Claim OwnershipMountain Whispers
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© Copyright 2025 Tim Stewart
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Conversations on the deeper lessons we learn from the outdoors.
Tim Stewart speaks to athletes, authors, philosophers, and leaders about their adventures outdoors and the lessons they have brought back with them.
We explore topics such as flow states, consciousness, fear, risk, and death, and how all of these come together to provide us with meaning and wisdom.
Tim Stewart speaks to athletes, authors, philosophers, and leaders about their adventures outdoors and the lessons they have brought back with them.
We explore topics such as flow states, consciousness, fear, risk, and death, and how all of these come together to provide us with meaning and wisdom.
36 Episodes
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Matthew Duffy (Duffy) is a myco-poet, writer, musician, and cultural alchemist. From 2018-2023, Duffy was instrumental in making Denver the first city to decriminalize psilocybin mushrooms, and later making Colorado the first state to fully decriminalize psilocybin and other entheogenic plants.We explore the initiation Duffy went through that led to this calling, as well as the trials and tribulations that followed it.Through it we discuss mythopoetics, human development, and what it means to wake up, grow up and show up.You can find more of Duffy at:Duffy's substack: Our Will to Live (OWL)Duffy's instagram @mycelial_mischiefDuffy's interview on Life's a Festival PodcastLinks to dive deeper on the people/topics discussed:Stephen Jenkinson Interview: Elderhood: Coming Of Age In Troubled TimesJoanna Macy interview: On the World as Love and SelfYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Meghan Walla Murphy is a wildlife ecologist, educator, and guide who helps people remember their ancestral kinship with the more-than-human world.In this conversation we move between the wisdom of elephant seals and bears and the ecosystems we share with them, experiments in wilderness solitude and animal tracking as a path to remembering.Links mentioned in the conversation:Meghan's fundraiser to Help Kalahari Bushmen Keep Their Indigenous Wisdom AliveMeghan's websiteArticle on The river that came back to life: a journey down the reborn KlamathYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Here I sit down with existential psychologist Dr. Alex Sielaff to explore how our awareness of death subtly shapes everything, from our beliefs and identities to our relationships and search for meaning. We dive into Terror Management Theory, peak states of consciousness, and the ways adventure, discomfort, and integration can help us live more fully in the face of mortality.It’s a conversation about fear, freedom, and the quiet power of choosing presence over certainty.You can contact Alex via email at sielaff@arizona.eduSome of the references discussed in this conversation are:The Denial of Death by Ernest BeckerRude Awakening: Perils, Pitfalls, and Hard Truths of the Spiritual Path by P.T. MistlbergerRobert Anton Wilson's idea of Maybe Logic for holding multiple worldviews at the same timeYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Rob Ó Cobhthaigh is a former elite whitewater kayaker turned psychotherapist and psychedelic facilitator. He's run some of the most intense waters in the world and completed exploratory first descents in rivers of Iran and Norway. After retired from whitewater, Rob shifted to the exploration of inner realms, training as a psychotherapist as well as in the Celtic shamanic tradition. He now leads psychedelic retreats in Amsterdam and Costa Rica with his organization inwardbound.nl. Links mentioned in this episode:Rob's article on Risk in Whitewater Kayaking: In the Eye of the StormThe Irish Centre for Celtic Shamanic StudiesYou can learn more about Rob's work at inwardbound.nl or robocobhthaigh.comYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Peter Chrzanowski is an extreme skiing pioneer and Sea to Sky legend. He has atleast 18 ski-mountaineering first descents to his name, including Wedge, Mount Currie, Atwell, Serratus, and Mount Waddington and has also directed or produced 19 ski, paragliding, or action sport movies since the 80's many of which are credited with bringing big mountain, extreme skiing to the level of popularity it is at today. We chat about his life of adventure, how he deals with fear, what he's learned from having more brushes with death than one could imagine, and much more.You can purchase Peter's book I Survived Myself on Amazon here.Links mentioned:A clip from Peter's movie: The North Face: Seven Years on Mount RobsonRecommended film: K2 The Impossible DescentYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Dom Francks is a modern day renaissance man, having honed his craft at everything from elite golf, to climate tech, to outdoor leadership.The current expression of this craft is Vivify, a transformative journey for adventurous professionals and leaders. It blends 4 months of online leadership coaching with a unique 8-day off-trail backpacking expedition in the High Sierra. In our conversation we go deep on how one can create transformative spaces in the time they spend outdoors, and more importantly, how one can use these peak states to ultimately be of greater service to those around us.You can find links to go deeper on some of the topics here: Dom's piece on Ritual vs DisciplineJosh Schrei's The Emerald Podcast: Animism is Normative ConsciousnessJosh Schrei's The Emerald Podcast on Ecological Grief: I Wish It Could Have Been Another WayThe Great Simplification | Film on Energy, Environment, and Our Future | FULL MOVIEDom's piece on The “Spiritual Infrastructure” of ClimateDom is offering $500 off this May's Vivify program for listeners of Mountain Whispers. To inquire, follow this link.You can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Lauren Bond is a wilderness guide and founder of The River's Path, offering canoe journeys for deep connection and personal transformation.We explore what is actually means to foster deeper connection to the more than human world and how one can access these subtle states of consciousness.We dive deep into how Lauren facilitates this experience in a group setting, as well as how confronting fear and opening yourself to synchronicity are key parts of moving in these spaces.Links mentioned in the conversation:Neuroscientist David Eagleman explaining "The Umwelt"Lauren's upcoming trips at The River's PathYou can find more of Lauren at The River's Path link above. You can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
