Dumbo Feather Podcast

One of the things we love at Dumbo Feather is learning about new models of success which we can implement in our communities and nations to ensure more prosperity across the board - for people and planet, not just the top one percent.  A trailblazer in this work is Kate Raworth, an economist for the University of Oxford who devised the doughnut economic model, which defines the social and environmental boundaries we must live within in order to thrive. If you haven’t come across this work already, we suggest you press pause now and familiarise yourself with the doughnut - there’s plenty about it online. And then dive into this scintillating chat with Kate, which was recorded mid-2020 as part of our Small Giants Academy Next Economy series. The conversation was facilitated by our publisher Berry Liberman.  Also, check out the work of Regen Melbourne and their localised take on Kate’s work. The Melbourne Donought is being used to chat a more regenerative future for the city. You can learn more about it at regen.melbourne. This episode was produced on the lands of the Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nations - we acknowledge the traditional owners, and elders past and present.

In this conversation, we hear from one of the seminal writers in tree communication, Peter Wohlleben, who’s book “The Hidden Life of Trees” revolutionised our understanding of how trees nurture and talk to each other. The international bestseller draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to reveal the ways in which trees are like human families and communities, supporting the young ones as they grow, sharing nutrients to those who are sick or struggling, even warning each other of impending danger. The masterpiece was recently made into a documentary film, screened here in Australia by our friends at Transitions Film Festival. As part of that screening, Peter was interviewed by another friend of ours Sarah Wilson, who’s recent book “This One Wild and Precious Life” is, among many things, an ode to hiking and being in forests.

Two years ago, our publisher Berry Liberman sat down with Worimi singer-songwriter Lydia Fairhall for one of the richest and most joyful inquiries of our inner and outer landscapes. Since then, Lydia has become a mentor and friend, whose wise counsel has expanded so much of our thinking and work. The conversation featured in our commemorative 60th edition of Dumbo Feather, titled "Belonging."

Our current issue of Dumbo Feather magazine is all about truth and critical thinking. Our editor-in-chief Berry Liberman sat down with the wonderful Lisa Marchiano, a social worker and Jungian analyst based in Philadelphia (who you might know from her podcast This Jungian Life), to discuss discernment, the challenges posed by mass movements, and why we need to make friends with doubt. If these ideas sparked your curiosity, then get a hold of issue 66 of Dumbo Feather magazine, available at selected news agencies and specialty stores, and over at our website: dumbofeather.com You can tune into Lisa’s weekly podcast This Jungian Life, or the mini series she made with Berry called Myths Morals and Money, wherever you get your podcasts. Lisa’s new book “Motherhood” can be ordered via her website lisamarchiano.com Thanks to the guys at Cheshire audio and YAGA for editing this episode. Dumbo Feather is part of the Small Giants Academy, an education and media initiative providing wisdom and action for a hopeful future. You can learn more about our work, and check out all the wonderful events we currently have on offer, over at smallgiants.com.au

International dharma teacher and Dumbo Feather friend Catherine Ingram attended a recent Small Giants team huddle and shared this potent reflection on uncertainty with us.

This episode we bring you a reading of one of our essays from the Rest issue of Dumbo Feather magazine. It's by our much-loved contributor Lauren L. Hill, who you can also hear over at the Water People podcast, and it's called "Minding My Mothers." Thanks to the guys at Cheshire Audio and Yaga for editing this episode and weaving together music, sound and voice so beautifully.

We are catching waves on the podcast this month with longboarding champion Belinda Baggs, who hails from Torquay, Australia. Belinda is a surfing ambassador for Patagonia Australia and the co-founder of Surfers for Climate, a sea-roots movement dedicated to positive climate action. She chats with Dumbo Feather favourite and fellow champion surfer, Lauren Hill.

This month's chat is with the delightful & insightful Lucy Peach, author of the book Period Queen. Hailing from Fremantle WA, Lucy is a folk singer, performer & a long time champion of the power of the menstrual cycle. We love the way Lucy talks about the period and the invitation that is present in each stage of that cycle. This conversation was had in October last year for our current issue of Dumbo Feather magazine, which is all about rest and the cycles that we are both part of and are part of us. If you dig the topics that come up, then definitely pick up a copy of the mag - either at your local retailer or online over at dumbofeather.com. Lucy is chatting with our publisher and editor in chief, the joyful & always on point, Berry Liberman.

In this episode, we chat with Nipun Mehta from issue 60 of Dumbo Feather. Nipun is founder of Service Space, an incubator of labor-of-love projects that are powered by inner transformation. His role is to bring an abundance mindset back into out communities, where giving might well be the ultimate reward, and where there are many kinds of capital to trade: from love and kindness to labour and time. This chat was recorded live as a webinar for SOCAP, a global impact investment summit that takes place annually.

Sarah Wilson is ALL IN. Her new book, "This One Wild and Precious Life," articulates “a hopeful path forward in a fractured world.” As someone very familiar with suffering, she says we have “cocooned ourselves in a state of overwhelm, in this suspended state of adolescence.” Distracted and numb, we are in collective moral and psychological retreat from dealing with the multiple crises we face. The remedy is to find our way back to the things we love: our selves, each other and the natural world. We have to reclaim connection as a matter of great urgency.

Biomimicry is a practice that learns from and mimics the strategies found in nature to solve human design challenges. We hear from the co-founder of this extraordinary work, Dayna Baumeister about what it is and how it might help us to understand the role rest has played in the evolution of our species. Dayna chats with Dumbo Feather contributor and permaculture legend, Dan Palmer.

It's the musical episode of the Dumbo Feather podcast, featuring songs and reflections from this year's Small Giants Artists in Residence, including Lydia Fairhall, Bobby Alu, Neda Rahmani and Mama Kin.

Pico Iyer is regarded as one of the best travel writers of our time, but he's not just an explorer of the outer worlds, he writes beautifully on the inner journeys available to us, too. Having written 14 books, travelled frequently by the side of the Dalai Lama, done four TED Talks with over 10 million views and written for Time Magazine, New York Times and many more, he is a wise voice for our times on matters of stillness, transformation and the heart.

As part of our localising campaign at Dumbo Feather, we have a ripper conversation for you with the former mayor of Frome and legend of local politics, Peter Macfadyen. Peter is one of the architects behind Flatpack Democracy, a do-it-yourself guide to creating independent politics. In this conversation with Berry Liberman, he tells the story of how he and a small group of independents successfully took over their local town council and put an end to business as usual.

We wrap up our weekly Zoom Conversation Series with none other than localising legend, Helena Norberg-Hodge. Helena is the founder and CEO of Local Futures, an organisation which works to promote a systemic shift away from dependence on globalised monopolies, and towards decentralised regional economies. Helena collaborated with us on Issue 63 of Dumbo Feather.