Birdsong with Caiyuda

Re-Wilding, Caveman Diets & Surviving Off The Land | Adam Kavanagh (2020)

Adam Kavanagh join us in Season 1 (2020) of Birdsong.
Adam is an adventurer who seeks out wisdom from nature based cultures around the globe, in particular through the powerful way of living and breathing known as re-wilding, we’re talking living and surviving out in nature, off the land.
Adam worked as a coal miner for 9 years, and as you might expect, there’s going to be some level of physical, mental, emotional exhaustion to be suffered, which became apparent for Adam with a crippling overactive thyroid.
Somewhere along the way he stumbled across and adopted the caveman diet, essentially a Paleo style diet, which paved the path to some deep healing and nourishment and lead to his realisation that a barefoot approach to life was calling out his name.
He eventually quit his job, traveled around the country, and spends time living and surviving off the land; sharing his experiences with community primarily through instagram.
My interest in having a chat with Adam arose after seeing some epic photos on his instagram feed, as well as listening to his appearance on Evolve hosted by Pete Evans.
In this episode Adam touches on some of the ins and outs of his approach to paleo / the caveman method of eating and how it helped him on his health journey, I was interested in his experiences when it came to bowhunting, connecting with the land, tuning into the seasonal changes and the elements, re-wilding in general, and we chat about some of his animal experiences out on the land alongside more of Adams personal journey.
 
EPISODE NOTES:
Rewilding Adam: Adam’s journey from overworked coal miner to bow-hunting caveman
The one meeting that sparked Adam’s “rewilding” journey
Adam’s journey into Paleo Learning to eat for your body vs a “diet”
Having respect for where your food comes from
The “heaviness” of hunting
What’s it like to live and eat in the wild?
Is it true that you use ALL of the animal when you live out in the wild?
How do you hunt boars gone wild?
Getting medical care...when you’re away from civilization
The vegan vs carnivore (and everybody in between) debate
Being spiritual in the wild Working with the cycles of nature to get your food
Being grateful for the simple things in life
Stories from the Dreamtime
The ONE book series Adam won’t leave for the Australian wild without
Remembering to honor the small things in life we often take for granted
 
TIMESTAMPS:
[4:00] Opening the Container: Adam invites us to the sacred space of our conversation with a reminder to be grateful for the simple things like the kookaburra
[10:12] The meeting that changed everything
[13:23] From Modern diet to Paleo
[16:30] Eating for the body, not the book
[22:20 Hunting and self-sufficiency
[28:54] The “heaviness” of hunting
[33:23] Hunting in the wild
[36:16] Do you use all of the animal that you hunt?
[39:00] Boars gone wild
[41:26] Getting medical care with a tusk through your hand
[57:34] Wild spirituality vs modernity
[1:01:07] The cycles of nature
[1:04:18] The simple things
[1:12:00] Dream time stories
[1:14:10] Rites of passage
[1:20:00] Closing the Container: Adam closes the sacred space of our conversation with a reminder to be grateful for the things we often take for granted

Rose Medicine, Initiatory Descent, Ayahuasca, Astrology, Venusian Mysteries | Lara Charlotte (2020)

