April Newsletter
From the Space Shed
Greetings
As April comes to a close, I’m here in my studio nursing a sore neck and shoulder, my body signalling that I’m spending too much time hunched over screens.
I’m feeling quite frazzled tbh from the last year, keen to take some time out, something I’ve struggled to do with the juggling of family life, work projects, lockdown and the great unravelling that continues to discombobulate me.
In Bath we’ve had over a month without rain and freezing temperatures at night - my youngling vegetables have been struggling out on the patch and all life seems a tad confused.
But with the rains this week, medicine is calling this weekend as I’m off into the woods with the Bio-Leadership Project , an organising that I’m grateful and excited to be practicing with.
So with that, here’s new podcast episodes and things that speak to me of becoming crew this last month.
I hope you find something in them
Love and light
Dan
In Business to Save our Home Planet
Alex Weller is Marketing Director at Patagonia Europe - this episode was open and honest, we explored many challenging threads which all brands must face into - from climate and ecological breakdown, climate and social justice, anti-racism, employee activism, systemic corruption, the elephant in the room that is consumerism, responsible business, new forms of circular design and business, supporting environmental activism and community driven change. One of the many things I admire about Patagonia is their generous spirit in sharing what they learn to support others on the journey. Available on all podcast platforms.
The Fairytale of the West Cumbrian Coal Mine
Musician and artist Hayden Thorpe writes about climate breakdown, growing up in England and these perilous times where culture meets nature head on.
What does it mean to be an elder in todays world ?
Sharon Blackie and Stephen Jenkinson explore eldering in the age of consumption
Perseverance
What we can learn from this guy
Cracked Earth
My Friend Lian started Shift Cycling Culture, a not-for-profit foundation, run by a small team of enthusiasts with an intrinsic motivation to bring the cycling community together in positive climate action and address our impact on the places we love to ride. They are crowdfunding a new film.
Building Imagination Infrastructures
There are projects around the UK who are seeding and growing an “imagination infrastructure” from the grassroots of communities, to close the distance between the global challenges we face and the equitable and regenerative world we know is possible. Listen to some of them share their early learnings.
Fixing Fashion
What if the future of fashion didn’t cost anything. Fixing Fashion aims to put fashion back into the hands of people.
A Kindness Rebellion
At 19 years old, Daze Aghaji was putting herself on the frontlines of climate protests with Extinction Rebellion, speaking up publically on the intersectional crises of climate and social justice and campaigning for a politics of kindness as the youngest ever candidate seeking to become a European MP. Today at 21 she is focussed on supporting marginalised young people find their voices, cope with eco-anxiety and develop regenerative cultures grounded in social and climate justice, connection with the natural world and with love, duty and care for all life at the heart of everything. Daze is an inspirational force. Enjoy the listen. Available on all podcast platforms
Join the Bio-Leadership Project Fellowship
The Bio-Leadership Fellowship is an urgent programme to create the future of leadership, inspired by nature. Their 7 month fellowship program kicking off in June is open for sign up. Curious? Check it out
Dawn Days
The act of immersing yourself in nature during the blue hour as you watch the dawn of the day. Watch these stunning films catalysed by Mike Guest and Nick Pumphrey who started this practice at the beginning of the lockdown and which have been picked up and played with by folks all over. And check out this brilliant podcast episode with Mike on Matt Barrs legendary podcast - Looking Sideways. An honest and beautiful exploration of mental wellbeing, care, figuring out who we really are and finding ways to cope and flourish in our one and only precious life on this earth.
Listen to LUZoSCURA
Beautiful mix from Sasha from his LUZoSCURA project - lush breaks and organic ambience inspired through Lockdown.
Ways to support the podcast
There’s nearly 60 episodes available now (some of them experimental to be fair) and the current momentum is releasing two per month. It takes quite a bit of time and cost to get these out, and I’m keeping it ad free. I do all of this in the spirt of the gift, I won’t stop that but if you like what I’m doing with the podcast, newsletter, mixes etc and you want to support it there are three ways currently to do that.
Share it with friends and/or give it a review on Apple Podcasts or whatever your platform - it really helps more people to find it.
Chip in here - the price of a takeaway coffee if you enjoy an episode.
Much gratitude to you for being here.
