Back To The Present: Recent Episodes
Mitchell
Philosophy is a way of life. I also believe that even those who don’t see themselves as philosopher’s are still living a philosophical life.
We all seem to be figuring it out as we go. Some in a little more formal manner than others, though it feels like we all have that part of ourselves somewhere inside.
Matt is a philosopher in the true sense of the word, as teacher & student and an avid practitioner of stoicism, his blend of knowledge and wisdom is profound & exciting.
Stoicism may be thousands of years old, but it’s principles and values have never been more relevant in an age full of potential distractions.
We cover the foundations of stoicism and still get to the juicy parts, some of which include navigating overthinking & anxiety, applying stoicism in the workplace, the art of constructive dialogue and a few fun religious & political tangents.
May sure you have your listening ears on for this one.
Connect with Matthew
Medium Blog | Heroes In The Seaweed
LinkedIn | Matthew Sharpe
Connect with Mitchell
Instagram | mitchellbastock
Email | mitchell.bastock@gmail.com
Science and spirit are both such beautiful things. Unfortunately it often feels like there’s a gap between the two, though I truly believe when real science and a better understanding of spirit are thread together, us humans create the best internal and external environments for prosperous and harmonious living.
We live among a time where there is sooo much information, and that can mean a lot of it is rubbish, BUT there’s also not been a time in recorded history where sooooo much valuable information is available at our fingertips and for our delicately shaped ears.
Lynne has been at the forefront of brain science for over a decade and her knowledge & passion for such topics is influential & compelling.
As an experienced story teller, she is able to rhythmically explain complex & interesting subjects all while adding her unique and fun loving flare.
We discussed the mind vs the brain, remarkable memory cases, the power & limitations of science, multiple personality disorders and a plethora of other important stories
Connect with Lynne
Instagram | lmalcolm1
Website (to buy book) | All In The Mind
The biggest battle we have going on is within ourselves.I’m confident most of us have heard this before, though I wonder how many of us have begun to take small daily steps toward a more peaceful way of being. I believe we’re often hearing a part of ourselves that knows what we should/want to be doing and yet we can limit ourselves with inaction.Jane reminded me that “action opens doors”. We can listen to the voices in our heads and/or those of others, but at the end of the day, action is the only way we can be the true version of ourselves, the version we know we are deep down, the version we are meant to be.We had a great life-conversation and spoke about Jane’s teaching career, overcoming challenges while finding purpose, the power of perspective & mindset, un-learning & self-love, tapping into innate creative abilities and energy healing. Connect with JaneInstagram | jane__holmanWebsite | www.janeholman.com.au
How many of us are really listening to the subtle messages we receive from our internal or external world? I sure know I’m guilty of ignorance & avoidance.
The thing is that what we resist, persists (Carl Jung), and this persistence often returns in different shapes and sizes throughout life until we’re ready to embrace it and do something.
Anja is someone who has developed a deep level of embracement and is an admirable example of someone willing to surrender and have a deep conversation with life.
Super fun, loving and rich conversation with Anja, touching on the power or prayer, allowing emotions & embracing the human experience and the mystical thread in spirituality.
Connect with Anja
Instagram | anjasteensig
Website | www.anjasteensig.com
Understanding why we do the things we do ultimately starts with understanding who we are.
Both tasks can take a lifetime (or more) and it’s not always an easy endeavour as an adult or child, though it’s vital to live a joyful and fulfilling life.
Lyn Jenkins is a clinical child psychologist and children’s author who is all too familiar with these questions and through her work she guides our little people into being who they really are.
Early intervention, supportive parenting, emotional regulation and parent-child connection are but some of the fascinating topics covered this week.
Parent or not, you’ll love this one.
Connect with Lyn
Instagram | lifematterspsychologists
Website | bossbrainkids.com.au / lifematters.com.au
The process of self discovery and improvement is a long one. It never really ends. It’s also not a path for everyone.
It’s my opinion that those of us courageous enough to step into the unknown and retain a beginners mindset, are those worth listening to.
Andrew certainly has both of these characteristics and much more. His knowledge and passion in psychotherapy, plant medicine, reiki, counselling and energy work offer a humble & grounded approach to living his life and serving that of others.
Plenty of little gems in this episode for you beautiful people.
Connect with Andrew
Instagram | andrew.templeofthesoul
Website | www.templeofthesoul.org
I don’t know about you, but being a human is pretty cool. All of us almost always take it for granted. It’s so easy getting caught in what’s going on in our our lives that we forget about the bigger picture.
Marc paints this picture. We are at a bit of a crossroad it seems on this planet right now. I don’t believe anyone really knows which way things will go, though I’m 101% confident us humans need to change the way we do things if we want our descendants to enjoy this amazing planet the way we can.
The work Marc and his colleagues are doing provides the tools and stimuli for those of us courageous enough to fight for everlasting love.
Connect with Marc
Instagram | marcgafni
Website | www.marcgafni.com
We all have a North Star. A guiding light. For some of us it is a little clearer than others and for some it’s harder to see. Regardless, I believe it helps shine us in the right direction in times of forgetfulness.
Kindness is that North Star for Susie Cameron. It is infectious & inspirational to myself and many others. In a world where all possibilities are endless, there can never be too much kindness, for both ourselves and all others.
Susie and I spoke about acceptance, embracing change, resistance & its meaning, the universal ray healing modality, honouring all parts of ourselves, finding joy through connection and gratitude for life’s gifts & opportunities.
