Live Free Ride Free with Rupert Isaacson

✨ "All social species seek connections. People and horses are no different. Safety and comfort are the core elements to build strong social bonds regardless of species. “ – Mary Ann Simonds✨ "The best tool we have is be the best human you can be. You don't have to know everything. You just have to be clear on yourself and be pure and be silent, and then help your horse be the best horse it can be." – Mary Ann SimondsMary Ann Simonds has spent more than four decades sitting at the intersection of wildlife biology, consciousness studies, and horsemanship — and almost none of it has looked the way science was supposed to look. She grew up in California riding hunter/jumpers, earned her BS from the University of Wyoming in Wildlife Conservation and Management and a minor in Range Management studying wild horse ecology and whole systems approaches. She was appointed to the National Advisory Board for Wild Horses and Burros in the early 1990s after years of field research on wild horse behavioral ecology. She has worked for oil and gas companies as a reclamation specialist, pioneered ecotourism partnerships with ranchers in Wyoming and Oregon, taught interspecies communication at Nippon Veterinary and Life Sciences University in Tokyo, earned a graduate degree in Inter-disciplinary Consciousness Studies and has spent years working quietly behind the scenes in the sport horse welfare world near her home in Wellington, Florida.Her new book, A Horse by Nature, published by Trafalgar Square, draws on all of it — wild horse social behavior, domestic horse psychology, welfare ethics, and practical communication tools — organized in red, blue, and green tips so riders can go straight to what they need most. It is, as Rupert and Mary Ann agree at the end of this conversation, Part One of what will be a longer series.This is a conversation about what happens when rigorous science and genuine animal communication occupy the same person — and what that has to teach anyone who lives and works with horses.FREE Helios Harmony Intro Course: https://longridehome.com/onoutpoutWhat You'll Learn in This Episode00:05:30 – How Mary Ann first recognized, at age 11, that a trainer couldn't hear what a horse with a headache was saying — and why that question drove her entire career00:13:00 – What double degrees in range management and wildlife biology taught her about the gap between academic science and what animals are actually doing00:39:00 – The dietary overlap study she conducted as an undergraduate — and how it became the data cited to justify mass BLM removal of wild horses decades later00:44:00 – How BLM's gate-cut removal policy destroyed wild horse social structures and caused reproductive rates to skyrocket00:47:00 – Why a Nevada rancher admitted he hated the wild stallion eating his alfalfa — and what that revealed about the real psychology behind mustang persecution00:56:00 – How she converted ranchers into ecotourism operators years before the concept had a name — and why she calls herself a solution finder, not an activist01:04:00 – The discovery that studying nature with a quiet mind produced completely different wildlife sightings than looking at it with scientific intent01:20:00 – Why she went to graduate school to study human consciousness after watching a BLM official throw a briefcase at a rancher in a public meeting01:38:00 – How she taught interspecies communication at Nippon Animal Science University in Tokyo, and why Japanese vet students grasped it almost instantly01:44:00 – Why a horse's first two years determine everything, and how not knowing a horse's early history is one of the most common mistakes buyers make01:49:00 – What A Horse by Nature offers: how to teach a horse to be a functional horse, the OFFER technique, and why eye contact, nose bump, and buddy scratch transform the relationship01:51:00 – The red, blue, and green tip system — and why safety and comfort, not food, are a horse's primary motivation for bonding with a humanMemorable Moments from the Episode00:12:00 – Mary Ann describes sleeping with rattlesnakes as an 18-year-old after refusing to leave the field — and what it taught her about looking with nature rather than at it00:43:00 – She discovers her own undergraduate data, filed under her maiden name Canny, was the study used to justify mass wild horse removals — and the range manager confirms it was never statistically significant00:49:00 – An Oregon rancher comes to her door late at night to confess he killed a band of horses because they looked too pathetic to live — and her response: "So if you look like that, should I shoot you too?"01:33:00 – A Wyoming cowboy's horse jumps into the back of his pickup truck with his dog, unprompted and untrained — and that moment becomes the seed of her interspecies communication research01:42:00 – Rupert describes aloud, for the first time, all the prayers and invisible preparation he does before every training session — after an audience member tells him he didn't ask the horse permissionGuest Contact & LinksA Horse by Nature by Mary Ann Simonds (Trafalgar Square Publishing) https://amzn.to/4glHTCpMary Ann