Sitting Ninjas vs. Couchless Samurais - Katy Bowman #41

Biomechanist Katy Bowman joins us for a lesson in movement. While many of us think of movement as our 30-60 minute daily exercise session, Katy says it's what we do the rest of the time that counts. You will come away from this interview with a new outlook on your home and office habitat, and I hope it inspires you to make some positive changes to your environment! After talking with Katy, I got rid of my couch the next day...just sayin'...

Episode Breakdown:

  • Exercise vs movement
  • Olympic sitters
  • Flaccid Fin Syndrome
  • Arterial plaque explained
  • Furniture-free living
  • Switching from normal shoes to barefoot shoes
  • How to build natural movement patterns
  • Tour of Katy’s furniture-free home
  • From pulling bows to asdfghjkl; — decreased hand use of modern humans
  • Standing is the new sitting
  • Where to find Katy’s work

Developing Our Grief Intelligence - Darcy Harris, PhD #40

Dr. Darcy Harris is an expert on the grieving process, and in this interview, she explains how to be present in your own personal grief, as well as with someone who is grieving. Most of us have experienced grief in one way or another in our lives, and Darcy's therapeutic words can help us to understand how to embrace it and even allow it to deepen our experience in life.

Episode Breakdown:

  • The grief process
  • What is thanatology?
  • Recognition of mourning
  • Implications of not directly interacting with death
  • Terror management theory
  • Speed dating for death
  • How to be with someone in grief
  • Planning for loss
  • Reproductive loss
  • Deepening our experiences through grief
  • Where Darcy draws inspiration
  • Grief and emoting
  • Misconceptions about the grieving process
  • Darcy gives you an assignment
  • The power of positive thinking doesn’t stop the fact that we die

The Death of Domestication & the Birth of the New Aboriginal - Arthur Haines #39

In my final Dispatch conversation with Arthur Haines (not to worry...Arthur will continue to join us on ReWild Yourself! podcast!), we discuss the death of Homo sapiens domestico fragilis and traverse the vast spectrum of ReWilding.

Episode Breakdown:

  • The extinction of indigenous humans
  • What is the ReWilding mindset?
  • The vast spectrum of ReWilding
  • Immersion in nature for better health
  • How to best spend 30 minutes in nature
  • Bringing wildness into your gut flora
  • Raising the next generation of ReWilders

The 4 Stories We Tell Ourselves About Death - Stephen Cave #38

In this episode of ReWild Yourself! podcast, I have a fascinating conversation with Stephen Cave — author of internationally acclaimed book "Immortality: The Quest to Live Forever and How It Drives Civilization" — about death and why we fear it. He elaborates on the "4 stories we tell ourselves about death" from his popular TED talk.

Episode Breakdown:

  • First experiences with death
  • Other species’ relationship to death
  • Immortality projects
  • The “elixir” story
  • The “resurrection” story
  • The “soul” story
  • Science and the immortality quest
  • The “legacy” story
  • How to cope with death denial
  • Stephen’s thoughts on the “zombie apocalypse” heroism over death
  • What it’s like to work in the death field
  • Stephen’s new projects

Grave Matters and Green Burials - Mark Harris #36

In this episode of ReWild Yourself! podcast, Mark Harris — author of Grave Matters — gives us an introduction to the green burial movement. He explains the many ways in which green burial is a better alternative to traditional modern burial practices.

Episode Breakdown:

  • History of green burial
  • The invasive process of embalming
  • Purpose of modern day embalming
  • Impact of having less interaction with the dead
  • The burial vault
  • Green cemeteries 
  • Mark’s personal burial plans
  • How green burial works
  • The green burial movement
  • Mark’s mission

The Ecstatic Hormonal High of Childbearing - Dr. Sarah Buckley #35

Dr. Sarah Buckley — GP/family physician, author of the best selling book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering and mother to four home-born children — shares her passion for natural childbirth and the "beginning of the great love affair" between mother and child. She takes us through the hormonal physiology of childbearing from pregnancy to after birth.  

Episode Breakdown:

  • Wisdom vs. science
  • Sarah’s history with childbirth
  • Some of the differences between hospital births and home births
  • Healthy birth pathways
  • The stresses of Caesarean sections
  • Why some stress is good for you
  • The beginning of the great love affair
  • The pleasure hormones between mothers and babies
  • Alter-native
  • Unique altered state of birth
  • What happens after birth
  • Importance of skin-to-skin contact
  • How much of our behavior is affected by our beginning
  • Sarah’s natural birth membership website

Dying Wise in a Death Phobic Society - Stephen Jenkinson #34

I was humbled by my conversation with Stephen Jenkinson, teacher, author, storyteller and founder of the Orphan Wisdom School. This, my friends, is a very powerful interview. Stephen will make you re-think everything you thought you knew about dying.

