Heart of Connection Podcast

This conversation with Zoe Hollingsworth from Creative Geelong explores our connection to the swinging pendulum of social media. Her in depth wisdom and quick humour alights the conversation as explores her connections to herself, others & All That Is. [2:09] Having Fun a Way to Connect [3:05] My Learning Curve of Connecting to Emotions [5:15] Connecting to Acceptance of My Vulnerability [7:48] Video Coaching – Acceptance of Self [10:51] Swinging pendulum of Social Media [14:23] Social Media’s Impact on Mental Health [17:36] A Connection in the Disconnection [23:32] Social Media Detox and Connection [29:12] Connecting to a Flow-State

Sean Purcell is one of luckiest man to be alive after 10 isolated but mini incidences all aligned up. During a run on a Torquay beach, his heart stopped and if it wasn’t for the care of 10 people who kept his heart beating we would not be here today to tell his story. It changed his life. [0:43] Clinically Dead on Torquay Beach [3:30] Such Gratefulness for Each Day since my Death [4:29] Taking Life for Granted Before Dying [6:17] Being More Connected to Myself [8:47] Each Connection to Others is a Daily Blessing [10:12] Second Shot at Life has improved my Connection to Others [12:58] We Men Need to Park Our Egos [14:30] Men’s Ego Blocks Our Connections [16:13] Connecting to our Vulnerability [16:39] My Deepest Connection to My Vulnerability - Dying [18:32] Being Looked After by Entity Beyond [21:09] My Ego Resistance blocks my Flow-State

My Connection to Radio Mark [0:00] I’d like to welcome Lee Stamps (Stampsy) from K Rock to the World Heart of Connection Podcast. Lee is an announcer here and music director and she wears many hats here at K rock.  I’m not gonna give it due justice by trying to tell everybody what she does.  So I might ask Lee (Stampsy) if she could introduce herself. Stampsy [0:26] Yeah sure.  I’m the network music director for the Grant Broadcasters network.  But here at K Rock I’m the music director and I’m the drive announcer of the departure lounge.  So I’m one half of on-air team from 4 to 6 our till alongside my co-host, Josh. My Childhood Connection to Radio Mark [0:40] Great.  Connection to radio.  Can you tell me what bought you or what took you into the connection to radio? Stampsy [0:50] My earliest memory was my Mum coming into my bedroom, I must have only been 11.  I should have been asleep but there I am underneath my doona with my radio listening to the hot 30 countdowns.  I was wanting to know what number one was going to be and having Mum whip the doona off my bed.  You need to sleep nut we’re early at number two.  I just loved music and I can’t sing as I’m tone-deaf.  I’ll attempt in the shower but I just love the impact, the feeling and the emotion that music drives.  I just love envisioning being on a stage or dancing along to a tune or just feeling happy from the song all the way music makes me feel.  So that was probably my earliest memory of radio.  But I didn’t want to get into the radio at a young age. My Connections to Sport Stampsy [1:50] I was a major tomboy – I was a big tomboy.  I loved my sport would play absolutely anything and everything.  I played Netball for 13 years and was trying out for state teams.  I had this vision because I was a bigger child and I didn’t think I was going to be athletic or in the athletic field.  So I went – I think I might get into sports psychology or sports Physiotherapy, so I can still be in that sporting arena.  I think in Year 10 you do work experience for a week and I couldn’t get into any of my placements.  So Mum just said to me, look as a community radio station down the road.  Why don’t you go there for a week?  You love music, it’s really close so I can drop you off.  Do that for a week and then we’ll look at getting you some placement in sports, physio or sports psychology. Reading the Weather Hooked Me So I ended up doing the week at Plenty Valley FM out in Mill Park.  And on day three, I remember the station manager let me read the weather on the radio.  Drop mike that was the beginning.  That for me was the moment where I went – I get paid to talk and I’m pretty good at it – I talk a lot.  So for me, oh there’s this avenue of where I get paid to play music and I get to talk.  I get to talk to people and interview and have a laugh.  It’s entertaining, and I’m driven and I get to do really cool things.  So I ended up doing community radio, for three years just for that one week of work experience. Mark [3:23] In the work there is a connection.  It’s an interesting connection because you can’t necessarily see the impact of your connection.  Can you sense the connection from a felt sense? Stampsy [3:39] It’s a really interesting question because they are days I genuinely forget that people listen to me – every single day.  We recently had a radio survey and we came back as the number one most listened to drive show.  My mind and my heart just exploded.  I went wow there’s 10s of thousands of people out there who listen to me waffle every day. Making a Difference to Just One Person But then there are some days where I will get a message in the inbox on my personal Instagram. And someone will go on I was laughing along with that because I did the same thing yesterday or thank you for talking about th

