Earth Wisdom Keeper Sharings with Renee McCready (Part 1 & 2)

Learn about earth wisdom keeper sharings with Renee McCready in Part 1 of this new podcast episode. Renee shares embodied earth wisdom with us that teaches us more about the earth while also introducing the concept of empowering spaces. Moreover, we listen to Renee as she gives us a look into spirituality and business. Lastly, we also talk about the importance of acknowledging the spirits of places.

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Full Podcast Transcription:
Earth Wisdom Keeper Sharings with Renee McCready (Part 1& 2)

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Renee McCready Part 1

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[00:00:00] Host: Welcome to the today dreamer podcast. I'm so appreciative to have you here with us. The podcast and YouTube channel is here to help you cultivate your practice of presence so that you may more fully be able to contribute and participate in the blossoming of the emergent world story in your own unique way.

[00:00:20] Today's guest is Renee McCreedy, who is a shamanic healer plant wisdom teacher plant based chef earth doula. Wildcraft. And an earth wisdom holder and educator. I'm really excited to share this conversational space with you, cuz there's just this feeling of excitement. That's rushing through my being after having, yeah.

[00:00:45] Being in this space for the last few hours, this is part one of a two part series and there's an encouragement to engage in both parts. If you're feeling like you're getting something out of the show. Before we do move into things with Renee. I'd like to invite you to take a moment to pause with us. You may like to close down the eyes, come into a deeper state of stillness or focus in on a point in the distance as we do this and in your own way.

[00:01:17] And in your own time, there's an opening rotation to take a really slow and gradual inhalation in through the nose.

[00:01:31] And whenever it is that you may reach the peak of this mountain, feel free to just pause for a moment, noticing the subtleties of your experience

[00:01:47] and when it feels right. Exhale, just as gracefully as you.

[00:01:57] You might like to do this one more time as we gracefully move into this conversational space with Renee.

[00:02:10] So I was thinking maybe, I don't know, we'll feel into this together, cuz it is, I guess the space is kind of being birthed together and I'm, I'm wondering around actually I've got a curiosity around the rebirth that you, that you're currently. In the process of I'm assuming. Wow. And yeah. And I wanted to know, uh, yeah, what that, where you are with that and how that feels and what the texture of that is.

[00:02:33] And maybe it I'm curious around why now and, um, how, what was the catalyst to that, to that process?

[00:02:42] Guest: Such a good question. And a big opening question. Mm-hmm so. For me at the moment. It's, it's, it's, it's a big loaded kind of topic because it's really about sitting in the space of the void for me at the moment.

[00:03:00] Although I'm starting to get some inklings of where I'm going with it. Um, a lot of the, the, the reason that it kind of, this sort of rebirth is, is happening for me is I turned 50. Uh, at the beginning of this year, and it felt like a really monumentous time, you know, I've been walking this earth earth for like, you know, half a, a century now, you know, from my first breath.

[00:03:29] And I often look at those CLIC loops in life, and I work a lot in that space of the cycles and the seasons. And that seems like such a monumentous. You know, uh, moment in time that I'd been sort of wor walking this, the earth mother for that long and the accumulation of maybe wisdom that I'd gained through that through lived experience, but also just through, you know, study and, um, Um, and teaching and all the different things that I do and how that sort of comes together in just a big cauldron of, of, of knowledge and wisdom and how I could bring that out in a new and a different way.

[00:04:14] And so there was definitely something about stepping over the threshold of 50 for me that. Pulled me into this void space of recreation and going into this crystals and wanting to bring my work and kind of, um, actually there's a concept in herbalism that we call SP Jaric. Have you heard of that, Michael?

[00:04:37] No, never. So it's now chemical principle and it's an old way of making medicine. And what we do is we take the plant material. And once it's been through its cycle through a tincture and the alcohol, we take the plant material and through a process of, um, using the elements of fire and earth and water and air, we take the plant material back down to its crystal salt.

[00:05:03] And then we place the salt back into the tincture and it makes a more potent medicine. So there's this, this philosophy really around it, which is that as we are making the medicine, the medicine's taking us through the cycle as well. And so there's this, this, um, pulling apart and bringing back together.

[00:05:24] That's happening in a process of a jar. Cause we are taking the plant and we are pulling it into its, you know, spirit and soul and matter the body of the plant. Then we are taking it through its process, using the elements to bring it back into its completion, again, to be into a rebirth into a new way.

[00:05:44] And so I've been likening myself a lot to a SP Jaric where I'm sort of pulling everything apart, looking at where I've come and then recombining it in a new, in a different way. Mm-hmm .

[00:05:55] Host: So is that process one of. Would you say a com? Yeah. Was there a combination of stillness and movement in that? How does that take place?

[00:06:03] Is it, and how do you, is it a feeling sense that, you know, when that's complete and, uh, I guess, yeah, there's a lot of questions that are kind of coming up. I guess one that is kind of top of mind would be, or in my heart would be something around lines of, yeah. How do you find, um, Yeah. How do you find comfort within the discomfort of the re amalgamation and when you are kind of hit with the different elements of, you know, the fire and, and the water and the wind and the earth, how do you then kind of, um, yeah.

[00:06:34] How do you, how do you find stable ground amongst that process is my question.

[00:06:39] Guest: Hmm. That's such a good question. Um, how do I find stable ground in that? I'm not sure that I have. Yeah.

[00:06:46] Host: Maybe maybe that's the process itself,

[00:06:49] Guest: right? Yeah. And it's maybe there's moments within that. And there is definitely, I feel something through wisdom gain through age.

[00:06:57] I, I don't think that's just a. A statement that's gets thrown around. I really do believe that there's something in that a combination over time and resourcing, you know, yourself resourcing what sits in your stored memory. What's sitting in the cellular memory. What's in your story medicine. Yeah. Your personal medicine.

[00:07:22] And so I suppose in that, I've just had to really draw into those parts of myself and then continually for me going back into, you know, the natural world to find a reorder. Yeah. And I have this term that I use a lot with my students, which is reorganizing the disorganized. So, you know, on a daily basis, um, how do you tap into.

[00:07:49] Your resourcing to reorganize yourself. Do you use a ritual? Do you use food? You know, do you use meditation practices? How are you gonna reorganize this space with himself? And so, in a way, There's a lot of my own teachings I've had to revisit mm-hmm , which I feel like is an important part of growth as an educator or a teacher and a way see, you know, and, and just a human walking those earth path.

[00:08:19] And, um, so just really having to link back into some of my own, my own teachings. It keeps you humble as well. Cuz you know, you're revisiting these things that you thought maybe you had. Worked out. And then you realize that you haven't, and that's something that the plants also have taught me is this thing that we call backward, backward learning, where they, where it's almost like they teach your body first.

[00:08:45] And the body remembers the embodied wisdom remembers, but then we have to allow the process to move through, into our consciousness and that evolution through that space. And then. We go, ah, right. Okay. That's why that happened. Yeah. And we can link that back around again, and plants are really good for that.

[00:09:04] Cuz they live in a different sort of plant timing is different to human timing. Yeah, definitely. So taught me a lot about that process.

[00:09:13] Host: Yeah. How, what a wonderful thing to kind of engage in. I feel like I'm going through something similar at the moment. It's interesting. That's why I was really curious about it.

[00:09:20] There's a sense of, it's almost like, yeah, like you mentioned there. That that process of, I, I sometimes feel like there's like a, a part that's catching up to another part. This is kind of what you was talking about in terms of the embodiment, um, of something is different to kind of that, that initial kind of strike of insight or a part of us knows.

[00:09:39] And another part of us is kind of meeting that other element. Um, yeah. And there's this moving into that takes place. And I think something around those, you know, practices of rituals and meditations along the way, It's almost like there's a sense of being able to, um, move through that transition more gracefully.

[00:09:59] And I'm not so sure if it's an acceleration, but it's definitely some sort of a, like a lubrication of sorts of that process. It, it makes it, um, yeah. Uh, it definitely like breathes into it. I would say I, I

[00:10:14] Guest: often liken ritual to a love language. Mm. So, yeah, so we are, um, in the space of that, we're we are creating an act of love for ourselves and in, in turn for the natural world or for the natural world in turn.

