Wildheart

We’re back with a brand new season of the Wildheart podcast! We’ve got some new music, a new look, and we’re ready to rewild a whole new set of words with you this spring. In this first episode we explore the theme of awakening, discuss the importance of being aware of ourself and the world around us, and emphasise the need for gentle activism and an interconnected approach to life. The conversation delves into the complexities of awakening, including the challenges and heartaches that come with it, while also highlighting the beauty and potential for growth that arises from this process. We invite you to embrace your own journeys of awakening and to let us know what this process looks and feels like for you! Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘awaken’? * It feels particularly apt with the coming of spring and the awakening of the wild world. * Alongside this there is an ongoing heaviness in the world, and a desperate need for change. In these times we need to be ‘awake’ to what’s going on around us, and to the vision of the life and society that we want to be a part of. What do we talk about? * How awakening can be impacted by seasonal change and the lunar cycle. * The process of awakening: from gentle awareness, to gentle action, to gentle activism. * Why awakening through a wild lens also means challenging the system and our societal conditioning. * Why community and self-care are both crucial to support your own awakening. Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about what it means to ‘weather’ - and especially how it can help us throughout the season of winter. Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘weather’? * January can sometimes feel like a very long month, particularly for those who struggle with aspects of winter and are longing for spring to arrive. * Even though Imbolc offers the gentle promise of spring, in reality we know that we still have most of February (and perhaps even early March) to wait before we really start to notice a tangible sense of change. * This last phase of winter can therefore feel like a bit of an endurance test, and we might find ourselves thinking more frequently about the weather (our literal environmental conditions and how they impact us), but also about the idea of weathering - making it through, coping, withstanding. * In the wild world, a key focus of winter is survival, and this can feel like a skill that’s needed in our own context too, to navigate this last part of the season. What do we chat about? * Weather as emotions, and monitoring our state of being * How weather is part of the concept of wildness and the journey of untaming * Weathering as survival, transformation and becoming * Embracing weathering as evidence of a life fully lived Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about intentions, what they mean for us (especially at this time of year), and how setting intentions is perhaps more complex than we’ve been led to believe. Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘intention’? * It connects with January’s more traditional focus on plans, ideas and visions for the year ahead * It also embodies the next seasonal shift as we look ahead to spring and anticipate the rising energy, wild growth, and sowing of seeds What do we chat about? * How intentions are process-led (not driven by an end result) * Why intentions have a heartbeat, and goals do not * Being intentional - in the sense of being thoughtful, aware, considered * What it might look like to live intentionally but also get things done! Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about what it means to ‘seek’, and how taking a wilder approach can support us to navigate the January hustle. Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘seek’? * It’s our guiding word for January on the Rewilding Wheel * The concept of seeking is connected to many of our seasonal associations for this month - the wolf, the Visionary archetype, the symbol of the north star * Seeking represents both the return of the light (illumination, clarity) in the seasonal cycle, and also the call towards direction and discovery at this point in the societal calendar year What do we chat about? * The active process of seeking (without expecting an ‘end result’) * Intentionality, dedication and devotion * Honing our wolf-like instinct and intuition, and feeling our way forward * Finding a direction, and then narrowing or refining Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about what it means to retreat, and why midwinter is the ideal time to consider what a retreat (or retreating) feels like for us. Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘retreat’? * Deep rest as a winter focus - a ‘retreat’ as a restorative experience * The inward/downward pull of midwinter in the mental or emotional sense (retreating into ourselves) * But also in the physical sense - more time indoors, layering up with clothes: these things can create a sense of withdrawing or building up a protective barrier against the outside world (retreating from the cold/dark) What do we chat about? * ‘Retreat’ as a verb - as an ongoing process to prioritise * How the idea of a micro-retreat can be helpful during busy phases * Why retreats don’t have to be big, fancy or expensive * Why it’s important to create space to retreat in your own way Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about what it means to ‘embody’, and why exploring embodiment in the winter is so powerful.Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘embody’?* As we talked about last week, winter is the season of the earth element - roots, foundations, the tangible/physical world* As we look ahead, we’re approaching Capricorn season (from the Solstice), which is an earth sign - the sun is in Sagittarius at the moment (fire sign) but we’re moving towards a more grounded energy that will carry us through the heart of midwinter* The earth element (and winter) is very much associated with the body - felt perception, lived reality, rootedness, practicality/materialityWhat do we chat about?* The importance of nourishing our bodies in the winter* An embodied approach that doesn’t neglect soul or spirit* Embodiment as living: bringing life to an idea, making something real or true in some way* How embodiment connects with animism Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we explore the process of unearthing, especially in relation to the wild self. Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘unearth’? * Winter is the season of the earth element, and autumn the season of the water element - throughout November we’ve been moving away from the swirling energy of change towards something more grounded and steady. * Now that we’ve reached December, we’re arriving into the heart of ‘earth season’ - a time to connect with our roots and our foundations. * This idea of ‘earthiness’ connects to the process of unearthing - going beneath the surface, revealing, bringing to light. What do we chat about? * Unearthing the wild self and the process of rediscovery (or remembering) * Why unearthing requires trust and faith - and how you might find both * What the unearthing process has looked like for us * Why winter is a good time for unearthing the wild self, and how you can practically begin this process Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we explore the concept of remembrance, and discuss what it means to remember the wild within. Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘remember’? * Remember, remember the 5th of November! We’re a long way past the 5th, but November always seems like a month of remembrance with this rhyme for Guy Fawkes night, Remembrance Sunday, and the lingering themes of Samhain (honouring the past, welcoming ancestral wisdom). * It’s finally getting colder now and the darkness has well and truly set in, and when we start to tangibly feel the return of winter in these ways there can be a sense that we need to remember how to navigate it - both in terms of our physical needs and routines, and our mental or emotional relationship with our inner and outer worlds. What do we chat about? * How remembering is an act of resistance or revolution * Why reconnecting with the past enriches our present * How connecting to ancient ways of being challenges societal norms * What it means to remember our wild self within Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we explore what it means to invoke - and why it can be so powerful to make this intentional choice. Why have we chosen to talk about the word ‘invoke’? * This week’s word was chosen more from a sense or feeling rather than anything specific * There is, however, something quite magical or liminal about the word, which connects with the lingering Samhain energy and the current lunar cycle What do we chat about? * The distinction between invoking and inviting * Invoking the elements - or other wild symbols - for a deeper, richer connection to the cycles and seasons * How invocation is connected to magic, reverence, respect and ritual * Why a reciprocal exchange is essential in the act of invoking Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we explore the connection between soul and spirit, the nourishment of the soul, and the impact of our actions on the more-than-human world. Why have we chosen to talk about the soul? * We think of this time of year as ‘soul season’: * Samhain is a festival of honouring the souls of the dead (and there are many other similar festivals around the world) * But more widely: the incoming darkness, the remembrance of ancestral wisdom, the pull to retreat within, the invitation to reflect and release. It’s a time of year that guides us to connect with our inner world, our sense of self, our vision of who we’re becoming and what we need or want for the next cycle through the year. What do we chat about? * The transition into winter and its invitation for reflection and preparation * How the essence of the soul is intangible and deeply personal * How soul and spirit are interconnected yet distinct concepts * What it means to nourish the soul - both for ourselves, and also kin of the wider web (that includes the more-than-human world) Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we’ve chosen to talk a little bit about how the Academy came to be, and what have been the biggest markers in our personal rewilding journeys. Why have we chosen to re-introduce ourselves? * The festival of Samhain arrived a few days ago, marking the end of one cycle through the