In this episode Fletcher joins us again to pick up where we left off in Episode 20. We dive deeper into the practice of cultivating intimacy with the more than world through exploring:Connecting to your local bio-region and seeing it like a "Kin-dom"Ancestor practices - paying homage to those who came before us by understanding how they interacted with flora and faunaThe power of animal tracking and pilgrimage as a way to connect and transformLinks mentioned in the conversation:The Emerald Podcast episode: Animism is Normative ConsciousnessKumano Kodo Pilgrimage route in JapanYou can learn more about Fletcher's upcoming programs here, or find some of his music here.You can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Jon Turk is the quintessential example of someone who has lived a life of adventure and consistently stayed open to let vivid experiences shape him. He's been named a Top Ten Adventurer of the Year by National Geographic for feats including kayaking around Cape Horn and across the North Pacific from Japan to Alaska, to mountain biking across the northern Gobi in Mongolia, as well as numerous first ski descents and first rock climbing ascents around the globe.What's even more captivating is the depth of his introspection throughout out this. The four books he's written document the way that endurance, fear, risk, and awe has shaped his character, but also interwine the history, anthropology, and mythology of the places he's been lucky enough to adventure in.In this conversation we tease out some of these learnings to explore what it means to push adventures to the edge, while staying grounded enough to live to tell the tale. You can learn more about Jon at jonturk.net and can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Alexander Beiner is the author of the upcoming book The Bigger Picture: How Psychedelics Can Help Us Make Sense of the World and one of the founders of the Youtube channel Rebel Wisdom.Together we explore the parallels between outdoor and psychedelic modes of adventure, and more importantly, how one can integrate extreme experience in a way that helps us navigate complexity, thrive under pressure, and better practice compassion and empathy. All of these are skills that are becoming more important in a world that isn't getting any simpler.Links mentioned in the conversation:DMT: The Spirit Molecule: A Doctor's Revolutionary Research into the Biology of Near-Death and Mystical Experiences by Rick StrassmanEvolve Move Play - an organization bring participatory knowledge and wisdom from movementTrish Blain's model of four forces that shape worldviewsYou can find more of Alexander at @alexander_beiner on Instagram, or subscribe to his Substack at The Bigger Picture.You can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Tara Souch is a clinical counsellor, specialising in nature based therapy, and a wilderness guide.We chat about:Connecting to the seasons, what it looks like to use each season as a different method of introspectionTools for cultivating intimacy with the natural world as a means of discoveryThe role of Vision Fasts, ceremony, and ritual as modalities of transformationLinks mentioned in the conversation:Dragonfly Healing the of Karina StevensonSchool of Lost Borders Vision Fast programYou can find more of Tara at tarasouch.caYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Kyle Dow is a coach focused on emotional and spiritual health and wellness. A Rock-climber and seeker, Kyle is adept at exploring ones edge, both in the outdoors and in ceremonial settings.We chat about:Pushing limits in the outdoors and how it often leads to us performing at our bestFlow states and the similarities between flow states from adventure sports vs plant-medicine ceremoniesThe nuances of accessing certain states of consciousness, the role of ceremony to enable thisLinks mentioned in the conversation:Bone Games: Extreme Sports, Shamanism, Zen, and the Search for Transcendence by Rob SchultheisThe Fit for Service Program by Aubrey Marcus, Erick Godsey, and othersLSD and the Mind of the Universe: Diamonds from Heaven by Christopher M. BacheSpirit Plant Medicine Conference where Chris Bache spokeWhat even is the Umwelt Effect?You can find more of Kyle www.connectionintegration.com or on Instagram @kyle_dowYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, and connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Mike Spencer Bown has travelled to all 195 sovereign countries in the world, but done so while getting off the beaten path to pursue adventure rather than passport stamps. He also spent 86 straight days in the wilderness of the Valhalla Range of the Kootenays Mountains in BC, hunting and foraging for his sustenance.We chat about many things, including the lessons he's learned from adventure and how travel equips you for life better than formal education.On his experience in the wilderness, we chat about:The transformation of consciousness that happens after a certain amount of timeThe way the narrative self quiets down to a deep state of presenceThe warping of time and blending of waking and dream statesThe richness of the heightened state of awareness and the intuition that takes overLinks mentioned in this episode include:Mike's book The World's Most Travelled Man: A Twenty-Three-Year Odyssey to and through Every Country on the PlanetMike's website https://mikespencerbown.comMike's essay on the world's religions Jinn and Adam's RibYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Kyle Koch is movement coach and nature based facilitator, having studied at The Wilderness Awareness School in Washington, and coaching with organisations such as Evolve Move PlayIn our conversation we explore what it means to cultivate connection with the more than human world, the practice of giving our attention as a