In this episode from Season 1 (2020) be have Lara Charlotte on the show.
Lara was born in Aotearoa, New Zealand and spent 5 years living in Peru studying traditional Amazonian Curanderismo, where she co-founded The Garden of Peace Ayahuasca and Master Plant Healing Centre.
Lara has a specific passion for womens health and the reconnection of our earth-sky axis, through her work with the Venusian mysteries and the lineage of the Rose. She is an avid student of transformational astrology, yoga, ritual healing and heart centred harmonious living.
I loved this conversation, Lara took me on a journey down into the bones of some of the feminine mysteries and cycles, the importance and potency of initiation by descent, into the darkness into the shadows into the muk and grime of the underworld, we talk about astrological and lunar wisdom, plant intelligence, ayahuasca, the lineage of the rose and so much more.
Her song at the end of the show to close up our space was beautiful, so make sure you stick around until the end, as Lara is a powerhouse of knowledge and wisdom and carries such a deep embodiment of the feminine essence, and has a way of weaving the ancient with the modern, so I think you’re really going to enjoy what she has to share here.
pathoftherose.com
instagram.com/pathoftherose
saferceremony.com
EPISODE NOTES:
Connecting to a world beyond words: Understanding and appreciating the unexplainable world of “mystery” and spirit
Getting initiated by descent-Why going through darkness can lead to better times
Growing up with a burial ground, non-imaginary friend, and nature in your backyard
Going up or down: Should our spirits go up, down, or stay detached?
Healing spiritual imbalance through the wisdom of plants and nature
Why the rose is more than you think
Learning from the cycles of the moon, the stars, and planets
How do we balance masculine and feminine energy?
Healing society’s trauma with balanced spiritual energy
Why plants are complete badasses
Ayahuasca
How do the signs in astrology work?
What if I’m not a “woo woo” person?
What the moon can teach us about our bodies and our emotions
Going through the pain and trauma to find your healing
TIMESTAMPS:
[4:25] Opening the Container: Lara invites us to connect on a deeper level with our ancestors, the healing power of the rose
[7:32] From a marketing job to the Amazon jungle: Lara’s journey from trauma to healing and mission
[17:57] Lara’s first Ayahuasca experience
[26:00] Ascent vs Descent:
[30:46] Fixing spiritual imbalance
[36:21] Lara’s spiritual journey through rose
[42:48] Masculine energy & the rose
[44:26] Why we need feminine energy
[47:24] Rose physical balance
[51:44] Venus in astrology…. for a beginner
[57:38] Understanding astrological signs
[1:02:17] Helping “Non Woo Woo” People
[1:05:00} Lunar cycles
[1:16:00] Initiation into masculine/feminine energy
[1:18:42] Psyche & Eros
[1:26:00] Ayahuasca
[1:38:40] Closing the Container: Lara closes the space with a beautiful song

Wisdom of Storytelling, Wilderness Initiation & Mythopoetic Landscapes | Leon Cossar (2020)

In this episode from Season 1 (2020) we have Leon Cossar on the show.
Leon is an outdoorsman, a burgeoning poet, rascally storyteller and independent scholar of deep ecology, anthropology and mythology. He is currently studying a masters in ‘The Poetics of Imagination’ with Dr Martin Shaw and leads online programs guiding people into the mytho-poetic conditions of their life.
As Leon puts it himself, he was born in big sky country and is a 6th generation farmers son. He grew up with dirt spittin larrikins' spinnin’ yarns of brawny bush rangers and wide eyed toothless shearers who were kings of the wool sheds and scrappin’ pub brawls.
When the prison bars of school bent open he flew from the parched textbooks and drought riddled country upon the wings of an inner dream and calling to become a wilderness guide on the high seas and soaring mountains. As a wilderness rites guide Leon leads rites of passage programs with youth, vision quests with adults and as a death doula offers his services to the ones who are passing through.
He writes among other things on the miraculous human pilgrimage from here to there and the questions we must ask ourselves to guide us in genuine ways toward our one day, all at once, full arrival and disappearance.
It was such a pleasure to have Leon on, and I really enjoyed delving into the mytho-poetic landscape, wilderness connection, and all the rest of it…
 
TIMESTAMPS:
[5:20] Opening the Container: Leon opens the circle with an appreciation for the “mystery” & offers a unique twist on ways we can invite the sacred into our space
[12:08] Gargoyles
[16:00] Understanding “soul language”
[16:46] Diving deeper into myth
[20:14] Myth & poetry
[21:56] Charles Darwin...and poetry?
[32:08] Going beyond the limits of what we call “language”
[34:40] Where have the “original people of the land” gone?
[36:28] A spiritual experience with the wind
[37:24] “You’re not from here….”
[40:18] Taming the wild man with education
[41;17] Turning to face the beast
[44:18] Men and the need for rites of passage
[50:51] The Vision Quest
[55:33] Addiction
[57:34] How do you make something sacred?
[58:37] Initiation in every day of our lives
[1:00:00] Questing
[1:04:00] Listening to the communication of nature
[1:15:04] Understanding death
[1:16:00] Psychology and myth
[1:17:00] The alchemy of communication
[1:11:00] Writing your language
[1:20:00] Deepening your relationship with poetry