Simonds website and contact: www.maryAnnsimonds.comAbout Mary Ann SimondsMary Ann Simonds is a wildlife biologist, behaviorist, and consciousness researcher who has spent more than four decades studying the relationship between horses, nature, and human awareness. She holds double degrees in range management and wildlife biology from the University of Wyoming and a graduate degree in consciousness studies. Her fieldwork spans wild mustang populations in the American West, dolphin behavior research, ecotourism development, and interspecies communication programs at veterinary universities in Japan. She has served on the National Advisory Board for Wild Horses and Burros, worked as a reclamation specialist for oil and gas companies, and spent years advocating for welfare reform in the sport horse industry near her home in Wellington, Florida. Her new book, A Horse by Nature, is published by Trafalgar Square.🐎 Want to go deeper? Join the Long Ride Home membership — weekly live sessions, exclusive content, and a community of riders seeking real connection with their horses. 👉 https://longridehome.com — just $24.95/monthSee All of Rupert's Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.comFollow Us:Long Ride Home Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystemsAffiliate Disclosure:Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

✨ "You’re not stuck. You just haven’t talked to the right mentor yet." – Jason Barrett✨ "If you find a purpose—and the courage to follow it—you’ll surprise yourself every time." – Jason BarrettWhat happens when a 12‑year‑old kid walks into a summer camp for people with profound disabilities—and never really leaves? Performer, father, and nonprofit co‑founder Jason Barrett joins Rupert Isaacson for a funny, vulnerable, and deeply inspiring conversation about service, special needs, faith, horses, circus arts, and what it really takes to build a life around purpose.From his first summer at Camp Smile at age 12—changing diapers, pushing wheelchairs, and learning forgiveness from the people he was supposed to be "helping"—to running Ali’s School of Equestrian Arts and the touring troupe Equestrian Chaos, Jason has spent his life saying yes to hard things. Along the way he walked through Southern Baptist culture, Jehovah’s Witness ministry, corporate retail, massage therapy school, and a Dolly Parton equestrian dinner show… before hitching his future to a pregnant trick rider, two horses, and $1300 in a Honda Element.In this episode, Jason and Rupert explore how mentorship, community, and rhythm (both equine and human) can change a life; why therapeutic riding often gets the economics and excitement wrong; and how a tiny backyard fundraiser became one of the most badass horse shows in the U.S.—all while centering neurodivergent and disabled riders.❤️ Support the Podcast on Patreon https://patreon.com/longridehome🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:What Jason learned about gratitude, privilege, and perspective from disabled adults in diapers and wheelchairs ([00:03:00])Jason’s journey through Southern Baptist culture and Jehovah’s Witness ministry—and why he ultimately walked away from organized religion ([00:04:00])How Camp Smile and a brave youth pastor pulled 12‑year‑old Jason into the world of special needs ([00:04:18])Why teen volunteers are a “sweet spot” for mentorship—and how the right community can change a kid’s entire trajectory ([00:06:33])How neurodivergent campers taught him forgiveness, intention, and how to really see the person behind the behavior ([00:08:46])How leaving the corporate retail world led him toward hands‑on work, massage therapy, and back into direct service ([00:32:04])The love story: meeting Sise at Dolly Parton’s equestrian dinner show, an unexpected pregnancy, and starting over in Alabama with two horses and $1300 ([00:36:15])How Ali’s School of Equestrian Arts began at Camp Smile—and what Jason and Sise had to learn the hard way about the economics of therapeutic riding ([00:40:00])Jason’s 3‑part formula for getting unstuck: find purpose, seek mentors, and stop rehearsing your problems on loop ([00:43:30])Why Equestrian Chaos was born as a backyard fundraiser—and how COVID nearly killed the program before the show saved everything ([00:53:22])Why boredom is dangerous for both horses and riders—and how performance goals keep everyone mentally alive ([00:59:35])How they safely integrate autistic and brain‑injured riders into high‑level circus acts (including standing on galloping horses) through tiny steps, rhythm, and obsession‑based motivation ([01:05:37])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Rupert’s provocative question about the Southern Baptist Church and slavery—and Jason’s honest answer about separating individuals from institutions. ([00:04:00])Jason’s first day at Camp Smile: a 12‑year‑old kid, a 49‑year‑old nonverbal camper, a restless lunch line—and the realization that “most of us don’t really have problems.” ([00:05:37])The autistic boy who ended up standing in full Hippodrome position on a running horse after months of micro‑steps (and hot Cheetos). ([00:05:37])Learning forgiveness from