Connect with Susie
Instagram | petalsnpassiongracencompassion
Website | www.wayshowersassociation.org
Anyone lucky enough to be a parent knows damn well it’s the hardest and most rewarding thing on the planet. And if you’re a mother the ride is multiplied in many different directions.
We weren’t taught how to do parenting at school, we mimic what we can from our own parents and make up the rest.
Fortunately these days, we all have access to the wide world web and so people like Chelsea are able to share their knowledge to those of us in need and interested.
We spoke about sibling fights & conflict resolution, highly sensitive children & emotion regulation, decision fatigue & mental load in parenting, the perinatal period & postpartum experiences and screen time guidelines & their effects on development.
Connect with Chelsea
Instagram | mamapsychologists
Website | www.mamapsychologists.ca
We all seem to have a natural tendency for the path of least resistance, and at the same time most of us realise resistance is required for growth, both physically and mentally. It is our relationship to this resistance that I find beyond interesting and a huge difference between those doing what they love to do and those who are not.
Lachy is apart of the former. His experience in the health, fitness and business industry is highly regarded, and yet his desire to do more and keep growing & learning never seems to fade.
Amongst all order and chaos Lachy, still knows how to have fun and stay even under the pressure.
Connect with Lachy
Instagram | lachyrowston
Linkedin | Lachlan Rowston
We’ve all got stuff. Stuff is apart of life. I think we often find ourselves in a trap thinking we are the only ones going through tough times, but that simply is just not true. If we can practice this awareness we can realise just how much we’re all in this together.
How we face and overcome our stuff is like a staircase, each step is different, some feel harder than others but each an opportunity to keep moving onto our next level.
Arne has been teaching about these steps for 30+ years so his experience and perspective is truly valued and his work is greatly appreciated.
Connect with Arne
Instagram | arnerubinstein
Website | ritesofpassageinstitute.org
For most of my life I’ve tried to control everything with my mind. Those of you who know me, know it is very strong and I am forever grateful for that.
However, trying to control our reality with our mind is like trying to control the waves of an ocean. Pointless, futile and destine for trouble.
Enter Jo several years back, who has taught me soooooo much about life that these jumbled up letters into words will never ever do it justice (and this podcast is just the shell of an egg).
Just know that she helped open every single part of my being into a better direction and the gifts she offers are worth more than all the pennies, in all the money boxes, multiplied by all the grains of sand on this unbelievably beautiful planet.
Connect with Jo
Instagram | jo_rushton_
Website | joannarushton.com
Holistic chiropractic approach @ 0:00
Tom explains his holistic approach to chiropractic treatment, assessing the whole person including their emotional state, lifestyle and underlying issues influencing their physical condition. He believes this leads to better outcomes than just focusing on the physical manipulation alone.
Importance of play for wellbeing @ 23:43
Tom discusses how play is essential for wellbeing but often neglected as adults. Regular fun activities help manage stress, boost mental clarity and energy levels. Both speakers agree society over-emphasizes work at the expense of play.
Learning to love all parts of yourself @ 35:40
True self-love requires embracing all aspects of oneself, however unpleasant. Tom shares his journey of overcoming self-doubt through inner child work and accepting previously disowned parts. Both agree this process is challenging but critical for wellness.
Owning your uniqueness as a practitioner @ 1:04:23
An elbow injury taught Tom to truly own his unique skills and stop comparing to others. Now he prioritises soft tissue work over manipulation, trusting his abilities instead of others' expectations. This realisation improved his practice and self-confidence.
Being present in each moment @ 1:11:15
For Tom, presence means feeling experiences as they unfold rather than getting caught in thoughts of past and future. Both acknowledge the difficulty yet importance of this practice for well-being, given humanity's tendency towards mental time-travel.
Connect with Tom
Instagram | tom_fozzie
The power of an illusion is in the questioning of the things we think we know, while accepting there’s always more going on than what’s on the surface.
This can be daunting and liberating all at once. Those of us willing to explore this unknown, begin to enjoy peeling back our onion layers (though just like peeling back an actual onion, there’s occasional wet eyes).
Through her own pain & experience, Allura really knows how to discuss and express deep work, all while making it fun and absorbable.
I trust you’ll enjoy the episode as much as I did.
Connect with Allura
Instagram | allurahalliwell
Facebook | Allura Halliwell
Website | www.allurahalliwell.com
Only by slowing down can we smell the roses. I obviously mean this practically, but metaphorically too because I'm convinced that rushing through life is a sure-fire way to miss the things that really matter, and I know for me that rushing is related to 'doing', and too much 'doing' equals less 'being', and less 'being' amounts to things like unhappiness and illusion.
Brett is to me a living example of someone who really gets this, and so, his words, point of view and thoughts hold true value in my opinion.
A few things we touched on:
🌀 Connection through presence
🌀 Dissipating stress for clarity to emerge
🌀 Gestalt therapy & ecotherapy
🌀 The relational approach in therapy
🌀 Vulnerability and shame snaps
🌀 Gentleness with self and others
Connect with Brett
Instagram | bretth.all
Website | bretthall1.wixsite.com/kinsmen
Presence is a choice. It requires mindful awareness and consistent practice. I’m not sure there’s much more to it than that, and yet I’m confident there’s nothing more important.
Though Sean and I are bound by blood, share thousands of similar interests and remain best mates, it’s recent youth work that we’ve been doing that has really started bringing our unique threads together. Sean’s new business is thriving and I’m honoured to be apart of it.
