Thought Garden - Personal Growth In Nature
By Rachel Woods
An allotment of rich thinking, coaching, sharing, discussing and debating. Lessons from nature which has much to teach us. Ponderings from inspiring humans who have much to share.
Thought Garden - Personal Growth In NatureAug 03, 2020
Clowning ... Seriously.
Angie Wakeman is a former Nurse and Steiner Teacher. Her 3 adopted children paved her way to finding clowning, where she discovered her own need for playfulness and freedom. Having trained as a clown facilitator, she went on to facilitate Clowning workshops for medical students at the University of East Anglia for a number of years.
Her interest in clowning is only really to do with love; which in essence she sees as the freedom to be ourselves, which turns out to be funny and beautiful, or not at all funny, but still beautiful.
Take notice of the world with eyes of innocence wonder awe and reverence. In this strong relationship, your inner world meets the mystery and invites you to play.
It doesn’t matter what you look like in clowning, it matters more how you feel.
Find Angie at www.clowns-truly.com and connect with her on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-wakeman-596754212/
From Striving to Thriving
Having worked as a sign language interpreter for many years and experienced stress and burn-out, Robyn decided to research ways in which we can support ourselves to let go of striving and instead begin to thrive.
I love both what Robyn has to say and how she says it, a soft Northern Irish lilt that is calming and soul soothing. We talk meta-consciousness, grief, the irony of sweet treats as rewards and the power of time in the presence of horses.
Robyn mentioned the following books which are worthwhile for further reading
- When the Body Says No by Gabor Maté
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Find Robyn on the following links
https://www.facebook.com/Equenergy
https://www.instagram.com/equenergy/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/equenergy/
If you have a thought to plant and want to join me on Thought Garden, apply by contacting me on the below email
rachel@coachinnature.co.uk
Stress-Busting with John Freeman
John Freeman calls himself the Stress Buster and he's on a mission. A mission to prove that our priority should always be to feed our spirit - and everything else simply takes care of itself!
He helps his clients turn stress & anxiety into a life of positive choices & freedom.
I didn't initially agree with John's assertion that stress should not be tolerated or accepted as normal, until we got clear on how we were each defining it. Labels matter!
About John and key links:
Speaker; Author of Vivid Visualisation: Success without Stress; Creator of the world's most effective meditation recordings; Founder (and Headmaster) of The Thriving School; Rapid stress & anxiety 1-1 recovery programs; THRIVE! a 12-week program to break free of unconscious programming and take charge of your life.
The Food Chain - Connecting Food and Mental Health
Dana Chapman is a Nutritional Therapist with a bachelors degree in Nutrition Science, she specialises in mental health, as it is an area that fascinates here where so many of the bodily systems are involved.
Dana is extremely well qualified and shares openly here how the foods we eat can impact our mental health. Healthy gut, healthy brain? Listen here and if you want hear more visit Dana's website and subscribe to her fascinating newsletter.
Find Dana at www.dc-nutrition.co.uk
Facebook: DC Nutrition https://www.facebook.com/DC-Nutrition-109061997319132
Instagram: dchapersnutri
Ease and Impact - the Nature Connection
I'm dallying with the competition! Shock horror. So yes, we are in the same business but with a shared mission to connect humans with nature for the good of the planet (or at least the bits we have some influence over) it's a collaboration of mutual interest. So who is it?
He's an Associate Certified Coach and Chartered Environmentalist. Now Director of The Natural Coaching Company, Founding Partner at The Human Nature Partnership and Chair of Brighton & Hove Building Green. Oh yes and work with a government agency (although I'm not sure which one - could he be an environmental bond?)
He recently published the book ‘Being in Nature - 20 practices to help you flourish in a busy world’ with his business partner Lee Evans, and spoke at TEDx Aston on the subject of Nature Coaching with Diana Tedoldi of The Nature Coaching Academy.
Living with his family in Brighton, and somewhat obsessed with surfing and music. It's James Farrell.....
To find out more about James and his work - here's some handy links. Also if you want to check out the book, it would make a fab gift.
‘Being in Nature’ book - 10% off for listeners, with code ‘NatureConnect’
Https://natureconnectionbooks.com
Coaching and training
Https://naturalcoachingcompany.com
Consulting
Https://humannaturepartnership.com
When Biophilia and Feng Shui Meet
I last spoke with Maureen Calamia in 2020, her love of nature and her passion for biophilic design is truly infectious. We never really got to talking about her work in Feng Shui and how she combines this.
Maureen truly is a thought leader and is a sought-after speaker on transforming spaces and clients lives through the inspiration of nature, biophilic design, and feng shui. She is author of Creating Luminous Spaces (Conari Press 2018) and offers consulting, coaching and training for business and residential clients. Maureen empowers others to discover and nourish their True Nature in their inner and outer spaces.
