Welcome to episode 53 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Sarah, an award-winning author and host of the Give a F**K podcast, who guides those seeking to reconnect with their souls creativity and Mother Nature.Sarah and I had so much fun connecting, whilst we talk about important topics, it’s done with a gentle hand and a lot of laughter, a true tonic for the soul. Sarah shares her deep love for nature which provided her with a sanctuary and place of safety as a child and which she has now returned to in later life having reached her own tipping point, or dark night of the soul. We talk about how we can’t all do everything but we can all do something, and how with this mindset we can understand the importance of community, the need for tolerance and compassion, so we avoid falling into the groves of division that are becoming deeply ingrained into our cultures, particularly when elections fuel and fan the flames.Sarah encourages us to remember that nature isn’t a place to go it is inextricably linked to us, that we need to listen to the ancient stories that Mother Earth is literally breathing into us, that are etched into our very beings. She shares the idea of considering time on a greater scale, where were we 7 generations ago, where will we be in 7 generations time, how does this shift how we view ourselves into the world and our priorities and how to move forward in respectful co-creation with the earth and each other, whilst remembering to focus on the future we want to embody rather that the fear of what we don’t want to happen.. Learn more about Sarah:I'm Sarah Woodard, fellow sensitive soul and founder of Spark Consciousness. I'm an Award-winning Storykeeper & Catalyst for Healing Humanity and Mother Earth. My role, in this lifetime, is to share the ancient human stories from when we were connected to Nature, our Souls, and Communities in ways we've long forgotten. I aim to integrate Earth's energetic and physical needs and guide mindful seekers on how to foster a mutually beneficial, harmonious relationship with Nature.Website: https://www.sparkconsciousness.net Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sparkconsciousness/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sparkconsciousnessAuthor Website: https://www.sarahwoodardauthoress.com/Give a F*k Podcast: https://www.sparkconsciousness.net/podcastSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by David Mizejewski, a Naturalist & self-confessed Nature Geek working with the National Wildlife Federation. David is a regular in the media including having presented a series on Animal Planet called Backyard Habitat that showed people how to transform their yards & gardens into spaces where nature can thrive. Together we dive into how to manage our gardens in the fall & autumn, David explains why leaving the leaves is so important, from the myriad of surprising wildlife that are dependent on the leaf litter to the benefits of reducing your environmental impact & saving yourself time & money whilst ensuring a healthier garden. To avoid overwhelm David shares Pro Tips on how to keep as many leaves as possible at home, utilising them for mulch on flower beds to composting, but also importantly reminds us to be gentle with ourselves & simply do the best we can. Gardening for wildlife is an empowering solution to the multiple crisis our environment faces & the NWF have a lot of resources to help you get involved to create a paradise for nature at home.I hope will have you looking at Autumn leaves with a whole new level of wonder. Share your pictures with David & I to celebrate stewarding your patch of the earth to ensure nature, wildlife and people can thrive #leavetheleaves. Learn more about DavidDavid Mizejewski is a naturalist, author and television presenter with the National Wildlife Federation. He holds a degree in Human and Natural Ecology from Emory University and is an expert on wildlife and our environment. He is dedicated to using his knowledge and unbridled enthusiasm to help others understand and protect the natural world. David regularly appears in the media to promote wildlife conservation. Website: https://naturalist.nwf.org/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dmizejewski Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dmizejewskiLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmizejewski/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DavidMizejewskiOctober is Leave the Leaves Month: https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Join-the-Movement/Seasonal-Initiatives/Leave-the-Leaves-MonthPro Tips: https://blog.nwf.org/2023/10/pro-tips-for-leaving-the-leavesOther Useful Resources: https://bit.ly/NBNPEpisode52Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

In this fascinating conversation Manda & I discuss the important role creatives have, at this time of emergence, to help society envision an alternative future, something we simply can’t expect our current governments or systems of power to do for us. Manda has had a truly fascinating journey & beautifully weaves all the threads of these diverse influences; growing up in a raptor rescue, becoming a veterinarian, working in the computer games industry, studying for a masters in economics alongside her deep involvement in shamanism. This is a conversation that draws on lived experience & deep considered thought & offers many resources for further exploration. Through her latest Thrutopian novel Manda manages to gently introduce us to alternative ways of existing that place us firmly back into the interconnected web of existence, avoiding the trained reflex ingrained in our trauma cultures that might trigger us to reject the possibilities. This conversation is a balm to the soul of anyone who feels cast a drift from the exploitive hierarchal society that we find ourselves in, that in Manda’s own words commodifies grief, destruction & death. Whilst she also reminds us to realise that Any Human Power that exists can by human agency be changed, it simply needs enough of us to to stop believing in the current paradigm. Manda and I invite you to join us as people that choose to stop believing there isn’t a viable alternative, that whilst the future is unknowable it also has the capacity to be incredibly exciting.  Stepping out of line is a radical act, but what might surprise you is that you wouldn’t be alone, all the ideas from Manda’s book, like global guardian governance, alternative structures of accountability & economics are already in existence, they are closer to us then we realise.Learn more about MandaManda Scott is an award-winning novelist and host of the acclaimed Accidental Gods podcast. Best known for the Boudica: Dreaming series, her previous novels have been short-listed for the Orange Prize, the Edgar, Wilbur Smith and Saltire Awards and won the McIllvanney Prize. Her latest novel ANY HUMAN POWER is a Mytho-Political thriller which lays out a Thrutopian road map to a Dlourishing future we’d be proud to leave to the generations that come after us. With degrees in veterinary medicine and a Masters in Regenerative Economics, Manda’s life is oriented towards creating radical new narratives that will pave the way to the total systemic change our culture – and our world – needs. Website: www.mandascott.co.uk/Facebook: www.facebook.com/MandaScottAuthorLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/mandascottauthor/Accidental God’s podcast: www.accidentalgods.life Instagram: www.instagram.com/accidental_gods/More Resources: https://bit.ly/NBNPEpisode51Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 50 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm excited to be celebrating this significant milestone with you all and wanted to take the time to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has joined me on the journey so far, from the incredible guests who have shared their stories and wisdom, to all of you, my beautiful listeners, this journey simply wouldn’t have been what it has without your encouragement, support and interaction with the community we are building together.When considering what to share with you all on this memorable occasion I decided I wanted to come back to the central ethos that was my why for starting this journey: Maintaining Hope!! Finding the stories, people and wisdom that would provide us with ways to maintain hope as we face the current challenges in our world and seek to find opportunities to vision and create a brighter future. I take a look back over the last 20 episodes and share some of my favourite moments and stories from the incredible guests I have been able to share with you all, from Gardening for Wildlife and Holistic health to Sacred activism, Active Hope and journeying upstream to understand the Worldviews that currently dominant the way we experience the world, it has been a truly fascinating journey that has opened both my mind and my heart and left me forever changed by the stories and wisdom I have experienced alongside you all. I leave you with the reminder that we are more powerful than we imagine and encourage you to take action no matter how small it feels, everyone and everything truly mattress as together we move through this time of transition, and to know that when working in co-creation with the earth miracles truly can happen.Learn more about FionaFiona has a deep & abiding love of the natural world & mother earth, she is a propagator of trees, flowers, thoughts & ideas, an avid listener, a deep-thinker & insatiable seeker of knowledge. She spent 5 years managing a lodge in the African wilderness & many more years traveling the world photographing wildlife, attempting to captivate & inspire people, with the understanding, we only protect that which we love.Inspired by her horses, she has delved deeper into the world of holistic health. Becoming an advanced Australian Bush Flower Essence Practitioner, a Reiki Master & learning more about herbalism & somatic body work with a particular interest in trauma resolution. As the digital communications strategist for a conservation charity she noticed the anxiety inducing affect of the current conversation around the state of nature & wanted to help those who love nature find reasons for hope and opportunities to create positive change in the world.Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 49 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the beautiful Donna from Australia. In this fascinating heart-felt conversation Donna invites us to consider the incredible power of reconnecting with our intuition, explaining how this transformed her own life and discussing the different ways we might experience our own intuition or gut-feelings and how we can embrace this instinctual knowing to guide us in life. If you’ve ever felt like a black-sheep in life then you’ll be comforted to know you are not alone and Donna shares her love for the powerful healing potential of Family Constellation Therapy, and how by recognising and healing the patterns and experiences within our own family systems, we can find renewed freedom and open up to a deeper sense of belonging in the world.Donna is extremely passionate about encouraging and empowering people, especially women to fully embody their soul’s expression, particularly at this time when we need heart-centred courageous people, balanced in their masculine and feminine to step forward to help vision a better path for humanity. Alongside her coaching and healing work she has a second business creating the most amazing jewellery that not only looks incredible but is designed to energetically support you to fully live your soul’s highest expression. Whilst also creating a unique crystalline grid where the community come together regularly to offer healing and support to the world.Learn more about DonnaDonna helps people all around the world to switch on their lights. With over 25 years of energy healing experience, Donna has found the most powerful and effective techniques for you to heal and become the radiant soul that you are! From emotional and trauma healing, to creating jewellery that energetically activates you - her motto is ‘work that works’. Website: https://donnawallace.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/donnawallacehealer/Free strategy call with Donna: https://donnawallace.com.au/lets-chat/GIFT: Download your 5-minute Life-Changing Morning Meditation: https://donnawallace.com.au/start-here/House of Orion - Soul Jewellery: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_house_of_orion/ GIFT: Book a free 10 min energy reading to find out what your soulmate stone is: https://thehouseoforion.com.au/start_here/ Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined by Osprey Orielle Lake, author of: The Story is in Our Bones: How Worldviews and Climate Justice Can Remake a World in Crisis & Founder of the Women’s Earth & Climate Action Network. As Einstein stated: “We can’t solve a problem with the same mind that created it” & In this thought provoking conversation, Osprey encourages us to reflect on our society, to travel upstream to consider the dominant worldviews of our time & how they evolved to lead our society to where we now stand surrounded by multiple interlocking crisis. It is a journey that requires us to come with courage, open minds & hearts, but that is critical in ensuring we equip ourselves with a new mind, set free of the dominant worldviews of dominion over land & nature, patriarchy, colonialism & racism that have created the challenges we must now resolve. Osprey’s life work supporting & advocating for the rights of Indigenous people’s around the world shows that change is already happening. There are courageous people who are holding a vision for a different worldview which is already helping to create encouraging changes through powerful initiatives like Rights For Nature. Osprey shares many stories of the brave women who have stood up to large corporations & governments around the world to defend nature, their ancestral lands & sovereignty, ultimately for the benefit of us all, as 80% of all bio-diversity left on Earth is currently stewarded by Indigenous people’s on Indigenous lands. To all of you, who have braved punishment & persecution, I dedicate this episode to you with my heartfelt thanks for your courage & determination in the face of adversity, I hope this message encourages others to use our voices as we remember our role as a keystone species under who’s stewardship nature can thrive.Learn more about OspreyFounder & executive director of the Women's Earth and Climate Action Network (WECAN), Osprey Orielle Lake works internationally with grassroots, BIPOC & Indigenous leaders, policymakers, & diverse coalitions to build climate justice, resilient