Episode Breakdown:

  • How to come to terms with death
  • The hallmarks of "dying badly"
  • What "dying well" looks like
  • The consequences of being kept away from ground zero of human mortality
  • We live our lives as if dying is the annihilation of life
  • Considering “after-life"
  • Understanding that your death does not belong to you
  • A disconnection from our ancestors
  • Learning from death

Turning Tragedy into Gold - Evan Strong #33

It was a such pleasure to talk with Evan Strong — a professional skateboarder and Paralympic Gold Medalist with an amazing survival story. Evan shares some profound insights on "getting into the zone" and achieving peak performance states when competing in extreme sports.

Episode Breakdown:

  • Evan tells us a bit about his history and current endeavors
  • The life of an Olympian
  • Altered states in extreme sports
  • The true nature of competition
  • Prepping for competition
  • What does it look and feel like to be “in the zone”
  • Evan shares his survival story
  • How Evan coped with losing his leg
  • Living your truth

The Blueprint of Human Violence - Rory Miller #32

In this episode of ReWild Yourself! podcast, I talk with Rory Miller — author of Mediations on Violence — about the human violence blueprint. We debunk some of the most common misconceptions about violence and self defense.

Episode Breakdown:

  • The Violence Taboo
  • Why are humans so afraid of violence?
  • The Violence Threshold
  • Common misconceptions surrounding violence
  • Misconceptions about law enforcement
  • The unknowns vs. creating your own reality
  • Levels of security
  • Scenarios of violent situations
  • Rory’s top tips for human survivability
  • Awareness makes your life richer
  • Nature vs. nurture

Silver for Financial Survival - David Morgan #31

In this episode of ReWild Yourself! podcast, I talk with David Morgan — widely recognized analyst in the precious metals industry — on how to get started investing in silver for financial survival.

Episode Breakdown:

  • Health above wealth
  • What is money?
  • The decline of the US dollar
  • How David became interested in silver
  • The many uses of silver
  • Price disparity between gold and silver
  • How to get started investing in silver
  • Silver preparedness 
  • Unique storage ideas for the small silver investor

Doomsday Prepping vs Nature Literacy - Michael Douglas #30

Michael Douglas — founder of Maine Primitive Skills School — joins us to discuss doomsday prepping versus nature literacy. He gives us some great tips to tune into our wild nature and reconnect to the landscape.

Episode Breakdown:

  • Mike’s experience on Doomsday Preppers
  • What is survival?
  • Stages of growth in survival
  • Our modern attention disorder
  • Tending the landscape
  • How does the modern person reconnect to the landscape?
  • Boredom is a sign of a weak mind
  • Simple trick for instantly tuning in to your innate wildness

Ancestral Survival Skills - Arthur Haines #29

Arthur Haines is back on the podcast to discuss ancestral survival skills. We talk about the history of these natural human skills, as well as how the modern feral human can master these skills today.

Episode Breakdown:

  • What does it look like to surthrive using primitive skills
  • How to learn primitive skills
  • Eating 100% wild foods — is it possible?
  • The bow
  • Shelter
  • How many people does it take to sustainably surthrive in nature
  • Arthur’s personal water strategy
  • Indigenous peoples’ water strategies
  • History of human fire use
  • How to create friction fire
  • How important is fire to surviving in a natural landscape?
  • Learning recipes vs learning concepts

Primal Self Defense - Tony Blauer #28

Tony Blauer — a pioneer in Combatives and self defense training — discusses primal self defense and offers some excellent reasons on why you should learn how to defend yourself from predatory violence.

Episode Breakdown:

  • How Tony became interested in self defense
  • Consentual dualing vs predatory violence
  • Why “the pacificist” needs to learn this
  • How long it takes to learn to defend yourself
  • Indignation energy
  • Startle-flinch response
  • Compliant vs non-compliant opponent

Natural Navigation - Tristan Gooley #27

In this episode of ReWild Yourself! podcast, Tristan Gooley — author of The Natural Navigator — gives us some wonderful insights into using natural navigation in both natural and urban settings.