Wheel of the Year and the beginning of another - it’s an ideal time to pause and reflect before beginning the next phase. * We’ve had lots of lovely new followers and listeners joining us since the recent release of our book (hello!) so we thought it would be helpful to share a bit more on who we are and what the Academy is all about. What do we chat about? * A little bit about ourselves and how we came to work together * What The Wild Academy actually is! * What we offer in the ecosystem of our work * Why we do this work - what we’re passionate about Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we explore the concepts of magic, joy and beauty through the lens of enchantment. Why have we chosen to talk about enchantment? * We’re coming into witching season - this is a time of year that’s strongly associated with ‘the otherworld’; with magic, mystery and phemerality. For the next few months, we’re invited to connect with our intuition and with ways of knowing and being that transcend logical thought or material presence - to feel into things, and to trust that we know how to find our way through the dark. (To believe in magic!) * In our Rewilding Wheel framework, our archetype for October is the Enchantress - the part of self that can support us with this process, and who can help us to tune into our own unique magic - our gifts, our stories, our spells. What do we chat about? * Enchantment, magic and the figure of the witch * The mythic imagination - the interconnected stories and patterns that weave through life, both around us and within us. * What it means to live an enchanted life * Enchantment as a guide to help us participate more fully in life rather than to seek ways to disconnect from it Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we celebrate 100 episodes of Wildheart podcast, alongside our usual conversation about how we can approach the word ‘honour’ with a wilder perspective. Why have we chosen to talk about honour? * To recognise and celebrate everything we’ve achieved in our work up to this point - The Wild Academy, the book, and most importantly the amazing community we’ve all built together. We’ve been so lucky to have so much support for everything we’ve been doing - all along the way, but particularly recently - and it means so much to us. So we want to share our gratitude for all of you! * In a more general sense, we’ve also chosen the word because, as we’ve been talking about recently, autumn is the season of the soul - a time to reconnect with our inner worlds and our emotions and intuition - so it’s naturally also a time when we turn back towards the idea of ‘soulfulness’ and the things that feel meaningful. * ‘Honouring’ is deeply connected to valuing, expressing and upholding meaning in this way. What do we chat about? * The different between the ‘knight in shining armour’ vision of honour, and our own wilder version * ‘Honour’ as an act or process of sacred devotion * Making and upholding promises to self - valuing ourselves and taking the time to follow through on what we say we want or need * An ecosystemic version of ‘honour’ that speaks to capacity and an interconnected view of the world Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about expression, authenticity, and being able to voice our truth. Why have we chosen to talk about expression? * As we move further into autumn, we reconnect with our soul, which invites deeper connection to our emotions and inner world * We are then faced with the process of communicating those emotions (our inner self) with the world (our outer self) in an authentic way * This kind of expression calls us to both shed or release the ‘shoulds’ or inauthentic ways of communicating, in favour of a more truthful, soulful communion What do we chat about? * Bringing what’s hidden to the surface, and making the invisible visible * The tension between our inner and outer worlds - who we are on the inside versus who we present ourselves as on the outside * Why courage is required for aligned expression * Overcoming the fear of using our voice, speaking up or sharing our true thoughts and feelings Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about what it means to wane, and why this part of the cycle is so essential to embrace in the world right now. Why have we chosen to talk about waning? * Not only is the moon currently waning as this episode goes out, but so is the energy of the season overall: our arrival at the Autumn Equinox marks the noticeable descent into the darker months and the lower energy (or at least more lunar - reflective, introspective) phase of the year * In other ways, though, this part of autumn can actually feel really full and busy (especially for us), and it can be difficult to balance that with the overall sense of slowing and fading - so we thought that tension would make it an interesting idea to explore What do we chat about? * The ongoing process of waning (rather than a one-time action) * Imagining time in a cyclical rather than linear way - the idea of waning (and waxing) emphasises the ebb and flow that is missing from the usual rigid conceptualisation of time * The important of turning inwards (reflection, introspection) * How the concept of waning helps us both as individuals, and might support you too Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about richness, and why this feels so apt right now, both in the wild world and in ourselves. Why have we chosen to talk about richness? * The season of autumn is full of richness! Think jewel-like colours (flowers, berries, fruit), hearty soups and stews, and deep orange sunsets * There’s an invitation at this time of year to ‘sink in’ to life - deepening into our inner world What do we chat about? * The abundance of harvest season, and materiality of a very different kind - a sensuousness and earthyness * The contrast between wealth and power, and this wilder version of richness * The process of enriching the quality of existence or experience * Recognising the ways in which we are rich, even if we don’t feel like it Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about gathering, the continuation of harvest season, and how / why we might welcome in a more reflective month. Why have we chosen to talk about gathering? * It’s the guiding word for September in our Rewilding Wheel framework * There is a strong association with the harvest theme that continues from August into September (and even October) - ‘gathering’ from the land * We might also think of ‘gathering in’ after the drifting of summer - reintegrating, realigning, reconnecting with our rhythms and routines What do we chat about? * Gathering as a way to help us ground and re-centre * Gathering as an act of recalibration; seeking wholeness again after the dissolving that can happen during the summer months * How the Weaver archetype encourages us to consider where our lives or our sense of self have ‘come loose’ or become knotted, and how we might work towards the process of re-weaving or untangling * Coming back to self, and actively, intentionally engaging in this process Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about the concept of the ‘edge’, and what it means to embrace this in our lives. Why have we chosen to talk about edge? * The sense of an ‘edge’ symbolises the threshold between summer and autumn * There’s a sense of blurred boundaries within ourselves at this time of year, and often we can struggle to find and hold our ‘edges’ when everything feels fluid * Autumn usually tends to bring quite a lot of reflective energy, which can cause us to push up against our edges in terms of self-exploration and self-development What do we chat about? * Outer limits and boundaries * Blurred or fluid edges vs. a hard or sharp split * Edging towards something - inching, moving gradually * The idea of using or embracing your edge; what makes you unique Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about what it means to pause and still in the liminal month of August, and in our lives. Why have we chosen to talk about lingering? * It captures the liminal feeling of August - the sense of it being a month that almost exists outside of the usual rhythm of life, when our relationship with time can often feel a bit different. * However you feel, when we look to the wild world at this time of year, there is a real sense of slowness and intention: grains, nuts, fruits, berries, seeds are all biding their time, ripening, waiting to be ready - just taking the time they need. The process can’t be rushed, it will happen when it happens - and meanwhile they’re all just existing; absorbing what they need. * Combine this all seems like an important lesson in ‘being here now’. What do we chat about? * What aspects of a season / situation we can take with us on our onward journey - what do we want to linger in the air as we move into the next phase that will be helpful or pleasurable to carry with us? * Being present in the moment and not wishing away the current phase / season * Connotations of softness, caressing - being gentle and compassionate, connecting with the senses * The value of lingering vs the stagnancy of lingering Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode we chat about the magical, golden, transformative process of alchemy. Why have we chosen to talk about alchemy? * Our seasonal symbol for August within our Rewilding Wheel framework is golden fields - gold is a colour that’s very present in the British landscape at this time of year as all the grain and grasses dry and mature, and on a breezy day the rippling movement through these fields can resemble liquid gold. * Alchemy, of course, is traditionally associated with the idea of turning base metals into gold, so it feels like a concept that is very connected to the land in this season - not only for its link to gold, but also for its essence of transformation, which is one of the key themes of autumn. * When we think of alchemy, we might also think of actions like melting, dissolving, mixing, combining - all things that are present in August. * Alchemy is also considered by some to be connected with seeking the elixir of life, and that feels relevant to the vibrant, vital Leo energy that guides us through much of August from an astrological perspective. What do we chat about?* What deep transformation really means * How and why we might chooose to transform instead of release * Holding uncertainty as part of alchemical transformation * Trusting in magic Get full access to The Seed at thewildacademy.substack.com/subscribe