I’m a firm believer that we’re all connected with one another, but I’m still often perplexed at how “lucky” I got having a brother like Sean. As this next phase of our lives begins, I’m honoured to be walking by his side and I trust our conversation will spark some inspiration on yours.
Connect with Sean
Instagram | sean.bastock
Website | seanbastock.com
Understanding archetypes helps uncover root causes of illness and disempowerment. Greg uses the 7 core healing archetypes to guide his healing practices, but this concept popularised by Carl Young is in everything we do, so a basic level of knowledge and understanding on the matter goes a long way.
The beautiful part about it, like everything else, is through awareness of our current archetypical roles, we can work with them and use them to get us away from where we want to be, to the place we want to go.
We went wide and deep, some other fascinating topics included:
🌀 Playing out the victim triangle
🌀 Balancing power and humility
🌀 Leaning into short-term discomfort to avoid long-term suffering
🌀 Returning to childlike (not childish) qualities
🌀 Acute stress turning into chronic stress
🌀 Familiarity in what we don’t want
🌀 Swimming against the tide of our mind
Connect with Greg
Instagram | 4D_healing
Website | healing4d
Nick is a former olympic level rower who not only knows how far the human body can go, but how important it is to actual listen to that same body.
Too often we get caught in the noise between the ears that we forget that our bodies are always trying to tell us something. Having this recognition allows us to develop a body-first approach whereby we begin to listen to the signals and messages always there to help and guide us.
This perspective is not only a good way to sense & feel exactly how you are in each moment, but a great way to get us out of over-thinking mode when we catch ourselves there.
We discussed:
🌀 Getting back in touch with our natural way of being
🌀 The detriment of detachment from the body
🌀 Feeling and sensing for athletic performance
🌀 Why the best athletes are naturally in tune with their body
🌀 Understanding why our bodies do what they do
🌀 Self neglect & self improvement
🌀 Physical pain as a luxury
Connect with Nick
Instagram | originalsourcehealth
FaceBook | Original Source Health and Fitness
Kate is the co-founder of Nature Australia Philosophy and has been running deep nature connection programs for over 20 years.
Developing a connection with the natural world is something a lot of us have lost, but this direct contact is deeply ingrained within us, so when we begin to re-active this force we can bring sustainability and enjoyment to our lives.
On top of this, we also discussed:
🌀 Kate’s journey & teaching work
🌀 Right relationship with the natural world
🌀 The Sit Spot Challenge
🌀 The Wild Village Pathways Program
🌀 Kate’s Vision Quest experiences
🌀 The Great Mystery
🌀 The balance between modern living and deep connection to the environment
Connect with Kate
Instagram | naturephilosophy
Website | naturephilosophy.com
Life needs Water. There are not many other elements we can’t live without, but not all water is equal.
The quality of what we put into our bodies is directly proportional to our quality of living and water is on the top of that list.
Isabel has devoted countless hours into why this simple wonderful liquid is so important to human health and all living beings.
We mixed practical with esoteric, some of which included:
🌀 Lifestyle factors for good hydration
🌀 How to bring water back to it’s spring quality state
🌀 The gestation process of water
🌀 Structuring & energising water
🌀 The effects of cutting water weight
🌀 The place for electrolytes
🌀 The power of the ocean
Connect with Isabel
Instagram | jenisabelfriend
Website | waterislife.love
YouTube | IsabelFriend
A rebalancing of our physical mind and spiritual mind is always ticking along in the background.
It can often be noisy and confronting, though the harmony between them is something worth dancing with because it is our opportunity as a whole being.
Nature plays a hugely importantly role in this composition because we are apart of it and it apart of us.
Sam has been facilitating nature connection programs for over 20 years and his breath & depth on such topics & life wisdom is inspiring.
We playfully danced around much fun & wisdom, some of which included:
🌀 The value in cultivating self awareness
🌀 The impact of sitting in the presence of elders
🌀 Embracing silence in modern society
🌀 Society’s focus on intellect
🌀 The modern day roles of men
🌀 The rise of vulnerability
🌀 Powerful lessons from indigenous communities
Connect with Sam Robertson
Instagram | naturephilosophy
Website | naturephilosophy.com
I think our relationship to our canine friends often gets overlooked. We seek love from them, not always thinking about how they feel and who we are to them.
Sasha has been connected with dogs on a deep level for a long time and emphasises the importance of an embodied alpha leadership role as a foundation for canine companions.
Like lots of things, dogs can teach us about life & ourselves, and all we really need to do is be open, tune in & listen. Watching them for a few minutes is always a reminder on how to be present again.
Sasha and I had a great conversation about all things canine related and a lot more, including:
🌀 Debunking misconceptions about the alpha role
🌀 Canine physiology
🌀 Dogs (and humans) becoming teddy bears
🌀 Canine communication
🌀 Common behavioural misconceptions
🌀 Humanity's disconnection with nature and the environment
Connect with Sasha Armstrong
Instagram | @caninestateofmind
Website | linkin.bio/caninestateofmind
Relationships require work. They offer us such enjoyment, but like everything worthwhile, they require effort.
I don't believe that 'work' has to be like pulling teeth and I think like most things it comes down to education on the matter and a willing choice to want to thrive together.
Through recognition and understanding, we can communicate effectively on just about any matter.
Jacqui’s extensive work over her career has shown that amongst all the fanciness, opinions and options available, it’s the small unique, mundane things that we cherish the most. The other stuff has its role, though the size of the gesture isn’t proportionate to the effect.