[00:10:34] For ourselves, it's that principle of as within, so without, as above, so below, you know, we, can't sort of separate that out and rituals bring up, bring us back into the moment as well. They keep us kind of connected mm-hmm

[00:10:50] Host: yeah. I guess all those kind of men things that you mentioned seem to do that. Yeah.

[00:10:56] So, and that's probably what it is when we're feeling a little bit like this. There's like a dynamic process at play, but that dynamic process. Yeah. And that's what happens when we breathe into it, we're coming back and we're connecting to the presence of what's taking place in that moment, rather than being carried away through the storm of the

[00:11:14] Guest: process like that, that, that restoration and the renewal that, that needs to maybe happen before we move out into the rebirth and yeah.

[00:11:25] And, and that sort of restoration space centers on the relationship between ourself and our story. Yes. And kinda fit into that and actually really listen, what is this? What is this story?

[00:11:37] Host: Yeah. Yeah. And, but, but with a sense of, I guess there can be for me person, there can be a sense of impatience that arise.

[00:11:45] In that process and there's like a, yeah, what is it? And I, I kind of want, I wanna know what it is now instead of allowing it to unfold.

[00:11:53] Guest: Mm. I think it's normal human nature. I mean, I get the same thing.

[00:11:57] Host: Yeah. It's interesting. And I wonder if you know, um, it's, I'm just coming back to that process. You mentioned around.

[00:12:05] When you are making a Tinture of sorts and then jars. Yeah. Jars. Yeah. So you take out those elements and then do you recombine,

[00:12:13] Guest: recombine them, you recombine, um, this, the crystal salt. Yeah. Back into the alcohol that the tin made in and it makes a much more direct potent medicine. Yeah. Because in the, in the practice of herbalism that I do, I'm an animous herbalist.

[00:12:31] So for me, it's about the spirit and all things. It's about the holographic, the totality of medicine work, not about just, um, heroic herbalism, which is much more Western orientated. This is more the old ways and folk medicine related. So. So when we put the salt back into the alcohol, what we're inviting in is the, is the entirety and the totality of the, the plant spirit and the medicinal properties and all of it to come back together in a new way.

[00:13:01] Host: Mm-hmm . So I'm wondering with you when, when you're going through your process, are you, are you still invoking those kind. That are you still evoking the same spirits within yourself to come back in and to, you know, did you begin this process in a ritualistic way? And are you going through it in that manner as well?

[00:13:19] Guest: Yeah, I did actually, um, around, I knew leading up to my 50th, um, that. I was gonna have to do some kind of, um, quest. Yeah. Um, and, and put aside some time to sit and reflect and, and, you know, and consciously, and this is something that I feel is a strong medicine for me, where I I'm quite conscious often in my actions toward things.

[00:13:48] Um, And so my partner and myself went into the Grampy for a couple of days and we camped in there and we sat with medicine and we just took that time to move into the slow pace of nature. Um, and I, and I saw that as the tht, a literal threshold, like I was literally stepping from one place to another and, and.

[00:14:14] And the practice of, of, you know, Drewry and, and the green witch lineage, you know, we often will take actual physical. Um, practices to become a metaphor for whatever's coming. You know, so for example, when you with, um, say like a fire, like a Belline Beane fire, for example, you know, they'll cross the fire in order to represent that crossing from one space to another.

[00:14:46] So it's, so it's a metaphor to show that I'm moving from here to here, and that is part of where the ritual space sits and. I'm moving from this, this place into this place. And for me, it was going into a space that is most aligned for me, which is nature, um, and sleeping on the earth. And, um, Observing what was showing up in my reality in the natural world as a reflection of me.

[00:15:15] And I often say to my students, it's like, if you know, your nature is our best psychologist, because when we sit long enough, we can often see, you know, just the way the birds. Um, might come to you or how the water works or, um, how the plants move, the trees move, how that all is, is showing us in metaphor often.

[00:15:37] What is happening within ourselves? I don't know if I've just gone off on a tangent .

[00:15:43] Host: I feel like it's a nice one. If, if you have, I

[00:15:45] Guest: might just actually answer your question. This is a very common thing for

[00:15:48] Host: me. Yeah. Let's keep opening to this space. So this idea of the metaphor. Yeah. I, I, I see, yeah, I guess I wrap different language around it, but I, it points to something that's quite alive for me as well.

[00:15:58] And this idea of, I guess, uh, the rep representational nature of, you know, the way that we act and how that produces, um, you not produces, but how there's, there's an invisible, um, You know, effect that takes place from what we embody and the way in which we embody it. And, and what we kind of in the, the way we consecrate a space and the way we, um, you know, put a certain intention into things.

[00:16:25] And, and we do things in a conscious manner that almost cast spells into, um, Whatever we, whatever we kind of, whatever way that we are moving into and whatever way that we're acting or mm-hmm, , there's like this sense of it's it's, it's tricky to wrap the words or a language around it, but it, it, I think, yeah, this kind of in a metaphorical sense, there's, I'm representing something that I want to enliven and like moving into that process really wholeheartedly with a felt sense of, uh, sincerity.

[00:16:57] I. Something comes about from that that's beyond the kind of rational mind and it's something that's really a felt recognition. And I think, um, it's quite a powerful magic actually to be able move through life in this way, learn from that process and, and, um, yeah, and see, and see what comes from that. And, and it seems like doing all.

[00:17:20] In service of, you know, the earth, which it seems like that's kind of what you're doing. It, it, it, uh, you receive something in return so that you can then go back and give even more like that process of giving and receiving that you, that you mentioned earlier, this kind of back and forth movement. I'm wondering how that flows through, you know, not only these ritualistic practices where you're cross crossing thresholds and you, you, you feel there's a need for that, like a 50th birthday, but how that kind of goes through your daily life as well, and what that may, what forms that may take, and even within your teachings, I'm curious.

[00:17:57] Guest: As in rituals or so as

[00:17:59] Host: in, yeah, I guess, I guess rituals, but breathing life into something, um, from a me from in a metaphorical sense, like how do you, how else does that come through?

[00:18:09] Guest: Um, one of, one of the things that I tap into a lot is story medicine. Yeah. Yeah, which, which sort of links back into metaphor.

[00:18:19] And so we might recognize metaphor, but then being able to unpack the metaphor into a story and then relate that back to self. Ooh, that's interesting. Yeah, that, that's a big, big part of the work that I do cuz I write. Um, but it's also how I teach. So I teach often through story medicine. So. I try and meet my students.

[00:18:41] I don't, it's not like being above or, or anything like that. It's like I meet them through my lived experience, which is often the story. So things that have happened through my life, um, or even, even just the story of like a ritual or a ceremony and what that brought up for me or how a plant has taught me.

[00:19:01] So I'll write the plant through story. So rather than talking about its medicinal properties, I'll talk about. You know, the, the, the, the signatures and the patterns that it holds. This

[00:19:12] Host: is very, yeah, this is exciting me, cuz it's like this I'm, I'm currently exploring this space of, you know, there's all these different, um, elements of, uh, I don't know, people, energy, I don't know.

[00:19:24] There's people, a lot of different people out there doing a lot of different things and they've all got their own beautiful take through their own beautiful story. And we're kind of, we're infused with all of that. And then it's a space of. You know, um, learning and, um, you know, growth and, and insight that comes from exploring those spaces, but then being able to kind of, um, uh, connect them with your deeper truths and your own stories and experiences, and then create your own.

[00:19:53] This is like the process. I think you're speaking to the way I think of it as kind of like. What's the new medium that's formed. Maybe Renee was doing this for a certain amount of time, and then she's changed to this. But at this moment, what's this new, what's the new clay that's gonna hold these, these kind of experiential elements that then can be passed on in, in a, in a way that feels right to this moment.

[00:20:13] So there's this sense of, I don't wanna kind lose myself yet, but there's a sense of, um, coming from our own truth and kind of, um, you know, maybe alchemizing those different elements into something that's. True to us and true, true to this moment. Um, and I'm wondering you, you mentioned stories that you share around different plants and, and stories that you sh that you share with students at different that can maybe hit different moments in their experience and connect with them.

[00:20:43] What about for yourself and your own, your own reflections on your own stories and, and how does, does that maybe feed into the process of the clay forming or figuring out what that clay may be, whether it's clay or whether it's, um, You know, different elements, other elements of nature or whatever, it may be, whatever medium that is, that holds your, your new story.

