Hello listeners,

I do hope you are navigating through these vibrant times with a sense of inner balance and a kindness of heart. As I'm sure we all know, that's not always possible and for a multitude of reasons we all go through periods of struggle, both inner and outer.

Whenever life knocks me off-kilter I find immense worth in making a little space for myself. Time to feel into which areas of my life may be out of balance or in need of some honest self-reflection. I ponder what actions I can take to re-calibrate such circumstances. There are many many layers and masks to both recognise and potentially remove on this journey, but simply starting the process off by acknowledging the struggle helps makes it real and brings it into conscious awareness.

In my experience, many of the common anxieties that we all face from time to time can often be traced back to our societal disconnection from the rest of the natural world. I wrote an article for Rebelle Society earlier this year on this very subject which gathered some great responses so do check that out if you feel drawn.

Right then, on with the show…. I invite you to listen and slowly absorb this wonderful conversation I had with with Rachel Corby, plant whisperer and medicine woman. It's one of my favourite episodes and I reckon there is something for everyone here in a evolving chat which moves from Rachel's introduction to Plant Spirit Medicine in South America to the current ecological crisis and our responses to it.

Reflections and thoughts are welcome via Facebook or Instagram, or contact me via the form on this website. If you enjoyed this podcast, learned something or feel suitably inspired, then please consider sharing it with your friends and social networks. I'd be most grateful.

a blessed November to you all,

Jody

CONNECT:

You can reach me via Facebook or Instagram, or send a message through the form on this website. If you enjoyed this episode, learned something or feel suitably inspired, then please consider sharing it with your friends and amongst your social networks. I'd be most grateful!

EPISODE OVERVIEW:

• Rachel introduces her work with plants
• Magical moments of realisation on the path
• Discovering Plant Spirit Medicine in South America
• Apprenticing in New Mexico with Stephen Harrod Buhner
• The transportive nature of shamanic drumming
• Meeting plant spirits through feeling
• Teacher plants and the proliferation of escapist experience
• Plant intelligence and personality
• Cultural and social contexts for the use of entheogens
• The sensory power of non-visionary plants
• Our place within the living world
• The importance of integration
• Rachel's closest plant allies and the benefits of specialising
• Defining the rewilding movement
• The importance of connecting with nature wherever you are
• Honouring the human animal
• The medicine in embracing our shadows
• Plants as keys for unlocking our traumas
• Unlearning the distrust of our own inner knowing
• Simple practices for sensory exploration with plants
• Human intelligence bias
• Thoughts on the current ecological state of our world
• Working for what you believe in vs against what you don’t
• Accessing grief through honest feeling
• Rachel's future projects and books

BACKGROUND:

Rachel Corby is a medicine woman, plant whisperer and personal rewilding coach. Since her early days spent playing on her parent's compost heap with earthworms and egg shells, she has loved being outside with a little dirt under her fingernails. She became more aware of the medicinal properties of plants whilst working in South America on various permaculture projects in the 1990s. During the same time period she was catapulted deeply into the realms of plant consciousness whilst working with a shaman in the Ecuadorian rainforest. Since that time she has worked to reconnect with all things wild and build relationships with the plants she encounters.

Rachel is the author of three books. The most recent of which is Rewild Yourself: Becoming Nature. Rachel leads workshops, retreats, apprenticeships and online mentorships encouraging people to connect with plant spirits and to reignite their own wild core.

CONNECT WITH RACHEL:

Wild Gaian Soul Website
Twitter
Facebook
Instagram

MUSIC:

Six Organs of Admittance
Drag City Records

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