Jacqui and I discussed touched on many related topics, some of which included:
🌀 Healthy arguing
🌀 Knowing, expressing and respecting our needs
🌀 Presumptions and patterns
🌀 Cultural norms and differences
🌀 Creating supportive space, rather than problem solving
🌀 The Enduring Love project
🌀 Communication styles
Connect with Jacqui Gabb
Website | www.open.ac.uk/people/jag539
Books | Couple Relationships in the 21st Century
The Secrets of Enduring Love
Be where your feet are.
In every moment, sporting life and everything outside of it, how valuable this lesson is. Great people, players and coaches all know that when we live out those 5 words, magic happens.
Presence is what seems to set some of us apart from others and it’s important to remember that very very few people are present all the time, but it’s this awareness in games, matches, practice, training etc. that sets us up for the success we seek.
Once we realise this and began to practice it, we can start to see & feel the difference in our performance inside and outside the arena.
Ed and I discussed many great performance ideas that go nicely with presence, including:
🌀 True North as a continual destination
🌀 Differences & similarities between beginners and professionals
🌀 The Heroic Mind
🌀 The power in the process (and not the outcome)
🌀 Managing nerves and self doubt
🌀 Growth through adversity
🌀 Celebrating small wins
🌀 Neutral thinking
Connect with Ed Padalecki
Instagram | coachpadalecki
Website | coachp.net
Empowerment is within us all, always willing & able, waiting patiently for us to tap into.
The problem often lies with our lack of awareness and/or search for empowerment outside ourselves.
Beginning to understand and embrace that power within us offers infinite potential.
Dr Friedemann is an empowerment coach and although there’s levels to that understanding, we both wholeheartedly agree is starts with understanding ourselves (a beautiful lesson I feel most of us are learning).
We discussed a lot of goodies in this episode, including:
🌀 Giving our power away
🌀 Anxiety patterns & behaviour
🌀 Intrusive thoughts
🌀 Finding our own speed in a world full of rushing
🌀 The subconscious mind and how it communicates through metaphors
🌀 Collaboration between the conscious and subconscious mind
🌀 Our own inner peace
🌀 Instant gratification & long-tern satisfaction
Connect with Dr Freidemann
Instagram | @dr.friedemannschaub
Website | drfriedemann.com
YouTube | @FriedemannSchaub
Does birth or death come first? Makes conceptual sense that we need to be born to die, but if everything was only always born, how would the circle of life continue? I don’t profess to know the answer, though it’s hard to overlook the idea that death is synonymous with passing and passing is synonymous with process. Either way, death isn’t always physical and neither is birth, things come and go in the never ending, always changing lives we live and the energy within & around us. White Eagle has been playing this intricate game of life long & deep enough to share how valuable this process is and how powerful our lives really are. We also discussed:🌀 Spiritual Sensuality 🌀 5 Sacred Purposes 🌀 What happens when you lose all meaning 🌀 What really matters 🌀 Peeling back the lies 🌀 Grief and trauma 🌀 The age of resonance Connect with White Eagle Instagram | whiteeaglemedicinewomanWebsite | www.whirlingrainbow.comFree Gift | Unleash Your Soul Purpose
Anxiety is one hell of a beast. A beast I once never knew existed, and then when I found it/it found me, my initial thinking was that it needed to be tamed, only to begin to understand that it is a messenger from the deeper parts of us that we have continued to ignore.
Much like other thoughts, feelings & emotions, anxiety is usually trying to tell us something and/or a lapse in the now moment.
Brett, like us all, has faced his own challenges and through these experiences has learned and devoted his time & energy to helping people build confidence and self-belief.
A few topics Brett and I conversed about:
🌀 Addiction and what we can do about it
🌀 Men’s mental health and associated stigmas
🌀 Our tendency to be overly critical of oneself
🌀 Anxious states and how to shift them
🌀 Detaching from triggering thoughts
🌀 Introspective signals
Connect with Brett Bailey
Instagram | @brettbaailey
It is rarely the experience itself that causes us pain, but usually the story we’ve constructed about the series of events.
When we’re able to distinguish that there is a difference, we’re able to acknowledge what is true versus what we’re just telling ourselves (illusion).
Then the work/fun begins, we get to re-shape the story into whatever we choose. Not always easy, but damn powerful.
Kyle has over 10 years experience as a first responder and has learned the ways of perspective shifting, so if there’s ever going to be someone who knows this power, it’s him.
On top of all the mental joy and fun we also shared:
🌀 Building resilience
🌀 Connecting to emotions & sensations
🌀 The challenges of switching between intense work like and family responsibilities
🌀 What can sit behind “I’m fine”
🌀 Underlying issues going beyond surface-level concerns
🌀 Extreme inspiration and sustainable personal growth
Connect with Kyle Stubbs
Instagram | @kyle.m.stubbs
Website | kylestubbs.ca
We are all on our own spiritual journey, whether we call it that or not, all pathes have purpose and I beleive they look a lot more similiar than most of us realise.
It's easy to forget who we are when we're so caught in the hustle and grind of daily living, not to mention the near-constant comotion between our ears.
When we start embracing all of this (and therefore all of us), therein lies the beauty and power available to us at any given moment regardless of all the brouhaha going on.
Harrison has been playing this game long enough to have a deep knowing within oneself, and his role as a spiritual love coach is guiding peoples connection back to their heart.
