Have you ever felt called to go on a retreat, perhaps even a retreat in the South African wilderness? If you’ve been listening along, you know that my Dad attended his first retreat in the South African wilderness in the summer of 2019 shortly before, as he speaks to in this episode, his life “blew up.”

This episode was recorded after my Dad returned from his second Track Your Life retreat by Boyd Varty, at Londolozi. You’ll hear my Dad share some of the key insights and invitations he received during his time there.

While we go on retreat to remember, the real purpose of taking the time and making the investment to go on retreat, especially one of this nature, is to cultivate more presence. Presence with ourselves, and — as Boyd’s retreats directly support, presence with the tracks of one’s life.

My dear friend Ksenia, host of the Weaving Your Reality podcast (formerly Ksenia Brief podcast), who was actually married at Londolozi, wanted to ask my Dad some intentional questions upon his return. So, while Ksenia wasn’t physically present with us in the recording studio, she did join this campfire-like conversation by way of the beautiful questions she sent. Thank you, Ksenia!

Key Takeaways:

• Retreats are a great way to become more present within our daily lives.

• More presence equals more aliveness.

• Reality is just as real on a retreat as it is sitting at your desk.

• Purpose doesn’t have to have a big ‘P’.

• Sometimes we go on a retreat with one intention, and we end up leaving with unexpected insights and clarity.

Resources:

Boyd Varty's Track Your Life online course

Boyd Varty's Track Your Life retreat

__________

Heart Gardening, a father-daughter podcast where Jasmin and Robert explore the transformative power of open, honest dialogue in healing relationships – especially in families. Hosted by Jasmin, this podcast tells the story of their reconnection journey after nearly 15 years apart.

To support our journey, before each episode we choose a flower essence from Lotus Wei and a card from Alyson Charles’ Animal Power Deck: 75 Animals to Awaken Your Personal Magic.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @heartgardeningpodcast

Read more about Jasmin here and Robert here

Learn more about Fall Up and our podcast: visit website

Music: “Open Doors” by Trevor Hall (licensed from Trevor Hall)

Hosted on Libsyn

Have you ever felt the whispers of a calling? In this episode, I invite my Dad to share about a calling he felt emerging during a recent sacred plant medicine ceremony.

We start, as we do in each episode, by pulling power animal cards and spraying flower essences, which then leads to an intentional conversation about the importance of – you guessed it – intentional conversations.

In addition to exploring the notion of a calling, my Dad elaborates on what he shared in Episode 7 “Plant Medicine in the Garden,” about how plant medicine has helped him access healing in ways traditional methods hadn’t. We go on to further emphasize how these sacred medicines can support the release of stored emotions and – for some, connecting with a deeper purpose.

As we close, I invite listeners to reflect on how you are relating to the word “calling.”

Key Takeaways:

• Regardless of your age, if you are open, a calling can emerge at any point in your life.

• Sacred plant medicine ceremonies can help us to remember our true essence, and to open us to better understanding more of who we are, and what we are being called to do, create, and become.

• All of us have a healer and artist essence.

• Callings grow and transform as we do.

_________

Heart Gardening, a father-daughter podcast where Jasmin and Robert explore the transformative power of open, honest dialogue in healing relationships – especially in families. Hosted by Jasmin, this podcast tells the story of their reconnection journey after nearly 15 years apart.

To support our journey, before each episode we choose a flower essence from Lotus Wei and a card from Alyson Charles’ Animal Power Deck: 75 Animals to Awaken Your Personal Magic.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @heartgardeningpodcast

Read more about Jasmin here and Robert here

Learn more about Fall Up and our podcast: visit website

Music: “Open Doors” by Trevor Hall (licensed from Trevor Hall)

Hosted on Libsyn

What if forgiveness is generated when we choose to create a Miracle by consciously letting go of the grievance we’ve been holding onto – either towards ourselves or towards another person? Remembering that A Course in Miracles teaches us that we can create a Miracle any time we shift our perspective from fear to love.

Join us as we explore how letting go of grievances opens the door to transformation, within ourselves and in our relationships.

In this episode, my Dad, Robert, and I have a very vulnerable conversation about forgiveness. I bring up a story from our first trip to South Africa that I had long felt ashamed of. I offer an apology, and we reflect on how humor helps us alchemize lingering grief and shame. We also discuss the choice between holding onto an old, painful story or embracing healing – what Marianne Williamson via A Course in Miracles refers to the choice between, “a Miracle or a grievance.”

My Dad shares his deep respect and admiration for Nelson Mandela, specifically his supernatural forgiveness of his white oppressors after he was freed from Robben Island.

And we touch on which tattoos my Dad said he would get, were we to, you know, one day end up in a tattoo parlor together.

We close with an invitation to reflect on what it means to release the past and create space for a new story.

Key Takeaways:

• Forgiveness is a process that invites courage, intention – and often, consistent action.
  
  
• In order to expand into the healing available in forgiveness, you have to choose, do you want to hold onto that grievance or do you want the Miracle?
  
  
• Humor can support the alchemy of lingering grief.
  
  
• Asking for forgiveness allows us to become clearer channels of love.

_________

Heart Gardening, a father-daughter podcast, where Jasmin and Robert explore the transformative power of open, honest dialogue in healing relationships – especially in families. Hosted by Jasmin, this podcast tells the story of their reconnection journey after nearly 15 years apart.

To support our journey, before each episode we choose a flower essence from Lotus Wei and a card from Alyson Charles’ Animal Power Deck: 75 Animals to Awaken Your Personal Magic.

Follow our podcast on Instagram @heartgardeningpodcast

Read more about Jasmin here and Robert here

Learn more about Fall Up and our podcast: visit website

Music: “Open Doors” by Trevor Hall (licensed from Trevor Hall)

Hosted on Libsyn