the special needs community: “You get a second chance without a slap in the face—because the relationship matters more than the mistake.” ([00:08:46])Jason knocking on doors as a young Jehovah’s Witness, learning public speaking and resilience from the world’s hardest audience. ([00:27:27])Selling everything, loading two horses into a $900 trailer, and driving home with Sise and $1300 to start a new life in Mobile. ([00:36:15])Realizing they were losing money running camp programs with 15–20 horses and 100 riders a week for $3000—"our budgeting was make‑believe in the real world." ([00:40:00])Jason’s closing counsel on spirituality and purpose: find a purpose, talk to people who’ve found theirs, and stop replaying the same painful story in your head. ([00:43:30])COVID hits: programs shut down, savings run out, and Equestrian Chaos (the show) becomes the only way to keep the herd—and the mission—alive. ([00:53:22])A 70‑year‑old woman in tears at the rail: “You just put my 70‑year dream on display. I was the first woman to compete in mounted archery when they didn’t want us to ride.” ([01:06:39])📚 Books and Projects Mentioned:Equestrian Chaos – touring equestrian circus & mounted archery show Celisse’s School of Equestrian Arts – therapeutic riding & performance‑based horsemanship Camp Smile – the special needs summer camp where it all began New Trails Learning Systems – Movement Method & Horse Boy Method Helios Harmony – classical dressage training in the style of the old masters Website: https://equestrianchaos.com🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us:Long Ride HomeWebsite: https://longridehome.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrhInstagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrhYouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails LearningWebsite: https://ntls.coFacebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworldYouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure:Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

From cryptids to hickory trees, raccoons, and the hidden balance of the natural world, writer and poet Jarod Anderson invites us into his world of imagination, healing, and belonging. In this deep and reflective conversation, Rupert Isaacson explores Jarod’s journey through depression, his rediscovery of nature, and how storytelling can transform pain into wonder. Together they uncover how imagination acts as a bridge back to the wild world—even when we’re confined by screens or cities—and how the stories we tell can become medicine for our own minds. Known for his podcast The CryptoNaturalist and his books Something in the Woods Loves You and Strange Animals (Ballantine Books, 2025), Jarod shares how his creative process, humor, and reverence for the strange help turn despair into curiosity and isolation into connection. This episode is a meditation on what happens when poetry meets survival, when darkness meets awe, and when we finally remember that nature has never stopped loving us.✨ “We are more weather pattern than stone monument.” – Jarod Anderson✨ “If you reach for wonder and come at it as a student, you’ll find it reaching back.” – Jarod Anderson🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How imagination and storytelling can help heal depression ([00:02:00])Reconnecting with nature after burnout and shame ([00:10:00])The origin story of The CryptoNaturalist podcast ([00:13:00])How cryptids mirror the human psyche and our need for balance ([00:16:00])The mythic guardians of Earth: from the Orbital Kingfisher to the Horned Wolf ([00:17:00])Finding healing through writing and mental health openness ([00:28:00])What inspired Something in the Woods Loves You ([00:29:00])Touching the Hickory Tree: how presence dissolves shame ([00:35:00])Lessons from the raccoon and the power of unpretty survival ([01:06:00])Shame, nature, and the cyclical nature of healing ([01:10:00])The role of stories, context, and compassion in healing ([01:27:00])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:A teacher reading Mary Oliver poetry to 10-year-old Jarod in the woods ([00:02:00])The kitchen accident that led to rediscovering creativity through nature ([00:10:30])Creating The CryptoNaturalist: “a love letter to nature where everything is invented” ([00:14:00])The metaphor of depression as brain weather—no shame, just different skies ([00:45:00])The raccoon as a teacher of stubbornness and survival ([01:06:00])“Who says survival has to be pretty?” ([01:07:00])A squirrel revived by touch and returned to the grass—context as healing ([01:25:00])“If you reach for wonder and come at it as a student, you’ll find it reaching back.” ([01:51:00])📚 Books and Projects Mentioned: Jarod Anderson Something in the Woods Loves You (Timber Press) https://amzn.to/443Uao1 –Strange Animals (Ballantine Books, Feb 2025) https://amzn.to/47znvsL –Haunted Forest Trilogy (3 books) https://amzn.to/3Lwah7C The CryptoNaturalist Podcast – https://www.cryptonaturalist.com/ https://www.jarodkanderson.comhttps://www.facebook.com/Cryptonaturalist/ https://www.instagram.com/cryptonaturalist/ 🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us:Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrhInstagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrhYouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.coFacebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworldYouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