Amongst all the goodness we also discussed:
🌀 Vulnerability as a source of strength and inspiration
🌀 Concepts of faith and love
🌀 Acknowledging emotions in the moment
🌀 Creating with love and consciousness
🌀 Meaningful connections
🌀 Holism
Connect with Harrison Meagher
Instagram | @harrisonmeagher
Website | harrisonmeagher.com
Podcast | Cosmic Love Antenna
Parenting isn’t easy, but it certainly is one of the most joyful things in life.
The joy comes easy when the lack of ease isn’t so forceful. When we let every decision and action pass through the filter of love first.
The children and experiences who challenge us the most offer us the greatest gifts when we’re ready to start unwrapping (acknowledging & embracing) their soul shaping for what it is.
Abigail helps parents deeply understand their kids AND themselves, because as we know, it all starts with us.
As parents and parental figures we are literally contributing to the future of mankind!
Other soul searching topics included:
🌀 The 3 stages of childhood development
🌀 Options & consent
🌀 Setting boundaries
🌀 Family culture
🌀 Screen time (creative vs consumptive)
🌀 Sensitive & strong willed children
🌀 Parenting on empty
🌀 Cultivating a loving environment
Connect with Abigail Wald
Instagram | @motherflippingawesome
Website | motherflippingawesome.com
The garden we call life is exactly what we make it.
The desire to weed the garden isn’t always strong, but we probably all agree it’s easier to manage with regular maintenance instead of letting it get out of control.
The outcome of the seeds we plant are a redirect reflection of our intention combined with the health of the soil, the big yellow ball in the sky and earths greatest gift called water.
Anat gives people tools to tend to the garden when we’re ready to let it flourish!
Other fun topics included:
🌀 Anat's 5 Stages of Healing
🌀 Survival mode
🌀 The illusion of the comfort bubble
🌀 Practices to regulate the nervous system
🌀 Children learning from adults energy
🌀 Our inner critic
🌀 Releasing old patterns
Connect with Anat
Instagram | @anat.peri
Website | trainingcampforthesoul.com
Community living has changed a lot in the last few hundred years.
We can argue whether it’s for the better or worse, and I believe there’s good reasons on both sides of the fence.
One thing for near certainty is that we’ve lost the connection we once had.
As technology advances I’m an avid believer in remembering the importance of the connection we are losing with the land, others and ourselves.
Jake is the process of building a co-living community with the intention of this re-connection. As the saying goes, “think global, act local”.
I’m super excited to see this journey unfold.
Jake and I discussed:
🌀 The concepts of permaculture
🌀 Sociocracy in the context of a community project
🌀 Consent versus Consensus
🌀 Positive change at the local and global level
🌀 The benefit of working with the government
🌀 Objections as gifts
🌀 Culture shift
Connect with Jake
Websites | www.rootednw.org and onecommune.com
It’s all happening as it should be.
I couldn’t agree with these words anymore than I do, even on the days and in the moments I’m challenged & almost forget.
That being said, the power is always still in our hands. As much as we sometimes don’t want to admit it, our reality is a result of our choices.
Megan’s years of athletic experience drove her to reach the peaks of multiple mountains, and those moments forged her savage mindset.
The work is never done and the practice never ends, which is why Megan’s wealth of knowledge is so vast & energising.
We explored many a mountain, some of which included:
🌀 Confidence as a skill
🌀 “Be it until you become it”
🌀 Performance affirmations
🌀 Megan’s greatest lessons learnt from athletic career
🌀 The power of intentions
🌀 What to control and what not to
🌀 Blocking vs Lacking
Connect with Megan
Instagram | thesavagemeglet
Energy flows where attention goes.
When we think of our overthinking, we very likely continue overthinking. That's where meditation can become equally as rewarding as it is challenging.
Cate co-founded the Undo app with the intention of offering an inside out approach, which shifts the over-thinking struggle toward a body first focus.
Also discussed in this weeks epsisode:
🌀 Honesty in relationships
🌀 The effects of Natrual Meditation
🌀 Resolution & healing through discomforting emotions
🌀 The impact on connection through technology
🌀 Tension as information in the body
Connect with Cate Zoltan
Instagram | undo_app
Website | undoapp.com
Linkedin | Cate Zoltan
‘What if’ everything had a purpose? And what if we lived our lives with this thought more present than the alternative?
My guess is some of us do, and some of us do some of the time. I certainly know how easy and breezy my life feels when I’m remembering those 2 little words.
This weeks guest Jason Pickard is one of those that do, and it’s pretty evident in his actions, which is why I pay close attention to his words.
On top of our abundant filled conversation, we also spoke about:
🌀 Questioning everything and being open-minded
🌀 The point of arguing
🌀 The Abundance Archetype
🌀 Achieving flow states
🌀 Dissecting beliefs
🌀 Exploring the unconscious
🌀 The intelligence behind everything
🌀 True wealth
Connect with Jason Pickard
Website | jasonpickard.org
Instagram | @jasonpickardofficial
“Listen to the compass of your heart. All you need lies within you.” Mary Anne Radmacher
I believe Enneagram's and the like can help show us the road we're on, and I firmly believe a holistic approach to this personality assessment provides a more clear roadmap on our personal journey of discovering.
It's important to bring awareness to our core beliefs, biases, patterns and emotion suppression, and then the next chapter is what we want to do with that awareness.
Jason's Enneagram model does just that and a considerable amount more. All of which I find incredibly fascinating and trust others will too.