communities, & a just transition to a decentralized, democratized clean-energy future.She sits on the executive committee for the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature & on the steering committee for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. She is the author of the award-winning book Uprisings for the Earth: Reconnecting Culture with Nature. Osprey holds an MA in Culture & Environmental Studies from Holy Names University in Oakland & lives in the San Francisco Bay Area on Coast Miwok lands.Website: https://ospreyoriellelake.earthInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ospreyoriellelake/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ospreyoriellelake/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/osprey-orielle-lake-4286bb12/WECAN: Website: https://www.wecaninternational.orgSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm joined in conversation by Shubber Ali, CEO of Garden For Wildlife. Restoring Native Habitat is one of the greatest tools we have to help reverse the biodiversity crisis. Native plants co-evolved alongside the wildlife in your ecosystem, they are the ones that will not only attract pollinators but actually allow them to complete their lifecycles providing food for the caterpillars & adolescent forms, a vital link in the chain to a thriving world. Knowing which plants are native & being able to buy them is a challenge that quickly prevents well intentioned gardeners being part of this powerful solution. But now gardeners across most of the USA can enter their zip code to find the plants native to them & have them delivered to their door. Every plant purchased means a native plant is also planted in a community garden, & an affiliate programme allows non-profits in any sector to fundraise by having their supporters buy & plant native plants.This episode is packed full of wisdom, it encourages us to question the Orthodoxies in every aspect of our lives, & ensure we ask “What’s the real problem we need to solve?” Rather than creating solutions to just the symptoms of the problem. It is a beautiful reminder that business done well can be an incredible vehicle for positive change.Learn more about ShubberShubber is a father, husband, gardener & nature lover.  He's currently CEO of Garden for Wildlife, a for-profit spinout he helped create for the National Wildlife Federation.  The mission: to help restore native habitat in yards across America in order to help our endangered pollinators & songbirds that have been declining for decades. He's worked on everything from the Space Station program to residential real estate software.  He's spent much of his time in innovation consulting, done a stint as the VP of Innovation for Salesforce, been an adjunct professor at Georgetown Exec MBA program & guest lectures at Emory Exec MBA program.  He's on numerous advisory boards, from a generative AI company to Airbus, & is co-founder of multiple startup companies.  He has planted over 100 trees & hundreds of native plants in his yard.   Website: https://gardenforwildlife.com/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gardenforwildlife/Wildlife gardeners group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/432123332899723/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gardenforwildlife/Affiliate/fundraising platform: https://content.gardenforwildlife.com/fundraisingOther:Nature's Best Hope - Douglas W.TallamyThe Nature Fix - Florance WilliamsMerlin Bird App by Cornell Lab: https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/HomeGrown National Park Challenge: https://homegrownnationalpark.org/1-plant-challenge/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 46 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm joined in conversation by Nicole Broesch, a fashion designer & founder of Fern & Daisy, based in Appalachia, USA. Her experience within the large brand fast fashion industry, left her grappling with the disconnect between her desire for sustainability both at an environmental & social level & the detrimental impacts of the industry she loved. Determined to find a better way she launched her own ethical clothing brand, which makes some truly beautiful garments designed to last so they can be cherished for years. Whilst discussing some of the difficulties within the fashion industry including the huge amount of waste throughout the supply chain, Nicole offered some fantastic & easy steps we can all consider as consumers to help reduce the environmental impact of fashion. From explaining some of the more sustainable textiles & fibres that the clothes we buy can be made from, to some easy tips for caring for your existing clothes that can help increase their longevity.Woven through our conversation & into the DNA of her business is Nicole’s deep connection to Appalachia & the hardships the communities here have faced, including the more recent impacts from opioids. She is committed to supporting her community & is a beautiful reminder to us all to lay down our judgement, step into compassion & find ways to uplift those around us. Learn more about Nicole: Nicole Riggs Broesch, founder and designer of fern+daisy, weaves her passion for ethical fashion & community upliftment into every garment. With an eight year career in apparel design as a small town girl from rural Central Appalachia America, she has merged her love for her community, the planet, fashion, & marginalized women. Fern+daisy, born in 2020, creates sustainably made pieces that empower both wearers & makers, reviving ethical practices with timeless style. Inspired by her grandmothers, Mamaw Fern & Mamaw Daisy, Nicole honors their legacy in every creation. Finally back in the mountains of Tennessee, she finds solace in slow mornings, coffee on the porch, & outdoor adventures. As an artist, mentor,  & nature enthusiast, Nicole embodies the spirit of fern+daisy—where style meets purpose.Website: https://www.fernanddaisy.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fernanddaisy/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fernanddaisySupporting Community: https://www.fernanddaisy.com/pinnacle-pledgeLinen: https://www.fernanddaisy.com/post/linen-fabricCare For Your Clothes: https://www.fernanddaisy.com/post/extend-the-life-of-your-wardrobe-the-clothing-care-handbookSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 45 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm joined in conversation by Amy from the Humans Outside podcast. In this beautiful conversation Amy shares her unorthodox journey of embracing nature, & how even when you don’t particularly consider yourself outdoorsy, it’s still possible to head outside. We talk about how she has taught herself to cultivate a relationship with the outdoors, even when it felt uncomfortable & challenging. Whilst we are now more regularly told of the benefits to our health & mental wellbeing that being outside in nature can offer, Amy shares the benefits she has experienced personally from an increase in creativity to feeling more resilient emotionally, & having better relationships as a result, to some surprising ones like being more organised in daily life & even feeling more productive. From committing to her own daily outdoor practice, she has gone on to inspire many more people to make their own leaps into embracing a more outdoorsy lifestyle through her Humans Outside 365 challenge & her Humans Outside Podcast.This is a truly inspiring episode, as Amy offers up so much wisdom but with a full on dose of humour & humility, sharing the highs & lows of spending 20 mins outside everyday for the last 2,400 days! From finding yourself a regular sit spot, to simply being reminded that we sometimes wouldn’t see things unless we are actually looking for them, like the Aurora Borealis / Northern lights, to just a gentle reminder that we need to make choices in our lives as to what we want to prioritise so that we make time for it, rather than hoping to find time for it. We both hope that our chat leaves you inspired to commit to being outside more & we would both love to hear from you, so make sure to follow us both on social media & share & tag us as you develop your own daily outdoor routines.  Learn more about AmyAmy Bushatz is the host and producer of the Humans Outside podcast. Based in Palmer, Alaska, Amy has built a lifestyle around spending time in nature every day, no matter the weather, and encourages listeners to do the same. Amy works full time in local journalism, enjoys ultra running across her local mountains in the summer, cross-country skiing in the winter and plotting new outdoor adventures.Listen to Humans Outside Podcast: https://humansoutside.com/podcasts/Join The Humans Outside Challenge: https://humansoutside.com/challenge/Website:  https://humansoutside.com/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/humansoutsideFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/humansoutsideShared Books: Local: A search for nearby nature and wilderness - Alastair HumphreysSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Cynthia Jurs, author of Summoned By The Earth: Becoming a Holy Vessel For Healing Our World.Like many of us, Cynthia found herself witnessing the suffering of the earth & felt the deep longing to help & the urgent question, “What can I do, how can I bring healing to the Earth?” Her incredible book, documents the unfolding of her journey.In this beautiful conversation we explore the wisdom that she has gathered from her pilgrimage, that began with a Tibetan Lama in the Himalayas and has traversed the earth, embracing & being welcomed by diverse cultures & in co-creation with many treasured Indigenous Elders, who have generously shared their own wisdom traditions. She shares the stories of some of the Earth Treasure Vases from being joined by the Whales in Mexico whilst offering healing after a Hurricane, to Mali & Liberia where people were finding their way to healing their collective trauma after a difficult civil war & the incredible experience connecting to the Nilotic Meridian in South Africa & Egypt. We dive into the often underestimated power of Intention & our need to act from a place of love. How we must learn to step outside the paradigm that created the world we currently witness & find courage to lean into the radical act to stop, set down the fear & urgency & drop into our true nature of deep caring, love & connection, allowing the space for the powerful co-creation of what will be, to rise, free of our expectation & attachment. Sacred Activism is the radical act that may just be the key to open the door within us, that we have all been searching for. The Earth is calling us all and we all have our roles to play. Make sure you stay to the end of the episode so you can join us in meditation & pour your loving intention for healing into the Gaia Mandala to become a healing force for good in our world.Learn more about CynthiaCynthia Jurs became a dharma teacher (Dharmacharya) in the Order of Interbeing of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in 1994 and in 2018, was made an honorary lama in the Vajrayana tradition of Tibetan Buddhism in recognition of her dedication in carrying out the Earth Treasure Vase practice. Inspired by thirty years of pilgrimage into diverse communities and ecosystems, today Cynthia is forging a new path of dharma in service to Gaia—a path deeply rooted in the feminine, honoring indigenous cultures, and devoted to collective awakening. Cynthia leads meditations, retreats, courses, and pilgrimages to support the emergence of a global community of engaged and embodied sacred activists. Website:  www.GaiaMandala.netFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/earthtreasurevase.orgInstagram:  https://www.instagram.com/cynthiajurs/Summoned By The Earth: https://www.summonedbytheearth.org/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 43 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Mara Mennicken, founder of The Good Chocolatier based in Vancouver, Canada. As a not so secret chocolate lover I was really excited to speak with Mara about her amazing craft chocolate business.Whilst there’s plenty of chocolate chat, this fascinating conversation delivered so much more. Mara is an absolute inspiration & doesn’t just talk the talk but is walking the walk to show that a different vision for business can & should be a reality. She is incredibly passionate about the power of social enterprises & the importance of social sustainability in business & how this is sadly often not as frequently considered as it should be. Despite being a small company she has embraced working with marginalised groups, including adapting roles & work environments to allow neurodivergent staff to thrive in her business.We talk about supply chains, human rights, changing the world closer to home, connecting to our food supply, fair prices for farmers & even some of the tools that can help us as consumers to make ethical choices for both people & the environment, including FairTrade & B-Corp.My conversation with Mara filled me with so much hope & inspiration around how business can truly be a significant force for good in our world & how as consumers we can help to shape this impact too.Learn more about MaraHi, my name is Mara. I started the GOOD Chocolatier out of a need for a true feel-good chocolate and a desire for a world where a quality product doesn't come at the cost of other people or the environment. That's why our chocolate contributes to a healthier YOU, a healthier planet, and more equity in the labour market. I hope that you feel the GOOD in every bite! :)Website:  https://thegoodchocolatier.com/ Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/thegoodchocolatierLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mara-mennicken-24609469/Mara’s TEDex Talk: https://youtu.be/PsZ50MlXCMc?si=rpYRz8pEjxgOwe1yThe Cacao Crisis: https://thegoodchocolatier.com/news/navigating-the-cacao-crisis/New Summer Flavours: https://thegoodchocolatier.com/product/60-cardamom-latte/https://thegoodchocolatier.com/product/80-thyme-basil-lime/ Other Useful Links:B-corp: https://www.bcorporation.net/Fair Trade: https://www.fairtrade.net/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 42 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Lilli Badcock, a singer and sound reiki master based in Salisbury in the UK.During this fascinating conversation Lilli shares her love for the incredible power of singing, which she beautifully describes as the way our soul gets to speak. Her journey through her own challenges including anxiety, grief and depression, lead her to more deeply explore sound healing, which she has now combined with her background in music and song through her company Sing to Heal. We explore how sound frequency, singing and vocalisations are an important part of our bodies ability to self-sooth and help us to regulate our nervous system allowing us to cope with Life’s challenges. Utilising singing in the space of community has some added benefits for allowing us to co-regulate and process what we need to let go of. This conversation is also packed full of Lilli’s beautiful heartfelt wisdom about life; she shares how we could all benefit from letting go of our expectations about how we think life should be, whilst challenging the meaning we give to events and the stories we are choosing to tell ourselves, remembering it is a choice to be empowered, to believe in yourself and to develop awareness of where you are putting your energy and focus. Life is always going to give us challenges, we need to find the ways that allow us to thrive in spite of the challenges we face.Learn more about LilliLilli is a professional Singer, Vocal Coach and Sound Reiki Master who helps to ignite more passion, joy and purpose into the lives of busy professionals and business owners with her unique fusion of traditional singing and ancient sound healing principals.Lilli is the founder of her own company Sing To Heal Ltd and host of two podcasts, The Confidence Academy and Let’s Talk About Woo.She is passionate about getting spiritual and holistic practices into the lives of more people so they can learn to support and empower themselves as they navigate life’s challenges.Website:  https://www.singtoheal.co.ukFacebook:  https://www.facebook.com/singtohealInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/sing_to_healOther Useful Links:Amanda Frances: https://amandafrances.