Walking Kokoda Track with ONLY HALF a Pelvis & Cultivating Resilience | Adam Kellerman (2020)

In this episode from Season 1 (2020) we have Adam Kellerman joining us.
Adam is quite frankly a remarkable human being. The reasons I invited him on as a guest become evident as I detail his bio, which essentially becomes some of the story he walks us through.
This includes surviving cancer as a young teenager, having half of his pelvis removed, going on to play professional wheelchair tennis which included two Paralympic games in London and Rio, he was ranked #8 in the world and #1 in Australia, but after a pivotal point in his career, he winded up doing charity work in Africa and in Australia, and somehow went on to stop using his wheelchair, and ended up on a grand journey to hike the very well known, and very challenging, Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea.
On top of that, his life is intertwined with practices that cultivate a well-rounded approach to holistic health and wellness, which we explore throughout his story, including his connection to ceremony, ritual, facing death, honouring the sacred, connecting with nature and more.
He’s now a motivational speaker for schools and businesses and he speaks to the importance of building resilience, overcoming adversity and thriving through change, he mentors cancer survivors, people with chronic pain, and young adults, alongside teaching standing meditation and Calligraphy Qigong, amongst all the other roles he slips and slides into, like we all do.
It was a real pleasure to sit down and weave in and out of Adam’s own Birdsong and I trust you’ll find value in our dialogue to carry with you on your own path forward.
 
EPISODE NOTES:
Healing your life emotionally and physically after bone cancer
Tapping into and taking control of your own healing power
Some of the pillars of Adam’s healing journey
Healing trauma on a cellular level Learning lessons from pain
Choosing life in the face of pain and darkness
Understanding why life, the blessings and the challenges, are a gift
Embracing the challenge and opportunity of COV-19
The sharing of wisdom
The simple magic of rituals
The healing power of connecting with your spirit
 
TIMESTAMPS:
[4:00] Opening the Container: Adam opens the circle with a reminder to bring our focus back to the breath
[8:27] Adam's current mission: Walking for the Age of Ability...AFTER removal of his right hip
[10:00] Recovering after a bone cancer diagnosis
[14:18] Taking charge of your healing
[18:32] Adam’s support network during his journey
[27:00] Dealing with trauma on a cellular level (Lessons from Adam’s masseuse)
[35:00] Dealing with (instead of running from pain)
[58:25] Musings on choosing life
[1:00:00] All of life is a gift
[1:06:28] The challenge (and opportunity) in the COV-19 crisis
[1:12:00] Confronting the Uncomfortable & Learning
[1:19:00] Dealing with the Lessons of Pain
[1:21:00] Rituals
[1:26:00] Healing spiritually
[1:32:37] Closing the conversation

Earth Medicine, Bioregionalism, Sacred Cacao & Plant Wisdom Keeping | Renée McCready (2020)

In this episode from Season 1 (2020) we have Renée McCready joining us.
Also known as Lady Pachamama, Renée is a plant wisdom keeper, ceremonialist, shamanic healer and therapist, she’s a kitchen witch, yoga teacher, an earth doula, bio-regionalist, and a practicing animist. Renée runs various workshops, sacred cacao ceremonies, mentoring programmes and her personal practice from the forest highlands of Regional Victoria, Australia, which just so happens to be her home.
She offers ceremonial work with sacred cacao and other plant medicine, spiritual nutrition and education around food as medicine, plant and earth wisdom work, ancestral healing, embodiment work, and more. It’s part of her mission to help people recalibrate and realign back to their own original human blueprint, which is something that we’ll touch on during this episode, but essentially what we’re speaking to here, is our roots within nature, our remembrance to our ancestral lineages that had a reverence and solid connection to the land beneath their feet.
This ties in nourishing that mind-body-soul connection that we all have, and tapping into our own unique personal medicines, our passions, our heart and of course our purpose, our great reason for being here. As you might guess from her bio, there was a lot to unpack and explore, touching on many of these themes, and it was a pleasure to welcome Renée to the show.
 
