Deep Currents

Deep Currents are the cause and effect of life itself. In an era when humanity yearns for genuine connection, and the evolving face of damaging powers enforces separateness, burdening a generation poised for change, Deep Currents explores the enriching world of Story to reconnect us with what is real. Deep Currents believes that the quality of our relationships—with ourselves, others, Spirit, and the natural world—shapes our human experience. For millennia, cultures have recognised these connections as central to existence. Hosted by Amber Hawken, an integrated Therapist, Rites of Passage facilitator, Ceremonialist, and Mother, the podcast delves into raw experiential and profoundly personal wisdom. It features voices from various fields, including Indigenous Wisdom Keepers, Spiritual guides, Mystics, Therapists, Doctors, Scientists, and modern Philosophers. Each guest brings not only their embodied expertise but also their personal life—their pains, peaks, and pivotal moments. These stories reflect how their unique experiences move within them, shaping their perspectives, paths, and practices. By deeply listening to the intricacies of others' stories, we engage with the resonant waves of collective history and universal truths, discovering how their personal stories touch ours and enrich our own, bringing us close once again. The podcast aims to revive the heart, challenge conventional narratives that have forgotten our nature, and reconnect us through stories that send ripples through the core of our shared humanity.

Ep 57. Adam Kavanagh: The Primal Switch 09/25/2024

Ep 57. Adam Kavanagh: The Primal Switch Do you know who you are in the face of danger? Adam Kavanagh is an Australian survivalist who has dedicated much of the last decade to getting back to basics and living off the land in the remote areas of northern Australia. Initially triggered by a health crisis and then evolving into a way he chose to live, his deep connection to nature has profoundly shaped his understanding of bushcraft and survival skills. Adam was invited to learn and hang out with the Indigenous communities of Doomagee, where he spent nearly five years living solo, aside from the times he spent with the locals. This experience deepened his understanding of what it truly means to live in harmony with the elements and natural cycles, the necessity to know who you are in the face of a wild beast, to hunt and live off the land while embracing the unpredictability of Mother Nature. He gained national and international recognition as a participant on the reality show Naked and Afraid, describing the experience as life-changing. Surviving 21 days in the harsh conditions of the African desert tested his limits and showcased his resilience. Adam later returned for Naked and Afraid XL, where he faced new challenges in the Colombian badlands, further demonstrating the importance of teamwork and resourcefulness in survival situations. In addition to his television experiences, Adam leads guided tours into the bush, taking participants on immersive experiences that reconnect them with nature. These tours are transformative; many participants find themselves challenged physically and mentally in ways they never expected. Stepping outside their comfort zones, they learn vital survival skills while discovering their own resilience and strength. The experience often leads to profound personal growth, fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world and a sense of community among participants. Kavanagh’s approach to survival emphasises mental toughness, adaptability, and the significance of community. He believes that survival is as much a psychological challenge as it is a physical one. In This Episode We Talk About: ✹ Adam’s journey through the natural tendency toward depression ✹ His experience with thyroid issues and the steps he took for natural healing ✹ The full circle of leaving the mines and the path that brought him back for now ✹ The crucial importance of knowing who you are when facing a threat ✹ The most vital survival skill and why it stands out ✹The primal ‘switch’ that nature can activate within us ✹ How this dormant switch often reveals itself in men ✹ The transformative impact of facing life-and-death situations on a man’s sense of self and personal power ✹ Adam’s experience with identity destruction on national television and the unexpected gift it brought ✹ The significance of 40 days and 40 nights of fasting, leading to a re-feeding experience that resulted in psychosis and his insights from seeing ‘the other side of the curtain’ ✹ The development of intuition and its importance in survival. /episode/index/show/amberhawkenbu/id/33198802

Ep. 56 Deep Currents | Reviving Sacred Birth w. Michelle Palasia 08/29/2024

Ep. 56 Deep Currents | Reviving Sacred Birth w. Michelle Palasia Michelle Palasia is the first guest on Deep Currents for a very good reason. Deep Currents is all about the stories that connect us and the wisdom that helps us remember who we are and what we are. From my 12 years immersed in Rites of Passage work, I know how babies are born—including the mother’s state, the birth itself, and the care of both mother and baby in the early years—shapes the rest of their lives. In the creation of life, the connection to the core of our Spirit is either nurtured or fractured. This connection is key to our capacity for wholeness, intimacy, relationships, joy, pleasure, and a sense of belonging. The wounds we see in our hearts and humanity often stem from power structures that put self-interest above communal well-being. These structures are driven by those who seek personal gain at any cost. As an expression of this mindset, colonisation has caused deep fractures in our societies and cultures. When cultures are destroyed by invasion, theft, manipulation, and dominance, the sacred rites, traditions, and values that connect us to ourselves, each other, the natural world, and Life’s greater intelligence are lost. As a result, people become disoriented and disconnected. The tradition of birth is one of those that has been lost. In many Indigenous cultures, birth is a ceremony central to the mother’s innate wisdom and her natural ability to bring her baby into the world, listen to her baby, and be the authority over her own body and birth. It represents a transition of death and rebirth, where the maiden is left behind, and a deep sense of power is activated. Growing a human without outsourcing decisions, having well-being and authority outside of herself, and birthing her baby undisturbed initiates the mother into this activation. In This Episode We Talk About: ✹ The energetics and patterns of abusers, on a micro and macro level, in relationships, communities, cultures and countries. ✹ Michelle’s path from the shadows of abuse in a relationship with her two children.✹ How she left one day with her beautiful sons, a bag of clothes prompted by a deep knowing that it was time. ✹ The reality of how incredibly challenging it is to leave a relationship where abuse is present, particularly if it has slowly increased over time. ✹ The birth of Michelle’s sons, how she was silenced, and how she moved through this in menopause. ✹ Why Michelle chose to step away from supporting Birth in hospitals. ✹ The statistics of intervention in Birth and the consequence on Baby, Mother and family. ✹ Specific examples of disrespect, abuse, coercion and neglect of Mothers, partners and babies in the hospital system. ✹ Some reflection on colonisation and its role in systemic control of Mothers and women and the ripple effect on a person's capacity for wholeness. ✹ Freebirth and why Michelle chooses this path in her work with Birth. ✹ Michelle as a guest at Alchemy Rites October 3rd-6th 2024 Support for Women experiencing abuse: ⟶ International Helpline for Domestic Violence Website: Description: While not a single global helpline, this resource provides a directory of domestic violence services worldwide, including crisis hotlines and support services in various countries. ⟶ The Global Network of Women's Shelters (GNWS) Website: Description: A network connecting various women's shelters and support services around the world. They provide information and resources on how to find help in different countries. In Australia ⟶ 1800RESPECT Website: Phone: 1800 737 732 Description: Provides 24/7 support, information, and resources for people impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence. ⟶ Lifeline Australia Website: Phone: 13 11 14 Description: Offers crisis support and suicide prevention services, including help for those experiencing domestic violence. ⟶ Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre Website: Phone: 1800 015 188 Description: Provides 24/7 crisis support, emergency accommodation, and practical support for women and children experiencing family violence. /episode/index/show/amberhawkenbu/id/32786377