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 41 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Leah Rampy, author of the recently released book Earth and Soul: Reconnecting Amid Climate Chaos.In Leah I found a kindred spirit, someone who has a deep love, respect & friendship for Mother Earth & all the beings we share our world with. Her beautiful book, is a sign post to hope for all of us, that emerged as she herself grappled with the question: How do those of us who care about the Earth live in these times? How do we navigate our collective grief without being consumed & losing our way?   Leah provides a narrative of gentle remembering, of not turning away from our dear friend, Mother Earth during her suffering, but of coming together to bear witness with open hearts, to hold each other as we move through these difficult edge times, finding ways to keep going through the uncertainty, to take each step slowly as we pick up the threads to help weave a new vision for the Earth. We explore ways to hold our grief, during these times of unraveling, from seeking company to remembering to embrace Awe & Wonder, through practices like the Celtic 5 Stringed Harp & the mindset of the pilgrim in communion with the land. Leah encourages us to value these threshold times, finding sanctuary in the discernment of cultivating deep listening, as we remember that a different relationship with nature is possible. Learn more about LeahAfter giving numerous presentations on the dangers of impending climate change, Leah Rampy became convinced that something was missing from the conversations. With experience as a teacher, professor, corporate and nonprofit executive, and leadership consultant, she began a decades-long journey to understand what lies beneath our unwillingness to change our interactions with the natural world. Her growing commitment to reweaving soul and Earth has been informed by leading over a dozen pilgrimages and many more retreats, extensive reading and research, her contemplative practice, and the wisdom of the living world. Leah lives in a cohousing community in Shepherdstown, WV, with her husband David. They have two adult children.Website:  https://www.leahmoranrampy.com Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/leahrampy/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahrampy/Other Useful Links:Robin Wall Kimmerer - Braiding Sweetgrass - https://www.robinwallkimmerer.com/Joanna Macy - https://www.joannamacy.net/Centre For Spirituality in Nature - https://www.centerforspiritualityinnature.org/Christine Valters Paintner - https://abbeyofthearts.com/about/about-christineSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Ricardo Sierra, who has dedicated his life to working in the wilderness skills & nature educator space.With mainstream education systems coming under increasing pressure, the systemic issues can no longer be ignored, necessity is now forcing a change of perspective, with this an awareness of the benefits for children of being part of nature and forest school education programs has been gaining momentum and credibility.  Despite our rapidly changing society and the increasing focus on technology and the skills associated with it, Ricardo strongly believes that helping children forge a foundational relationship with nature and the skills you can learn in the wilderness will always be beneficial, providing a natural advantage both during childhood and throughout our adult lives. With demands increasing on both children and educators we also touch on the rising levels of anxiety amongst children and how having these skills and a relationship with nature can be incredibly important, supporting better mental and physical health as well as providing a sense of safety and security to cope with challenging times.We discuss ways that parents and extended families can help offer these opportunities to their children, and the importance of community in sharing skills and support. In our hustle culture we are being conditioned to expect things to be easy, to find the hack, and look for the shortcut but in doing so we are focusing on outcomes without apprenticing the rewards on the path.We so often want to change the world and think that it is done in the biggest of gestures, when really it’s in the small acts of kindness that the seeds of positive change can germinate. Learn more about RicardoRicardo Sierra is the host of The Forest Educator Podcast, a wilderness skills and nature educator with over 35 years of experience working with children, teens, adults, families, educators and organizations. He is a TEDx Speaker, a conference presenter and training facilitator who works with schools and organizations to train staff and incorporate nature at all levels for students of all ages.  He is the creator of The Forest Box for Kids, a monthly nature craft subscription box that helps families and children get outside and begin building an authentic relationship to the natural world.Website: https://www.foresteducator.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_forest_educator_podcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RicardohawkSierraMonthly Nature Education Activities: https://www.theforestboxforkids.com/Hawk Circle Wilderness Education: https://www.hawkcircle.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

On this Earth Day special I'm delighted to be joined by Nick, who founded his business Wooden Journey 5 yrs ago on Earth Day. Earth Day, is an annual celebration on the 22nd April that brings together people from around the world to celebrate the Earth & share their commitments to support the environment. My conversation with Nick was the perfect way to celebrate the intention of this day. Nick is one of those beautiful, kind, compassionate & inspiring people, who’s courage, enthusiasm & passion is both infectious & impactful & I hope that hearing his story will leave you all feeling re-invigorated & empowered to know that it’s a lot easier than you think to be part of the solution, to help bring to life the vision of a better future where we return to right relationship with the earth & the positive news outweighs the bad.Nick had an experience we will all relate to, feeling a sense of profound despair due to the state of the environment, that left him with the question, what can I do? He took this question & from it sprung an amazing idea, to find a way to have an impact & that allowed others to join him on the journey. Alongside his friend, working in their spare time & on a bootstrap budget, they taught themselves to roast coffee & created several speciality roasts from Organic, Fair Trade beans. With the profits from the sales of their coffee they invest in restoring the earth, supporting tree planting organisations & other wildlife initiatives, their impact is already tangible.Nick is a wonderful example of Active Hope in action & reminds us that there is power in following your dreams, not giving up even when it feels insurmountable & never doubting  that it is possible for you to make a difference.Learn more about Nick:Nick is the founder of Wooden Journey and is a coffee roaster, specializing in Fair Trade, Organic coffee with a portion of his sales going towards both reforestation and conservation movements with the organizations that he has partnered with. Nick has a humble beginning at the start of his journey. As he started learning about all of the terrible things happening globally on the planet we all call home, he had a very empty feeling he has said he'll never forget. It all started there on his journey to make it accessible to someone to stand behind his mission and cause for people that felt the same way that may know how to help. To date, he is proud to have already planted over 35,000 trees and fully conserved 200+ acres of wildlife habitat.Website:  www.woodenjourney.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/woodenjourney/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@woodenjourneyFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/mywoodenjourney/Other Useful Links: Earth Day: https://www.earthday.org/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the amazing Angie, a Bowen Therapist from Adelaide, Australia. If you’ve never heard of Bowen therapy than join us to explore how it can help you “get rid of the issues in your tissues”. This gentle yet powerful modality, is suitable for all from babies to older people & even animals, has an incredible relationship in supporting the fascia in the body. Fascia is a remarkable web-like tissue that interconnects organs, muscles & more, but it is only more recently that science is starting to understand it’s importance to the functioning of our bodies & helping us to understand the true power of healing modalities like Bowen Therapy. Angie is passionate about the mind & body connection, working with the root of an issue rather than just the symptoms, she supports her practice with essential oils, understanding of meridians, muscle testing & the importance of hydration. We also explore how stress & trauma affect the nervous system & how Bowen therapy helps to give the body space to reset & feel safe, whilst also helping alleviate physical pain which can shift us back into the parasympathetic nervous system or “rest & digest”, opening up space for the releasing of stored emotions. She reminds us of the importance of caring for ourselves. She isn’t here to “fix” you but to support you  to feel empowered in remembering who you are & what you are truly capable of, a gentle reminder to simply Believe in yourself. Learn more about Angie:Angie is a passionate Bowen therapist based in Adelaide, South Australia. Bowen therapy, is a gentle yet powerful technique that stimulates the body’s innate healing mechanisms. At Balance and Energise Bowen Therapy, I integrate the use of essential oils to enhance the therapeutic experience, tapping into the profound link between emotions and physical well-being. My goal is to help individuals achieve holistic wellness by addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of their ailments. By incorporating Bowen therapy and essential oils into their healing journey, clients experience relief from pain and gain a deeper understanding of the emotional factors influencing their health.Website: www.balanceandenergisebowen.com.auFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/BalanceAndEnergiseBowenInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/balanceandenergisebowenOther Useful Links:Barbara O’ Neill - Self Heal by Design - Celtic Sea Salt: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlliAiLgTooDr Gabor Maté - When the Body Says No. https://drgabormate.com/Dr Joe Dispenza - https://drjoedispenza.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Eugenie Kruger, a Homeopath & host of the Homeopathy Hangout Podcast from Perth, Australia. In this inspiring episode we dive into the fascinating world of homeopathy, a medical modality that has been in existence for over 200 years & is currently utilised by over 1/2 a billion people worldwide. In this fun & informative chat Eugenie shares how homeopathy helps us approach health & wellbeing in a different more empowering way; getting curious about symptoms & what they can teach us rather than simply suppressing them. We explore how science is helping explain the power of homeopathy, including how amazing people like Vada Austin, are unlocking the secret intelligence of water & the impact this has on understanding the potency of homeopathic remedies. Homeopathy offers support to the entire family, including pregnant mothers, new born babies, animals & even plants, it helps in first aid situations & chronic long-term conditions. If you’ve previously dismissed Homeopathy, please listen to this conversation with an open mind & delve into some of the incredible resources in the links below & hopefully you'll consider utilising the incredible support of homeopathy going forwards. Learn more about Eugenie Kruger: Eugenie is a Homeopath on a mission – to empower families with the knowledge of using homeopathy in their home to treat various acute & first aid situations. Homeopathic medicine is a natural, safe & effective medicine that has been used for over 200 years & used by over 500 million people worldwide. Eugenie works tirelessly to promote homeopathy through her podcast – Homeopathy Hangout – which is in the top 1.5% of podcasts worldwide https://www.eugeniekruger.com/homeopathy-hangout-podcast.  Eugenie also produces beautiful homeopathic kits and single and combination remedies which her clinic posts worldwide and can be purchased online. To learn the basics of Homeopathy in 30 minutes, check our Eugenie’s introduction video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqBUpxO4pZQ&feature=youtu.be Eugenie has a very busy clinic in Stoneville, Perth, with 6 part time staff & 5 Homeopaths on her team. Website: www.eugeniekruger.