[00:21:04] Does that make any sense? I don't know if I'm just

[00:21:05] Guest: rambling. I'm, I'm, I'm feeling into what you're saying now and like yes to, I definitely bring in my own personal story as well. Um, but I'll often speak to it through the elements, for example. Mm. Um, and so, you know, when. I don't know if I'm going off on a tangent now, but when I'm teaching, I, we, we initiate or we, I act help people activate and initiate with the elements, for example.

[00:21:33] And so if we are working with the water element, part of how I might introduce the concept of the element being part of us and us being part of it is through the story medicine. And generally, generally it will be through one of my own personal experiences. Mm-hmm is, is, are we on. I feel like,

[00:21:52] Host: I feel like we're in similar territory, I guess I'm curious of like, yeah.

[00:21:55] The formation of, yeah. The formation of all this knowledge and how it's brought into some sort of a medium to share with others. That's probably the basis of, of the question. Yeah.

[00:22:06] Guest: Well, I would suggest if a lot of that's through lived experience.

[00:22:10] Host: Yeah. So it's like a trial and error process of I'm gonna try offering this and, and see how it resonates.

[00:22:16] Guest: Yeah. And, and I think that's the thing too, is when I turn up, I just try, I just turn up as, as who I am and I unapologetically and in realness and rawness and some, and I'm very clear about the fact that my teaching style might not be for everyone. Well, because I teach through that space of the embodiment.

[00:22:37] And, um, sometimes, you know, that requires me to mirror a lot of stuff for people that might be quite uncomfortable for them and even for myself. So there's a humbleness and a, a, a rawness to that, but it's very rich. And, um, I know that when people come to me, And they do want, they go through all the stages of, of, you know, maybe vetting me and me vetting them that we're obviously aligned when it comes to working the way we do.

[00:23:09] Host: Yeah. And I guess, I mean, you're holding multiple groups, um, you know, many groups every year, and then you are kind of getting a glimpse into other people's stories as well. Yeah. So you're having like hundreds or even thousands possibly of stories over a number of years, which then yeah. Develops.

[00:23:25] Guest: I call it ancestral, flame keeping,

[00:23:27] Host: tell me more about

[00:23:28] Guest: that.

[00:23:29] Well, exactly what you just said. Um, so I see the work, um, that I suppose I'm a custodian of. In relationship to the earth wisdoms and the old ways. I see every person that comes into connection with it as part of the story, part of the hologram, part of the totality and their, their piece of the pie, you know, their, um, offering into that space is.

[00:23:57] Part of the story medicine. And often with permission, I'll repeat stories from other students that they've told or situations that have happened with past students to, to students that I currently have as well, obviously make sure that there's consent there and maybe not use names and so forth, but I'll, but I'll tell the story.

[00:24:17] So there's this, this flame keeping of the ancestry of this particular body of work that then becomes part of the bigger. The greater, uh, record keeping of, of mother earth of the great mother, because I, I believe that, you know, all it's all there and we are kind of tapping that information and, and I believe I'm just sort of an intermediate between those spaces, you know?

[00:24:42] Yeah. Other than human beings and, and, you know, the botanical can. And people ,

[00:24:48] Host: you know? Yeah. That makes a lot of sense. Can you tell me about, a little bit more about why asking for permission is such an important thing to do and, and how you may kind of do that across all your work in other areas.

[00:25:00] Guest: It all comes back to, and if there's any of my students listening to this podcast, they're gonna laugh because they hear me say this all the time.

[00:25:07] Yeah. Which is that right relationship. And I think Michael you've already, you've already tapped that one with me as well. Um, in what way? Sorry, what

[00:25:16] Host: do you mean by that? In

[00:25:17] Guest: being in right relationship with something, whatever that is, whether it's a person or a plant or the land or an ancestor or, or our food, it could be anything, but it's about.

[00:25:31] So a question that I would say is what, what does right relationship mean to you? Because it might not, might not be the same for everyone, but for me in right relationship, it consists of permission and consent. Mm. Um, it consists of taking the time in order to get to know the energy that you're working with so that you can find that match.

[00:25:53] Um, So, so it cultivates the relationship like we have to do with any human being. I feel like we should also do that with the natural world as well. Mm

[00:26:05] Host: yeah. It's what were you gonna say? Sorry.

[00:26:08] Guest: I'm just thinking as I'm

[00:26:10] Host: speaking. yeah, yeah. There's interesting links here with, with Buddhism, actually, in the sense of.

[00:26:15] Having right. Relationship. I mean, everything comes down ultimately to right relationship. I feel well,

[00:26:21] Guest: it's a con you are making a conscious agreement. Yeah. And, and if we wanna go further into that, the, the conscious agreement I guess, is, becomes contract.

[00:26:33] Host: Well, that's kind of what we were talking about, about, you know, casting spells in the way that we kind of with analogies, Uhhuh words.

[00:26:41] Yeah. Words, thoughts. Actions. Yeah. And

[00:26:46] Guest: so when we're in right relationship, we are being well, we, it requires us to be more authentic and it doesn't mean we're always gonna be that way, but it's like, I desire to, at least I desire to be the most authentic I can and turn up that way and the work and, and just, even in my relationship.

[00:27:06] So how can I bring right. Relationship doesn't mean I'm gonna do it all the time. Cause I'm. So, yeah, but I have an intent of right relationship. And to me it's really important because I believe in the old ways, which requires initiation and rights of passage and that, that part you can't separate them out, you know, to, to, to be in right relationship to me means we have to be in a space of initiation to me.

[00:27:34] That also means that I'm forever an initiate, cuz I don't think there's an end to that. .

[00:27:40] Host: Yeah. Yeah. It's, it's a very interesting thing. It's, it's almost, uh, how I can even put this into words, a sense of, uh, what happens. There's almost a sense. When you relate outwards, there's a, there's a mirroring effect that happens inwards as well.

[00:27:57] Right? And it's like, it's directly proportionate, you know, the external reality to what's happening in the inner world. Mm-hmm . And as you keep developing this space and other people do so as well, that there seems to be a blending that takes place, you know, maybe something like what we're doing now. And there's a sense of that helps kind.

[00:28:17] Yeah, kind of amplify that, that vibration or energy, and it

[00:28:21] Guest: helps it moves you more into who you, more of who you are coming more home to, who you are when you there's a trust that's gained in a safety that happens, and then you can drop a bit more and receive a bit more, but also keep your boundaries is at the same time.

[00:28:38] And part of right relationship is also. In the space of, you know, like, um, well, in my work, I'll relate it back to that. It's like offering and prayer. Mm-hmm a part of right relationship too. So I wouldn't reciprocity. So I would never go and just pull a plant out of the ground. Mm-hmm just rip it out unconsciously to me, that is like, I can't, it just, it even, I just can't even imagine it.

[00:29:06] Whereas the right relationship would be in the space. Making an offering make singing a prayer or speaking a prayer and just taking that time to get to know the plant or the person before I went in there before I took what I needed. Yeah.

[00:29:21] Host: Yeah. What, what is that really doing? What are you then sending?

[00:29:24] What energy are you sending then outwards and back inwards and all around. It's the sense of respect almost. And, and like there's a sacredness to every action. Every thought, every movement, every word. Yeah. I'm, I'm curious to know one, when that, you know, has that, was there a moment in your life where that really became alive for you and this kind of sense of, um, that becoming online?

[00:29:50] Or has that always been the case? Well, I

[00:29:52] Guest: mean, It would be, I mean, it would be pretty easy to say, you know, oh, well as a child, da, da, da. And yeah, I was con connected to nature as a kid. And I also had a lot of interesting experiences, other worldly experiences as a child too. And that summer, some of the story medicine that I tell.

[00:30:09] Yeah. Um, but if I were to pin down a specific timeframe, I suspect it would be when I studied. Yoga and TSU. And when I did that, a lot of the philosophy lay in Oriental principles and Buddhism. Yeah. So linking that back, I maybe that particular time allowed more of that information to drop in for

[00:30:42] Host: me. Yeah.

