HARVEST
PODCASTS

Get to know the Harvest Alumni on a deeper level - tap into these extraordinary minds to find out what makes them tick.




Jamie Wheal: Reviving Wisdom - Ancient Academies & Radical Hope

Co-curator of Harvest's 7th season, Jamie takes us on a journey into Turkey's rich historical heritage. The Aegean coast, steeped in history, serves as the backdrop for Harvest, a revival of ancient academies. Symposiums, philosophy and spa-like experiences were the norm in ancient times, awaiting rediscovery. He also explains what "Radical Hope", the theme of the last edition in Kaplankaya, means for him.

Dr. Gabor Maté: Breaking the Chains of Addiction

In this podcast episode, we had an enlightening conversation with Dr. Gabor Maté, one of the world's foremost experts in trauma, as we explored insights into addiction. The episode delves into the origins of addiction, including the impact of family dynamics on trauma transmission to children, strategies for prevention among youth, and the initial steps toward healing from past traumas and overcoming addiction.

Dr. Thupten Jinpa: Unlocking the Power of Compassion

Ever wondered how compassion can enhance your happiness and overall wellbeing? Curious about embracing more compassion in your life? And what about navigating the challenges when those around us lack compassion? Join us as we delve into these crucial questions with Dr. Thupten Jinpa, the visionary founder of the Compassion Institute. Get ready for insights, which will transform your perspective and empower your journey toward a more compassionate life.

Erica Blair: From dust to dream - the transformative vision of Burning Man

Dive into the world of Burning Man with Erica Blair, Associate Director of the project. Uncover the essence of this annual Nevada desert gathering where 80,000 creative souls unite, igniting a global movement of community building. Explore the ten principles driving Burning Man's ethos, from leaving no trace to radical inclusion. Discover the transformative power beyond the surface perceptions of sex, drugs and rock 'n roll. Get insights into the vision, governance and financing of the project.

Jason Nemer: Elevating joy - the AcroYoga journey

Rose Claverie interviews Jason Nemer, the co-founder of AcroYoga, a practice that combines acrobatics, yoga and therapeutics. Jason was a champion acrobat. By the age of 16, Jason had won silver and bronze medals at the World Championships of Sports Acrobatics, and at 21, he realised his dream of performing at the Olympic Games. How did this champion athlete go from the intensity of global competitions, to developing a new form of yoga? It all has to do with play. Today, Acroyoga gains worldwide recognition with celebrity clients and companies such as Google all trying it out.

Dennis Okwera: From civil war to civil duty

As a young child, Dennis was desperately trying to escape the rebels in war-torn Uganda with his little brother and their grandmother. Each day and night, they were faced with the threat of being abducted to become child soldiers and forced to commit atrocities. In finally fleeing the country and seeking Asylum in the UK with his father, Dennis was able to begin a new life, which years later led him to modelling with notorious fashion brands such as Vogue. The first thing he did when he started to earn money? Send it to his family back in Lumule, the community he comes from, to sponsor his cousin's studies. Now he is helping 800 children to go to school.

Sandy Hill: Surviving Everest & social death

Imagine spending years training to climb the highest and most treacherous mountain in the world. You are midway through your journey and suddenly a storm of enormous proportions hits. The temperature drops to freezing sub zero degrees, winds are blowing at 100km per hour and you’re unable to see your own feet let alone your tent with essential supplies or the 10,000ft cliff drop in front of you. Mountaineer, sportswoman and intrepid traveller Sandy Hill survived the deadliest Everest climb in history, with 8 individuals losing their lives. She then faced unexpected social death.

Jason Silva: The Afterglow of Awe

Modern technologies both serve to benefit and disrupt humanity at once and with the rise of social media and AI the disruption level is at risk of increasing rapidly. But Jason Silva is ultimately an optimist when it comes to technology, as it showcases the full capacity and potential of the human brain and our creativity to awe and be awed. He believes that those who are able to create such 'magical' tools as also capable of "getting their act together if they need to and if they want to".

Bob Thurman & Dr. Thupten Jinpa: Buddhas have more fun!