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/eugeniekrugerhomeopathyOther Links:https://justonedropfilm.com/thefilm/https://magicpillsmovie.com/https://introducinghomeopathy.com/ Homeopathy Research Institute: https://www.hri-research.org/Amma Resonance Healing Foundation: https://arhf.nl/https://homeopathyforhealthinafrica.org/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Meridyth Driskill.  This is a conversation that truly everyone needs to hear, you might at first think Trauma doesn’t apply to you, but think again, this may be the piece of the puzzle we’ve all been missing. In this thought-provoking conversation, Meredith & I discuss the fascinating topic of Trauma at the intersection of the climate crisis & eco-activism; we explore nervous system regulation & the impact of fight/flight/freeze. Learning to understand this natural reflex, your body’s innate safety system, will affect not just you but also the people around you & society as a whole & has huge consequences for how effective we can be at facilitating the changes that will create a happier, healthier society where nature is truly nurtured.Meredith has so much wisdom to share, critically reminding us that what is “common” isn’t automatically “normal”. She encourages us to seek new levels of tolerance & kindness towards ourselves, replacing our harsh inner judgement with curiosity & our criticism with compassion and regularly returns to the idea that whilst it may be simple it is not always easy to embody. This was such an incredible topic that Meredith & I will be sharing another conversation very soon.Learn more about Meridyth: A card-carrying member of the trauma club turned purpose-driven healer, I discovered my life's mission through the crucible of my own pain. After a radical personal transformation, I devoted 7 years to delving into the intricacies of the subconscious mind, energy dynamics, emotions, the body-mind connection, & the profound impact of trauma.Certified in Reiki, somatics, parts work, Somatic Activated Healing™, Human Design, & trauma releasing bodywork, I've cultivated a unique approach that merges ancient wisdom with modern healing modalities. My transformative journey laid the foundation for a powerful process I share with my clients, rooted in three pillars: Safety, Connection, and Fulfillment.At the core of my practice is nervous system work; an essential compass guiding individuals toward healing. Through a blend of emotional de-repression, boundary reclamation, & fostering authentic expression, my clients experience profound shifts in their lives.I truly believe that every woman on this planet has magic & medicine to share with the world, & that the world will be a better place when we can fully own our power. When powerful women heal their wounds, I believe every human on earth can be fed, clothed, & hugged. We have the power to end generational trauma & create a new reality. Website: https://www.easywonderfullife.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meridythdriskillOther Useful Links:Dr Gabor Maté - When the Body Says No.Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Elizabeth Glenn-Copeland. Having dedicated her life to exploring how eco-activism can be weaved into artistic practice in an effort to facilitate societal change. She draws on myth, indigenous wisdom & collaborations with science through a lens of current events, utilising story-telling, song & poetry to convey powerful messages that speak straight to our souls. We discuss the impact of eco-anxiety, low grade fear & complex PTSD that is affecting so many of us who are deeply connected to the environment, & how importantly we need not be blinded by the popular climate doomerism, because when we look beyond this narrative we discover millions of people around the world already doing amazing things. Elizabeth poignantly encourages us to not falter or give-up, but to remember that the story is still being written, the ending is not yet determined, that we all have the ability to engage in “Active Hope” & come together with collective strength to reframe how we vision ourselves into the world & forge new ways that nurture the earth.Learn more about ElizabethElizabeth is a writer, theatre maker & arts educator whose career over the last forty years has evolved at the intersection of arts &activism. She has long had a passion for communicating with the animate world that began in childhood high up in the arms of an old weeping willow.Fast forward sixty years. Elizabeth is offered a writing residency at the Joggins Fossil Institute, a UNESCO World Heritage site on the mighty Bay of Fundy. She jumps at the chance to connect/converse with 300 million-year-old-rock, to go to Stone as supplicant, to fully engage with sea & sand & sky & winged helpers to deepen her connection to the living world.What emerged was a narrative of the odyssey in poetic form, "Daring to Hope at the Cliff's Edge: Pangea's Dream Remembered". Music journalist, Nick Starring says of the this work: “Lyrical, bewildering, heartening, a& unsettling, this work sees an individual voice reckoning with the overwhelming complexity of our present moment.”Elizabeth lives in Hamilton, Ontario with her composer husband, Beverly Glenn-Copeland.Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OnlythroughartWebsite: http://www.elizabethcopeland.ca/Purchase 'Daring to Hope...': https://chapelstreeteditions.com/book-catagories/poetry/daring-to-hope-at-the-cliffs-edge/Rock Poem: https://nsadvocate.org/2021/06/26/rock-a-poem-by-elizabeth-glenn-copeland/Listen to Beverly Glenn-Copeland’s music: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnwmuje1H7edkx3vKSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 34 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Meghan, a herbalist based in Yorkshire in the UK.In this inspiring conversation Meghan shares how her fascination with herbal medicine began when trying to find a solution for her own long term health issues. She reminds us that symptoms are simply messages from our body, an opportunity for us to listen and pay attention, and not something to be feared. Having studied both western herbal medicine and Ayurveda her nurturing approach to embracing herbal wisdom in your life, encourages us to trace the messages back, and what you will normally discover is one of just a handful of core imbalances that can then be addressed. We delve into the amazing benefits of utilising herbs and she reminds us that our relationship with herbs should be approached in a similar way to a relationship with other people, moving beyond simply what someone can do for us to understanding the intricate levels of their unique personality. Through it all Meghan offers the most important guidance that now more than ever we need to foster our skills of discernment to make healthier choices for both ourselves and are natural world, to which we are inextricably linked. Learn more about MeghanMeghan Rhodes is a qualified herbalist who has helped over 90 people start living herbalism, making healthier, safer solutions for themselves and their families a reality. As the founder of Rhodes Roots & Remedies, she has written 10 course books, authored the books Easy Herbal Remedies for Infants and Slow-Infused Self-Care, and developed a unique four season sense-based herbalism course and journey, Awaken Herbal Wisdom.Meghan’s practice of herbalism is rooted in the belief that we must remember, reclaim and relearn our knowledge of our bodies, our autonomy and how to work with plant medicine in order to bring control of our own health back into our families and homes for a sustainable future for ourselves and the planet.Meghan is a member of both the College of Practitioners of Phytotherapy and the Ayurvedic Professionals Association.Awaken Herbal Wisdom - Meghan's intensive herbalism course - enrolling annually - Find our more and get on the waiting list here: bit.ly/3JsKIAq or DM Meghan the word ACCESS for the link.Exploring one of the seven tastes - Exclusive access - https://bit.ly/47vdbQsWebsite: https://www.rhodesrootsandremedies.co.ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhodesrootsandremediesSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Phiomène. We discuss her passion for cultivating a more mindful & sustainable lifestyle. She shares how her journey has been inspired by her love of creativity & her insights on embracing the seasons to shape our lives, creating awareness for the wisdom they bring, including her love of slowing down & cozying up in winter. Our conversation meanders through a shared vision for supporting women & our communities to consider ways of growing in a new direction, redefining our current paradigm. From looking at where we source our food to the  wisdom the journey of homeschooling her children has given her, we consider the role of education & the space for co-creation that is available when we give value to everyone's voices. Philomène shares a gentle reminder that it’s ok: we don’t have to be perfect or do everything & in each small step we take, the seeds of the next step germinate if we have the courage to slow down & be patient with ourselves & others. Learn more about Philomène:Philomène is a passionate advocate for slow living, gracefully navigating the intricate tapestry of family, career & the pursuit of a healthy, eco-conscious lifestyle.Currently calling a quaintly renovated farm in rural Brittany home, Philomène's journey has woven through the vibrant cities of Bristol & London in the UK, the artistic landscape of Paris in France, & the eclectic charm of Berkeley in California.Drawn from profound inspiration gathered along her diverse path, Philomène is on a dedicated mission to live & consume more mindfully, actively working to minimize her environmental footprint.Committed to the philosophy of sharing knowledge & fostering support, Philomène has established a membership platform to empower women in transforming their daily lives & perspectives. Her vision is to guide members in leading lives that are not just sustainable but also joyously creative, where thriving & wholeness take center stage.When not tending her garden, doing pottery, knitting, or concocting culinary delights, Philomène dedicates her time to homeschooling her 2 children. Education, curiosity, & creativity form the core of the values she instills in her sons. She firmly believes in nurturing strong bonds with nature, hopeful that these mindful children of today will blossom into responsible nature-loving adults, committed to caring for our precious planet.Get the Beautiful Free Gift: Easy Nature-Based Activities to do with Kids Booklet: https://creativitytochangeeverything.com/easynaturebasedactivitiesWebsite: https://creativitytochangeeverything.com/Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thrivingtogetherwomenscircleInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/creativitytochangeeverything/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 32 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Claire from the Irish Forest Garden. Claire is an incredible force for nature, having been friends with Mary Reynolds, the inspirational Chelsea award winning landscape designer for many years. In 2014 Claire and her family worked with Mary to bring the Forest Garden from her book the Garden Awakening to life on a small disused 1/8 acre paddock. This was the start of their incredible journey embracing their responsibility to become true guardians of the earth, no longer fighting against nature but working in harmony to nurture all creatures both rooted and un-rooted. As both Mary, Claire and her family’s vision has evolved so too has their approach and most recently they have expanded beyond the forest garden to embrace ARKing and offering up even more land to nurturing the native flora and fauna.During this magical and laughter filled conversation, Claire takes us along on their journey from the challenges of starting at below zero in a nature depleted couch-grass filled landscape to the highs of seeing their hard work literally bare fruit and witnessing the myriad of creatures that have benefitted during their beautiful journey of co-creation with the earth. We share our mutual hopes as we acknowledge the changes that have occurred in our lifetime and how discussions around nature are seeping into the reality of more people. Claire imparts two profoundly simple but empowering pieces of wisdom for us all to embrace: Before doing something, always pause and ask Why? And Just Do It, no matter how small the action may feel, just make the decision at the start of this new year to just do something and take that first step to becoming part of the solution, you will surprised at how quickly nature steps into the spaces we make for her. Learn more about ClaireI’m Claire Leadbitter and I’m sharing about our Forest Garden and ARK designs here in Wexford, Ireland which were inspired by Mary Reynolds and her books The Garden Awakening and We Are the ARK.  Trying for a gentle, organic approach to living with the land under our care, to feed ourselves and creating as much habitat as possible for native flora and fauna.Website: www.irishforestgarden.ieInstagram: www.instagram.com/irishforestgardenOther Useful Links:Mary Reynolds - https://marymary.ie/We Are The Ark - https://wearetheark.org/Books The Garden Awakening: Designs to nurture our land and ourselves - Mary ReynoldsWe Are the ARK: Returning Our Gardens to Their True Nature Through Acts of Restorative Kindness - Mary ReynoldsSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 31 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Lucy, the founder of the medicine woman gathering and a musician based in East Devon in the UK. We are living in a time that is calling woman to reconnect with themselves and the natural world and come together through sisterhood, community and ceremony to re-establish the balance of reciprocity and communion with the land and each other. Having always felt a connection with the natural world and found inspiration from Mother Earth in her singing and song writing, Lucy shares what inspired her to create a gathering that honours the idea that we are all medicine woman. Based near Glastonbury the gathering is a place where the ancient Celtic wisdom of this sacred land weaves with modern ideas and creates space for us to move into right relationship with the earth and honour our calling as her protectors.The medicine woman gathering is now in it’s second year and will be held in July 2024 so there is still time for you to get involved.  It is a place where woman and children come together to witness each other and open a beautiful portal of energy for transformation. From the sharing of ancient skills to a concert by the voices of the wild feminine, this years event will create a powerful container to honour the collective grief of our world and offer strength to the wild woman to gently awaken and return to their roots, reconnected to their innate wisdom.   