What Needs Pruning?

Welcome to episode 99 which was recorded in the middle of a sleepless night. A quiet, unscripted reflection on gratitude, grief, wildness and the autumn question of what needs pruning and what is ready to be harvested. In this episode: Begins with a gratitude practice for the stillness of the night, for time, and for simply being present. Reads Mary Oliver’s Wild Geese and reflects on letting “the soft animal of your body love what it loves.” Marina sits with grief and unease about the climate crisis, noticing dry ground, stressed trees and early leaf-drop in the woods. Explores the autumn equinox as a moment of balance between light and dark, and what that might mirror in our own lives. Shares a simple woodland practice using rowan berries to notice where life feels in balance and where it does not. Reflects on grounding through the senses, including getting to know the soil while imagining a future forest garden. Uses the image of pruning an apple tree to ask what habits, patterns or inherited ways of being may need cutting back. Considers wildness not as chaos, but as something that can liberate us while still asking for care, attention and tending. Looks ahead to Episode 100, a conversation with Michael and Stefania on inclusion, neurodivergence and autism in Forest School practice. Show Notes: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-99-what-needs-pruning/ Music by Geoff Robb: www.geoffrobb.com Please Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts If you have enjoyed today's episode, please consider rating and reviewing my show! This really helps me to spread the word to more people like you, and to empower more people to take their practice outdoors! Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then let me know what you loved most about the episode! Also, if you haven’t done so already, "follow" the podcast, as if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Mentioned in this episode: Outside for Everyone | A Free Online Event Monday 28 September | 6pm - 7pm Join Marina Robb and a panel of practitioners working across very different education settings for Outside for Everyone - a live, practical conversation about what inclusive and responsive outdoor learning looks like in the real world. Find out more: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/outside-for-everyone