Connecting to Our Wellness Mark [0:00] I’d like to welcome Jo Surkitt from Revitalize Lifestyle to the World Heart of Connection podcast. Jo is a wellness educator, keynote speaker, and practitioner who specializes in creating positive change and healthy choices in the lives of people from all walks of life. Jo has worked with many business organisations and individuals over the past two decades in the areas of professional personal development, health and well-being mindfulness, positive psychology, resilience, emotional intelligence, where she inspires, motivates, educates, and assist clients in improving their overall happiness and well-being at home and at work. Welcome, Jo. Jo [0:38] Hi Mark, thanks for having me today. Mark [0:40] Jo, just by way of introduction have I touch base with everything that I need to have touched base with? Jo [0:50] Yes sounds great thank you. Connection to Breath “Only This ~ In this Moment” Mark [0:54] In terms of connection – the connection to Self, Other and ‘All That Is’ how does that work for you? Jo [1:03] With self, I found over the years a good way to connect with me is just my breath.  The just coming back to that moment.  I often sort of say to myself, “only this ~ in this moment”, because we have such busy lives, and it’s lots of things to be done.  And sometimes when I’m feeling overwhelmed, I’ll just sort of repeat “only this ~ in this moment”, and it sort of brings me back to just concentrating on that present time or that present moment, rather than trying to do so many things and coming back to that breath.  So of just noticing that if we just come back to the breath it’ll bring us back.  You know calms our mind, calms our heart, calms our well-being. Mark [1:41] It is a busy world, isn’t it? Sure is.  It’s gotten busier.  Thanks to the digital world. Jo [1:47] Yes, it’s supposed to be making us more connected, but unfortunately, a lot of the time makes us more disconnected to others and ourselves. Noticing the impacts of my Disconnection Mark [1:57] What do you notice when you disconnected from yourself? Jo [2:00] I find my mind gets quite erratic and there are so many thoughts and I just feel like I’m being pulled.  You know, pillar to post, whether it is family work, even my own mind, and my thoughts.  So I just start feeling a little bit edgy and often what I’ll do is go down to the beach, take a walk along the beach. Just sort of take my shoes off and just really connect back to nature and just bring myself back to me.  And it just – anyone that walks along the beach or in the ocean can feel it their mind calms so much.  Which now they actually say there’s scientific research saying that the being near the positive and also the negative ions coming off the ocean, they actually reduce your cortisol by 50% for the next 24 to 48 hours.  So scientifically research saying go, they need the water. Connecting to the Ocean Mark [2:48] And being near the water is important and also being in nature? Jo [2:51] Being in nature whether it’s going to hug a tree or you’re going for a swim in the river or anything in the ocean. Mark [2:58] They say that nature somehow triggers our serotonin a stomach. It’s quite fascinating. Jo [3:03] Yes, that whole mind and gut thing – it’s amazing the access now of how it’s related so closely. Noticing my Connection to My Body Mark [3:10] When you are getting stressed, you notice whereabouts – do you have a certain point in your body as you’re checking in with your body – your connection to your body.  Do you notice is there a holding pattern within your body?  Are there certain points in your body where you know ‘aha’ – there is again? Jo [3:26] Yeah, I feel it sort of in my chest are

Geelong Business Connect with its Community Mark [0:00] I’d like to welcome Ben Flynn to the Heart of Connection Podcast.  Ben is the CEO of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce and has a background in marketing, accounting, and finance and has worked in many places across the world.  And most recently here at Gen U in Geelong.  He lives in Ocean Grove, with his wife and two kids. Ben and I have a bit of a connection together being old Hamiltonians from that wonderful little place in the southwest.  Is that right? We call it southwest of Victoria or Western District? Connection to Hamilton Ben [0:34] Yeah, the Merino Capital of the World – Wool Capital of the world we had on the sign as you drove in. Mark [0:40] That’s right and one of the Prime Minister’s was not far from Hamilton? Ben [0:47] Malcolm Fraser was from Merino.  Steve, not Steve Brack’s was it Steve Brack’s – one of the Premier was from Coleraine as well – John Brumby. Growing up in the Western District Mark [1:01] Okay I didn’t know that.  The old Western District – we’ve got some good football is too.  We got the boy Jeremy Cameron up in Sydney with Greater Sydney he’s from Dartmoor or Coleraine somewhere like that.  Also Phillip Walsh former coach of Adelaide.  He was St. Mary’s boys. Ben [1:22] We knew Phil Walsh really well in the family. There are other names Billy Picken came out of there.  He’s one of the notables.  So it’s got a pretty good sporting history down. Mark [1:36] It has. Ben [1:37] There’s not much to do in town actually. Country Towns strong Sporting Communities Mark [1:39] Play football.  If you weren’t an ‘A’ grade footballer or ‘A’ grade cricketer.  If you played another sport, it wasn’t the ideal thing to do. Ben [1:46] Yeah, I think there might have been a marching band or something for those people (Laughter). Mark [1:51] March you out of town.  So thank you, Ben, for being a guest on the podcast.  This podcast is about a conversation for about 30 minutes roughly.  It is on connection to Self, Others and ‘All That Is’ and whatever that all that is is to you.  It could be a God, it could be the trees, the ocean could be the universe, it doesn’t matter – it is what it is.  In terms of connection, how did you get connected to marketing and accounting?  What led you to that connection? Respected Teacher-led me to Accounting Ben [2:24] Wow.  Accounting was my Year 12 school teacher. He was my accounting teacher who had a lot of respect for.  I went into University here at Deakin and actually from Hamilton.  I did commerce arts and always lead to accounting.  I was lucky enough after university to be one of the few graduates that’s able to go into one of the big four firms.  I and went into KPMG.  Like a lot of people around the age of 24 & 25 years after a few years working.  The urge to go overseas was too strong.  Or more the point that I was getting emails every morning from mates overseas having a very good time.  So I packed up my backpack and started on sort of six years overseas and as part of that journey, I was in London.  In London, I fell into marketing and for me, that was a breath of fresh air it – I suppose suited my personality better and really enjoyed that.  This took me around the world and also took me – brought me back to Geelong and probably was largely responsible for me being here sitting next year speaking today. My Connection to Marketing 101 Mark [3:38] The connection to marketing.  What is it in marketing that drew you to it?  What’s the connection there? What do you like about it? Ben [3:49] I think connections the big key.  I’ve always enjoyed meeting people.  As