[00:30:43] Yeah. Um, I guess, I guess what, yeah, something I've, I've heard you speak about is this idea of empowering a space. I think you use those words. And I really love that concept because that's quite a beautiful thing. And if we think about the different types of spaces that can be empowered, I think this might.

[00:31:00] Open up into another direction that there's a sense of, there's a sense of what we can do in terms of empowering a physical space. Um, you know, like creating Anar of sorts or creating a, a, you know, a space to practice in. Um, or, or even, um, empowering like an internal space. So a part within you that maybe within your story has been neglected in some way, and you can empower that space and turn that more online and like maybe what took place during your studies and, and empowering natural spaces as well to kind of, yeah.

[00:31:39] Yeah. Could you maybe speak more about this idea of empowering spaces? And I'm just curious, I'm curious about even specifics, if you've got any or any story medicine that might come into your heart in this moment as well is most welcome, but is there, yeah. Is there anything you could share around how, um, yeah, not, I mean, people could do it everything in their own ways, but I'd be interesting to hear about how you do it as well.

[00:32:03] And, and what you do to, to kind of walk or step into that process consciously.

[00:32:08] Guest: Oh, there's so this is, this is such a big conversation and we could talk about just this sort of stuff. Couldn't we, and there's something that, that we call, um, spirit of place as well, so, okay. Yeah. Like empowering the space or, or the space that we're in.

[00:32:25] Um, we're acknowledging the spirit that exists within that space or the spirit. That exists within that space, us being an aspect of that. So for example, in, um, and at many cultures, but spec in my own lineage, um, and paganism there, when, when you enter a house, you also speak to the spirit of the house. So you introduce yourself to that spirit and you don't need to know what the spirit is or.

[00:33:01] You know, it's really just an energy that you are introducing yourself that creates the container that you are walking into. So you are walking into a physical house that holds the spirit of everything that's been in that space before you like every human being that's ever lived in that building every conversation that's been had, you can't uncreate that energy.

[00:33:26] It. Go to sleep and dissipate, but it still exists. Everything once created is always created. So when we walk into these spaces, we are just conscious of stepping over that threshold again. And. Being aware of the totality of our environment and all the aspects that are involved in that all of the, the ancestors or the people that have come before us, if we are standing on land and doing ceremony on country or on land that we are calling in the directions, we're asking permission of the land and the ancestors that came before us, for example, these are, these are, um, Absolutes, as far as I'm concerned for any work at all, that's to do with ceremony or ritual on land, um, and the medicine that we are bringing in as well, whether we are working with, um, conversational medicine, whether we are working with plant medicine, whatever it is, we're speaking to the spirit, not just the physical manifestation of that in this now moment, if that makes sense.

[00:34:37] So. Speaking to the spirit, we are empowering the space we're and, and therefore empowering ourselves as well. And we are covering off right relationship we're covering off offering and reciprocity and reverence. It's all happening in that moment of taking that time to introduce yourself.

[00:35:01] Host: Yeah. It's almost like a blending or coming into harmony with the different, you know, being conscious of what we're contributing, you know, instead of unconscious around that.

[00:35:11] And yeah, there's, there's a fusion that takes place or some sense of, uh, coming together into harmony. When, when, yeah, when that's spoken into. Into a space or into ourselves.

[00:35:23] Guest: There's so much power and words, so much power. And, and the more I understand it, the more. It amazes me like, um, when we use, like, for example, incantations.

[00:35:39] Yeah. And, or, and our voice, you know, the, the tone of our voice and the iteration of our voice and how we choose to place words together. Well, that's magic and spelling in itself. And, um, and we can, we can, we can move mountains through sound and through using our voice. And it it's a tool that we have available to us.

[00:36:02] You know, we don't have to buy it. It can carry it with us at all times. And so even just using our voice in those moments of, you know, creating right relationship and asking permission, and, but you were also asking Michael about it, maybe a way that I do this personally and practice mm-hmm is, um, a it's a concept that I teach, which is the Mesa, which is like a movable or portable alter mm-hmm.

[00:36:30] And it's a, a piece of fabric that we lie down and we place sacred objects in certain places and directions that represents the elements and the, um, uh, the elements and, um, the directions. And some items will have story attached to them. And we take the time to. To connect the elements. And I, I teach the Mesa.

[00:36:54] Um, I initiate people with the Mesa work in the shamanic path. Mm-hmm um, but for me personally, it's, it's been an incredibly. Important tool for me to use for this kind of work. Because even if I go out into the forest more often than not, I'll just take a little fabric of a little piece of fabric and a couple of little items.

[00:37:13] It doesn't have to be anything flashy. Sometimes I just collect natural objects from my environment like rocks and I'll place them in the directions and, and I'll use the, the Mesa, the, the portable alter as a way of opening up a portal to welcome in. That spirit of place and the, and the directions and, you know, um, connect to mother earth and father sky.

[00:37:39] And mm-hmm, all the things, the great mystery, all the things. Um, and it's a tangible, um, relationship that I create with my Mesa in order to me, to, in order for me to connect into the, the hologram of everyth. Um, but it's a way that I can do it really super consciously. Cuz sometimes we get lost and we're a bit like standing there and maybe going okay, north, Southeast west.

[00:38:03] And how do I do this and what the directions. Whereas when we lay the Macer out, there's, there's something about the quietness and the humbleness and the um, the attentiveness that we give it when we are doing it, as we are placing. Each object down as well, that I really love.

[00:38:21] Host: Thank you so much for listening and tuning into and engaging with the heart and mind and soul level.

[00:38:28] With this conversation with Renee, this is part one of a two part series and you are definitely invited to the second part. So feel free to engage with that one as it, yeah. As it gets released, you can get more information on Renee through links. In the show notes section or through today, dreamer.com.

[00:38:50] And there's a gentle encouragement. If you are getting something out of the show to connect with me and, um, yeah, touch base and gimme some feedback or just reach out and say, hello, Michael. At today, dreamer.com is how you can go about that. I'll catch you in the next episode and thank you for your presence.

Renee McCready Part 2

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[00:00:20] Today's guest is Renee McCreed. Who is a shamanic healer, plant wisdom teacher, plant-based chef earth, doula wildcrafter and an earth wisdom holder and educator. This is part of a two part series, and there's an encouragement to engage in both parts. If you're feeling like you're getting something out of the show before we do move into things with Renee, I'd like to invite you to take a moment to pause with us.

[00:00:53] You may like to close down the eyes, come into a deeper state of stillness or focus in on a point in the distance as we do this and in your own way. And in your own time, there's an opening rotation to take a really slow and gradual inhalation in through the nose.

[00:01:19] And whenever it is that you may reach the peak of this mountain, feel free to just pause for a moment, noticing the subtleties of your experience

[00:01:35] and when it feels right. Exhale, just as gracefully as you release,

[00:01:45] you might like to do this one more time. As we gracefully move into this conversational space with Renee.

[00:01:55] Guest: So one of my hats that I have practiced in the past is I'm a, a raw plant based chef. I don't, I don't do it as a, a job these days, but it is still very integral to how I live, although my philosophy's different now on vegan.

[00:02:15] Than it has been in the past. It's much more in accordance to the shamanic pathway now. Um, but I feel like food is actually a really good place for people to start to connect more to, um, the, the practices of earth wisdom. Right relationship. Because when we start with the food, we are nourishing ourselves and we are nourishing our loved ones.

[00:02:45] So why wouldn't we wanna do it from a space of love and, and good quality nourishment. I mean, I just, I think that there is a reeducation that needs to happen and is happening around it. Um, but it doesn't have to be a big, a, a great big, um, thing for people. It can be just slowly implementing, you know, healthier food options.

[00:03:09] But one of the things I say to with my students is, um, what if we were to introduce more food into our lifestyle that added more. And what does that mean for you? More light. Mm, yeah. Foods that add more light. So I go back sort of the foundations of the food for me are a lot to do with. How we hold light and how our cells hold light.

[00:03:37] So they literally have hold photonic energy in the cells of the body. They hold the cells, hold an electrical charge that runs across the cells that has an interrelationship, the water in our body as well. So when we speak to the food and when we speak to the water, we are speaking. The energy in our, in our body and the light in our body.

[00:04:00] And then if we think of the sun and the sun holds light and the sun's an activator, the sun, you know, helps the plants create chloral, which is their blood source that we then consume. And if we look at those into relationships, how, if we just think about adding more light immediately, it takes us to a place of will.