Two former Buddhist monks and scholars, Bob Thurman, founder of House of Tibet US, and Dr. Thupten Jinpa, principal translator to the Dalai Lama, have been friends for decades. In this world-first interview with the two of them together, they discuss the future of Buddhism and why it's so valued in the western world, along with how Dr. Thupten Jinpa escaped a monastery and why Tibetan women like former monks.

Christian Jochnik: The power of regenerative farming

The mass production of food has a huge impact on the planet. From changing the composition of the soil, to depleting eco systems and using harmful pesticides, the effects are many. Christian Jochnik and his team are introducing regenerative agricultural methods to locations around the world, to help communities grow and harvest organic food in a way that's safe for humans and for the planet. In an industry that contributes to depleting life, regenerative farming helps not only to stop this trend, but to reverse this trend.

Ari Peralta: Regulating mental health using our senses

Our senses are the gateway to our psychological architecture, they are the way in which we receive information, which is then translated by neurons in the brain. The way in which we perceive this information depends on our personal preferences. Neuroscientist Ari Peralta has been researching how our senses can trigger certain physical responses and by modulating our senses we can alter our state of mind and heighten our wellbeing, or even help those suffering from Alzheimer's.

Adah Parris: What Kind of Ancestors do we Want to Be?

As humans we carry a deep responsibility of how to conduct ourselves in our daily lives and the impact we have on others. But that responsibility reaches far beyond our lifespan, we each leave a legacy of values and morals behind that are imprinted on others and passed down through generations, so when we think of what kind of person we want to be, it's not just for the long term, but for the future term. The best way to come up with our own answers to this? It's by asking ourselves more questions.

Manex Ibar: Shamans Shouldn't Only Focus on Master Plants

What does it take to be a spiritual healer? The first priority is to remove the ego from the equation. Having taking an interest in this area from his teenage years, Manex Ibar has gone on to study Buddhism and has learned the healing power of plants... although he believes this shouldn't be the primary focus for all healers.

Rodo Escalante: Navigating autism through breath

As a young boy, Rodo Escalante was diagnosed with autism and ADHD and suffered from depression and anger. Although his early years were not easy, everything changed for him when he discovered yoga, specifically the Prānāyāma practice. Breathing led him to deep dive in the Mexican caves, and Rodo today is not only able to be centred and to live without prescription medicine but is also teaching his method to clients. He shares his powerful experience with authenticity.

Louie Schwartzberg: Why optimism is our only choice

Humans, like nature, are resilient. Even in difficult times, life finds a way to emerge and to thrive. Gratitude is one of the ways in which we can develop resilience: by consciously shifting negative thoughts into positive thoughts of gratitude for what we have and for what is, we can thrive and help others to as well. A visual artist who breaks barriers, award-winning film director Louie tells stories that celebrate life and reveal the mysteries and wisdom of nature, people and places.

Taiye Selasi: Un-dividing citizens, leaders & discussions

What purpose do nation states and craft states serve in today’s modern world? On a fundamental level, leaders should be acting to protect the citizens of a country - in some cases this is seen to be true, but sometimes the consequence of protecting one nation’s citizens can be at the detriment of others around the globe. Harvest journalist Rose Claverie talks with one of our speakers from Harvest Kaplankaya in October 2022 to dig deep into what makes a conscious leader and a conscious state and ultimately how to create a more peaceful world.

Daniel Schmachtenberger: Why we can still avoid imminent extinction

Some of Daniel Schmarchtenberger's friends say you can be "Schmachtenberged". It means realising that we are on our way to self-destruction as a civilisation, on a global level. This is a topic often addressed by the American philosopher and strategist, in a world with powerful weapons and technologies and a lack of efficient governance. But, as the catastrophic script has already started to be written, is there still hope? And how do we start reversing the scenario?

Bibi Brzozka: Reclaiming sexuality & awakening the self

How do we improve the intimate connection with our partners and take our sex life to new heights? It all starts with self love, compassion and self pleasure. Bibi Brzozka used to be more interested in glamorous things, money and her career. Then one day, she had an enlightening sexual experience, a full-body orgasm, that changed her life. Now she is a sex, love and relationship coach, and an expert in what she calls conscious sexuality.

Harvesting knowledge

Feed your ears and mind with wisdom from our alumni of talent from around the globe. Check out our full series of podcasts on Spotify below.

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