Back To The Present

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 | whiteeaglemedicinewoman Website | www.whirlingrainbow.com Free 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