Amidst the psychological discussion in the deep end, Jason and I have fun bringing to the surface a range of personal floatation devices such as:
🌀 Jason's holistic & comprehensive approach to mental and emotional health
🌀 Thinking, feeling & behaving
🌀 Why we often focus negative aspects and limiting beliefs
🌀 Compensation patterns for managing core beliefs
🌀 How to move beyond patterns
🌀 Multi-layed triggers and how to navigate them
🌀 A tornado exercise for emotions
🌀 Self-sabotage and its relation to core beliefs
Connect with Jason Olivea
Website | innercompass9.com
Instagram | @innercompass9
The Human Design system measures your specific essence and offers ways to live in accordance with that.
It's a logical system that brings together principles of The I Ching, astrology, Kabbalah, Hindu-Brahmin chakra system, and quantum physics.
There are many different self-discovery & improvement systems available, and I believe all play their unique roll, with some people resonating with certain styles for certain reasons.
I personally love this tool because it is helps identify the ways in which we function differently and in turn how we can thrive or notice when & why we aren't.
On top of this complex system, Rachel and I also discuss:
🌀 Ways to quieten the mind to tune into our body
🌀 Somatic Healing
🌀 Auraflow
🌀 Working through resistance
🌀 Trauma through experience showing up in our bodies
🌀 Reclaiming our power
🌀 Personal freedom & how we give our energy
🌀 The value of introspection
Connect with Rachel Graham
Instagram | @rachelgraham.com
Values and principles can influence one’s perception of truth.
Our principles/guidelines are likely conditioned to society and therefore shiftable, our values are not, and so they are important to understand and be aware of.
Through exploration into our values we can begin to uncover our truths. How scary & exciting that wandering is.
Sara’s experience has her very well versed in this area and many others, making for a really fun and in depth conversation.
Amongst the ocean of knowledge and wisdom, Sara and I discuss:
🌀 The 4 types of Truths
🌀 Archetypes
🌀 Relationship patterns
🌀 Challenges of navigating childhood and adolescence
🌀 Sara’s experiences influencing her parenting style
🌀 In-stilling self-worth in children
Connect with Sara Gustafson
Instagram | @wisewomen.rise
Websites | primalfusionhealth.com AND members.primalpride.com
Addiction is a hell of a beast, and we all have our own addictions; causes run deep and stem wide.
So sobriety is a feat worth acknowledging because it is NOT easy.
Matt peeled back the layers in his own journey to sobriety and now he shares his humility & vulnerabilty to help others naviagte their similar experiences.
Matt & I shared interests and experiences, some of which included:
🌀 Personal growth as a gradual process
🌀 Practical help using the Enlifted Method (last weeks podcast)
🌀 The power of asking for help
🌀 The ego and relapse
🌀 Achievement as a numbing agent
🌀 Allowing and accepting emotions
🌀 Factors that contribute to addiction
Connect with Matt Gardiner
Instagram | @recoveryroadmap.me
YouTube | @mattgardinerLIVE
The stories we tell ourselves inside us shape our outside world.
The thoughts in our head and the words we speak have a huge influence both internally and externally, to ourselves and the people around us.
Mark England is a master teacher in re-shaping these stories so that we can begin to use them to our benefit.
When we begin to take responsibility for our story and learn some of the techniques Mark shares, we begin to create a different perspective, one that we want to tell ourselves and live out.
Mark and I turn some serious & fun mouth-noise into words on this episode , some of which includes:
🌀 4 key story aspects
🌀 Turning down the trash talk inside our heads
🌀 Parents language scaffolding children’s identities
🌀 The victim mentality; as a collective parasite
🌀 Mindset as the story we tell ourselves
🌀 3 Pillars of conflict language
🌀 What soft talk is and does to us
🌀 4 step approach to the stories that haunt and annoy us
🌀 Why breathing is so important in everything we do
Connect with Mark England
Instagram | @enliftedcoaches
Website | enlifted.me
Individual sovereignty is something I only heard for the first time a few years ago, and I’ve struggled with the concept a little since then.
But Mike put it simply; no one person is more important than another. Let that sink in for a minute. Imagine a world where everyone was equal.
Mike has been around the health and wellness block a few times and he has forged enough of his own trails to know a thing or two. Yet he stills remains curious, open and embracing toward wherever life takes him.
Mike and I danced around some nuance conversations and I had the time of my life doing so. Some dance moves included:
- Mikes willingness to always do the next scary thing
- Acute and chronic fear
- Two parts of consciousness
- Important = emotional attachment
- The trouble in attachment to meaning
- A lack of principles in society
- The one and only authority
- Giving away power for safety
- Freedom
- Force as a result of communication breakdown
- The (potential) future of AI
Connect with Mike Bledsoe
Instagram | @mike_bledsoe
Website | www.sovereignty.codes
Simple routines & habits go a long way in a noisy complex world.
There is soooooo much information available to us nowadays and I’ll be the first to admit it’s an amazingly beautiful time to be alive because of it. However, I’m not convinced our monkey-brains have the RAM capacity to process everything our senses are absorbing.
Adam’s Calendar Method and Essential Task Cards are some useful tools to help us prioritise winning moments (not just days) and begin making longterm lifestyle changes in short & approachable ways.
Adam & I filled both our cups simultaneously on this episode and touched on:
- Creating habits first, for outcomes to follow
- The accountability skill in making things visual
- Adam’s 3 simple and powerful self development practices
- What to do when you don’t fulfil a task
- Adam’s defining moment (and invitation for you to try the same)
- The ability to pause in the present moment and ask what it means to you
- The potential to Be You, Be Bold and Follow Your Heart
Connect with Adam Snook
Instagram | @believe_visualize_execute
Email | BelieveVisualizeExecute@gmail.com
Know thy self.