In this episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert Isaacson sits down with scientist, journalist, and bestselling author Dr. Jo Marchant (PhD in Genetics and Medical Microbiology) to explore the intersections between science, spirituality, and the human experience. From the placebo effect to consciousness, awe, and the nature of time itself, Jo unpacks her groundbreaking books Cure, The Human Cosmos, and her forthcoming In Search of Now. Together they examine what it means to live curiously, think freely, and rediscover wonder in a rational age.✨ “Science is asking questions of nature and listening to the answers.” – Jo Marchant✨ “If you are not curious, you are shrinking and dying.” – Jo Marchant🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How Jo’s background in microbiology led to science writing ([00:02:45])What the placebo effect teaches about mind-body connection ([00:10:40])How empathy and belief influence healing ([00:16:22])Insights from Cure and the science of care ([00:21:05])Why humanity lost its connection to the sky (The Human Cosmos) ([00:37:10])How awe functions as a biological and healing state ([00:47:18])Exploring time and consciousness in In Search of Now ([01:03:09])How presence and attention shape perception ([01:09:55])Reflections on AI, creativity, and what defines being human ([01:42:50])Closing thoughts on curiosity, humility, and wonder ([02:18:00])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:[00:00:00] Rupert introduces Jo and sets the tone for exploring science and wonder.[00:02:45] Jo shares how her PhD path evolved into science writing.[00:10:40] The placebo effect and its implications for healing.[00:21:05] How storytelling reveals science’s human dimension.[00:37:10] Rediscovering ancient wisdom through The Human Cosmos.[00:47:18] Awe and wonder as measurable biological phenomena.[01:03:09] Searching for presence and time in In Search of Now.[01:17:31] Where science meets spirituality and meaning.[01:42:50] Jo reflects on AI, creativity, and human identity.[02:18:00] Final reflections on curiosity, love, and the science of wonder.📚 Projects, Writings & Ideas Mentioned:Dr. Jo Marchant, PhD – Science journalist and authorCure: A Journey into the Science of Mind Over Body https://amzn.to/3WrtVUmThe Human Cosmos: Civilization and the Stars https://amzn.to/4nBeXHfIn Search of Now (2025 release)Decoding the Heavens: A 2,000-Year-Old Computer -- and the Century-Long Search to Discover Its Secret https://amzn.to/437Y3YBPodcast: Where the Wild Thoughts AreWebsite: https://jomarchant.comResearchers mentioned: Dr. Ted Kaptchuk (Harvard), Manfred Schedlowski, Dan MoermanConcepts discussed: The placebo effect, awe, consciousness, free will, time perception, quantum perspectives🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow UsLong Ride Home:Website: https://longridehome.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrhInstagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrhYouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems:Website: https://ntls.coFacebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworldYouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📚 Books & Resources:Rupert Isaacson – The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land: https://longridehome.com/booksJo Marchant – Cure, The Human Cosmos, In Search of Now📊 Affiliate Disclosure:Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

From hitchhiking to California with $35 in her pocket, to becoming a Stanford professor, medical doctor, and pioneer in equine-assisted programs, Dr. Beverley Kane’s story is one of resilience, curiosity, and transformation. In this episode of Live Free Ride Free, Rupert Isaacson sits down with Dr. Kane to trace her journey through medicine, sports science, corporate Silicon Valley, parapsychology, and ultimately to horses—where she bridges science and spirituality.Beverley shares how her early activism during the Vietnam War led her into medicine, what she learned working in preventive health and AI at Apple and WebMD, and why a kitchen accident opened the door to horses, play, and somatic healing. Today she teaches Qigong with horses at Stanford, guiding students and professionals into deeper connection, stress relief, and self-regulation through equanimity.