Learn more about LucyLucy Wylde, Founder of Medicine Woman has a multitude of assets that she is bringing forth to be more in service to this world. Lucy has spent the last 3 years dedicated to sisterhood, the arts and nature. Supporting women through her work to come home to themselves, fully in their sovereignty through what she has learnt through her own life workings. Growing up in East Devon, Lucy has always felt a deep connection to nature and the beauty and reciprocity that comes when we tune into our Mother Earth. Nature and the animal kingdom were Lucy’s ally’s through a traumatic upbringing. Bridging a world of modern and ancient teachings, Lucy is here to guide the way that can bring us back into balance through deep connection to ourselves, each other and all that surrounds us. Website: www.medicinewomangathering.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/Medicine.woman.gatheringWant to attend the event in 2024 use the special discount code for our listeners: NURTURE20Which will gift you 20% off their full ticket price.Find Lucy’s Music:Spotify: Lucy WyldeInstagram: www.Instagram.com/lucywyldemusicYoutube: youtube.com/lucywyldeOther Useful Links:Robin Wall Kimmerer - Braiding Sweetgrass Sharon Blackie - The Enchanted LifeSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 30 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm taking some time to offer up my gratitude to you my beautiful community and to reflect on our amazing journey a year into our Nurtured By Nature story and to remember some of the incredible wisdom that we have shared with all the amazing guests who have offered us their stories so far.Whilst reminiscing on some of my favourite moments, I’m reminded of some of the common threads that have woven their way into many of our conversations: The importance of community and what we can achieve when we come together (of course that includes not just our human world but our non-human communities too). The fact that we aren’t powerless, that as consumers we have incredible power to support those businesses that are holding nature at the centre of their business decisions, that we don’t have to wait for the legislation from governments to make the change, in fact my conversation with Jessica Brennan was a wonderful example of how the legislation often follows the change rather than proceeding it. And perhaps most importantly to embrace the power of love for healing ourselves and our world, and remembering to give ourselves and those around us the benefit of grace, knowing that most people want to help and do good, but that no-one is perfect and we are all clumsily simply doing the best we can to make the world a little better, day by day.Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

I'm delighted to be joined by Lucy the founder of Hedgewitch Essentials.  Whilst we often think about what we put in our bodies, how often do we think about the scents & smells we are exposed to? Lucy shares her passion for the science of smell, the therapeutic properties of essential oils & how this lead to the formation of her own products for both horses & humans. We also delve into the challenges of running a small business, delivering quality essential oil based products that preserve their true therapeutic properties.  We share how embracing self-selection & the use of essential oils, empowered our horses, giving us a new way to communicate & transformed our relationships, whilst also helping them resolve both emotional & physical symptoms. Having overcome some incredible challenges, not least a severe brain injury, Lucy reminds us to have hope, look for the silver lining & the opportunities that may arise. Learn more about LucyLucy always had a strong connection with the land being a farmer’s daughter. With a B.Sc. Hons in Agriculture, she began her working life as an agronomist, advising farmers on their crops & soil management. She later combined a love of writing with farming, becoming an agricultural journalist & magazine editor.Her connection with horses also began at a young age & it was the feeling of helplessness when knowing they were ‘not quite right’ – that led her to alternative therapies, & in particular animal aromatherapy – which has since become known as animal pharmacognosy. After a severe traumatic brain injury in 2017, life changed considerably for Lucy but it allowed her to follow her dreams & become an equine pharmacognosy practitioner with Caroline Ingraham. The training involved learning about the pharmacology & biochemistry of essential oils & it was this that sparked the founding of Hedgewitch Essentials Ltd, with her partner Mike.Hedgewitch recognised that the therapeutic properties of species-appropriate essential oils could be enormously beneficial to the wider population of horses. It was a tough decision because the first rule when offering essential oils to horses to self-medicate is to allow them the freedom to move away – to give them a choice. With the use of essential oils growing in horse care products, Lucy wanted to create a natural range, based on the oils horses would select themselves for certain conditions. Importantly, she wanted to make sure that these were pedantically & sustainably sourced because the quality of the oils is paramount when using them therapeutically – both for the health of the horse & to be effective. Website: https://www.hedgewitchessentials.co.ukFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hedgewitchessentials/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hedgewitchessentials/Other Links:Caroline Ingraham: https://www.carolineingraham.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 28 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by Lucy Ní hAodhagáin / O'Hagan the founder of Wild Awake Ireland. Lucy is quite simply one of the most kind hearted, intriguing and inspiring people I have had the pleasure to meet. During our conversation she shares her journey which is beautifully woven with her love of nature. A relationship that began from a need for sanctuary from the challenges of life and has blossomed into a life where she consciously awakens a deeper relationship with the world rooted in reciprocity, reverence and responsibility in both her own life but also the experiences of the many people she works with and guides to their own remembering. Our conversation gently meanders through her wisdom of ancestral skills, ceremonial rites of passage and wildlife tracking and the richness these threads can bring to the tapestry of life. We also hold space for the grief and pain so many of us are experiencing in this time and celebrate the importance of looking to the richness and resilience to be found in the edges, so we can move away from polarisation towards embracing the incredible diversity of voices in  our own communities and in the natural world. Lucy offers up the sacred invitation to deeply listen, and witness each others stories, to find the courage to sit with the questions and challenges of our time and dream into the new world that we believe is possible, whilst remembering to trust that most people have good intentions and truly want to do something to help. Learn more about LucyLucy Ní hAodhagáin / O'Hagan (They/She) is the founder and director of Wild Awake Ireland, a project which seeks to rekindle ancestral life ways for cultural and ecological resilience across the island of Ireland. Lucy is passionate about supporting people to re-establish connection with themselves, their communities and to nature, of which we are a part. Lucy is particularly interested in rewilding and rekindling the knowledge and skills we once knew so intimately, which connect us to place.Lucy's interests range from ethnobotany to wildlife tracking, ancestral skills to restoring rites of passage. All while leaning into the ways in which we can collectively decolonise our relationship to the land and ourselves and be in reciprocity with life. Lucy is happiest when outside, following the trails of deer across the landscape and nibbling on what nature has to offer. Website: https://www.wildawake.ie/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildawakeireland/Other Useful Links:Lynx Vilden - https://www.lynxvilden.com/John Rhyder - Wood Craft School - https://www.woodcraftschool.co.uk/Rupert Marquez - Hand On The Earth - https://www.handontheearth.org/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 27 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the fabulous Jackie Winters of the British Academy of Crystal Healing. During this inspiring episode, Jackie shares how her own health challenges with severe Asthma, lead to her delving into the fascinating world of frequencies & how crystals are able to support the restoration of harmony in the natural frequencies of our bodies. Wisdom from a neolithic rock in the Spanish mountains leads us to consider the use of language in reconnecting with ancient wisdom & through taking in the lay of the land, we explore how lay lines, nodes & sacred sites recognised by our ancestors provide us places to reconnect to reenergise ourselves. Jackie shares surprising examples of how harnessing this energy can have profound benefits for ourselves & also in helping to heal the land, environment & our own communities.At a time when we are bombarded by negative stories about the natural world, which are inducing many heavy emotions in all of us, we discuss the importance of intention & needing awareness of the emotions we are holding & carrying into our actions, as these unintended frequencies leave their own imprint on the land & our environment. With compassion & the support of crystals we can learn to return to & hold the frequency of love in our hearts, which can allow us to be of even greater service in being the change we want to see in this world. Learn more about Jackie Winters FM BACHJackie is an FHT Accredited Course Provider and the founder of the British Academy of Crystal Healing (est. 2004). With 5-star ratings from numerous students, the academy is renowned as a leading authority in crystal healing and energy medicine. Jackie is also author of Messages from Mother Earth Divination Cards Volume 1 & 2 and has a successful free podcast that attracts regular listeners from the UK and around the world.The Academy warmly welcomes students globally, offering online tutor-led sessions. Jackie’s 40 years of research into energy medicine and crystal healing are evident in her inexhaustible knowledge. As a Shaman at heart, she provides retreats and guidance on Shamanic lifestyle, with a remarkable connection to the mineral kingdom and energy wisdom.Website: https://www.britishacademyofcrystalhealing.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britishacademyofcrystalhealing/?hl=enFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/www.britishacademyofcrystalhealing.co.ukCrystal Lightworkers Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/crystal-lightworkers-podcast-to-aid-spirituality-and/id1605621976Podcast:https://www.britishacademSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 26 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast, today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the wonderful Helen Neave of Make it Wild.Large Landscape level Rewilding projects are gaining momentum across the UK & Europe, but Make It Wild are taking a slightly different approach, demonstrating Rewilding is possible & scalable for those with less land. Helen’s amazing journey provides those of us that care about nature with inspiration & many reasons to be hopeful. We explore how her own concern about the biodiversity crisis, lead to her family deciding they were determined to do something to make a difference. From this humble beginning an incredible ecosystem has evolved encompassing trees, meadows, wetlands & equally importantly local communities, their army of volunteers & numerous other passionate people supporting them in a multitude of ways, that has created an explosion in biodiversity. In just over 10 years, they've demonstrated how nature can bounce back, to the extent 1 of their sites has now been designated a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation. As a beautiful reminder that change doesn’t have to be complicated, Helen offers this simple wisdom to guide us all: “Love Nature & She’ll Love You Back”!Learn more about Helen & Make It WildHelen, a retired consultant surgeon, has always been passionate about nature. As she & her husband, Chris, learnt more about the challenges facing nature, they decided they must do their bit to help & in 2011 they bought 26 acres as a family project to ‘give back to nature’.  They planted thousands of trees, sowed wild flower seeds, dug ponds & installed habitat boxes. The resulting explosion in biodiversity was stunning and inspired the couple to set up their business ‘Make it Wild’ in 2017. With the mission statement “It’s not our aim to protect nature, it’s our purpose” the business exists to support biodiversity.  Make it Wild now looks after 9 sites in North Yorkshire, UK, totalling over 400 acres, all managed entirely for nature. They’ve planted 60,000 trees, restored wildflower meadows & wetland, protected ancient woodland, & rewilded uplands, helped by their conservation grazing team of Belted Galloway cows & Exmoor ponies. They offer a range of nature sponsorship and dedication opportunities to businesses and individuals; carbon offsetting through tree planting; woodland wellbeing activities, and an eco-friendly holiday cottage.  