gift, and the way that these practices connect us to a wellspring of meaning, a sensation that can can feel scarce as we navigate the modern world. We also dig into the Evolve Move Play's method and how cultivating a state of play is intertwined with flow, the way that fear and risk is held in a container, and a bunch more.You can find Kyle on Instagram @trottingsparrow.Links from the show:John Vervaeke's Awakening From the Meaning Crisis SeriesBreaking the Jump: The Secret Story of Parkour's High-Flying Rebellion by Julie AngelYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Taylor Godber is a mountain athlete, entrepreneur and writer. Balancing her athleticism with a strong stillness & grounding practice, she has a lot of wisdom to share.We chat about:Going Pro, going big, and getting hurt - what it means to be conscious of your competencyManaging fear and risk in the backcountry - how one can be prepared for the worst without being psyched out + practices for regulating your nervous systemThe Art of the Send - what it means to cultivate an intention practice it sending it it past fear and doubt in all aspects of lifeThe power of community retreats for facilitating transformationLinks mentioned in the conversation:Our Breath Collective - online breath-work communityJames Nestor's book Breath: The New Science of a Lost ArtRetreat that Taylor co-foundered: thedrawout.comYou can find more of Taylor at:Instagram: @taylorgodberTaylor's website: createtravelinspire.comYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Fletcher Tucker is musician and practitioner of earth-based skills, co-founder of Wildtender, which offers immersive wilderness programs that cultivate intimacy with the natural world, connect with wisdom traditions, and nurture human wholeness.We chat about:What it means to listen to the whispers of nature, of the more than human worldThe way in which modernity has severed our connection to this worldPractices to participate and cultivate intimacy with the more than human world like reciprocity, foraging, and creating ritual spaceHow natural history is the best way to form this connection for those with a low "woo-woo threshold"The way poetry is "the liberating form of language" that allows us to best describe these spacesYou can find more of Fletcher at Wildtender and Gnome Life RecordsLinks mentioned in the conversation:The Gary Snyder quote comes from The Etiquette of Freedom essay, found in The Practice of the WildRobin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of PlantsThe Dharmanaut Circle community w Erik DavisYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Ari in the Air makes a return to the pod to tell the story of his experience competing in Expedition Oregon: America's Toughest Race."At some point, everyone in this event will seriously regret their decision to race" - Lars Bukkehave 2018 ATR winnerAri gives us a debrief on exactly what let a stuntman to test his hand at expedition racing, paints us an oil canvas of a picture on the level of suffering he inflicted on himself, and provides a glimmer of wisdom he was able to take back from the initiation.You can find more of Ari at:ariintheair.comAri in the Air Podcast@ariintheair on InstagramYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Jenn Segger is an adventure athlete, coach, and guide based in lower British Columbia.We chat about:How she broke into the professional ultramarathon and adventure racing sceneThe challenges of adventure racing and team dynamicsThe art of chasing Fast Known TimesWhy Fastpacking beats backpacking Much, much moreLinks mentioned in the conversation:Jenn's website (contact info can be found there)Hardrock 100 raceYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
Harley Rustad is the author of the new book Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas. It tells the story of Justin Alexander Shetler, American adventurer and influencer who disappeared in the foothills of the Himalayas in 2016.While the circumstances surrounding Justin's disappearance grip you like a true crime story, Harley and I explore Justin's spiritual pursuit of adventure, and the forces that drove him to take increasing risks in pursuit of spiritual breakthrough and enlightenment. This includes:Justin's unique upbringing and how it shaped how he sought adventure and meaningThe mysterious circumstances surrounding his disappearanceHow sharing adventures with the world on social media can warp intentions and risk-profileThe magnetism of the spiritual mountain top and how it can draw you into taking increased risksLinks mentioned in the conversation:Justin's Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube channels that are still liveHarley's article on Justin in Outside Magazine that inspired the bookMike Spencer Bown, the world's most travelled man, who Justin consulted about long-term wilderness survival right before his final adventureThe contemplative practice of Sit Spotting that is taught at Washington's Wilderness Awareness SchoolYou can find more of Harley at his website, on twitter, or on InstragramYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
In this episode I chat to mountain athlete, podcaster, and filmmaker Ari in the Air.Ari recently gave a talk at The Stoa on Brinksmanship, the art of finding and learning from your edge. Here we discuss the idea and some of the experiences that formed it.Along with Brinksmanship, we chat about:Flow states in the outdoors, the do's and don't's of building a practice around peak statesDeveloping a sensitivity for where your passion lies, for the information that fear conveysHow endurance sports can change the way we understand the mind-body connectionA bunch of other stuff in betweenYou can find more of Ari at https://ariintheair.com/ or on Instagram @ariintheairLinks mentioned:The book Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth GilbertThe Stoa course Beyond Self Discipline. See here for a post with some more infoBonnitta Roy, who Ari references when describing the difference between the role self and the individuated selfYou can support this podcast by leaving a review on the podcast platform you use, or connect with Tim on Instagram @timstewnz.
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