8 FEB 2022 · This is a highlight sample of the 24 great Conversations I've had with extraordinary, legendary individuals from across our globe in this first series of "Conversations with Mother Earth". These 24 episodes culminate with this highlight finale.  Dear Listeners: Continue to love curiosity and get deeper in touch with Mother Earth in all that you […] The post A Mosaic of Conversations appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

17 JAN 2022 · We have arrived at the 24th episode of Conversations With Mother Earth and to celebrate we have a very exceptional topic today. This episode deals with a topic that we all wish and long for in our lives: namely love. More importantly, we will be specifically talking about self-love. Today’s guest is Dr Joy Martina, […] The post Love Will Save Us with Dr. Joy Martina, Transformational Coach and Bestselling Author appeared first on WebTalkRadio.net.

15 JAN 2022 · Diversity is a very dominant topic at the moment but in a negative sense because far too frequently we learn of negative news about another irreparable loss of our biodiversity. Less obvious and reported, we become aware of losing more and more regional languages, leaving our dominant languages to shape reality. And, on the positive side, every day we learn of yet another company that publicly declares its commitment to diversity.  This podcast is called “Conversations With Mother Earth”. Thus, you might rightfully ask, what does Nature really have to do with our business reality? Well, the answer is: everything! We are Nature and thus in past episodes we have discussed the importance of healthy soil, water and organic food.  https://youtu.be/-Jj25H-X80k If we can learn one thing from Nature, it is that diversity makes our world more bountiful. Despite all good efforts, our business world is still quite homogeneous with men still leading the vast majority of companies despite at least 50% of business graduates in the leading economies being female. The issue of inequality with gender looks even bleaker when we consider entrepreneurs seeking funding with women receiving only a shocking 3% of global venture capital. It is because of this issue that I welcome today’s guest Tanya Rolfe who is a known expert in this field as she has had a 15-year legal career as well as working with female founders and investors thorough the “Ladies Investment Club” and “Her Capital”. She is a co-founder of “Sophia” that provides capital and education for women to assist them to achieve their financial goals. Tanya is from the UK and is currently based in Singapore.  In this episode, Tanya shares why she left her legal career in order to dedicate her attention to the disparity in venture capital financing, some personal stories that female entrepreneurs experienced in their quest for capital, how our education has to change, how she is educating her son to see his sister and how we women can support each other on our journey, be it the corporate career or as an entrepreneur.  You will also learn a German expression: “Leben und leben lassen” which translates to “live and let live” and what it has to do with freedom of women.  This episode has shed lots of light on the lack of gender diversity in the venture capital scene. You know that in Nature where there is light, there is life. Hence, let’s help Tanya’s projects shed light on aspiring female founders.  Tune in… 

10 JAN 2022 · After more than 20 other Episodes -  and nearing the end of this Series - it is time to talk about another tasty treat, namely coffee! Whether we are coffee imbibers or not, we are all familiar with how coffee can affect our mood and the internet is full of memes about coffee addiction. I, and many of my acquaintances, love coffee. We are not alone. Over 60% of Americans do as well. Among Europeans, the Dutch lead the list of coffee-lovers while the Italians (surprisingly to me) are in the lower half of EU countries.  https://youtu.be/pY7Xuu9reWk Coffee, however, is not only a beverage that supplies us with our morning energy boost. More importantly, it is also fuels our social connections. In my native country of Croatia, having a coffee with friends offers a reason to share the latest gossip - especially if it can also be done as an excuse to escape the office. And in some places in Europe, one’s fortune can be predicted from the coffee ground patterns at the bottom of a cup!  In this episode, my guest for “Conversations with Mother Earth” is Matthew Roebuck. And although I do not believe he will foretell your future, I invited him because of his work expertise gained at Quijote Kaffee from Hamburg, Germany which is setting new standards within the coffee industry.  We will talk about transparent standards in the value chain, coffee quality and types, and people behind the energetic drink we enjoy. As Matt explained in this episode, each cup of coffee you and I enjoy is a result of the hard labour of so many people so far away from us. With every purchase of premium coffee we can show our appreciation for their hard work.  A major insight was that the price of coffee does not need to increase in order to secure a decent pay for everybody along the value chain. We simply need to find the right brand that pay a decent wage to its farmers. Tune in…