EPISODE NOTES:
Why living in the forest is the perfect environment for Renée
Respecting the power of the native plants we share our living spaces Honoring our sacred connections to the ancestors and their land
Working as an Earth Doula
Creating year-round health using the wisdom of the Earth
Grocery Story magic: Learning Earth medicine on a deeper level at the grocery
Learning and healing from the wisdom of our ancestors and the land
Tapping into the Old Ways
Using your intuition Sacred cacao, or trend going in the wrong direction?
Dealing with skeptics
 
TIMESTAMPS:
[6:08] Opening the Container: Renée opens the container by inviting us to slow down
[9:14] What is the Original Human Blueprint?
[12:55] Renée's journey into the Old Ways
[17:48] Living in the forest
[18:25] Plant wisdom-keeping that respects the land
[21:53] Sovereignty: Respecting the sacred connections in and around our living spaces
[24:54] Lessons from the transitions of plants
[29:05] Food as a medicine throughout the year
[31:37] Grocery store plant magic
[51:18] Learning and healing from the land of our ancestors
[1:01:25] Tapping into the power of the Old Ways
[1:21:00] Are we honoring the cacao in modern times?
[1:27:30] How to respond to skeptics
[1:38:00] Closing the container with a sacred sound

Storytelling, Passage Rites, Death, Heart-consciousness & Shamanism | Asher Packman (2020)

In this episode from Season 1 (2020) we have Asher Packman joining us.
Over the last decade, Asher has grown to become a globally recognised mindset coach and meditation teacher, who combines neuroscience and epigenetics with Eastern philosophies, shamanism and myth; which offers an approach that helps people connect to the unlimited potential of their own true nature, offering a greater depth of experience in life.
He’s a certified HeartMath and Wim Hof Method instructor, a Kundalini Yoga teacher, he’s the founder of The Fifth Direction and The Warrior Within, including the Warrior Within Podcast, and he’s the current President of Meditation Australia, alongside being associated with many other interesting and remarkable facets of life.
Some of the things we touched on in this conversation include honouring the sacred, the importance of storytelling and mythology, descending into the darkness to come to know ourselves on a deep heart and soul level, we explore some of the ins and outs when it comes to rites of passage, Asher shares some of his own personal experiences that touch on death, dying, health, psych wards, some insights into his journey and his relationship with a rare type of cancer, we talk about heart-based consciousness, shamanism, conspiracy theories, and many other threads of that nature.
It was a pleasure to welcome Asher to the show and I trust you’ll find some gemstones in our dialogue to carry with you on your own path forward. EPISODE NOTES:
How to open yourself up to the sacred
The power of presence
Why men need stories and mythology to guide their lives
Learning how to tap into the power of stories
Understanding the 3 levels of existence
Descending into our darkness to find the truth
ites of Passage-Does modern society have rites of passage?
How can we improve rites of passage?
The 3 key stages in a rite of passage
Why men need mentors
Asher's personal journey from darkness to shamanism, spirituality, and neuroscience
Why heroes (including us!) need to descend into our darkest moments to find light
Talking about death, dying & grief
Meditating with your heart
Shamanism
Learning to deal with fear in this chaotic and unpredictable time
Is our society coming out of isolation too quickly?
Why conspiracy theories aren’t the best use of our minds
Why men should have a stirring in their loins when it comes to the feminine fiction
TIMESTAMPS:
[3:00] Opening the Container: Asher leads the podcast in an opening ceremony to start the podcast
[9:45} Bringing more presence into our lives
[12:00] The importance of stories and mythology(especially in work with men)
[14:35] Where do I start learning about mythologies and stories?
[20:14] Understanding the 3 levels of spiritual existence
[22:00] Why should we have to step out of our comfort zones?
[26:46] Rites of Passage
[31:00] What can our society do better to help boys transition to manhood?
[35:30] Moving through the rites of passage
[41:38] Asher’s personal journey with loss and descent into the darkness
[42:16] The most important part of the Hero’s Journey (that we often miss)
[44:55] Discussing death from a different perspective
[50:45] Transforming fear of death into acceptance of life
[54:24] Shamanism
[56:21] Heart-Centered Meditation
[1:04:00] Tips and techniques for dealing with fear in this unusual time
[1:14:00] Conspiracy Theories
[1:27:00] Closing the Circle