Connecting to & Embracing Adoption  Mark [0:00] I’d like to welcome Anne Janev to the World Heart of Connection today.  Annie’s a long term Geelong (ite).  She lived in and was born and raised in Geelong.  Moved away for about 12 months but loved Geelong so much it was home and she came back.  Today I’d like to welcome you to the World Heart of Connection podcast. I look forward to having a conversation with you about the connection to Self, Others and ‘All That Is.’  Where do we start Annie – how do you – the connection to Geelong sounds like – you to move away for 12 months and then come back. That to me sounds like there’s some connection to home. Connecting to Geelong My Home Anne [0:43] Yeah, there is absolutely.  We moved to Queensland when Chloe was five weeks old, my oldest. My father passed away while we were up there.  I came back to see Mum and obviously for the funeral and so forth.  I bought Chloe with me and decided I wanted to stay here.  So said to the hubby who was still up there come back you know. So yeah I wanted to be with family,  miss my friends and there are areas in Geelong that I drive through and I just love being in.  So I missed all that. Mark [1:22] What are some of those areas can you? Anne [1:24] Newtown.  I was brought up in Newtown.  So it still gives me a sense of – just a lovely feeling when I drive through there.  Yeah.  Going through and past kids’ houses that I played in when I was a kid.  Obviously Mum and Dad’s house, I take the grandchildren to pass there often.  Different walks.  There are lots of areas that are like in Geelong.  I like East Geelong.  There are some areas that I feel a little bit oppressed in and I don’t know why but these areas I stay away from. Connecting to the Nostalgic Nature of Geelong Mark [2:04] So that’s the connection for you.  Their long term connections.  When you have those memories as you’re walking down past the old home – can you describe what the connections like in your body and in your being? Anne [2:23] Yeah, it’s fuzzy. In my body, it would be just a warm feeling nostalgic.  Yeah, it’s a really nice feeling because I was secure, I think. Mark [2:43] When we talk about connection, that’s a part of the connection, isn’t it?  What you’ve just shared? Anne [2:50] Yes. Connecting to My Family of 5 Children Mark [2:52] You’ve got five children – connection to children pretty powerful? Anne [3:00] Exactly yeah. Anne [3:06] As an adopted child myself, I think I’ve realized that love isn’t everything for me.  A lot of it has been trusted. So my big thing with my kids was for them to trust me and for them to feel secure. Anne [3:11] Because I guess I just sort of felt at times that I’ve missed out on that – right in the very beginning.  So, yeah.  So I try to connect with that – as when I was small, my big thing was making them feel secure.  Even if things weren’t good at home, I’d try and smile all the time.   Because I didn’t want them to think anything was wrong.  So that’s been a big thing with me making them feel secure. Making My Children Safe & Secure Mark [4:05] Making them feel secure – did that help you in your connections? Anne [4:14] Yes. Sometimes I think – feelings are really funny because we think we’ve got through things and then, of course, something rears its head again.  Yeah, it’s tricky, it’s very confusing. Mark [4:37] It’s really interesting when you just said that something rears its head again.  It’s like – that’s the hard part of being sort of human sometimes, do know what I mean? Oh, here it is again and I wonder

