Episode Details

In this episode, I reflect on the importance of slowing down and being present in the natural world, while exploring how our perceptions and beliefs shape our reality. I delve into the limitations of scientific objectivity, the influence of our environment on our well-being, and the need for a deeper, more holistic way of understanding ourselves and the world around us.

Here are the key takeaways from this episode:

• The importance of engaging with the more-than-human world for reassurance, as a counter to the messiness of human-made realms (political, economic).
• The inadequacy of scientific objectivity as a worldview; reality is also shaped by subjective and environmental factors.
• How we now need to develop critical thinking skills, especially in navigating multiple perspectives and complex truths.
• Reflection on environmental education, particularly the spiritual dimension and how it is often excluded from mainstream teaching.
• Indigenous knowledge is a more holistic view of the world, combining heart, head, soul, and spirit, in contrast to the fragmented Western scientific approach.
• Insights on how modern science and technology (like AI, quantum physics, and systems thinking) challenge traditional mechanistic views of the world.
• The significance of our environment and its direct influence on our health, with much of our well-being shaped by it rather than clinical care – Salutogenesis.
• Historical shift around the 1750s during the Industrial Revolution, where human dominance and technological advances led to exponential growth and global impact.
• Exploration of the Dunning-Kruger effect: people with less knowledge often overestimate their competence.
• A call to reconnect with nature, slow down, and notice the present moment as a revolutionary act in a fast-paced world.
• Emphasis on the role of psyche in connecting to something beyond the self-conscious mind, with parallels drawn to the creative processes of great scientists like Newton and Einstein.

Show Notes:

https://theoutdoorteacher.com/podcasts/episode-62-untamed-knowing/

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:

The Green Health Virtual Gathering 2026

Embedding Nature in Practice - From Vision to Delivery This gathering brings together psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, GPs, allied health professionals and NHS leaders exploring how nature-informed approaches can be implemented safely and credibly within real-world healthcare settings. https://circleofliferediscovery.com/gathering

Free Course in Forest School Activities

Try our online training for free: https://theoutdoorteacher.com/free