[00:04:20] I wanna eat. You know, I wanna introduce more whole food or more plants into my diet. Doesn't mean you have to go vegan or you have to go any particular strict and strict dietary ways. It just means intuitively listening more to what your body requires. Mm. Um, so that's kind of, one of the, one of my philosophies is the light

[00:04:44] Um, And then there's the concept around assimilation as well. So if we think about a we're assimilating, the nutrients from the food. But we can't separate ourselves as a tool of a simulation. So we're also assimilating and extracting from our environment continuously. So there is the process of a simulation is not just about eating the food.

[00:05:10] It's about where we place ourselves in the moment we're eating, who we place ourselves with. Where the food has come from the assimilation of that, of the food, the things that we are growing. So, you know, we are, we are continually, um, in relationship to our environment and the food that we're eating. So we need to sort of, it's like, almost like, again, I feel like I'm continually going back to the principle of the holographic universe really um, I believe in fasting as well.

[00:05:46] I I'd like to, I'd love to know your feelings around fasting too. I think it's, it's, um, incredibly beneficial on a physical and on a spiritual level. Mm. Um, and that's something I do a lot of and benefit a lot from as well. Um, What else? Can I tell you about food?

[00:06:08] Host: yeah. Tell me more. I could so many

[00:06:10] Guest: things I could.

[00:06:11] So, um, I have, I, I call it kitchen wisdom. So another part of food that I feel like I would like to maybe impart for people is, um, ancestral food waves. So the bridge between you. The land and your own ancestors. So I always think about when I'm thinking about how I exist and navigate the world. I think about my ans blood ancestry.

[00:06:46] I think about the land that grew me and I took my first breath. And I, then I think about the land that I now reside on that holds me. And so those three sort of. PO points come into sort of, you know, anything that I do and with food, if I think it, you, you think back into your ancestral food ways, it's when we start to maybe recover, um, recipes that got handed down or.

[00:07:19] Asking family members for recipes from the grandmothers and starting to recreate some of those old recipes, taking them. They, you might wanna change some of the food items in there to more suit your eating habits, but, but, um, bringing a rebirth, Anna and a reincarnation to these, to these old ways that the recipes through our lines were held.

[00:07:45] The thing is, is that if you come from certain cultures, like Western cultures, we be like, yeah, but what was it? Potatoes. Yeah. , that's my ancestral food from like, you know, CEL origins. There's always, there's always the land that you come from. I come from Alora. So for me, the land that grew me was about, you know, root vegetables.

[00:08:08] And so my alignment in my body to that food is strong. So they would nourish me. So working with root vegetables, like the and then where I live now, the land that I live on now, I live, you know, in a forest and, and, um, regional Victoria. So it's like wild food. I have an abundance of wild food food that I can go out and forage that that's bio regional it's from my biome.

[00:08:34] So my microbiome and the biome of this land are finding relationship. Mm. So I'm covering those kind. Covering off those, those three areas in my ancestral food ways, if that makes sense. And this is a philosophy I suppose, or a, uh, that I've kind of just developed over the years of being a foodie, but it's also the thing that interests me is the merge between food and this and nutrition from a spiritual perspective.

[00:09:03] And I call it holographic nutrition.

[00:09:07] Host: You've mentioned the word holographic a few times, and I know,

[00:09:14] yeah. I'm very curious to hear more about your take on, on that word. But, um, what you've shared is yeah, quite insightful there in terms of blending, the three different. Yeah. The ancestry on, on a deep blood level where you've, where you've been kind of, um, created and then where you are now. Yeah. And those spaces.

[00:09:33] Yeah. And the matching between the biome and kind of your microbiomes that's micro mind blowing thought. Yeah. That that's a

[00:09:40] Guest: whole other. And, and, and when I teach my students, I, we do go off onto tangents around that one. That's a bit of a mindblower for a lot of

[00:09:47] Host: people. Yeah. That's that's and your

[00:09:50] Guest: ancestors, that's the thing, the biome that exists that you live in the soil, that it's also, it's all our ancestors, you know?

[00:09:58] Yeah. All of it. And it's all inside you as well as outside of you.

[00:10:04] Host: Yeah, that makes total sense. Um, and I don't, I mean, when I, um, yeah, I'm just kind of thinking of water now in this moment. Yeah. Water, how that fits into the kind of ho hologram .

[00:10:19] Guest: Yeah, well, it's holo, you know, it, um, you know, water, we know that water, um, holds memory and we know that it's a, the great carrier of consciousness and, um, I often think about how water holds the environment as well.

[00:10:36] So it holds echoes or imprints of the environment. So that's why if we can get the cleaner, the water, we can get the better it is because it's actually holding in a way the homopathic of the environment that it's in. Part of the reason why I live, where I live now is because of the water. Mm.

[00:10:53] Host: So this was a conscious part of your decision.

[00:10:57] It was

[00:10:57] Guest: actually my partner, um, that time. Yeah. And, and he, um, He had insights through his own visions, um, of a particular area that held amazing water that was pure and crystals that were in the earth. And he got the name of where it was and everything where we live. And we came and had a look and couldn't believe that it was actually in a forest.

[00:11:23] And this was, uh, 6 0 6 and a half years ago now, and seven years ago. And, um, the water here, cuz we live not far from darford and the water is we basically go and click our water straight out of the ground. And it's mineralized and charged and structured. It's all there. And, you know, sometimes I have to slap myself to remember that I get to drink this incredible water all of the time.

[00:11:52] And I feel like it's a, you know, it's hydrating on, on a whole other level, you know, hydrating the body, but also the mind, you know, on a whole level. And, um, it's just with water. It's like, we want to. We wanna try and take water into the space of being as close to nature as it possibly can. So we can, we can restructure our water, but we also wanna move away from drinking water that's, um, fluoridated and chlorinated and full of chemicals as much as we possibly can anyway.

[00:12:26] Um, and then there's blessing in prayer that we can use. And, um, and the thing about water is it teaches us so much because, you know, Water seeks relationship. And it teaches us so much about that as well. It, it will form whatever container we put water in. It'll take that particular form of wherever we place it.

[00:12:51] And it's also the waterways. The blood, the waterways of earth are the blood of the earth as well. So there's so much nourishment in that. What I often say to my students is when you drink your glass of water, just, and you mentioned this before, Michael, when you were saying, you know, the elements that were involved and where it came from and all the things like this is really something to ponder and consider.

[00:13:17] When you are eating your food or drinking your glass of water is what does this represent to you? What does this hold what's been before this moment? Where does this Cy click back to what moment does this Cy back to. What do you mean by that last part? Uh, like back to like, for example, um, with a food source who planted the seed, where did the, where did the plants come from?

[00:13:41] Where did they grow? What soil was it? Uh, what country was it? You know, people, I think often don't even query where their food is growing, let alone, if it's Australian or grown outside the country, just things like that. Just the awareness of these things.

[00:13:56] Host: And what does it represent that we're putting that into our, into our bodies and yeah, that's kind of,

[00:14:03] Guest: yeah, like that's, that's reverence, that's hav that's.

[00:14:05] That really is having reverence. And then we, when we have that reverence it's, um, It sort of changes the relationship and it changes the energy in that moment of how the assimilation, what, what I spoke about before, about how we're assimilating constantly. We're in this exchange constantly with the world.

[00:14:25] And if we can just take those moments, um, it's funny, the more I talk to you about things, the more I realize that so much of it is. Very connected to Buddhist perspective is then I don't think I'd actually thought that so much before until you mentioned

[00:14:40] Host: it. Mm. Sort of more, I find it fascinating how. I mean, what I've noticed from just speaking to you and, and just, you know, um, the process of us connecting in this way is that there's, there's a real blending of different traditions within, within you.

[00:14:57] Yeah. But within all of us, really, but it seems like there can be. You know, alternate paths where some people get on kind of one path for a long period of time. And then that kind of yeah. Becomes a really deep part of their story. And other people maybe gather from different elements and then, you know, ultimately we're all creating our own from these different spaces.

[00:15:18] It's

[00:15:18] Guest: sovereign, isn't it really in the end. And you know, I think about. What it's interesting. I was actually thinking about what you just said this morning. And I actually wrote something down about ancestral work in that our ancestral work there's our blood line. There's our line of, um, the land where we live.