Connecting to My True Self Mark [0:00] Welcome Roxie Bennett to the Heart of Connection Podcast.  I’ve known Roxy for many years we go way back to the Warrnambool Institute days before it was called Deakin. Roxie [0:09] I know. It’s such a long time ago. Mark [0:12] It is – isn’t it, how time flies. Old Connections Roxie [0:15] Well, it’s really weird Mark because I sort of think about that time  – it feels like just like a split second in my life now when I think back to it.  But it was pretty amazing, I was only there with you for a year. There was a pretty amazing year. Mark [0:33] It was the last of the free education. Roxie [0:35] It was indeed. Mark [0:39] So since then Roxie has gone on to become self-employed with Roxy Bennett’s Life Changer. She also works as many people probably know with Bay FM as a radio announcer.  She’s here today to have a conversation with me about her Heart of Connection to Self, Others and ‘All That Is.’ Roxie [0:58] It is so lovely to be here Mark it really is, I’m loving it. Connecting to my Transformation Year Mark [1:02] Great.  In terms of connecting to Self – how do – what’s your process?  How do you connect to Roxie? Roxie [1:12] Look I think up until probably this year I didn’t do it terribly well, to be honest.  I’ve gone through a bit of a transformation this year.  This has seen me lose a lot of weight become a lot healthier, get a lot more active and various other things.  But probably more important than all of that – it probably has seen me really connect to myself and to who I am.  Interestingly enough, in doing that it’s actually opened up – it’s like a door has been opened.  I don’t know about the universe but a doors been open that all these amazing people are walking through you being one.  I hadn’t seen you for ages, like years.  And various other people though, it’s almost like, by me connecting to who I am and my true self – actually opened me up for others to connect with me, if that makes sense. Mark [2:19] Makes sense. Roxie [2:20] So I don’t know why – I don’t know how that works.  But I suppose that that’s what happens.  I guess that me really connecting to me has – it’s not an easy process and it hasn’t been necessarily a pretty process at times.  I think a lot of it be worked around acceptance of who I am and learning to love myself, which I am not sure I ever really did.   Some people would be surprised that because I think somebody like me, would have a pretty healthy robust ego and would have quite a bit of self-love.  Not that those two necessarily go together.  But I don’t think I did and I don’t think I have for pretty much my whole life, until now. Connecting to all Our Personality Traits Mark [3:12] Connecting to our full self not easy because there are positive personality traits and there’s also l not so positive personality traits that are all I think designed to self-preserve that fragile sense of self.  Connecting to the hard parts of us, we always want to disconnect from them.  What have you noticed that you have been connecting some of the bits that you’ve wanted to avoid in the past? Roxie [3:44] Yeah, I think that’s absolutely right.  Part of connecting to me, I had to accept some of the attitudes, behaviors, thoughts, beliefs that I had – that weren’t very nice.   It was about acknowledging that at times that I could actually be not a very nice person.   I think we all have that – we all do.  Look I’m not Mother Teresa trust me, I’m not.  What I realized in acknowledging that side of myself was that I had to choose the way that I was to live moving forward.&nbsp

Connecting to our Community Mark [0:00] I’d like to introduce Martin Duke to the Heart of Connection podcast.  Martin is a councillor with the Surf Coast Shire.  He has been councilor for now for nearly three years and enjoys every moment of it.  He’s been with the CFA, the Country Fire Association for the past 20 years in his 29 years, I mean.  He is actively engaged and connected to our community.  He teaches at Deakin University and is interested in the mental health of our community.   I’d like to welcome you and thank you for taking the time to come in and have a conversation about Heart of Connection to Self, Others and ‘All That Is.’ Martin [0:33] Thanks, Mark.  Thank you for inviting me along.  It’s a pleasure to come along and talk about what I do and I don’t mind talking a bit.  I like to get out there and talk to people and hopefully help people along the way. Enjoying Connections with People Mark [0:49] Can you talk about what do you enjoy about connections to people? Martin [0:55] I think it’s one of my big things is, I’m quite a social person.  I do connect to a lot of people as I go around.  I enjoy the company of other people.  I enjoy the company of men, but I enjoy the company of it in social and also just small quieter times with people.  We can have situations where we’re talking about – a few cars and car club we meet once a month then at either a restaurant in Torquay or coffee shop.  It is a Sunday morning drive for us as we get out because a lot of us got classic cars or just old cars want to talk about.  It’s a good way for men to stop, sit and talk. They have a bit of breakfast, coffee, might go for a cruise together afterward or head on back their families do what they’re going to do.  At least for that little breakaway. Mark [1:46] Men and connection – that’s an interesting subject that men, not that engaged sometimes. They’re not that connected to themselves? Men and Connection are they connected to themselves? Martin [1:59] Well, the numbers tell us what is happening out there with the men.  More men having – are committing suicide, or will actually successful suicide.  More women are committing it, but they’re not as successful because they’ve actually been talking to somebody before.  The men are a lot more violent with it and they do it.  They’re not talking and nobody’s aware of what’s going on inside them.  We need to have that conversation.  We need to talk to our friends out there.  I was talking to a mental health thing on Saturday, which was Arts and Mines down at Surf Coast, and I spoke in front of a crowd of 120 people.  I had quite a number of the men’s coming up to me afterward yeah, let’s have that conversation and we’ll talk about it.  I said it’s about that conversation, it’s about living the time.  Even if it’s just for a walk along the beach, chatting about it.  Stop for coffee at one of the little places there or just even just to drink the water and just the chat.  Just break up their day and take away from maybe the dark thoughts or thoughts that are actually encouraged him to go along with the direction of what to do.   I may be having really great things and we just maybe we need to encourage as well.  It’s not only the negatives people we need to look at, but we also need to look at the positives and encourage those positives.  So hey, that’s great.  What are you doing? This is great that you’re doing that and I look forward to those moments. Men’s Social Conditioning Is Very Questionable Mark [3:21] What do you think has prevented men over the years from establishing that connection to themselves and being able to ta