In February 2023 Make it Wild were awarded the Sustainability Award in the Hambleton Business Awards, and in September 2023 Helen and Chris were proud and excited to win a BBC Make a Difference Award for their work with Make it Wild.Website: www.makeitwild.co.ukInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/makeitwildukFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/makeitwilderTikTok: @make.it.wildStay at Make It Wild in their eco-friendly holiday cottage: Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 25 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the incredible Eleja SunStar of the Sanctuary of Sophia and a beautiful little Aminita mushroom who also had some words of wisdom to share with us all. In this inspiring episode Eleja shares her amazing journey from a workaholic in the busy world of corporate marketing and event planning, who reached a place of burnout before finally taking the leap to leave her hectic life to follow the nudges of her deep knowing that there was more to life. Since then her life has magically unfolded, through sacred pilgrimages to connect with her own ancestral roots and her shamanistic calling to connect her more deeply with her sacred relationship with nature and Mother Earth. We discuss the simple but profound experience available to all of us by finding the courage to claim what’s calling your heart and how a beautiful army of beings, equipped with their ancient nurturing wisdom in the form of plants, trees and wild creatures are patiently waiting for the opportunity to be heard so that they can guide and assist us once more. We explore the indigenous wisdom of our lands and the need for reverence in our relationships with nature and a remembering of sacred reciprocity towards Gaia. But mostly we are urged by the Fae to remember the magic that connects us all and in attuning with the earth we are being asked to bring our love and the healing sound of joy and laughter to the world at this time.Learn more about ElejaEleja is a Sophianic Medicine Woman, Divine Feminine Transformation Guide and Plant Medicine Oracle devoted to empowering rising Oracles, Priestesses, Medicine Women and Divine Feminine Leaders of the New Earth.She is the Founder and Cosmic Earth Mother of Sanctuary of Sophia, A New Earth Sisterhood. She leads ascending women on transformative journeys resurrecting their medicine & soul’s gifts, aligning them with their highest timeline through Ancient Sophianic Oracle Arts & transformational embodiment practices to support their divine mission.Website: https://sanctuaryofsophia.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sanctuaryofsophia/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elejasunstar/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 24 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the amazing Jessica Brennan of Clean Product Junkie & the Clean Living Made Easy Podcast. In this informative & inspiring conversation Jessica shares some simple steps to help us make better choices for our own health & that of the planet when we buy beauty & household products. She shares with me her truly amazing journey from being a concerned mum making choices to help her young children overcome chronic disease, to recently becoming part of a panel advising legislators in America creating the new guidelines to improve product safety. She’s incredibly passionate about how powerful consumers actually are & how it is our duty & responsibility to vote with our dollars too elicit the changes we want to see. Reminding us that we truly are more powerful than we at first imagine.With a staggering 80,000 chemicals having been introduced to the marketplace since World War II & the fairly unregulated manufacturing & labelling of both home products & those for beauty & skincare, plus numerous studies showing that many ingredients can be detrimental to our health & cause damage to our environment, we both believe that empowering consumers with the education they need to allow them to make safer, healthier choices is imperative.Learn more about JessicaJessica Brennan is committed to transforming the way you think about beauty and skincare. She is a passionate advocate for health and well-being and her mission is to empower consumers to make safer, smarter choices in beauty products. With firsthand experience navigating the often misleading 'natural' labels, Jessica brings a wealth of knowledge and personal understanding to the table.After discovering that even products labeled 'natural' could contain harmful ingredients linked to asthma, eczema, known carcinogens and hormone disrupters, Jessica took it upon herself to become an expert in the field & founded her company, Clean Product Junkie. Armed with research and a commitment to transparency, she aims to shed light on the murky, underregulated world of the beauty industry.Through workshops, consultations, and educational content, she focuses on demystifying ingredient lists, highlighting trustworthy brands, and celebrating legislative wins that make our products safer. Whether you're new to clean beauty or a seasoned enthusiast, Jess offers invaluable insights and practical tips to help you take control of your beauty regimen—without compromising your health. Website: www.cleanproductjunkie.comInstagram: www.instagram.com/cleanproductjunkie Home Detox 101 Free Workshop: www.Cleanproductjunkie.Com/homedetox101 Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 23 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the sensational Holly Mitchell, a Transformative Coach & Equine Guided Educator based in Gloucestershire, UK. My love of horses is certainly no secret so I was delighted that in this week's inspiring episode I got to speak with Holly, who shares her amazing journey & how her calling to be around horses came to her later in life. We delve into the incredible wisdom that “Being” in the presence of horses has brought into both our lives. How sitting in a space with her herd, you slowly unwind & begin to hear the whispers of your own innate wisdom, as well as that of nature & the interconnectedness of the world around you, offering you the chance to learn to trust how you can be guided by your heart in challenging times towards what feels good, even if your logical mind might be trying to convince you that on paper it doesn’t make sense.We also discuss the fascinating research from the HeartMath institute, studying the affects of heart coherence & how the resonance of being around horses in particular can be so beneficial to us. Through it all we are reminded of the importance of community, both human & non-human & how having hope is so important in how we show up & experience life & the impacts we can have. If you’re looking for a new way of being & finding resilience then Equine Guided work might just be the missing piece of your puzzle.Learn more about HollySince a child, Holly loved being in nature.  Looking back, it was a place she could play and connect to herself.  There was an oak tree in her family’s woodland that she spent hours around its’ big grand branches, doing lord knows what.  Getting lost!  Holly was raised most of her life on a farm in the Cotswolds, where she now lives with her husband, six horses and Henry, the standard poodle.  As a creative, Holly pursued many artistic professions in her career-life.  It began early in film and theatre, and later as a freelance photographer, but it was curiosity in her own psychology of mind and that desire to ‘fix herself’ that led her through various spiritual teachings.In 2015, after years of struggle trying to get it right, she stumbled across a teaching that truly awoke her to something she had not seen before.  That at our core we are never broken and always OK.  The understanding, known as the Three Principles, touches lives all over the world and it’s simplicity in words was profound.  It opened up an understanding about herself that has allowed her to let go of many beliefs and be more of her humanness and ride life instead of trying to drive it.  The learning and layers to be pealed are ongoing. This is the discovery of life.Today along with her small herd, in a bubble of nature’s English countryside, her desire is to help others point them back to the truth of who they are, providing a space to settle down and connect to their infinite wisdom and beautiful possibilities. Website: www.wildhealinghearts.co.ukSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 22 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the amazing Polly Hearsey. Polly is a business mentor with a masters degree in environmental science and a background in nature conservation, together we embark on a fascinating and inspiring conversation delving into the empowering concept that Governmental Policy doesn’t change culture, but rather it is culture that ultimately dictates policy. We reflect on the phase shift for humanity that is needed, and how by learning to actively listen to nature and engage her principles for eco-system health we can shape businesses capable of offering a way to heal our greatest collective wound. As Martha Beck says “Change will come from the ground up”, with this in mind we explore how small and medium size businesses will play a key role in the grass roots movement to shift our current negative environmental narrative. Polly’s vision, utilising a move away from the societal predisposition towards linear thinking, to an understanding of the interconnected complex-web that creates conditions to thrive, sees Rewilded businesses incorporate ideas for diversity and collaboration over competition, allowing them to be actively engaged in nature and their communities, with their environmental and social responsibilities ingrained at every level, as a fundamental part of their core DNA. Learn more about PollyPolly Hearsey is a nature-inspired design mentor working with the energies at the heart of each enterprise to create truly conscious and forward thinking ventures. She believes businesses can be a big part of the solution to our current challenges if we shift perspective. The changes we need to make include a different relationship with nature. If we choose to stop and listen, she believes nature can help us create new ways of living and working in harmony with our natural environment and business can be rewilded.Website: https://pollyhearsey.co.ukOther Useful Links from this Episode: Knepp Estate, Rewilding Pioneers: https://knepp.co.ukMartha Beck: The Pyramid and The Pool, Why Things Are Better Than They Seem: https://youtu.be/Xz9IJMMWP4M?siSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 21 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the amazing Anaiya from Les Contes in the French Pyrenees.  During our beautiful heartfelt conversation we discuss the courage we are all being called to bring forth to navigate the challenges of our times & how the wisdom held in the land & handed down through myth, fairytale & the archetype of the shepherdess can offer comfort by reminding us of the cyclic nature of the natural world. We meander through the landscapes that have inspired Anaiya’s life & explore ways to navigate our fears, whilst quietly honouring those who have suffered for speaking out against the status quo & held the responsibility for lightening a path for others to follow. We give thanks to the trees, including the 300 year old Sycamore at Sycamore Gap on Hadrian’s Wall for their sacrifice & remember how little Percy & our animal companions can bring immense joy to our journey in this life.Learn more about Anaiya Sophia & Les Contes:Anaiya is a Writer, Mythologist, Somatic Movement Minister & Whisperer of Sacred Wisdom. Her highly acclaimed books, courses, transmissions & workshops focus on the development of the mythic imagination & on the relevance of myths, fairy tales & folk traditions to the personal, cultural & environmental problems we face today.Her work, springs from an irresistible intimacy with the land, which is rooted in the myths & stories of place & a detailed knowledge of the physical & historical environment. She is currently working on Mary Magdalene's Audio Guide to the South of France, an evocative and expressive partnering with the mythic imagination & the land itself. Anaiya leads workshops in Sacred Body Awakening throughout Europe & North America. Her home with her husband & mother is in the mountains of the Cathar region in Southern France, where they have taken on an almighty project – the restoration of an old Catholic summer house for children: Les Contes, a B & B at the base of Montsegur. Les Contes is a truly extraordinary place with an astonishing healing presence & is often said to be a catalyst for making important decisions.Here you will find the Notre Dame de Sophia, a chapel consecrated to the Holy Spirit and the good works of Mary Magdalene, La Source de Belisama, Le Jardin d'Eden (Permaculture Project & Food Forest), The Mary Path (a mystical trail through the land), The Red Rose Cafe, the Apothecary of Body Ritual's (Sacred Spa) & Animal Sanctuary. Website: www.lescontes.euFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lescontesBandBWebsite: www.aletheiapistissophia.comDon’t Forget to tune into Season 2 of “Help! We Bought A Village” to watch more tales of Anaiya & her family’s journey creating a home and sanctuary at Les Contes. https://www.facebook.com/helpweboughtavillageSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 20 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the inspiring Caroline Mason from Seeds to Thrive.  During our beautiful conversation we delve into the concepts of regenerative farming, from the perspective of food systems and how these regenerative systems can offer resilience to the unpredictability of our current climate. Despite the challenges of a society institutionalised to think and operate in silos, Caroline is passionate about viewing businesses as functioning ecosystems and helping them to create the space for collaborative thinking, by empowering people to become curious and get involved in the co-creation of the solutions that need to be implemented.  Together we share our hope and excitement for the future by looking to the local heroes, who have quietly been part of a growing grassroots movement, that is refusing to waste time waiting for governmental directives to tackle the challenges our environment faces, but simply getting on and implementing their own positive solutions to create a brighter future where both people and nature can thrive. Learn more about CarolineCaroline Mason is a founder, advisor, coach and speaker living in the beautiful countryside of Shropshire.  Having grown up in a farming family, being surrounded and connected to nature and horses, has always been her place of calm, beauty, and peace, a balancer to the white noise of modern day living.  Having spent nearly two decades working in large corporate organisations within the food system, Caroline decided she wanted to do more, and so founded Seeds To Thrive, an advisory business specialising in working with business and people across the food system to help them accelerate their sustainability ambitions and dreams.  