Episode Breakdown:

  • Tristan’s adventures across the Atlantic Ocean
  • Using clues from nature to navigate
  • How to navigate when you’re in a foreign city
  • 3 ways to navigate using migratory birds
  • How to orient yourself under a forest canopy
  • What to do when you get lost
  • GPS technology: friend or foe?
  • About his book and courses

Dispatch 7 Reflections - Daniel Vitalis #26

In this stream-of-consciousness rant, I break down the main skills we need to learn to be fit for the 3 main environments: wild, urban and virtual.

Episode Breakdown:

  • Fit for what?
  • Being fit for the 3 main environments: wild, urban and virtual
  • The Glyph explained
  • Earth | Food Foraging
  • Water | Water Gathering
  • Air | Shelter Building
  • Fire | Fire Starting
  • Human Self Defense
  • First Aid
  • Awareness

The Bufo Alvarius Toad and 5-MeO-DMT - Dr. Gerardo Sandoval Isaac #25

It was an honor to talk with Dr. Gerardo Sandoval Isaac — doctor, gynecologist, medicine-man and ambassador for the Bufo alvarius toad — about the best ways to harvest and experience the Bufo alvarius toad venom and 5-MeO-DMT.

Episode Breakdown:

  • Dr. Gerry’s first entheogenic experiences
  • What happens in a shamanic sacred mushroom ceremony
  • Importance of letting go during entheogenic experiences
  • The Bufo alvarius toad
  • How to harvest and consume the Bufo alvarius toad venom
  • 5 most common effects of smoking 5-MeO-DMT
  • How and why the body produces DMT
  • Entheogenic homework
  • Message from the Bufo alvarius toad
  • How to prepare yourself before you experience the toad
  • How you can help to protect the Bufo alvarius toad

The Teacher Plants - Arthur Haines #24

Arthur Haines joins us on the podcast to discuss the missing nutrient in our diets: entheogens! He talks about entheogen use in hunter-gatherer societies and tells us a little about his own personal experiences with these sacred plant medicines.

Episode Breakdown:

  • A bit about Arthur’s background
  • How Arthur was introduced to psychoactive plants
  • Being a credible witness
  • Entheogen use in hunter-gatherers
  • Spiritual realm vs the scientific realm
  • Arthur’s personal entheogenic experiences
  • Entheogens are endogenous compounds
  • Entheogens were called “teacher plants” by indigenous tribal leaders for a reason
  • The missing nutrient in our diet?
  • Using entheogens to deal with death trauma
  • Arthur describes his sacred experience with Saguaro Cactus
  • Discerning tips for working with a shaman

Dispatch 6 Reflections - Daniel Vitalis #23

In this stream-of-consciousness rant, I reflect on Dispatch 6 of ReWild Yourself! magazine.

EPISODE BREAKDOWN:

  • Influenza season
  • Who really uses psychoactive medicines
  • Using entheogens to awaken spirituality | Hallmark card spirituality
  • Realizing that plants and animals are not our “resources"
  • Death simulator
  • The blurry line of food and drugs
  • The shaman path
  • Getting into the right state and space when experiencing entheogens

Using Entheogens to Free Our Minds from Cultural Conditioning - Nora Gedgaudas #22

I'm thrilled to have Nora Gedgaudas — author of the international best-selling book, Primal Body, Primal Mind: Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life — back on ReWild Yourself! podcast to talk entheogens.

Episode Breakdown:

  • Traditional native entheogen use
  • Holotropic Breathwork
  • Recreational experience vs meaningful spiritual experience
  • We have an interconnected network of specific receptors that seem to illicit different types of consciousness
  • Entheogen help for PTSD
  • What does the future of shamanism look like?
  • Controlling drug use is controlling consciousness
  • Entheogen use can give you the state change that “stuff” cannot 
  • Legality of entheogens
  • Effects of marijuana use on the brain
  • Psychedelics help de-condition us from our cultural values
  • Let medicine be thy food

Hunting Magic Mushrooms and DMT in South America - Dennis McKenna #21

In this episode of ReWild Yourself! podcast, Dennis McKenna — an ethnopharmacologist who has studied plant hallucinogens for over forty years — explains what happens when psychedelics are in our systems and recounts some of his fascinating adventures with his brother Terence McKenna in South America hunting psilocybin mushrooms and DMT.

Episode Breakdown:

  • What is ethnopharmacology?
  • Merging science and the spiritual
  • The spectrum of food and medicine in tribal cultures
  • What happens when psychedelics are in our system
  • Seretonin upgrades
  • Psychedelics bring the background to the foreground
  • Plant vs synthetic drugs
  • Adventures with his brother Terence McKenna in South America hunting mushrooms and DMT
  • A nutrient deficiency causing reductionist and materialistic world view