Connecting to All of Me Mark [0:00] I’d like to welcome Nicole Scott to the Heart of Connection Podcast.  Nicole is a mental health advocate with Headspace and has found that the best way to connect to herself is by giving to others.  Nicole has found a deep connection to this and it lights her world up.  Nicole is studying life coaching with the Life Coaching Institute in Melbourne and is soon to be moving into a Social Work degree studying at Deakin. So welcome Nicole.  Welcome to the Heart of Connection podcast to Self, Others & ‘All That Is’.  Just by way of introduction have I covered the introductory – your introduction well enough?  Is there bits I’ve missed? Nicole [0:43] No you’ve pretty much summed it up really well. Mark [0:46] Great, well done.  Now Nicole the connection to self.   How does Nicole connect to herself?  What’s it like connecting to Nicole? Connecting to Myself by Sitting with & letting be Nicole [0:58] I guess connecting to Nicole is making the time to sit down with myself and any thoughts or feelings that come up, just let them be and let them pass through.  Yeah and just allowing myself to really connect with what’s going on with me. Mark [1:21] There are some lovely thoughts and feelings inside ourselves that we all want to connect to.  That’s the feel-good side.  But then also there’s the unfortunate part of our humankind is the connection to parts of ourselves that aren’t so great.  The sadness, the pain, disappointment, loss, and grief there’s a whole range of emotions in there and feeling states. Connecting to my positive & negative Nicole [1:47] Yeah, there’s a lot there as well. Mark [1:49] Yeah and I think connecting to ourselves is – how do we learn to traverse the landscape, that emotional landscape? Nicole [1:58] Yeah, definitely. Absolutely. Mark [2:00] As you’ve journeyed through what’s it like now for your journey to be able to connect to some of those emotional states or feeling states or thinking states that aren’t so great? Connecting to the ‘Comfort within my Discomfort’ Nicole [2:15] I guess when they first come up, I have the old pattern of trying to push them away or reject them.  I just remind myself that it’s really important for me to accept all of me.  Even the parts that feel uncomfortable or I have a little bit of shame around and just let them come and let myself sit in them and think about what I need.  Like do I need to connect some more with other people?  Do I just need to give myself a hug?  Like just really listened to sort of what my inner child is telling me what she needs and being able to give that to her is amazing. Mark [2:52] Can I ask what’s it like for your inner-child for the adult Nicole to now connect to the inner child? Connecting to my Inner Child Nicole  [2:59] She is so happy.  She’s very happy. She’s getting the love that she always wanted and she always deserved and she feels so much more at peace. Mark [3:11] Great.  That’s a beautiful connection when she can be at peace. Nicole [3:15] Yeah, definitely. Connecting to the energetic needs of our Inner Child Mark [3:18] That old inner child.  Its like a bit of a bottomless pit of connection really sometimes. It’s always needing something. Nicole [3:28] Yes, definitely. Mark [3:31] I’m wondering whether our society or our social conditioning has conditioned us to sort of push that away to repress that.  It’s not okay.  Stop being selfish and all those old messages given by society. Societal Suppression of our Divine Inner Child Nicole [3:47] Absolutely.  I feel like growing up my family didn’t realize what they were doing.   There were certain emotions that they preferred and certain

Connecting to Social Connections  Mark [0:00] I’d like to welcome Tony McManus to the Heart of Connection podcast.  Tony is a sought after speaker on many levels in the community for Beyondblue and RUOK across Southeast Australia. He was the first independent chairman of the headspace local consortium across 100 headspace centres across Australia. He then established the headspace Geelong fund.  He focuses on identifying strategic mutual benefits and win-win outcomes.  He’s also an active supporter of the establishment of the Lara and Community district bank. He operates a consulting service McManus Consulting Services. www.mcmanusconsultingservices.com.au https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-mcmanus-48a19010/ A Passion to Social Connections Mark [0:35] After selling his Lara based real estate business, Tony has been passionately being promoting Mental Health Solutions on Social Connections through mentoring and volunteering via his Facebook page – Grow 2 Connect after his brother Mick took his life.  A passion for helping others deal with mental health issues began and resulted in, among other things, successful lobbying of the Geelong and Hawthorn football clubs to play annually for the AFL Beyond Blue Cup.  As a vehicle to promote awareness and reduce stigma in the community about depression.  Welcome, Tony. Tony [1:14] Thanks, Mark.  We’ve been threatening to catch up with each other for a while so nice to finally put positive thoughts into action. Making time for Connection in our Busyness Mark [1:23] Yeah, it takes a bit of time in the busyness of the world to have a connection. Mark [1:28] So Tony, just by way of introduction is there anything I missed in your biographical that you could add to? Tony [1:34] Maybe I might add that I’m working three days a week with the Geelong Community Foundation.   That nicely ties in with the work that I do in the space of social connection.  As a mental health solution because a lot of the organisations that we fund are the types of organizations that I could also point people in the direction of to do some volunteering.  So it’s quite a good synergy between what I do there for a job and also what I have is an interest on the side in terms of helping others through social connection. Men’s Connections lost in the busyness Mark [2:10] Men and connection.  Where do we start with men and the connections to Self, Others and ‘All That Is’ – how do you connect yourself?  What’s your process to connect to you and to connect to others? Tony [2:26] I suppose in answering that I was probably initially part of the problem in this space of not having much awareness of self.  I was just too busy head down – bottom up at work, providing what’s the expression? ‘Bringing home the bacon’ and running a business.  There wasn’t too much awareness about me I think. Probably over a period of time, that led to the classic midlife crisis burning out.  All those kinds of things and getting through being in a pretty bad place you kind of do a lot of reflecting and is a lot more self-awareness now. Connecting to more Balance in my Life If I had my time over, I would have had a bit more balance.   So I’ve actually created a six-point template where I highlight the importance of self and my own journey has been to find a lot of stimulation, rebuilding self-esteem, motivation whatever you want to call it.  I did this by helping others.  So the best way to kind of extend or elaborate on that basic way of looking at things is to maybe try and do it in a social situation.  The old Rotary Club is as good an example as any in terms of a safe place. When I went through that period of time, I had a marriage breakup, I was essentially out of work.  All of my equity was tied up in a lawyer’s trust ac

