ Larry Moss's book, Intent to Live: http://larrymoss.org/acting-coach-larry-moss-book-author Play School: http://www.abc.net.au/abcforkids/sites/playschool/ Paolo Coelho "cheesy" interview: http://www.onbeing.org/program/paulo-coelho-the-alchemy-of-pilgrimage/transcript/6703 *The book, The Theater of War: What Ancient Greek Tragedies Can Teach Us Today : https://www.amazon.com/Theater-War-Ancient-Tragedies-Teach/dp/0307949729
How do we help people move through trauma? Just listen, says Amy Ziering. And she’d know. The documentary filmmaker has taken on enormous institutions—like the US military—and had some seriously difficult conversations. Her latest film, The Hunting Ground, tells the harrowing story of the culture of rape in American universities and has had an enormous social impact since it was released.
And just a heads-up before you listen, this podcast discusses sexual assault and could be traumatic for some. If you or someone you know needs help, we've found online directories for a few countries.
Australia: www.whiteribbon.org.au/finding-help New Zealand: www.familyservices.gov.nz/directory UK: www.endviolenceagainstwomen.org.uk/support International: www.rainn.org/get-help/sexual-assault-and-rape-international-resources
This podcast is proudly supported by our friends at Bank Australia.
Worldwide, less than a quarter of the people we hear from in the media are women. Tara Moss is over it! Hear her tips for creating a world where gender doesn’t limit any of us. In this podcast: how to deal with trolls, the art of self care and Feminist Gaslighting Bingo!
This podcast is supported by our friends at Bank Australia.
Hugh Mackay has been examining how we live for six decades. So he's got some pretty great insights into what makes a good life. We loved our chat with him!
This podcast is supported by our friends at Bank Australia and presented in collaboration with The School of Life.
In this mini-series, our editor Berry is determined to sit her rebellious, music-loving mum Lee down with a pile of her favourite records to get to the heart of things.
Berry looks forward to the luxury of sitting down with her mum over endless cups of tea and hours of music. But, as ever, life has other plans!
Thank goodness then for Mahler and the divine Sarah Vaughan.
This podcast is brought to you by our friends at Victorian Opera.
Music from the episode: http://bit.ly/1rpeUBo
In this mini-series, our editor Berry is determined to sit her rebellious, music-loving mum Lee down with a pile of her favourite records to get to the heart of things.
Berry and Lee swoon over the ridiculously urbane Nat King Cole, Lee scandalises Berry with her favourite Beatle—and both chat about the challenges of motherhood.
This podcast is brought to you by our friends at Victorian Opera.
Music from the episode: http://bit.ly/2399Q1M
In this mini-series, our editor Berry is determined to sit her rebellious, music-loving mum Lee down with a pile of her favourite records to get to the heart of things.
In this final episode, we take a whirlwind tour of Lee's vinyl collection—with stops at tantric songs and pyramid recordings—while Berry and Lee reflect on what it means to swap stories across generations.
This podcast is brought to you by our friends at Victorian Opera.
Music from the episode: http://bit.ly/1Uu7GHY
What's at the core of the prejudice we still encounter in our political and social lives? Listen in to our chat with Melbourne-based sociologist Susan Carland who advocates for a more openhearted Australia.
This episode includes questions from the audience, and at some points can become a little hard to hear. We’re working on improving our recording techniques—thanks for bearing with us!
This podcast is supported by our friends at Bank Australia.
Find out more: Susan Carland on Twitter: https://twitter.com/SusanCarland Anne Lamott and the Shitty First Draft (SFD): https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/11/22/bird-by-bird-anne-lamott/ Muslim leaders' refutation of terrorism: http://www.lettertobaghdadi.com/
How do we help raise our boys and girls to become responsible, motivated and resilient men and women? Dr Arne Rubinstein shares practical advice for helping teenagers develop healthy adult behaviour.
This episode includes questions from the audience, and at some points can become a little hard to hear. We’re working on improving our recording techniques—thanks for bearing with us!
This podcast is supported by our friends at Bank Australia.
Find out more: Arne's website: http://doctorarne.com/ Arnold van Gennep and his book, The Rites of Passage: https://books.google.com.au/books/about/The_Rites_of_Passage.html?id=kJpkBH7mB7oC Liminality: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liminality Creativity and the Liminal Space: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-creativity-cure/201306/creativity-and-the-liminal-space
Brendan Murray is the principal at Victoria’s Parkville College, a school that’s inside a prison. He believes in the power of education to change people’s lives and treats every student with unconditional positive regard.
This episode includes questions from the audience, and at some points can become a little hard to hear. We’re working on improving our recording techniques—thanks for bearing with us!
This podcast is supported by our friends at Bank Australia.
Find out more: Parkville College: http://parkvillecollege.weebly.com/ Unconditional Positive Regard: http://www.dumbofeather.com/why-i-teach-with-unconditional-positive-regard/ Viktor Frankl: https://www.ted.com/talks/viktor_frankl_youth_in_search_of_meaning Carl Rogers: http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-rogers.html