[00:15:41] And then there is what inspires us on an ancestral level. So what inspires us on an ancestral level would be like, for example, playing the medicine. Hmm, that might not be, that's not I'm, you know, my lineage, my blood lineage, but it's inspired me and it make, and it, and it connects deeply with me and makes me want, makes me, um, want to share it and as a medicine tool, but it's not my bloodline.

[00:16:07] So I'm, I was acknowledging how we are, how we are built up of these mini components. Yeah. But I was seeing an ancestral, I think, a lot on the ancestral. Ways the old ways.

[00:16:22] Host: So that's interesting to think.

[00:16:24] Guest: Yeah. Especially in this day and age of, you know, cultural appropriation and this kind of, um, narrative, I think it's important to remember that that exists, but so does.

[00:16:37] Being inspired. Yeah. That's the best reference. Yeah. So if we're in reverence to it and we are humble in it and we acknowledge it, then it changes it from being, I'm just appropriating this because I wanna be cool to there's something in this that's so meaningful and it connects to me so deeply because globally all people did very similar things once upon a.

[00:17:06] The CALS held version quests and medicine circles with and all of that, very similar to the, to the south Americans different, but similar. So when we are, we are called into our, our sort of medicine work in different ways, whatever that is. Sometimes our entry point is through something like I Oscar or, um, You go into a drumming circle or do you know what I mean?

[00:17:32] It might not be where we finish up, but it's our entry point. And so we must be mindful of, of, of that. That's part of the process of our, of our evolution back to, um, ourselves again, which hopefully is gonna be the thing that you. Saves us in the end is like this, the reconnection back to ourselves, back to the land and what a big, what a big topic.

[00:17:59] Host: Yeah. Uh, what's what you're sharing right now is actually quite a lot for me is, well, really recently. And, and at the moment, actually like really recently, cuz there's a sense of. Yeah. I mean, I'm in a similar kind of a process, I would say in terms of, uh, yeah, re amalgamation of different, um, from a blend of different kind of influences and this whole idea of working through deeper aspects of like what you said earlier about you feel like something's kind of completed, but then you you're going around.

[00:18:28] The the same part of the mountain and you're like, oh yeah, well, it's, there's still much more here than I had anticipated. And, um, this, this area of shame actually comes up and the area of kind of, yeah, maybe an unconscious element of shame around, you know, in that process of, of how do we, yeah. How do we.

[00:18:49] Form this new clay with all this kind of, um, with the deeper, deeper aspects of shame still held within our bodies and without being through our own, you know, upbringing or even through the ancestral line. Yeah. And there's a sense of, um, Yeah. Almost like a, a sovereignty that comes in forming our own truth through whatever different, you know, um, different, uh, lines have led into our, into our existence and into our very being yeah.

[00:19:21] Um, without needing to compare or become someone that we're not, it's a sense of really stepping into who we are with, with, um, Yeah, by, by dropping that, that sense of shame and coming in back into, in a truth or authenticity. Yeah. It seems like it's quite an important process and it is a difficult thing in the world that we live in with, um, you know, us talking to someone last night, actually around this one of your students.

[00:19:49] Cause I, I wanted to just have a bit of a chat with a few people around their experience of your work. And, um, we were talking about how. Uh, there's examples of that. Uh, almost like, um, uh, a certain perspective of success being achieved, uh, without going down that path. And then there's a sense of, um, yeah.

[00:20:13] What does it look like to just close your eyes and, and walk and to trust your own footsteps and to breathe into your own? You know, just sing to the sound of your own drum from, for a moment, from a place of truth. Mm. And what, what comes out in that point? What, what, um, what develops and what can we contribute from that space?

[00:20:33] I think, yeah, that, that definitely seems like, um, yeah, part of the journey that's alive for me at the moment in exploring that and, and moving into that space with open eyes and an open heart. Yeah.

[00:20:46] Guest: It's like you it's like when we rediscover, um, parts of our own. Blueprint, you know? Yeah. That's a fundamental, um, soul spark within us that, um, holds the story.

[00:21:02] Host: Yeah. Holds the. Yeah, I guess this kind of takes place multiple times throughout our life. Yeah. I

[00:21:08] Guest: hundred percent, hundred percent. And like you were talking about the mountain, like I often have this analogy that I use for myself where I'm like, thinking about I'm moving up up a spiral and sometimes you're revisiting something and you're like, really?

[00:21:22] Am I here again? Yeah. But the difference is like the mountain analogy is you're moving around it, but it's, it's a different vantage point. Yeah. The experience might feel the same, but your perspective is gonna be different or deeper, at least if you've experienced it before and there might be a bigger, ah, right.

[00:21:42] I mean, I know this is a pretty common, um, understanding, but even such, I think that, um, I know, I continually need to be reminded that myself, you know, that's okay for me to be revisiting this, you know, like even me being in this recreation space, um, at the moment, it's like, I couldn't, I was thinking about it the other day and it's like, I could not, I can't separate my business from Renee because my business is me.

[00:22:11] Like I'm so intrinsically merged with how I. How I am of service to who I am as a person that my business and myself had to recreate simultaneously at the same time.

[00:22:31] Host: Can you tell me more about that? Cause that's just like an area that I'm definitely, um, this whole idea of business is, is, is, is an interesting one.

[00:22:38] Cause it's like, yeah, there can be an over or an under kind of development in this area of merging money and survival or thrive thriving with being of service. And it's an interesting space to explore because yeah. Going over or under. Isn't quite balanced and this middle park is an important aspect of the journey.

[00:23:00] I'm I'm learning at the moment. Yeah,

[00:23:03] Guest: it really is. And I, I feel like it's, it's one of the trickier, trickier parts to learn when we are in these spaces as business. Yeah. And, um, I feel like I'm, I'm starting to understand. I'm not saying I understand it completely. I think that's part of what I'm doing now.

[00:23:19] Yeah. It is understanding that and. You know, I've had people say to me, but you know, you are doing so well as, as you know, with my, my business name of lady PAMA, which I've kind of been for the last few years. And yeah. You know, it's almost like why would you pull the plug out from that now? You know? Um, but to me it was perfect timing to move back into the space of the void and because I needed to initiate.

[00:23:46] And step in to teach 'em more and to do that. I had to undo. And by doing that and in the recreation, I can take those as I'm I'm working with it. I'm I'm imagining, you know how I said blueprint before. Yeah. I'm imagining the architecture and then the foundations and the pillars moving up from that space of the architecture.

[00:24:09] And as part of that, I have to honor both the. Um, the being of service aspect, but also the physical manifestation of what that looks like in the world for me to live as well. And finding that place of honoring, you know, well, what am I worth and is it's okay for me to say that it's okay for me to, to be in that empowered state now.

[00:24:38] Mm I've I've done. I haven't done all the. And I'll never do all the work, but I've done a degree of work. That's allowed me to sit in this point where it's okay now to, to step up and to be met on that level. And renumeration say financially or energetically or, um, So it's like a refining and then a constant refining.

[00:25:05] Does that make

[00:25:06] Host: sense? Definitely. It's exactly. What's happening to me at the moment.

[00:25:09] Guest: yeah. And when you, I think that there's something about it too. You're probably, I don't know if you're feeling the same way. I'm sort of imagining that you are though. Um, for me, it's like, if I know that if I come from my integrity yeah.

[00:25:24] Which is really important to me, that's the answer right then? Yeah. Then I'm not. Do it wrong. I'm not gonna like, um, it, it's always, it's gonna, it's gonna turn up. Right. And that's something I'm constantly of concern of, especially in this day and age of the curation that you see online and all this stuff, you know, the fake stuff is like, I am, you know, like it's almost, that has almost pushed me more into what I'm about to offer out into the world as well.

[00:25:53] It's like in a way, um, Short courses. Um, we can, you can do a two day course and you can practice shamanic work or ceremonial work or medicine work, or do you know what I mean?

[00:26:06] Host: Yeah, there's something I feel the same. I feel the same, this, this idea of like a real deepened preparation. Yeah. And integration to whatever experience is offered is, is seems vital because it can be this, this idea of, you know, well, how do that's another question that I was kind of curious around is like, you know, people go through these experiences and sometimes I feel like the things that I offer, I, I wonder whether, you know, that I get curious around the deep transformative elements.