Connecting to My Inner Child Mark [0:00] I’d like to welcome Theo Demetriou to the World Heart of Connection Podcast today.  Theo’s a metal artist who showed me at the World Heart of Connection Day his beautiful sacred geometry.  On the day we connected and as we men aren’t known for our connection it was just really lovely to have that connection beyond self with Theo.  Today Theo is here to share his story have a conversation on his connection to Self, Others and ‘All That Is’ – welcome Theo. Theo [0:31] Thank you. Mark [0:32] Theo just by way of starting, how do you as a male, what’s your method, process of connecting to yourself?  How do you do it?  What do you do? Learning to Connect ~ Listening to my Children Theo [0:46] I think it’s been a fairly long process for me. Over the last few years, I’ve been searching for ways to connect.  I feel as if one of my easiest ways to connect is when I look at my children and I speak to my children.  As hard as it may be to understand that.  We have a lot to learn from our children.  The more you listen to them the more you actually listening to yourself.  So, I believe that the connection that I’ve discovered is by opening up myself, allow myself to see my child within and not block it out.  Allow ego to sort of overtake that.  So, that’s one of my best one of the biggest ways I’ve found it’s helped me a lot. Mark [1:52] When you notice that child within, what do you do for that child within do you care for it?  Do you notice it?  Do you recognise it?  Give it loving-kindness and compassion? Theo [2:04] Well, I think actually, I’m always aware of it and I never let it go.  So, one of the things I explain, and I talk about this on many occasions.  Especially with the kids and that is, I tell them to remember things in the past.  When they were children, like small children, I asked them how far back you can remember.  They’ll say to me like my son will say to me, well I can remember till I was about five years old?  I’d say, “well what do you remember about that time when you’re five years old?  He’ll say, well, you know, I have images of this happening, or you and I do this, and I felt like this.  I’d say to him okay so never forget that.   Always remind yourself about when you were five.  I found that that’s the way that I’ve kept in touch with my child within, is by never forgetting about my past when I was a child.  The good things that happened when I was a child.  They actually help you open up your heart and remember your child.  I think that a lot of people, they forget everything about the child. Disconnecting from our Childhood Mark [3:29] Is that more so for men? Theo [3:33] To be honest with you or think no.  I think that’s across the board.  I think men and women forget.  I think that a lot of people may be, and I’m speculating that maybe people don’t want to remember some things about their childhood.   Also as you get older we’re conditioned and told, it’s time to grow up.  You know, you’re 20 years old now, you should be married or you’re 25 years old, you should be doing this by now or you should be doing that by now.  I think that a lot of us just block out our childhood because we’re grown up now and we’re going to do what everyone else is doing. Mark [4:27] When we block that child out, do you notice any reaction from that inner child when it’s been blocked out? Theo [4:35] Well, I think that the reactions are not intentional.  I think that the reactions are sometimes may seem like there a natural reaction, and we don’t even know that there’s a reaction.   I’d say that s

Connecting & Supporting People diagnosed with Brain Cancer Mark [0:00] Just like to welcome Bec Picone the founder and CEO of Peace of Mind Foundation to the Heart Connection podcast.  Bec started this not for profit, Brain Cancer Support Group nearly five years ago.  The foundation keeps Bec very busy providing support for people going through brain cancer and associated complications.  It’s wonderful Bec to have you on the podcast to have a conversation about the connection to self, others & ‘All That Is.’ Bec [0:34] Thank you I am looking forward to it. Mark [0:37] Bec, how did you come to and what was the lead into or the precipitating event to developing finding – being the founder of the Peace of Mind Foundation? Connecting to my loss of a loved one Bec [0:52] Yep. So 2006 my brother’s wife was diagnosed with high-grade brain cancer.  We call it a bit of the miracle diagnosis.  She was a nurse and my brother was a nurse.  She just started working in the MRI department of the hospital.   It was very quiet diet and they said, let’s give each other some MRIs. Why not?  You’ve never had one before you can have an MRI and explained to your patients and about what the experience is like?  So yeah, they’ll just mucking around and her and her friend, one of the nurses they did, they did an MRI.   Of course, it was then discovered that something was definitely not right.   The radiographer looked at the scans and said, you and your your husband need to get in here immediately.   She was told that day that she had a brain tumour in her right frontal lobe the size of a tennis ball.  So that sort of, I guess was a life-changing moment for our family, especially for my brother and his wife.  She managed to live for nearly five years but just after giving birth to my nephew, little Benjamin, she had the tumour come back again and passed away very quickly.  It was a very traumatic experience for our family and we realized that there was virtually no support at all in Australia for people with brain cancer.   There’s very little funding, not much, not much research taking place, and certainly nothing in the way of support charities that are out there running support groups and offering supportive care services.   We thought, well, that needs to change.  So two years later, after she passed away, my brother said to me, will you start a charity with me in honour of Caroline and that’s how it all began. Mark [2:54] As you’re sharing about the support, in the support how much connection is involved in that support? Connection is a Core Value of our Organisation Bec [3:03] Yeah, a lot.   I guess it’s actually one of the core values of our organisation, is connection.   That’s what we’re sort of all about – is connecting people within the brain cancer community connecting them with to their families closer as well, but also to other people that are going through brain cancer.    We host support groups and retreats for people all across Australia, who are either a patient or a carer.  They’ll come together and they’ll learn from one another and share what their experience has been and vice versa.   We watch people just forming these incredible friendships and walk away with all these new support networks, especially after we have our three days of weekend retreats, we do that every year. Mark [3:52] When people from those connections, and they walk away – they have formed those connections, what do you notice happens to them as they form those connections? Forming Connections Heals Anxieties Bec [4:01] I think it’s an instant reduction in anxiety is the main thing.  We people that will come along to the retreat and the first day that they’re the