27 DEC 2021 · One of the many treasures Mother Earth had bestowed upon us are gemstones. She patiently shapes and forms these precious mineral crystals for thousands - even millions - of years until they have the right colour and density. We humans have always had a deep appreciation with all gemstones - there are over 200 varieties - but especially with the four “precious stones”: diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and rubies. Depending on their shape, size and quality, we express our status and wealth using gemstones on personal jewelry and also religious or ceremonial objects - even weapons. Wherever used, they  cause awe, admiration, or envy.  This Conversation with Mother Earth will not just focus on our longtime fascination with gemstones. Rather, we will “unearth” one more reason to value gems and that is the hard and hazardous effort it takes to allow our precious relationship with gems to continue.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_GfALUj2LY My guest in this episode, Andrew Lucas, has visited numerous gem extraction sites worldwide in countries such as Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Mozambique, and Zambia. We filmed this episode face-to-face with Andrew, as he also presently lives in Shenzhen, China where he is the President of Guild Institute of Gemology and the Senior Vice President of Guild Gem Laboratories.  In this conversation that goes deep - in the real sense of the word – Andrew shares his fascination with gemstones and his incredible breadth of experience with gemstones. He describes sustainable practices of gem extraction and refining. However, he does not mask some human exploitation events still happening in different parts of the world.  Andrew also shares his favorite gems, which might not be easy, considering the length of his experience. In the end, we both agree though that Mother Earth is our most precious gem.  Tune in…

20 DEC 2021 · Today’s topic will surprise you as you probably won’t have expected this subject. However, you will see that there is again a deep connection with Mother Earth. In this episode, we are covering the subject of tattoos.  Yes, tattoos!  While researching about New Zealand, I discovered the deeply-rooted tradition of tattoos within the Māori people. Going deeper, I discovered that there is a big difference between, for example, Polynesian and Māori tattoos. After more reading I then discovered I wanted to know much more! This is why I reached out to Tattoo Tribes and Roberto Gemori agreed to join me.  https://youtu.be/Jsp4wsWoa6E Roberto has been designing tattoos professionally for almost two decades. He, like myself, has always been fascinated by myths and legends from around the world, as they often reveal the soul of a culture much better than its historical records. Among all of the arts, tattooing in particular is one that remains true to the roots of people. This is especially the case in Polynesia, where it is deeply related and interconnected to everyday life. We talk about his motivation to research traditional tattoos and the difference between Polynesian and Māori tattoos. Roberto shares with us how the deep the connection between Mother Earth and tattoos is expressed, what role the community plays in this picture and where the traditional cultures got their ink from.  Mother Earth is an inspiration for many art forms, even the permanent ones that adore our bodies. You will see that this episode will definitely leave a deep impression on you.  Join us… www.tattootribes.com

13 DEC 2021 · I have a few warm-up questions for you to start this episode of Conversations with Mother Earth. The first question is “Do you like rain?” Chances are most of you would answer by saying “No”. In contrast, if I asked you “Do you like sunny days?” all of you would immediately reply with “Yes, of course!”  My final question is “Do you like to drink water?” Again, I presume all of you would again say “Yes”. The intent of these questions is to introduce today’s conversation of rain for without rain we obviously would not have any water to drink nor indeed any fruit juice as fruit comes from plants and trees that need rain to survive.  We all know that rain is an invaluable source of life. However, too much rain can also be destructive, as with the recent tragic floods you likely have read about in Germany, China, Canada, Mozambique and other places around the world.  My guest speaker in this episode is Thomas Huggins who is a leading researcher in what is called “cascading disasters”, which happens when one initial catastrophic event – such as a flood from too much rain – triggers a series of follow-up disasters. The intent of his research is to learn how we can eliminate these follow-up cascading disasters. Thomas is from New Zealand and his current position is Assistant Professor, Division of Science & Technology, BNU-HKBU United International College in Zhuhai, China.  https://youtu.be/7Z6bsWISpsw We discuss why we like rain, how rain is perceived in his home country New Zealand, about his research of “cascading events”, how some man-made projects contribute to disasters and why the Māori knowledge is important for his work. You can also hear how rain inspires a researcher who spends his time studying disasters.  It is a very refreshing conversation. Tune in…