She believes that if we can figure out ways that will enable nature and people to thrive, prosperously in harmony with each other, it will change the course of the world for better, because thriving businesses support thriving communities.Caroline loves to take on challenges that others won’t and is passionate about living her personal values through her work; fostering sustainability, effecting positive change, nurturing people’s happiness, and fighting to make the world a better place. She believes in giving back as much as we get and is excited to continually share her knowledge and experience with others - whilst aware she will never stop learning herself.Website: https://www.seedstothrive.com/LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/caroline-mason-seeds-to-thriveTwitter: @Mason14CarolineEmail: [email protected] the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 19 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the fabulous Amy Fagan of the Grounded in Maine Podcast. During this inspiring episode Amy shares her journey towards homesteading. Offering us simple ideas for living a more sustainable lifestyle; from preserving homegrown foods to the community networks that reduce waste by sharing and swapping what we produce with others when they need it. We also explore how podcasting has impacted our lives and given us the opportunity to connect with some amazing everyday heroes, who are making positive changes in the world. Sharing their passion and wisdom with the beautiful communities our podcasts attract, we are able to spread and inspire hope for the future of the natural world. Learn more about Amy FaganAmy Fagan is the owner and jam maker of Amy’s Garden Jam, and host of weekly sustainability podcast, Grounded in Maine Podcast. Grounded in Maine is an open conversation about how we show up for the world; learning about different ways we can practice sustainability by talking to people who are doing it.Amy lives with her husband, rescue dog, 2 cats and chickens, and works in medical records for a healthcare organization. Amy also has been a volunteer gardener for 5 years for a local farm that grows organic produce solely to donate to food pantries, loves gardening and cooking and animals.Listen to Grounded In Maine Podcast: https://www.groundedinmaine.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/groundedinmainepodcast/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GroundedinmaineWebsite: https://amysgardenjam.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 18 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the sensational Erica Wheeler of Sense of Place Consulting.  During this inspiring episode we discuss how many of us will find ourselves feeling out of place and uprooted at some point during our lives and why connection to the world around us is so important and how by finding a way to belong we can allow the ancestry of the places we inhabit to weave their magical stories into our own unique tapestries of life. We also challenge the concept of utilising negativity to evoke responsibility and explore the power of story to build the bridges of connection in our search for meaning that help leave a lasting imprint and inspire love and the reasons to care. From my own experience I know it’s very easy to feel depressed by the negative dialogues we are constantly bombarded by but Erica’s wisdom is simple yet profound: “Ask yourself, does it make it better living in despair? Don’t complicate it your only job is to tune into love and express this…”Learn more about EricaErica Wheeler is an award-winning singer-songwriter, a TEDx speaker, a professional development trainer and a creative mentor. As an interpretive skills trainer, she works with museums, parks, and historic sites across the US – helping staff boost their storytelling skills and hone visitor engagement techniques. She has worked extensively with the National Park and has supported 45+ sites to date. As a keynote speaker, she often talks about tourism, a sense of place, stewardship and storytelling. As a musician, she has 6 CDs to her credit. Her music has charted in the top ten on Billboard’s Gavin’s Americana Chart, and she has been interviewed on NPR’s All Things Considered. Erica also runs creative writing workshops and retreats. Her framework centers around using a “sense of place” as the gateway to creativity, curiosity, belonging and identity. Throughout her career, she has helped people find and craft the stories they have inside them. Her work is dedicated to helping people find deep personal connections to places so that both people and places can thrive.Website: https://senseofplaceconsulting.com/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericawheelerFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ericawheelerofficial/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 17 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the amazing Amy of Mind, Body, Spirit, Breath. Amy is a herbalist, energy medicine educator & trauma-informed breathwork coach based in America.  During this inspiring episode Amy shares her powerful renegade story of how she eventually learnt to tune into her body’s messages & the innate wisdom of Mother Earth to heal herself from the extreme pain that had left her bedridden. Despite a society that conditions us to give our power away, Amy explains that it is never too late to learn to trust your body & offers the powerful reminder to us all, that “You are NOT Broken”!Learn more about Amy SteinAmy’s mission is to educate and empower those who are struggling with their health on how to reconnect to their bodies' innate intelligence using Mother Nature as a guide. She finds that when we awaken to our inner light and wisdom we can sync the mind with the body and spirit. Amy combines the “power of the plants” along with energy medicine techniques and breathwork to allow you to live in harmony in your body and environment as your authentic self. Website: https://www.mindbodyspiritbreath.com/Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/VioletsBewitchingFacebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/381761643253110Free eBook for NBNP listeners: https://bit.ly/3h9pQ5QOther useful links from this episode:Bruce Lipton - The Biology of Belief: https://www.brucelipton.com/ Yasmin Boland - Moonology: https://www.yasminboland.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 16 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the incredible Bobby-Jo Vial. Based in Australia, Bobby-Jo is an award winning wildlife photographer and the chief Honey-Badger at Bobby-Jo Safaris. In this inspiring episode we swap stories around our shared love of Africa and Wildlife safaris. Discuss how ethical tourism and Wildlife Photography can provide hope and important support for conservation, whilst sharing some of the incredible grass roots conservation organisations that we have both had the privilege to work with first hand and see the huge contributions they are making to protecting both wildlife and wild places, including the amazing Kope Lion Project. But of course no conversation with Bobby-Jo would be complete without asking ourselves “What Would Honey Badger Do?”Learn more about Bobby-Jo and how to join her on safari.Bobby-Jo’s passion is photography. Bobby-Jo’s laid-back approach and bubbly personality see many people loving to travel with her and rebooking time and again on her next safari adventure and she has inspired many people to take an interest in wildlife and conservation. As a qualified zoo-keeper her extraordinary perception and insight into animal behaviour in the wild enables her clients to capture unique and endearing images. Bobby-Jo sees photography as a slice of your life, a drop of your time. Her hope is to freeze those moments that mean the most to her clients. Taking pictures is savouring life intensely, every hundredth of a second. Because you want to remember forever.Her images have featured in publications around the world including: The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, The New York Post, Huffington Post, Paris Match, Hello Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Africa Geographic. Her opus ‘Reflections of Elephants’ was published in August 2016 coinciding with World Elephant Day. This book features many of her favourite elephant images and raises funds for the protection of some of the last Tuskers of Africa via her work as part of The Askari Project (www.theaskariproject.org). Bobby-Jo is also a team member of the Kope Lion Conservation initiative in Ngorongoro, Tanzania (www.kopelion.org)Website: http://bobbyjosafaris.com/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bobbyjosafaris/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/bobbyjosafarisOther useful links from this episode:Virunga National Park: https://virunga.org/The Thin Green Line: https://thingreenline.org.uk/Giraffe Conservation Foundation: https://giraffSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 15 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the incredible Lucy Cuzzocrea. Lucy is the the force behind Wild Roots Foraging. In this inspiring episode we discuss our need to reconnect with what Lucy fondly calls “Earth wisdom”. We explore our mutual love and respect for the weeds, our native wildflowers that are beneficial not only to our own health but the intrinsic health of our desperately struggling ecosystems. She shares her incredible 10 year journey that has seen her transform her own health through foraging and how she has gone on to find ways to share this wisdom and bring community and support into the lives of countless Wild Women and Wild Men.Learn more about Lucy and find out about joining her community: I am a forager, activist, sustainable food grower, creative, mother, and wife, living in the beautiful countryside of North East England. I was raised in Middlesbrough, one of the most socially deprived areas in the whole country, and have many experiences of how poverty and trauma can effect those who live in areas like ours. As I matured into my adult years, I started to question the systems we rely on and why food didn't simply grow everywhere, for free. I studied Graphic Design at uni and learned about capitalism, consumerism and globalisation and the huge detrimental impact it is having on both people and planet. Ever since, I have been trying to do my bit to reverse that damage and change my little area of society for the better. And this is where Wild Roots Foraging was born. I feel passionately that good quality, nutritious food, is a human right and should and can be free. So, I now make it my mission to reconnect as many people as possible with this lost knowledge, in order to empower them to take charge of their own health and sustenance, as well as the health of the planet.Wild Roots Foraging is all about helping people reconnect with the earth, their community and with themselves, through the forgotten, ancient practices of our ancestors. My goal is to reclaim what has been forgotten in the hope of helping people find the healing that is needed, for both people and planet.Website: https://wildrootsforaging.co.uk/Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wild_roots_foraging/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wildrootsforagingFacebook Groups: Wild Roots - Wild Women (Women Only)- https://www.facebook.com/groups/732435000825751Wild Roots Gatherings (anyone) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/289107325579340Other useful links from this episode:The Association of Foragers: https://foragers-association.org/Wild Men Circles: Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 14 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the lovely Lindsey Death. Lindsey is the owner of Dorset Forest Bathing and has a passion for making the natural world accessible and enjoyable for everyone. During this inspiring episode we dived into the the fascinating science-based practice of Forest Bathing (Shinrin Yoku), that originated in Japan, & no you don’t need a swim suit to give it a try yourself. I make no secret of my love of trees but I was fascinated to learn of the myriad of benefits to our health and wellbeing that we experience when we spend time amongst these beautiful beings. With stories of her children and her own childhood Lindsey, Importantly reminds us to approach nature with a sense of Awe and childlike wonder and enthusiasm, whilst sharing some simple forest bathing techniques for us all to try. Learn more about Lindsey and find out about joining a forest bathing session with her: Lindsey runs Dorset Forest Bathing, leading mindfulness in nature and nature connection events across Dorset and beyond. She has a background in conservation, and a passion for making the natural world accessible and enjoyable to all, teaching straightforward practical tips to takeaway and improve her clients overall wellbeing on a day to day basis. She has a particular interest in perinatal mental health, and lives in north Dorset with her partner and two young childrenWebsite: www.dorsetforestbathing.co.ukInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/dorset_forest_bathing/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Dorset-Forest-Bathing-218245886179148Other useful links from this episode:Institute of Forest Bathing: https://tfb.institute/Nature and Therapy UK: https://natureandtherapy.co.uk/Awe Walks: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/well/move/an-awe-walk-might-do-wonders-for-your-well-being.htmlThousand Hours Outdoor Challenge: https://www.1000hoursoutside.com/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Hello everyone and welcome to Episode 13 of the Nurtured by Nature Podcast and this Monday's Mini Episode, designed to be a little snippet of connection to kickstart your week.In this weeks episode I discuss how I find hope in the amazing discoveries of species previously believed to have become extinct. Including the exciting discovery by volunteers from the Sussex Bat Group of a second Greater Mouse-Eared bat earlier this month, alongside the interesting story of the large tortoiseshell  butterfly extinct in the UK since the 1950s and in recent years having been found in both Dorset and Sussex and finally the amazing new and unknown population of critically endangered Kordofan giraffe found in Chad last year. I'm reminded of the incredible resilience of the natural world and take comfort from the fact these species have managed to hold on and with support could once again thrive. I encourage you to find what you are passionate about - whether that is wild flowers, butterflies, birds, mammals or even worms and to find local organisations and charities that you can volunteer with to support them with citizen science and research surveys. Lastly I remind everyone in the UK to set aside an hour this weekend 27th - 29th January 2023 to count the birds for the RSPBs Big Garden Bird Watch. Links to information mentioned in today's episode:RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch: 27th-29th January 2023https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/Greater Mouse-Eared bat: https://www.facebook.com/sussexbatgroup/posts/pfbid0WcCYTR83Z3unw933AmZL5EoySG5KzP76ogpH42BwN86r5fv4tbjE9k2QbX4CsdBjlLarge Tortoiseshell butterfly: https://www.countryliving.com/uk/wildlife/countryside/a35760779/large-tortoiseshell-butterfly-spotted-dorset-uk/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jul/08/officially-extinct-butterfly-large-tortoiseshell-making-a-comeback-in-ukNew Population of Critically Endangered Kordofan giraffe: https://giraffeconservation.org/2022/07/19/update-july-2022/Recommended Book: "Wilding - The return of nature to a British farm" by Isabella TreeSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Hello everyone and welcome to Episode 12, this week's Nurtured by Nature Monday Mini Episode, designed to be a little snippet of connection to kickstart your week.To celebrate the first month of our journey together with the Nurtured by Nature Podcast, I thought it was an appropriate time to properly introduce myself to you all. In this week's episode I invite you to join me as I answer the question I tend to kick off all my guest episodes with "What is your nature story? How has your relationship with nature influenced your life and how has this evolved over time?" Having explored how nature has nurtured me in part one released last week in episode 10, in this second part of a two part answer I share more on how I feel we have a responsibility to nurture nature. I delve into how my love of nature led me to South Africa and gave me the opportunity to live and work in the African wilderness, where I encountered Elephants for the first time and literally found myself living my childhood dream in a challenging environment but enmeshed in nature in a way I had never previously experienced.  