Connecting to My Call to Help Others Mark [0:00] I’d like to introduce Pauline Butler to the Heart of Connection Podcast. Pauline runs CHI Connection Healing and Insight.   Through lived experience, she said she had an invisible sign over her head, which was telling her that she needed to help people. From this help, she was then able to through workshops and combined her adult education profession and merged the two practices into the  CHI connections, I really like to welcome Pauline to have a conversation about connection to self, others and ‘All That Is.’ Pauline [0:44] Thank you, Mark, it’s really nice to be here. Really excited and a little bit nervous. Mark [0:49] The nerves, they do get us, don’t they? In terms of the Heart of Connection to self, how do you?  What’s your process for connection to you?  So how do you do it?  What does it mean, connection to self? Connections were lost Pauline [1:06] So I lost my connection to self quite a while ago.  Through counselling as a client of counselling, I learned techniques in terms of meditation and sitting really just with myself and in stillness.  Learning not to be afraid of the connection.  So for me, one of the main techniques or strategies is allowing myself the time and space just to sit and be, and whatever comes up comes up and learning how to notice what’s the true authentic feelings, and what’s my ego, feeling and fearing.  So that’s how I connect with self. Mark [1:57] When we connect to self, it’s not always easy connect self as sort of nice parts of self that we connect to but then there are sort of parts of us that may not necessarily be so nice and uncomfortable? Pauline [2:11] Absolutely. Connections to All Aspects of our Self ~ Good, Not so Good, Indifferent Mark [2:12] It’s learning how do we have a relationship, a connection to all those different aspects of self? Pauline [2:22] For me, I found that learning not to fear the not so nice feelings really changed how I approached lots of things in life.  Probably the biggest change was how I approach social events and social functions.  I found that if I really sat in stillness and tuned in and connected with myself and what I wanted, often I didn’t want to go to the party.  Often I didn’t want to be the social butterfly and often I didn’t want to sit in a room full of people I didn’t really know drinking myself into a stupor.  So connecting with myself, and my true feelings and my true wants and needs have really helped me turn my life around, which sounds a bit dramatic but that’s how it feels. Mark [3:14] How have you noticed that turning your life around?  What do you notice is different now for you as you’ve made that connection to yourself? Connecting to Myself I choose how I spend my time Pauline [3:24] I’m a lot more discerning when it comes to how I choose to spend my time.  I’m a lot more honest with myself and honest with others.  My ego was always worried that I would lose friends.  But in fact, the true friends stayed.  Some of the people that I thought I might lose along the way have said, comments such as how brave I am, to actually be my true self and that they liked me with or without the alcohol. Mark [4:04] As you have connected to that true self, have you noticed a difference in your energy levels? Connecting to My Energy Pauline [4:11] Oh, absolutely. I have a history of being known as not a morning person.  And now getting up in the morning to be able to go for a walk or run or getting into nature.  Seeing the sunrise is really important to me. Whereas many years ago, I would have slept through that every single day and missed all those wonderful things. Mark [4:41] We’re in your body does that energy manifest from? Connecting to my Heart’s Energy Pauline [4:45] D