✨ “Quantum physics is the physics of love and entanglement is about connection.” – Dr. Beverley Kane✨ “When I found therapeutic riding, for the first time it was just playful to be on horses.” – Dr. Beverley Kane🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Hitchhiking to California with $35 and starting anew ([00:01:00])Dropping out of Columbia, activism, and rediscovering medicine ([00:03:00])Medical training at UCSF and mentorship from Nobel Prize winner Michael Bishop ([00:05:00])Practicing medicine in Alaska and discovering sports medicine ([00:07:00])Stanford preventive medicine research and corporate health at Apple ([00:12:00])Stories from Apple’s Great American Smokeout and early AI projects ([00:16:00])Moving into WebMD and the rise (and bust) of Silicon Valley dot-com culture ([00:21:00])Discovering horses at age 52 after an accident and entering therapeutic riding ([00:27:00])Finding joy and play with horses through therapeutic riding ([00:34:00])Bringing Medicine & Horsemanship programs to Stanford ([00:43:00])Teaching Qigong with horses and the Equanimity program ([00:50:00])Quantum physics, parapsychology, and the science of consciousness ([01:10:00])Why entanglement points toward love, connection, and healing ([01:42:00])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Getting sick upon arriving in Berkeley and repaying kindness at the Free Clinic ([00:02:00])Lessons from Nobel Prize winner Michael Bishop on scientific breakthroughs ([00:09:00])Transitioning from sports medicine to preventive health research at Stanford ([00:12:00])A story of helping an Apple employee quit smoking to transition safely ([00:16:00])The kitchen accident that shifted her horsemanship to play and healing ([00:31:00])Dreaming of red mustangs in the desert and discovering equine-assisted learning ([00:40:00])Establishing equine-assisted electives for Stanford medical students ([00:47:00])Teaching Qigong forms with horses for stress reduction and emotional release ([00:56:00])Exploring quantum entanglement, ESP, and the philosophy of science ([01:26:00])Calling quantum physics “the physics of love” ([01:42:00])📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:Dr. Beverley Kane – Equine-imity: Stress Reduction and Emotional Self-Regulation in the Company of Horses https://amzn.to/4nqsAJ9The Manual of Medicine and Horsemanship - https://amzn.to/4nq2ENKDr. Beverley Kane – Adjunct Clinical Professor at Stanford, author of Equanimity and manuals on Medicine & HorsemanshipMichael Bishop – Nobel Prize-winning biochemistBarbara Rector – Equine-assisted learning pioneerAlan Hamilton – Neurosurgeon and founder of Medicine & HorsemanshipQuantum physicist Amit Goswami – The Self-Aware UniverseRupert Sheldrake – Theories of morphic resonanceRussell Targ & Hal Puthoff – Parapsychology and remote viewing research🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us:Long Ride Home:Website: https://longridehome.comFacebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrhInstagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrhYouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems:Website: https://ntls.coFacebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworldInstagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworldYouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure:Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

In this rare solo episode of Live Free Ride Free, host Rupert Isaacson shares his own extraordinary story—tracing a path from his multicultural childhood in London to horseback adventures, indigenous rights campaigns, and the creation of groundbreaking autism and equine therapy programs. Rupert weaves together vivid life experiences: from retraining an unruly ex-racehorse as a boy, to helping the Bushmen of the Kalahari win historic land claims, to transforming his son’s autism journey through horses, nature, and movement. This is a deep dive into service, resilience, and the magic of following the call of adventure.🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:How a childhood nervous breakdown led Rupert to horses and nature ([00:11:00])Lessons from growing up between multiple cultures and identities ([00:05:00])The entrepreneurial path to buying his first horse at age 14 ([00:13:00])Adventures and dangers as a young journalist in Africa and North America ([00:34:00])The role of indigenous wisdom in Rupert’s life and work ([00:56:00])Behind-the-scenes of the Bushman land claims in South Africa and Botswana ([01:00:00])How his son’s autism diagnosis reshaped his mission and methods ([01:36:00])The creation of Horse Boy Method, Movement Method, and Takhin Equine Integration ([01:39:00])Why service is the key to sustaining your dreams ([01:46:00])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Meeting legendary wolf expert Rick McIntyre in Yellowstone and conceiving the Live Free Ride Free podcast ([00:02:00])Training an unmanageable ex-racehorse and discovering his calling ([00:14:00])Hitchhiking into the Kalahari and first encounters with Bushman healers ([00:57:00])Witnessing the unexpected twist that won Botswana’s largest land claim ([01:30:00])The life-changing advice from Dr. Temple Grandin on helping his autistic son ([01:34:00])The reindeer healer in Siberia who transformed Rowan’s progress ([01:42:00])📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:Rupert Isaacson – The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land https://longridehome.com/booksHorse Boy Method, Movement Method, Takhin Equine Integration https://ntls.coLong Ride Home - Horse Training: https://longridehome.com🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us: Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.