[00:26:39] But I was kind of, there is something to be said around planting seeds as well,

[00:26:43] Guest: a hundred percent. It's all valuable. Yeah, definitely. But I think it's it's um, the planting seeds is really important, but that that's, I think in the, that the reframing is in for me and the workers around. That's why I always talk about initiation mm-hmm because it's like, the seed will be planted in one place, but then the initiation, I call that in an activation.

[00:27:06] And then the initiation is the learned, lived experience, the embodied wisdom that's gained through time. And then as we move through time, we match it with how we place things out into the world. So that's, so I got to a certain place and now I'm having to step in to step up to then level out to that next.

[00:27:32] Yeah. So it's a constant initiation. When I, in my mind keep myself understanding that this life path that I'm choosing is an initiation. I can't fall into ego too much because how could I, because I'm always going to be in, I'm always gonna be this teacher and this student, I'm never gonna be just the teacher.

[00:27:57] Host: Yeah. And then that's an interesting thing to balance this deepening of education with the offering aspect as well, because, and, and obviously, um, the business side of all that as well. So there's a service, there's the business. And then this is well deepening of education so that you can deepen that service as well.

[00:28:15] Yeah. And it's interesting thing to juggle

[00:28:17] Guest: with my students. I often will say, you know, um, I'm learning from you as well. Like I'm learning as much, just as much like when, especially in the residency work, because everyone's in my home for a start and it's basically, they're coming into my life to live with me.

[00:28:37] And in that space, um, I have work to share, but I always think about it that I've. Given a degree of understanding so that I can help activate that and others, and as I'm seeing that activation, I'm learning back yes. From it. Yeah. And that's weakening my understanding of the work more. Yeah. So that the next group of people I go to, that's the ancestral filling, keeping that I talk about.

[00:29:05] Okay.

[00:29:06] Host: Yeah. Yeah. That's an interest. Yeah. It's an interest I've, I've observed the same process take place. It's like the more people that. Um, yeah, that I share my offerings with the sense of, uh, yeah, I'm, I'm learning a lot from their stories and, and, and, and looking at having a glimpse into so many windows and, and connecting that back into my own window and, and then being like, oh, and that deepens my offering for the next, so, yeah.

[00:29:30] Very a very interesting process. And then, yeah, and then there's like these steps that take place that require a period of time for that cocoon to be built and for that transformation to take place. Yeah.

[00:29:43] Guest: And even questioning, you know, so I've even been in a space of questioning, you know, who am I to be this who.

[00:29:51] Who do I think I am that I think I can, you know, hold this body of work, you know, because I'm certainly not the only one. So why is it that I hold it in this way? So these kind of people are drawn towards this work, you know, why may, so all that kind of, that's been coming up for me a lot. So sitting in that kind of shadow, you know, part of it as well.

[00:30:14] And,

[00:30:14] Host: um, yeah, and being open to dropping things. Yeah, maybe

[00:30:18] Guest: aren't

[00:30:19] Host: reasoning anymore. Yeah. And figuring that can be a hard process of letting goers at the same time. I've

[00:30:25] Guest: just recently experienced that cuz um, I was serving Keal for a very long time, like a long time in terms of where it's at and, and the west and um, yeah, I I'm, I'm in retirement at the moment and that's.

[00:30:42] A a big thing because I've been, I it's almost like, I, I was wondering if I had, there's a lot of who I was that was defined by I'm a Al facilitator. Sure. And now I'm not anymore. Yeah. And there's power in that. Yeah, because it's requiring me to dig deeper and move more into other ways of working in a ceremonial space.

[00:31:08] Host: Well, I think that's where a lot of the issues that I've been finding come have come up in terms of having to. You know, first of all, promote the promotion thing makes me you're a bit sick, but there's a sense of like, I'm now this person that is, you know, um, I'm gonna put a label, there's a label on it label and that's, I guess there's an illusion of that being a permanent thing, rather than a recognition that that's a transient state.

[00:31:34] And that's just another element of one part of my journey that will then. You know, through the process of permanence, how everything's, how we're evolving in every moment. Yeah. The sense of that's gonna be shed at some point as well, or integrate into something else and yeah.

[00:31:47] Guest: Become new language, you know, you know, we re we re language who we are and, and that's part of the movement as well.

[00:31:55] Yeah.

[00:31:56] Host: So. Yeah. Yeah. I'm wondering, I, I know we've kind of gone to few different, interesting places we really have. Yeah. Um, I I've got a, what, like this curiosity coming up around, um, yeah. What you were doing before and how often you were having these people live with you. And then what what's coming up for you in terms of if you've even found it, another kind of thing, but it sounds like you're, you've gone into a deepening, uh, process of, of service and, um, yeah.

[00:32:25] And how that fits into the bigger picture of, you know, your space to just be, you know, and space to be with your partner and space to be with the land. I mean, I'm sure it's all integrated and I'm just curious how you got so everything so integrated, and I know there's a difference. Age and experience with us and there's this kind of, um, pathways and journeys, but there is this interesting kind of curiosity of the process taken to move from, you know, this one version of reality into.

[00:32:56] One that is more connected, um, through a series of developing choices and openings and, and, um, yeah. I don't know if all of that I just tend to block things together. Yeah.

[00:33:08] Guest: I would like to say that I I've got it all integrated, but I'm not sure that's true. there's moments of it where I'm like, yes. And then other moments where I'm like, mm, still got so much to work out there.

[00:33:22] But

[00:33:22] Host: there is a lot to kind of, to honor in terms of yeah. You know, your journey in terms of, you know, living on the land and offering these experiences, even in the, in the previous version.

[00:33:32] Guest: Yeah. The, the, um, iteration that it's been can as opposed to where it's going, but. You know, one of the biggest, um, changes was literally being able to move into a forest.

[00:33:46] So, you know, right at the beginning of our conversation, I talked about the literal steps that we physically might have to take in, in our environment. Like we, we, we might do ritual in order to, from, to, to show up to spirit that we are moving from one space to another. And one of those big things for me was moving into a forest.

[00:34:08] Um, so I, I actually studied herbalism when I was very, very young. I was in my late teens, which is. Pretty amazing. Now I never knew that at the time, and I certainly didn't even think about it through my twenties or my thirties, or even my forties, uh, early forties. But I realize now how monumentous that choice was to who I am now and the cycl nature of that 30 year period.

[00:34:34] You know, 35 year period or 33 years, however long it was of when I made that decision to start studying herbal medicine. And then I was also lucky enough to spend three months with a group of women, um, uh, And they were connected. And through that, the sort of the green lineage, the green, where was that new and Christchurch in New Zealand.

[00:34:55] Nice. Yeah. I was 19 at the time. Wow. Studying herbal medicine. Yeah. And learning about the land and plants and organic gardening. And I learned about, you know, sitting around with women, um, drinking tea and talking about feelings and, um, I learned the old ways and well was initiated through the old ways.

[00:35:20] And that is part of the reason why I do what I do now is because of that experience. But it's not necessarily experience that. I went out and looked for it's it turned up in my reality because it was part of my timeline to get me to this moment than I am now. Whereas now I am the person that holds those spaces.

[00:35:39] Whereas I was the youngest in that group of women. I actually, um, have one photo of that group of women, women that's up on my, um, Instagram. Um, I was so happy when I found it actually, because it, it really, it reminds me of that cyclic nature of time. And so when I moved to the forest, it allowed that that was in me to start to wake up again, around my understanding of the earth and plants and, um, Um, practicing animism.

[00:36:17] And from that point, I was able to, um, start making medicine because again, Because I was in a bio region that was abundant with, with plants that I could wild harvest and forage. And so I was starting, I was able to set up a, my aary and start making medicine and slowly starting offering it to people in small batches.

[00:36:41] And. Um, and then, and that's kind of it just spelled on, um, it S spelled on from that point of, then I was able to, you know, invite students to stay, come and stay with me. So I was up until recently, um, offering residency work where people would come and stay for a week with me in the forest. And I would have around six people at a time and they would live in a separate house.