Find her on Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureen-k-calamia-11949b2/
or her Youtube Channel at https://www.youtube.com/user/luminousspaces
For the advice we offer at the end of this recording, drop me a line in the first instance to rachel@coachinnature.co.uk and I will answer or pass to Maureen for a response.
In the meantime, enjoy🌿
The Nature of HR - what drove me out and what's drawn me back
HR teams are awesome, often the unsung heroes in an organisation. Dealing with everything from serious and complex employee relations cases, union discussions and restructures to births, marriages and deaths.
I loved my role in HR until I started to resent it. One particularly unpleasant episode shook my faith in human nature and was the final straw for my HR career - I had already started to feel the pull of something else and this was the sign I needed to move on.
After steering clear for a bit, I've been drawn back in a very different way. Have a listen and do get in touch and tell me what you think.
For more news and views on HR topics and support available I have a monthly newsletter just for you which can be subscribed to here
The Whole Caboodle - from Wildness to Wisdom
Glenn has over 30 years experience raising funds for charity and leading fundraising teams.
For the past 5-years his mentoring and consultancy business, Caboodle Fundraising fundraising has supported some of the biggest and some of the smallest charities in the UK.
Glenn shares how an alcohol fuelled evening and a trip to Bangladesh shifted his focus away from substance misuse and towards volunteering and subsequently working in the voluntary sector. Apologies for my little swear in the middle, where I mishear Glen completely!
To find out more about Glenn and Caboodle Fundraising visit http://www.caboodle-fundraising.com/ or follow and connect with him directly on Linkedin via https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennoakes/
Sound and Music with Jon Paget
Jon's background in the performing arts, opera and voice work has put him in a great position to offer the most wonderful parody songs and original works.
We talk about how music inspires and hits us humans directly in the feels. With the festive season approaching, we discuss our favourite seasonal tunes and also the power of parody songs.
I'd never thought of giving a song as a gift... yet it could be one of the most meaningful and personal ideas ever.
Take a listen - watch out for the parody of Thriller, capturing the excitement of Zoom calls!
Looking for a truly original gift, try www.jonpagetvocals.com
Photos, Presents and PEA....
Thought Garden is delighted to host Claire Victoria Bishop. Founder of "Rewild the Frame".
Re-wilding brand photography to showcase our true relationship with nature and the positive stories of living in harmony with our natural world.
Claire is a natural light photographer and passionate about all things nature - you, me, others, our planet and the simple beauty of the natural world all around us.
Working with purpose driven, nature centric business owners and sustainability professionals, Claire helps them create imagery that connects with their audience and showcases their story with ease and beauty.
Away from running a business, she lives in South Gloucestershire with her husband, four gorgeous boys and their dog, Bruce.
Loving the outdoors and one of her favourite places to be is by the sea. She can often be found walking through the fields with the family or on the side of the rugby pitch.
"Nature is an inspirational place to spend our time and I feel most at home when I am immersed in the natural world"
Nature of the New. From Resumes to Rings (Well Hoops!)
This time I speak with Rebecca Pay from Pay for Precision, a CV writing, job search support business. We talk about the challenges and solutions CV writing offers along with the upcoming launch of her book which is packed full of content - way beyond the resume.
The book launches on Sunday 17th October and will be available on Amazon. To find out more follow Rebecca on Linked in at https://www.linkedin.com/in/payforprecision/ if you're quick you might be able to join the launch event on Linkedin Live!
How do you say Naturopathy and what is it?
Naturopathy has been on my radar for some time, for me it seemed to fall in the realm of pseudoscience and I wanted to test my assumptions.
Boy was I wrong.
There are elements that are more in the spiritual / holistic realm but just because science has yet to focus on them, it doesn't mean they are without merit.
Caroline beautifully and credibly explains her brand, her work and, let me tell you, this lady has studied and qualified herself deeply.
Have a listen and decide for yourself.
Nature's Impact - with Ruth Kudzi
Join Ruth Kudzi and I as we talk of our time as country mice, a love of both nature and of the city and the options coaches have, when they want to play a part in the climate conversation.
Ruth is CEO of Optimus Coach Academy, award winning, MCC with the ICF, author and podcaster. Ruth offers training that enables coaches to blossom not only as practitioners but also as business owners.
She also shares my love of nature.
Find Ruth here:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruthkudzi/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/optimuscoachacademy/
https://www.instagram.com/ruthkudzi
https://www.instagram.com/optimuscoachacademy/
To find out more about the Coaching Diploma offered by Optimus join an information session next Monday 9th August at 20:00 GMT
https://join.optimuscoachacademy.com/info-sessionvitkjmma?fpr=rachel-52
Getting Serious about Laughter - with Pete Cann
You may be surprised at the serious side to Pete's business as we talk, laugh and share the benefits of a good laugh for mind, body and business.