Filmmaker Craig Foster (My Octopus Teacher) and wildlife sculptor-naturalist George Bumann return to Live Free Ride Free for a sweeping, soul-deep conversation on rewilding the human spirit. With Rupert Isaacson, they dive into the healing force of biodiversity, the true meaning of conflict resolution, and why tracking—not just animals, but ourselves—is essential for becoming fully alive. From snails in beer bottles to raven politics at the dump, they explore how the smallest natural encounters offer the biggest epiphanies. This episode is an invitation to reclaim our 3-million-year-old blueprint for joy, freedom, and kinship with all beings.✨ “You feel the beating heart of the intertidal in your own beating heart.” – Craig Foster✨ “Noticing is the beginning of healing.” – George Bumann🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why extreme biodiversity supercharges physical vitality and mental clarity ([00:04:00])How conflict dissolves when we're in kinship with more-than-human communities ([00:19:00])Why tracking—animals, people, and ourselves—is the original language of connection ([00:33:00])What George learned about group dynamics and animal behavior from Yellowstone’s wolves and ravens ([00:45:00])How sculpting, storytelling, and species documentation help heal our cultural broken-heartedness ([00:58:00])What happens to human consciousness when we spend uninterrupted time in nature ([01:06:00])Why snails, magpies, ravens, and city foxes may be more important than elephants and whales ([01:17:00])The myth of separation: how the illusion of “self vs. nature” feeds personal suffering ([01:30:00])How ego functions in wild systems vs. modern society—and how culture can recalibrate it ([01:39:00])How George and Craig help people rewild through art, archives, biodiversity, and beauty ([01:53:00])The final invitation: how noticing becomes a daily ritual of reconnection and joy ([02:03:00])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Craig’s experience of pure vitality on a pristine research island—surrounded by mantas, sharks, and rays ([00:02:00])George’s intimate vocal impressions of coyotes, wolves, and elk—including one he heard that morning ([00:07:00], [01:13:00])What snails in beer bottles near Miami taught Craig about resilience and belonging ([02:06:00])The concept of Mother Nature as the ultimate shareholder of all human endeavors ([00:29:00])What happens when children in urban schools are given cameras—and how their perception shifts over days ([00:18:00])George’s ravens at the dump: what “vermin” reveal about the power of noticing ([02:09:00])Craig’s octopus friend who walks bipedally and eats sharks—and lets Craig film her doing it ([02:22:00])📚 Projects, Thinkers, and Ideas Mentioned:Craig Foster – My Octopus Teacher, Sea Change Project (https://seachangeproject.com)1001 Sea Forest Species ProjectGeorge Bumann – Wildlife sculptor, educator, and naturalist (https://georgebumann.com)David Graeber – The Dawn of Everything https://amzn.to/464fE6eBates Method – Natural eyesight restoration https://amzn.to/4kFMqhFDr. Chantel Prat – The Neuroscience of You https://amzn.to/3TFhPWsRupert Isaacson – The Horse Boy, The Long Ride Home, The Healing Land https://longridehome.com/books-ru/ 🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us:Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.