I couldn’t help but have this in the back of my mind during the podcast with Aleks. I think that’s because I’m only truly beginning to know myself and believe he has done the explorative work to do so.
Until we know ourselves from the inside, we’re likely going to believe we’re mostly what we see and perceive on the outside and buy into the stories and beliefs we’ve developed. They are all there for a purpose and to have some fun with, though our internal being which only we know is our true essence.
Aleks is wise beyond words and you’ll need your listening ears for this one.
On top of the questions we also questioned:
- Deciphering between wants and needs
- The idea that we’re always projecting
- Giving advise from the right place
- How to hold space for yourself and others
- Plucking mind weeds
- The pursuit of enlightenment destroying the mystery of life
- The gravitational pull toward the unknown
Connect with Aleks Rybchinskiy
Instagram | @health.performance.engineer
Website | primalfusionhealth.com & members.primalpride.com
It’s a long way to the top of any field and those of us looking up the mountain often assume the view is always a lot better.
There’s probably more to see, but there’s often a fair amount more sacrifice and effort to get there. No doubt the view is enjoyable, though I think it’s important to remember it shouldn’t be the only thing we focus on, the view at any point can be equally as enjoyable as long as we’re willing to stop and take it in.
Todd fought his way to the top of his game (at both the Olympics and Commonwealth Games) and did well by all accounts, though it’s the man he is today that I respect and honour.
Some blows and throws Todd and I share were:
- Seeing the teacher in his clients
- F.E.A.R as False Experience Appearing Real
- Todds biggest lessons learnt along his boxing career
- Learning to smile getting punched outside the ring the same as inside it
- Self belief and self resilience
- Acceptance and reflection
Connect with Todd
Instagram | @tkoconditioning
The present moment for Matt is “Choice”.
Our free will, the options we have and the ability to go in different directions.
I truly believe everything is a choice, our choice, not always what we want to hear, though the after effects of this belief are profound because that means everything is within our control.
The caveat to my own belief about that is I also believe control prevents surrender and surrender is a choice 🤪
Matt is very knowledgeable and his knowledge has been developed through action, which is important to remember (especially for me).
On top of both admitting the more we know the less we know (and being ok with it), we spoke about:
- Training ROI (return on investment)
- His Growth Accelerator Program
- Learning and failing being synonymous
- High and low ticket coaching (and the future of a mid ticket approach)
- Building a healthy relationship with social media
- A Learning Mindset
- Matt’s time learning with Travis Mash
- Re-defining the sales process (we've become used to)
Connect with Matt
Instagram | @drmattshiver
YouTube | @drmattshiver
There are many many Parts within us. Not all pretty, though all there for a reason and to be honoured.
Pretending or avoiding Parts of ourselves is a surefire way to unhappiness in my experience.
We can be as kind to those Parts of ourselves as the Parts we know and love.
Jack’s work with groups and around Internal Family Systems is fascinating, and as well as diving deep into these topics, Jack was kind enough to use me as a guinea pig.
On top of my test to tread water, we discussed:
- The Art of Noticing
- Self Energy
- The 8 C’s of Self
- Men’s group work
- Men’s relationship to success, getting stuff done and performing
- Building Trust
- Safety instead of survival
- How babies and children see adults through their eyes
Connect with Jack
Instagram | wildman_wellness
Spotify | Wildman Wellness Fireside Chats
Change is the only constant. Even when things seem like they’re going swimmingly, life’s comfortable and you’re enjoying yourself, there’s often a deeper plan at play and it’s not always noticeable, ready to be heard and/or what you want to hear.
Jake rolls with the punches (metaphorically & literally) and happily confronts challenges; willing to befriend them & embrace each moment for what it is.
In this episode Jake and I discuss:
- Letting go control of expectation
- Shinning light on our shadows
- Manifesting good thoughts
- The 4 Doctors
- Gratitude as the opposite of fear
- Acknowledging when we aren’t 100% (and being ok at 60%)
- A little bit each day (of anything) has a big impact
- Remembering to reach out in times of need
- Hakuna Matata
Connect with Jake
Instagram | @naturalhealthcoaching_
FaceBook | Natural Health
“Fun is the point”. If only we could remember this phrase of Ben’s more often/all the time.
You have to be present to have fun. Getting caught in the past or future is a wandering mind and I don’t think a wandering mind can be happy.
Ben’s energy is fun, real and contagious. We must remind ourselves that life happens, fun is a choice, our fears can be our friends and there is beauty everywhere.
Some extra fun with Ben included:
- His goal for his future self to become the oldest person to climb the nose of El Capitan
- The inability to express your passion if you can’t also express your anger
- Trusting ourselves to channel the power surging within us
- The 2 main reasons for procrastination
- Why perfectionism can be debilitating
- Safety vs Danger
- Reframing our perception on mistakes
- How we suffer more in our imagination than in reality
- Harmony between structure and flow
Connect with Ben Walker
Instagram | @benjoywalker
Everyone has pain. That means we all share pain in common.
Our pain is unmistakably different, but this does mean we can take solace in knowing we are all going through something together, just a few degrees different in the shade of colour.
Hughesy is well versed in this area with years of experience, including hours of compassion with myself.
