The Well-Gardened Mind, Part 2: Dr. Sue Stuart Smith on the Power of Gardens and Nature for Mental Health and Well-Being
Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith is a UK-based psychiatrist and psychotherapist, an avid gardener, and the author of The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature. In this second installment of a two-part conversation, Sue reflects on the fundamental human need to connect with the rest of the living world and how we can overcome the modern world’s alienation from nature through equitable access to green spaces. She also offers insights as to how gardens can provide healing from trauma, help us manage stress and burnout through a new relationship to time, give us a sense of agency and hope, and help us come to terms with our own mortality.
RESOURCES:
Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Sue’s book: The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature.
Sue’s website: https://www.suestuartsmith.com/
Sue on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suestuartsmith/
The Well-Gardened Mind: Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith on the Power of Gardens and Nature for Mental Health and Well-Being – Part 1
Dr. Sue Stuart-Smith is a UK-based psychiatrist and psychotherapist, an avid gardener, and the author of The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature. Over her long career in psychotherapy, Sue has seen the power of gardens and nature connection to heal trauma, cultivate mindfulness and spirituality, navigate anxiety, stress, and burnout, and help us become our full, embodied human selves. In this first of a two-part conversation, Sue and I talk about the co-evolution of gardens and humankind and the essential role nature plays in human physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. Whether you’re a gardener or not, I hope you enjoy Sue’s powerful, moving reflection on the deep relationship between green nature and human nature.
RESOURCES:
Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Sue’s book: The Well-Gardened Mind: The Restorative Power of Nature.
Sue’s website: https://www.suestuartsmith.com/
Sue on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suestuartsmith/
Listening with the Heart: Dr. Kathleen Coyne on Contemplation, Compassion, and Community Development
Dr. Kathleen Coyne grew up among the indigenous peoples of Northern Canada, which set her on a lifelong journey as a community development expert and an advocate for equity and justice, especially with those who are on the margins. She’s also deeply committed to the spiritual path of Christian meditation. In this beautiful, heart-opening conversation, Kathleen shares how the spiritual practice of contemplative, heart-centered compassion and listening provides a powerful and grounded way to engage the needs of the most vulnerable.
RESOURCES:
Make a tax-deductible donation to support this nonprofit podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Center for Applied Mindfulness homepage: https://www.instituteforappliedmindfulness.org/
Upcoming virtual retreat Kathleen will lead with the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth: “Listening as Sanctuary: Introduction to Compassionate Listening as Contemplative Practice.” https://nazarethretreatcenterky.org/programs/391/listening-as-sanctuary-virtual/
Kathleen’s bio: https://nazarethretreatcenterky.org/teachers/392/kathleen-coyne-medes-edd/
syiyaya Reconciliation Movement, supporting dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast: https://syiyayareconciliation.ca/
Compassionate Listening Project: https://www.compassionatelistening.org/
Compassionate Integrity Training: https://www.compassionateintegrity.org/
Boundless Compassion: https://www.boundlesscompassion.org/
Martin Boroson Part 2 – Mindfulness in a Moment
Martin Boroson’s experience spans the study of Western and Eastern spiritual traditions, much of that work done at Yale University, but also the world of business and management. An ordained Zen priest, Marty also earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management. He is the founder of the One Moment Company, LLC, which provides meditation and mindset training to large healthcare institutions and Fortune 500 companies. He also provides consulting and coaching services for organizational leaders, especially helping them bring mindfulness to issues of time management. In this second of a two-part conversation with Marty, we focus on the themes of his book, One-Moment Meditation: Stillness for People on the Go. We also dive into the tensions and possibilities of bringing spiritual practice into the everyday world of action and especially into the workplace.
RESOURCES:
Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Institute for Applied Mindfulness: http://www.instituteforappliedmindfulness.org/
Martin Boroson Part 1 – A Mystical Story of Creation
Martin Boroson studied Western philosophy at Yale, followed by private study of Eastern philosophy and the work of Carl Jung. He also earned an MBA from the Yale School of Management. He is a leadership coach, founder of the One-Moment Company, and an ordained Zen priest in the Hollow Bones Rinzai Zen order. He’s the creator of One-Moment Meditation and the author of One-Moment Meditation: Stillness for People on the Go. With artist Chris Gilvan-Cartwright, he’s also created Becoming Me: A Story of Creation, his recently reprinted book that is part beautifully-illustrated children’s book, part mystical treatise on the nature of existence and our place in it. In this first of a two-part episode, Marty reflects on Becoming Me and the gentle, essential truths it holds for people of all ages, backgrounds, and religious persuasions.
RESOURCES:
Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Institute for Applied Mindfulness: http://www.instituteforappliedmindfulness.org/
A beautiful little multimedia video we produced of Martin performing the Becoming Me story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXD0VL4adF4
Turning the Tables: Host Kyle Kramer Becomes the Guest
We’re trying something a little different for this episode. As the host of the Earth & spirit Podcast, I always get to ask the questions. But this time, we’re turning the mics around. Dan Galvin, who’s part of the Earth & Spirit Center team, agreed to be the host and to put me in the hot seat this time, to talk about some of my background and the work of the Earth & Spirit Center, including our new Institute for Applied Mindfulness. I hope you enjoy this conversation about contemplative spirituality and its connections to building healthy communities and cultivating a deep relationship with the rest of the living world.
RESOURCES AND NOTES:
Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Institute for Applied Mindfulness homepage: http://www.instituteforappliedmindfulness.org/
More info on Kyle: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/about-us/our-team/kyle-kramer/
Kyle’s latest book: Making Room: Soul-Deep Satisfaction Through Simple Living.
Click for podcast transcript: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kyle-Kramer-podcast-transcript-2023-7-19.docx.pdf
Therapist Lois Luckett on Connecting To Self and Nature for Mental Health
Lois Luckett is a licensed clinical social worker who has been in private counseling practice since 1980. In this podcast conversation, Lois shares how mindfulness, body awareness, and connection to the natural world can help us feel safe, learn to trust, and become more healthy and whole.
RESOURCES:
Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Hakomi Institute: https://hakomiinstitute.com/
Lois Luckett on Psychology Today site: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/lois-s-luckett-louisville-ky/835522
Previous Earth and Spirit Podcast Episode with Lois Luckett: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/the-wisdom-of-trees-lois-luckett-on-learning-from-our-sylvan-kin/
Gail Worcelo on the Vision and Legacy of Thomas Berry (from the archive)
Sr. Gail Worcelo co-founded the Green Mountain Monastery in 1999, encouraged and supported by her friend and mentor, the late Thomas Berry. Berry, a cultural historian and Passionist priest, was a ground-breaking thinker who contemplated the new story science has given us of 13.8 billion-year history of our evolving Universe. He considered the implications of this new story for our religion, education, economy, and government. In this conversation, first aired in 2020, Sr. Gail reflects on how Thomas Berry’s vision has guided the Green Mountain Monastery community and offers wisdom for all of us, here at the choice point between an ecozoic or a technozoic future.
RESOURCES:
Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/
Earth & Spirit Center homepage: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/
Green Mountain Monastery: http://www.greenmountainmonastery.org/
Thomas Berry Resources: http://thomasberry.org/
The Journey of the Universe: https://www.journeyoftheuniverse.org/