The Laughter Man, Pete Cann is on a fun-filled mission to bring the positive benefits of laughter to the world. Since discovering Laughter Yoga, Pete has transformed his business and family life and now wants to share his infectious secrets and get the planet laughing along with him.
You’ll find Pete, his trademark red hat and his happy vibe on the following channels;
5 Day Challenge - Opt In - Canned Laughter (petecann.com)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/thelaughterman/
https://www.instagram.com/petecannthelaughterman/
https://www.facebook.com/thelaughterman
Thinking While Walking - Reflections on the Pacific Crest Trail with Martin Bunzl
Martin Bunzl is a retired professor of philosophy who spent 40 years teaching at Rutgers, New Jersey and now focuses on the intersection of philosophy and environment, with a special interest in climate change. His book is an enlightening, insightful exploration of the human-nature dynamic.
Well worth a read.
Follow Martin's work on Medium, at www.mbunzl.com and read his insightful book 'Thinking While Walking', available at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com in hard copy and on Kindle.
A walk on the not so wild side
Green spaces aren't always available to us all so how might we forge a greater connection with nature in the absence of nature?
Well, Mrs N is never completely absent, she finds a way and if we look hard enough there are lessons in resilience, persistence and determination to be taken from dandelions, spiders and creeping ivy.
Rainy days and the news we choose
Can you hear when I'm smiling? Starting from a minor funk, a smidgen of the political, a touch of Mrs N but mainly some questions for you to ponder.
What you are drawn to in your newsfeeds? What are you being fed? Thoughts of the little things that lift our moods and the stuff you talk about that makes you smile as you speak.
13 (ish) minutes of musing for a better mood.
Freestyling into 2021 with purpose
The most unstructured, experimental podcast yet. Some useful points to ponder, a good dose of nature's influence during 2020 and posing a thought to take you forward and through 2021 whatever it may bring.
I'm open to guests for 2021, all things coaching, nature, human nature or even just off the wall interesting. If you are keen to cut your teeth with a safe (small audience) friendly podcast - give me a shout.
Inner Child, our nature and the magic of puppets
Tom Balmont and I talk and giggle our way through his work and the magic that puppets have over our own nature. Tom was a globetrotting street performer and comic until the Corona virus hit. He now runs On The Other Hand, a puppet marketing company.
Working with companies to bring brands alive through the medium of humour and puppets.
You can follow him on LinkedIn to see his latest works and videos or email him directly at tombalmonttalks@gmail.com
The power of nature and a band of brothers
Kyle Dumka, transformational coach and I talk nature, life and his involvement with an inspiring group that supports disenfranchised young men on a turning point in their lives.
Kyle has deeply held beliefs in the healing power of nature, and of how we can engage in different conversations, thoughts and ideas whilst immersed in the outdoor world.
Kyle has volunteered for the last 2 years with A Band of Brothers, a remarkable organisation which provides ‘rights of passage’ and mentoring programmes for young men who have found themselves entangled in the criminal justice system.
Kyle currently practices online, through walk and talk phone calls and in various wild locations throughout Sussex.
The one where I use the C word
I promise this is safe for work!
Ponderings as usual on nature and our relationship with the eponymous Mrs N along with some thoughts on what we can do and that climate action needs to be spoken about differently to affect movement.
Fungi, Worms and Assumptions
Thought garden is more to sow seeds for you to ponder than to give you answers to take away. This episode is eclectic but with a point, a point about the things we assume rightly or wrongly. I make no apology for any bad puns it contains
Whatever the Weather
How do you feel about the shift in the seasons?
In the doghouse - what we should learn from Human's best friend
Inspired by those I am a slave to and share my home with. There are many lessons I have learned from my dogs. Like how to relax with intent for example. Each day is a masterclass of living in the moment and rebuking vanity in favour of fun and freedom
How and why nature matters in coaching
Join me where I outline the benefits nature can bring to coaching. Whether you are a coach or you are seeking coaching. I outline the benefits, the power of nature in metaphors and why these things resonate so well with the human psyche. A growing take on coaching practice that is worth consideration.
Ponder when you wander
Ponder while you wander encourages you to dial up your attention while walking, or sitting in natural spaces. Using all of your senses to take in things you experience everyday and maybe notice something new
Welcome to Thought Garden
Welcome to the Thought Garden. A place to pause and to ponder. To recognise and celebrate nature and the impact gifted to use as human beings by the natural world. Join me as I wonder about the health benefits of the great outdoors both for mind and body. Also as I explore the physiological, neurological and spiritual side of nature lovers.