Connecting to what feels True, Right & Calm Mark [0:00] Beverley Welcome to the Heart of Connection Podcast.  I’d like to introduce Beverly Gibbie who has been married to Steve for 15 years.  She is a mother of two and a grandmother of four grandsons who keep her running around like there’s no tomorrow.  And Kim is 12 years old. Beverly, welcome to the Heart of Connection podcast. Beverley [0:21] Thank you, Mark. Mark [0:23] Is there anything further that we could add to your introduction? Connections to Geelong are long-term Beverley [0:28] Just that I have lived in Geelong for 75 years?  I come from a large family of nine.  I think that’s about it. Mark [0:44] And was the family of nine not from Geelong?  Whereabouts were they from? Mark [0:47] They were big families back in those days. Beverley [0:49] All from Geelong. Beverley [0:54] They were big Catholic families (laughter). Mark [0:59] The conversation today is about a connection to self, others and ‘All That Is.’ When you reflect on that title, what happens for Beverly, what do you notice?  What do you experience? Connection to myself feels real, right & calm Beverley [1:12] As I’m connecting to myself, it just feels real, it feels right, it feels calm.   I feel like I’m just satisfied with a moment where I connect with myself.  So it’s been a long journey to discover myself.  I came from a family where females weren’t allowed to be angry and we did what was told.   It was always a bit confused about that.  But then, when I was 35, my Mum died tragically and I went locked jaw.  My jaw just went locked.   Through a lot of searching, I discovered that I was trapped in what was called fetal rage.   I started therapy and I needed to really discover what I was really feeling, and to really get to know who I was.  So it’s been a really long journey.   My reaction to everything was a little bit more difficult, I think the most because I’m a twin.  I shared the womb with my twin.  I was really sick as the sick twin.  I was born three-pound, and she was born six pounds.  So I gave away myself basically, all of my life until I did a lot of work on myself.   That helped me to really discover what I felt, what I wanted, what I didn’t want, and who I really was. Mark [1:30] This is highlighted by Jason Silva in his Utube channel ‘Shots of Awe’ – How Primal Trauma Resurfaces. Universe connected me to my Twin Mark [3:22] Sounds like it’s a blessing to have gone through all that work now that I would imagine going through the suffering of that therapy in the early days would not have been a great place to be connected to it? Beverley [3:40] It was really, really painful and very confusing.  Because my pattern was to just give away myself, and make the other person important, as I did in the world, no fault of my twin.  I just started was ill and just started to disappear.   So it was painful but hey I could I have not discovered this. Connecting to the Gift of Healing Mark [4:10] The healing of that pain.  Is that now, the joy – is that the gift of healing it, doing that work to heal the wounds? Beverley [4:23] It’s absolutely, I found more of myself.   A great appreciation for feeling good. Just this contentment, that I didn’t know what’s available, yes. Mark [4:40] The birthing imprint is – the in utero and birthing imprint is pretty important on our brains development.  Not an easy one to undo.  Now that you’ve done a lot of work on it, can you recognize the birthing imprint starting to energetically arise in your being? Recognising the energetic connection to my birthing imprint. Beverley [5:04] Absolutely, yes I do.   I think it’s given me a de

Connecting to Transition Streets In Geelong Mark [0:00] Welcome to the Heart of Connection Podcast.  I’m your host, Mark Randall and I’d like to introduce Monica Winston.  She is the coordinator of transition streets in Geelong. She was originally a founding member of Geelong Sustainability in 2007.  From there went through to coordinate the transition streets in Geelong, which is part of the global transition movement started in the UK.  Monica holds deep concerns, trying to help the world transition by starting locally, to not just survive, but to thrive.  I’d like to welcome Monica to the Heart of Connection podcast.  Welcome, Monica. Monica [0:39] Thank you, Mark. Mark [0:40] Monica, just by way of introduction, is there anything that I missed in your wonderful introduction? Connection to Permaculture ~ my pivot point Monica [0:46] There are lots of bits and pieces as I’ve have done permaculture training, which has been quite pivotal.  The transition movement grew out of a permaculture course that started in their Kinsale in Ireland, actually.  In 2005 Rob Hopkins and his students at the Kinsdale Further Education College created the Kinsdale energy descent plan for the whole town.  It then crystallized into what became a transition town in Taunton is in the UK.  So understanding the principles and ethics behind permaculture, and what’s possible in terms of designing our lives at every level.   One of the pivotal things that I did was permaculture training.  I’d always been interested in permaculture since I was introduced to it in the 1980s.  I didn’t really understand what it was all about.   What I love about it is the three ethics and a number of principles that guide design.  Whether it’s designing in a garden or a farm or financial systems or community systems. It’s the best thing I found for guiding that process. Mark [1:56] It’s really interesting, isn’t it watching the movement.  Our parents and their parents always had gardens and homegrown vegetables and looked after the soil.  Whereas, now after years of industrialized society, we’ve moved away, but when they’re coming back.  There is a need to come back to what our parents and their parents used to do, what was natural? Our family pre and post-war migration Monica [2:22] Yeah, well, in the main, that’s true.  However, my parents were pre and post-war migrants.  So they actually – well my father, he didn’t get the chance to do any of that. He left Europe, you know, as a child, and had a very fractured sort of growing up period.  When you look back, a lot of that is to do with resources and grab for resources, competition, and economics.  It’s interesting when you look behind a lot of the social unrest, it’s often about resources.  I like the idea of it was one generation back for me with my grandparents, having had that experience. Mark [3:20] In terms of connection to yourself – the conversation of Heart of Connection podcast ~ connection to self, others and ‘All That Is.’ What happens for you, when you reflect on that conversation?  Where does it take Monica?  What happens to her? Connection to my Awakening Network Community Monica [3:35] Well, I’ve spent many years connected to or as part of a community called the Awakening Network.  The teachings there are not unique to that group. The founders have pieced together a whole lot of things that they found really useful.   One of them is this is the idea that the world is a mirror of ourselves.  Which at times can be delightful, and other times very challenging.   What it does – is it very empowering, really, because once people learn the tools to reclaim that projection, it creates more wholeness, because we&rsq