A light hearted conversation with plenty of nuggets I know you’ll enjoy digesting.
A few nuggets we enjoyed together:
- Life isn’t happening to you, it’s happening for you
- Courage vs Comfort
- Using awareness to take the edge off compulsion
- Changing unconscious content to perceive life differently
- Becoming aware of our (damaging) froth state
- Fear of criticism
- The ability to meet the moment as it is and allow life to work its way through you
- Connect and embrace the journey of awakening as an individual and as a collective
Connect with Andrew
Website | www.andrewhughes.com
“When we open the truth in ourselves, we are then willing and ready to see the truth in everyone else”
Truth talk from Renske.
I don’t know about you but sometimes the truth hurts. Or is that only when we’re not ready to embrace a part of ourselves? I feel that’s the case for me, because when I’m not scared, the truth feels like I’ve remembered something blissful from a distant past. Like I heard something I forgot and someone has reminded me of a beautiful memory.
I often fear speaking the truth in fear people won’t like and/or approve of me, which then means I’m not being truthful with myself and then I’m robbing myself and others of my actual truth, which isn’t really fair on anyone.
Renske speaks from the heart and we discuss how her burnout created new opportunities, higher guidance (through practice), judging the ego, bringing the ego will & divine will together, the law of reflection, what our reactions can teach us and 'confusion' creating 'thinking'.
Connect with Renske
Website | rootshealth.nl
Instagram | renske.rootshealth
"The way we find ourselves is the way we lose ourselves"
The power of what we say and how we say it seems invaluable to me. Too often our mouths opens and we’re reacting on auto pilot or saying something for the sake of it.
What if we only spoke what we meant and truly meant what we said? Honest communication. And what if we were able to notice when we weren’t being honest with ourselves?
Jator does this as good as the best of them and the honesty is obvious in the sounds of his words. He also practices what he preaches which I aspire greatly toward.
Jator and I touch on some deep and fun topics like self exploration (as a life long concept), putting Humpty (Jator) back together again, the importance our external environment places on our internal environment (and vice versa), intuition vs instinct, relearning to trust ourselves, why we parent the way we do (and how to re-parent parts of ourselves) and learning through joyful experiences (as a pose to suffering).
Connect with Jator Pierre
Website | jatorpierre.com
YouTube | @explorejator
Instagram | jatorpierre
Emily is profound at explaining spiritual aspects in easily digestible context.
Together we delve into her pivotal moment away from suffering, the realisation that everything we want & desire is already within us, being in the body as a pose to thinking with the mind all the time, the power of attachment & the fact that nothing is permanent, making choices from an awakened state and showing up from our limitless self.
Jam packed with light and insightful words of fun.
Connect with Emily Sorensen
Website | expansionwithemily.com
Instagram | expansionwithemily
Spotify | Spirit Sounds by Sati
We all go through tough times, I think we need them to build our fortitude and integrity. How we come out of the other side is the important part in how we progress with the rest of life
There are thousands of inspirational quotes out there (and I love them all), though I believe real motivation comes from something deep inside us and I know we ALL have it.
Dougie walked the tight rope and his lessons there have made him the passionate man he is today.
His passion we discuss on the podcast is about the gut and relationship it has to the rest of our body.
When you look after your gut, your energy, wellness, immunity etc all look out for you. Don’t look after your gut and unfortunately poo things happen.
Dougie and I discuss how we relive our choices, how our gut talks to the rest of the body, where gut issues come from, his approach to gut health, the poopy policeman and basic & powerful tips to a healthy gut.
Connect with Dougie Elliot on Instagram at coach_dougieelliot
I’m not sure we ‘need’ chaos in our lives, though I’m pretty confident it serves a purpose.
Challenging times, set backs, chaos and alike often approach us without warning (especially if we aren’t listening).
Either way, these moments in life are always opportunities for self discovery, growth and expansion.
A little reframing as to how we see these situations can give us a big perspective shift.
In this weeks episode, Tilly and I discuss how she bounced back from adrenal fatigue during her elite athletic career, surrender & reflection, the wonder in hindsight, owning our choices, the power of group work, the law of resonance, my rushaholic confession, the pain teacher and the beautiful unknown void.
Connect with Tilly Coates
Website | manamovement.com.au
Instagram | manamovement_
What’s on the other side of ‘the edge’?
No one really knows, BUT I do know the temptation to explore that other side is deep within us all. Usually scary and yet always what we need it to be (even if we can’t see it at the time), this seeking mentality is apart of us, why we humans are where we are in the grand scheme.
My wise friend Cameron Ashley is aware of this edge and why it can be so daunting to move toward it.
You probably won’t hear a man more grounded and humble.
In this episode of the podcast we touch on trauma as separation from our deeper being (and closing the gap through therapy), the H.E.A.L method Cam uses, how to love our imperfections, holistic living, releasing repetitive cycles, the law of resonance and the wisdom available in our addictions, control & behaviour.
A mentor and inspiration, someone I’m truly grateful for getting to share with you.
Turn on, tune in and start to loosen your grip.
Connect with Cameron Ashley
Website | https://www.camashley.com/
Instagram | @cam_ashley_
Walking Talking Love. A gracious term my brother Sean shared with me on our podcast together and something I believe we can all aspire toward.
Sean does what he loves and loves 'being' it.
Other than walking the talk, we also discussed how to move through fear, trusting ourselves, allowing (instead of forcing) things to happen, a potential future for coaches, becoming aware of our ego and dabbling in the dark side.