[00:37:04] I would have a different house for them, so they would have their own house so they could have their own. Container of group energy, because what I learned through experience with working with groups of people in the old ways is what, what I learned when I was 19 is the group container. And what you learn from each other is just as important, as important as the work itself.

[00:37:26] Host: Mm that's. Its own

[00:37:27] Guest: form of medicine. Yeah. That's so no inform medicine and, and they're teaching and learning off each other. And so they have their own house and they cook their meals together. And then they come to me in the morning and we open and circle. And we drink Thai for hours and we just, we do the old ways we share and we talk and we cry and we laugh and, and then we move into the body of work for the rest of the day.

[00:37:48] And we do that day in, day out for six days. And then I have to try and like expel them all. Come on off you go, go home now after a week. Yeah. Um, but , I ran my last one a few months ago, um, which was as part of my. Retiring and my rebirth into my next space and what the world was showing me that we needed more of was the old ways.

[00:38:17] Um, this is how I was taught, um, obviously in between that period of time of me initiating in the old ways as a younger person, and then, you know, living in the city and becoming a mother and studying and working and all the things, a lot of that got forgotten. And it was when I came to the forest that it started to.

[00:38:38] Awaken a game. Um, and so now where I'm moving is into apprenticeships. So what I'm gonna be offering from next year is if, if you wanna, if you really believe in this work, then it requires you to commit to 12 months now, um, in rights of passage initiation over a 12 month period. So I'm gonna be offering, um, A plant, an earth pathway apprenticeship that I call, and this is my own word and I love it.

[00:39:11] It's earth doership. So it's an earth doership and that's going to be around connecting into the earth, wisdoms and creating a, a Panera of plants that you, um, initiate with in its, in their totality over a period of time. So it's not a herbal medicine course. It's more. Um, a way of working with plants from an Enus perspective, and then the other pathways, the shamanic and ceremonial crafting pathway.

[00:39:43] And so over 12 months, it's really digging into this, your sh your shamanic blueprint, and that I'm not talking about. So south American, north American. It could be any, it could be your own thing. It could be Celtic. It could be nothing. It could be just something that you understand within yourself. That's, that's, that's um, that's wanting to live that the good red road wanting to live that middle path, um, in a, in a ceremony way.

[00:40:09] So that's more about people who are wanting to activate the, the shamanic aspect of them to place into a ceremonial setting. Hmm. So they're there. So that's where I'm sort of heading now. So they're gonna, they're called earth wisdom apprenticeships. They are, they're a move on from the, um, from the residency work.

[00:40:28] So they're kind of, there's a lot of similarities and a lot of the work is similar, um, but deeper and, and a lot longer initiation processes. And that all came from me, sitting back in the space of, um, we need to bring. Yeah, I keep saying it, but bring back the old ways, but, but more in a space of, of deep reverence, what it is that you're doing, not just by a fly by night course, maybe that plants to seed.

[00:40:57] But if that's the case, then here's an opportunity for someone to come and deepen their understanding. So for a herbalist who studies Western medical herbalism, if they came and did work for, with me, the difference. I'm not gonna teach you about the constituents of a plan I'm gonna teach you or help you remember how to connect with the botanical consciousness.

[00:41:22] And the imprint and how you see yourself in that plant and how that plant sees themself in you and that relation. So it's a very different understanding of, of more in folk herbalism than anything else. And

[00:41:35] Host: yeah. Sounds like it's quite an, it would be quite an experience from a practical sense rather than just from the mind, the sense of actually working.

[00:41:42] For 12 months. And I'm, I'm curious, would people stay with you for this period? Or imagine that ,

[00:41:47] Guest: my partner would be like, what? No, a lot of it will be online, so there'll be online components and then there'll be, um, like, um, Three or four days sort of retreats where they'll come for a co to get some activations.

[00:42:03] Yeah. From, from being here on the land. But part of the reason why I want people to do it in their own spaces is so people start to learn about the bioregional aspects. Yeah. And their own high own.

[00:42:16] Host: It's not like they're going to you and learning something then coming back into their life. Yeah. They're getting almost like it's happening at the same time.

[00:42:22] That's

[00:42:22] Guest: it? And then they can come for a couple of days for a certain thing. I don't even exactly know yet all the information for this will be closer to the end of the year is when I'll release it all. Yeah. Yeah. So it's exciting. It's a big, big undertaking, but it's, it's, it's where, where it needs to be.

[00:42:39] And, um, you know, I would've loved to have had. Myself. So, um, for that longer period of time, and I mean, I've done it myself, but I would love to have seen it offered in this way. So yeah. That's where that, that's very

[00:42:56] Host: exciting. I mean, very excited for you. I'm setting some kind of blessings of love and in the direction of this project, I feel, yeah, this is almost like.

[00:43:05] Yeah. There's like a, um, , there's it, it's more deeply grounded and rooted in what you're wanting. And it makes sense from what

[00:43:13] Guest: you shared it's about. Um, well, my new business name is, um, kin of the fi Danu and it's an Irish, it basically, and a roundabout mean way means, um, the kindred of the wild great mother.

[00:43:28] Mm. So it's really about a desire to cultivate wild relationships. Back to the natural world. That that would be my catch phrase. If someone asked me yeah. What it is, just cultivating that connection back to the land. And how do we go about that?

[00:43:45] Host: Let's see. Yeah. Yeah. Step by step. Yeah.

[00:43:50] Guest: Dream it

[00:43:51] Host: back, dream it back.

[00:43:52] Yeah. Yeah. How magical of a thing, even you just kind of, yeah. Going on this journey and, and this idea that's been percolating and for this to come into reality is, and for you to be able to kind of birth this offering.

[00:44:07] Guest: Um, yeah. Well, thank you for that too, though. Cuz this is the first I've spoken about it

[00:44:12] Host: with you.

[00:44:13] Yeah. It's very exciting. I feel like, yeah. Getting that medicine drum out right now and just kind of, I know this is awesome. Like there that's hanging on the wall. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Very, very nice. So thank you so much for kind of sharing all this and. I guess it would be good, cuz if people are kind of watching or listening and there's probably some people that might be interested, would you be able to share a bit about how they can get in touch with you?

[00:44:36] Just that standard kind of piece around your details? I'll obviously put links in and things like

[00:44:41] Guest: that as well. Yes. Yes. So at the moment, I, by the time this podcast gets released, , I'm sure that I'll actually have my, um, my new website is like half done, so. Oh, nice. Yeah. So early September I'll have it live.

[00:44:56] Brand new website and it's kin of the fiu.com, but it'll be in your links so people can see how it's definitely . Yeah. It's all in Irish and Instagram, social handles are the same will be the same kin of the FIU. Yeah. Um, and. Through my website, you can email and contact me if mobile, everything is on there as well.

[00:45:22] And all the information about all the offerings to do with the earth wisdom apprenticeships. And I also have, uh, an a Carrie that'll be up there called wild kin as well as I'll be doing council with botanical consciousness on one-on-one with people. Will we just sit in conversation, um, with the plants and see what comes through, um, for a person?

[00:45:45] What plants. Through what medicine comes through for them from the plant realms. Um, and if they need to integrate or work with that green body of the plant, then I can point them in the right direction or they can get medicine from me. So there's, and there also the ceremonial work and it'll all be, it'll all be on the, the website seems like there's a

[00:46:04] Host: lot packed.

[00:46:05] There's a lot, a lot of experience and, and kind of teachings packed.

[00:46:09] Guest: But luckily I have a lot of my students helping me otherwise, um, in, in, in different ways. So ,

[00:46:14] Host: yeah, that's a beautiful thing. Role to be able to

[00:46:16] Guest: oh yeah. Yeah. That's part of initiation workers assisting and yeah. So

[00:46:23] Host: thank you for tuning into part two of these two part series with Renee McCreedy I hope that you've been able to yeah.

[00:46:31] Deeply connect with the wisdom shared through Renee's teachings and stories and. Sharings. It really means a lot that you're here with us and hopefully that can pass through your being and being nourished and transformed into a deeper offering that you may contribute to the blossoming of the emergent world story.

[00:46:57] If you'd like to go deeper with either working with me one on one, or with Renee head over to adrian.com and send me a message and email. Or click on the links that I've provided, uh, to get into Renee's work. I really appreciate your presence and your engagement, and I will catch you on the next episode.