I talk about my love of photography and how I use that to platform to raise awareness and financial donations to support charities actively involved in working in the regions and with the species I have grown to know and love. Explore  Links to organisations and ideas discussed in this episode: Endangered Wildlife Trust - Wild Dog Expansion Project:https://ewt.org.za/Giraffe Conservation Foundation - Dr Julian and Stephanie Fennessyhttps://giraffeconservation.org/Aviva Rahmani, Art Activist - Trigger Point Theoryhttps://www.avivarahmani.com/blog/in-a-forest-what-does-a-tree-own-on-teaching-trigger-point-theorySupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 11 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the  incredible Kerrie Searle. Kerrie is an Animal Communicator and Flower Essence Practitioner based in Australia. During this inspiring episode we dive into the concept of telepathic communication, a skill inherent in all of us, that we are sadly taught to doubt and ultimately ignore. We discuss the desperate need for more balance in the world and our lives of both logic and intuition and also the masculine and feminine. Whilst marvelling at the extraordinary untapped wisdom and knowledge that could be available to us, if we can set aside the many hierarchies prevalent in society, whether that relates to different species or even between our many cultures and religions.  Learn more about Kerrie: "After experiencing enormous trauma throughout my life, both personally and professionally (having been a police detective for 17 years), I was mentally, physically and emotionally broken when I retired from the police force. Heavily medicated and in and out of hospital for years, my life was on a constant downward spiral.I realised the medical model I was using wasn’t helping me to get better and it was at this point that I chose a more holistic approach to my healing journey and also discovered the extraordinary healing power of flower essences.As I journeyed from a place of deep suppression to reconnecting with the disconnected. parts of myself, I also reconnected with my ability to communicate with animals (& other beings/energies) at a very deep level.I now make my own flower essences from the indigenous plants/trees where I live and I use different combinations of flower essences to make a number of blends that I use to heal and support my journey through life. These blends are also used for my animal and human clients.I bring my life experiences and learnings to my consults and workshops and now assist other humans to reconnect to the disconnected parts of themselves so that they too can communicate with their animals more deeply. I receive feelings, words, pictures, smells and tastes from animals which allow me to communicate at a very deep level and become a voice for the animals, conveying what they need heard to their humans."Website: www.animal-communicator.com.auFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/talkstoanimalsSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Hello everyone and welcome to this week's Nurtured by Nature Monday Mini Episode, designed to be a little snippet of connection to kickstart your week.To celebrate the first month of our journey together with the Nurtured by Nature Podcast, I thought it was an appropriate time to properly introduce myself to you all. In this week's episode I invite you to join me as I answer the question I tend to kick off all my guest episodes with "What is your nature story? How has your relationship with nature influenced your life and how has this evolved over time?" In this first part of a two part answer (part two will be released next week in episode 12) I share how nature has been an intrinsic part of my life for as long as I can remember, from my early childhood watching nature documentaries narrated by David Attenborough, to learning to observe, appreciate and enjoy the wildlife, birds and plants that surrounded us at home and on our family holidays in West Wales. My love of nature deepened as I discovered photography and has evolved alongside my passion for horses. When two of my horses suffered serious illnesses, and one almost died, I began to further explore the incredible world of complimentary and alternative medicine, searching for ways to support them when conventional medicine had no answers. My horses have been both my inspiration and greatest teachers as I have delved into learning about herbs, essential oils, flower essences, homeopathy, nutrition, reiki and many other modalities. I am always amazed by how much there is to learn and humbled by how little we know, but left excited by the new developments and understanding that is being gained on a regular basis. Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to episode 9 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the fabulous Wendy Sweet. Wendy lives in the hills of County Mayo in Ireland. Alongside her husband Steve, they have created an oasis for nature and started their business Woo in the Willows. During this inspiring episode we explored how a closer look at the ingredients list on the back of a skin cream, led Wendy to question what she was putting on her skin and ultimately the creation of their beautiful range of natural botanical skin creams and products. Wendy openly shares both her passion and depth of knowledge about the healing properties of plants and herbs, from the diverse range of lavenders to the powerhouse that comes in the form of the humble little daisy. I learn how, inspired by Mary Reynolds’ We Are The Ark in just a short time they have helped nature begin to reclaim their patch and how everyday we have the opportunity to learn and be amazed by the world around us and that by simply quietly taking our own journey we can unexpectedly inspire others, which can lead to changes we couldn’t have planned.  Learn more about Wendy:  Wendy (Woo) Sweet is a Horticulturist, Garden Designer, Creator and Company Director of Woo in the Willows. In 2015 Wendy and her husband Steve, came across the 2-acre plot, Steve was totally bewildered by Wendy’s insistence that the almost derelict house and ravaged patch of land could become their dream home. They have planted trees and wildflowers, encouraging wildlife and pollinators. Then set about producing as much of their own organic herbs and vegetables as they could. In 2020,  the concept of ‘Woo in the Willows’ was born. Wendy was using commercial moisturisers when it dawned on them both that some of the ingredients were potentially harmful, particularly to a cancer survivor like Wendy. Over the lockdown days and nights, they researched organic, vegan body products and formulated the recipes that have become the basis for their body products, which they are proud to have passed their safety certification. They made the hard decision to temporarily give over the majority of their existing vegetable garden to make space for the wonderful varieties of lavenders until new beds could be established. These along with organic herbs and flowers are used widely in their beautiful body products and more recently in culinary oils, vinegars and salts. With sustainability in mind their aim is to use as many of their home-grown botanicals and herbs for all their ‘Woo in the Willows’ products as is possible.Website: https://woointhewillows.comInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/woointhewillowsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/woointhewillowsOther useful links from this episode:Find out more about the We Are The Ark Movement: https://wearetheark.org/ We Are The Ark Facebook Group: Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Hello everyone and welcome to this Nurtured by Nature Monday Mini Episode, designed to be a little snippet of connection to kickstart your week.In this week's unintentionally honest, raw, emotional, and slightly delayed episode I share from my heart how I have struggled with depression and PTSD throughout my life and how some recent challenges have led me to struggle as I come into a New Year with carrying a huge amount of uncertainty in my life. I share how nurturing my own relationship with the natural world  has provided me a sanctuary, where I find support and comfort, when life feels overwhelming and unmanageable. How walking and bringing awareness to the sensation of the weather on my skin helps bring me into the present moment and how the trees offer a sense of stability and a constant when the storm of life breaks around me and that sharing my challenges with the birds and the flowers offers a sense of companionship that is ultimately both comfortable and safe when you feel messy and slightly broken, but aren't in need of being "fixed" because actually it's ok to sometimes just simply not be ok. If you're struggling with hard times, I hope that my words bring you an awareness that you aren't alone and I invite you to find comfort in the judgement free realms of nature and also to reach out to me or others to find support. Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Welcome to Episode 7 of the Nurtured by Nature podcast. Today I'm delighted to be joined in conversation by the lovely Helen Peterson. Helen is the owner of Happy Seal Yoga, based on the beautiful North Yorkshire coast. During this inspiring episode we explored how Helen’s journey to improve her surfing, lead her to yoga, and rippled out to create a community that now works together to care for and enjoy the beautiful North Yorkshire coastline she calls home.  We discussed how yoga can provide both a physical and perhaps more importantly mentally supportive route to recovery after serious injury and that even if you can’t touch your toes, you shouldn’t be put off trying yoga. Lastly we pondered how our own perspectives in life can lead to us becoming blinkered and taking for granted the beauty that’s just around the corner on our own doorsteps. Learn more about Helen:Based on the beautiful North Yorkshire coast, Helen founded Happy Seal Yoga in 2019 and specialises in outdoor yoga by the sea classes for all abilities. Classes take place in Sandsend, Whitby, Scarborough, Cayton Bay & Filey. Connecting with nature and absorbing the sounds of the sea as you flow gives that all important quiet time that is often hard to find in busy day to day life. Helen loves the outdoors and is particularly fond of the sea. A firm believer in the proven positive mental health benefits of activity in, on and near the ocean, when she’s not teaching yoga you’ll usually find her in, on or very close to the sea!Website: www.happysealyoga.comInstagram -@happysealyoga  https://www.instagram.com/HappySealYoga/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HappySealYogaOther useful links from this episode:Find out about Planet Patrol through their website. Join a litter pick or set up your own on the events page, nothing is booked in yet for summer 2023 but when it is it’ll be at this link: https://planetpatrol.co/clean-ups/Wave Project: Helen volunteers as a surf mentor for: https://www.waveproject.co.ukEkotex Yoga: beautiful, ethical and durable yoga mats and props designed to support yogis as much as supporting the planet:https://ekotexyoga.co.ukSupport the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay

Hello everyone and welcome to this Nurtured by Nature Monday Mini Episode, designed to be a little snippet of connection to kickstart your week.Following on from last week's episode about biological diversity, in this week's episode I discuss how citizen or community science research projects provide a fun and easy way for all of us to help support nature and wildlife conservation from the comfort of our own home or on your local patch, whether that is your garden or local area. Something to remember, is that it's important for these organisations to know what isn't there as much as what is, so don't be put off from getting involved even if you don't regularly see very many animals/birds/insects, as that's valuable data too.Links to some of the citizen science projects mentioned in today's episode:Zooniverse - People Powered Research: a world wide platform with numerous projects from researchers around the globe, looking for help with cataloguing and classifying data. Projects include but aren't limited to those focused on nature and conservation. https://www.zooniverse.org/UK Based Citizen Science Projects: Mammal Society:  Mammal Mapper App: https://www.mammal.org.uk/volunteering/mammal-mapper/Mammal Web: https://www.mammalweb.org/en/RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch: 27th-29th January 2023https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/Butterfly Count: 14th July - 6th August 2023https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/Saving Scotland's Red Squirrels - Great Scottish Squirrel Surveyhttps://scottishsquirrels.org.uk/great-scottish-squirrel-survey/Support the showThank you for being part of this journey with me, please Subscribe so you don't miss our future episodes, leave a review & share with friends to help these messages ripple out across the world. More information about the Podcast & our host Fiona MacKay: Fiona Mackay Photography WebsiteConnect with us & join the conversation on social media:Instagram @FionaMacKayPhotographyFacebook @FionaMacKayPhotographyTwitter @FiMacKay