6 DEC 2021 · In episode 6, we covered the topic of breath but from a perspective of understanding how breath connects us to Mother Earth and our direct environment. Today, we are again returning to this topic but from the overall perspective of personal health. As we all know, the quality of air directly affects our well-being. Trust me, I know as I am currently work and live in China. This episode’s guest Dan Brulé is a perfect person for this topic of breathing as he has decades of experience and is considered the legend of Breathwork.  https://youtu.be/HhPyp0nLjcA Dan is a modern-day teacher, healer, and a world-renown pioneer in the field of breathing. He is one of the creators of Breath Therapy and since 1970, Dan has personally trained over 250,000 people in 67 countries to use breathing for self-improvement, self-healing, and spiritual awakening. He has trained Olympic athletes and elite combatants such as martial art professionals. He coaches leading medical experts, corporate executives, and peak performers including Tony Robbins. He is the author of several books including “Just Breathe: Master Breathwork for Success in Life, Love, Business and Beyond.”  We talk about “good breathing”, how breath connects us to the spirit, how breath can easily help us influence our moods, what emotions get released during his work and why laughter is contagious.  We finish with the Sanskrit proverb from his book: “For breath is life, and if you breathe well, you will live long on earth”. '

29 NOV 2021 · Should you be hearing or watching this episode of Conversations with Mother Earth from anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, then soon you will possibly be treated with your first frigid, winter frost. And, if you are in the Southern Hemisphere, then perhaps you are already starting to feel the scorching rays from the summer sun higher in the sky. In either case, you will want to seek shelter indoors, in the comfort of your home.  However, home is not only a place where we shelter from the weather. It is also a place where our memories - be they joyful or unhappy moments - are shared and sheltered with our loved-ones. Above all, home is ideally where we feel safe.  https://youtu.be/gZtG6Q7QCtg Yet, as we discovered a few episodes back in our conversation with the courageous war refugee and social activist Muhammad Najam, over eighty million fellow human citizens do not have a home, thus denying so many of their basic human need - and what ought to be a human right - to a shelter, protection and a sense of dignity.  My today’s guest is Kria Djoyoadhiningrat, an architect and leads a Foundation called Slumfighters International, based in the Netherlands and operating across the world. Kria and I discuss what home means to us humans, what role culture plays in longevity of buildings, what unexpected obstacles might occur when constructing with natural materials and how slums evolve.  It is a Conversation that connects continents. Tune in…

22 NOV 2021 · My apologies but this is our first episode with any technical sound problems.  So, please use captioning and, as with so much in life, remember that “patience is a virtue”. Hence, please tolerate the less than ideal sound quality at the beginning because what Xiongboo shares throughout is truly enlightening and inspiring! This Conversation with Mother Earth is a bit different regarding the setting as well. My guest in this episode is Professor Xiongbo Shi, who is, thankfully based in Shenzhen, China - as I am right now - and we are able to meet face-to-face.  https://youtu.be/qRFofg8Jsdc Do you remember being taught handwriting? In my childhood, in the former Yugoslavia, we were duty-bound by our teachers to write in very precise ways with all the alphabet letters slanted slightly to the right. More recently in my life, when I started to learn the Mandarin language, I became fascinated with writing the Chinese characters. They seemed to be an art form. What astounded me was the strict rigour and discipline that is applied when writing Chinese characters. Each stroke must follow a long-established certain order of movement and even a certain rhythm of motion.  Calligraphy is also held in high esteem across East Asia - like in Japan and Korea - but in this episode we will focus on China.  My guest today can share deep insights about Chinese calligraphy. He is Assistant Professor at Shenzhen University and has studied Art History in Christchurch, New Zealand and in Nanjing, China. He has also written scholarly articles and books about calligraphy. Xiongbo, welcome to Conversations with Mother Earth and especially for taking the time to meet with me in person for this episode. We talk about calligraphy as fine art as well as the outer form and the inner qualities of calligraphy. Xiongbo demonstrates how to hold the brush for the calligraphy writing, as he writes down several characters. He also explains why it is possible for Westerners to appreciate Chinese calligraphy without speaking Chinese. At the end, Xiongbo elaborates why calligraphy and Mother Earth are so closely linked.  Writing Chinese calligraphy is a philosophic lesson in mindfulness and thus one obviously needs to be fully present to appreciate the beauty of all the characters.  Join us…