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A fair bit of energy goes into finding guests for the podcast. Do they fit the theme? Do they have a story to share? Is there and interesting angle to tackle? Do I have the courage to ask them? Are they willing and available? And once every so often, Universe delivers people into my life that I’m magnetically drawn to talk to. Even if I’m not clear why or how. Something just intuitively feels right and I go with my gut. My conversation with Renate Rienmuller fits into the 'intuitively guided' bucket. Renate is a photomedia artist based in Sydney who works primarily in traditional printing processes, including one of the most time consuming and technically savage photographic processes - 19th century ‘wet plate’. She is a co-founder of the non-for-profit creative space ‘La Creme Creative’ and also a co-founder of B.A.D. The Brookvale Arts District. A thriving community, connecting local and international artists, artisans, creatives and heart-lead creators of all walks of life. Renate is currently working on her next solo exhibition. It's a portrait series due for launch in mid September 2022 and a book! In the conversation we discuss Renate’s photography, creative process and also turn our attention to: what make an artist? or said another way - who makes art? Where do you draw the line between taking photos, hanging your work in a gallery (art) vs fixing bicycles or punching numbers as an accountant? It’s about the labels we attach to define people - as artists, or not. What’s the connective thread that binds (creative) spirits together and what is it that makes them so magnetic? Easily one of my favourite conversations to date and I hope you enjoy it too.  Thank you Universe for delivering this opportunity to me and thank you Renate for bringing your magnetic energy, creative connection and sharing your story. Az ✌️

Early mornings are part of Jaimee Roger’s life.  As a young athlete Jaimee was a national level swimmer and trialed for the Olympics. Keeping company with some of Australia’s greatest swimmers.  Swimming at this level means years of hard work and sacrifice. Early starts at the pool. Repeatedly pushing your mind and body to its limits.  Often the difference between winning gold and obscurity can be determined by the millisecond. It was injury that forced Jaimee away from competitive swimming and she’s lived with the weight of 'never quite making it as an Olympic athlete'.  These days Jaimee co-host's a breakfast radio show on the Big Sports Breakfast, in Sydney.  More early starts.  When she leaves for work, both of her young children are usually already awake. To make this delicate balance possible, the well-known media professional and busy mother of two means every single minute of her day is accounted for.  After nearly 20 years away from competition Jaimee is ready for a new challenge. She is training for an 35km open water swim across The English Channel for her first time.  In this episode I talk with Jaimee about swimming and the role it plays in her life. The beauty and challenges of open water swimming. The importance of community. As she prepares for this epic adventure of a lifetime.  Please enjoy, Az ✌️🏊‍♀️ Jaimee Rogers Intro (03:01) Becoming the TAB Lady (04:05)  Managing two roles and study (11:00) Competitive swimming & injury (17:35) Breaststrokers are their own kind (23:43) Why the English Channel? (24:45) The distortion of being surrounded by uncommon people (30:01) Details and logistics of The English Channel swim (33:08) Being out of my depth with open water swimming (35:16) Time away from swimming (38:06) Training, preparation and nutrition... (39:40) What's it like being out there in the vast open-ness? (47:40) The open water bug (51:45) Mental health and suicide awareness (54:58) How do you take care of yourself? (58:38) A process of learning (01:03:45) What does success look like? (01:09:29)

A detailed experience of my first 10 day Vipassana Meditation Retreat.  Intro About Vipassana Meditation Retreat (02:24) Day by Day  Day 0 The environment (15:56) Day 1-3 Learning to breathe, avoiding discomfort and Snoring Man (20:10) Day 4 Mind wrangling and feeling insanely creative (30:11) Day 5 “The Hour of Power” (35:11) Day 6 Echo chamber of noise (46:46) Day 7 Seeing things differently (1:02:47) Days 8-9 Who in their right mind does this? (1:08:03) Day 10 So that’s what compassion is? (1:13:36) Day 10 Start again (1:17:42) Insights Where do insights come from? (1:21:56) Meditation retreat or masochistic bootcamp? (1:23:30) A process of contraction and expansion (1:24:21) Life in nothingness (1:26:30) The inside noise vs outer noise (1:30:00) Your perfectly unique experience (1:33:00) Closing Wrap-up (1:38:22)

“We all need a bit more Vajin in our lives.” You probably / might describe Vajin Armstrong as an elite ultra-marathon runner. A favourite son of the New Zealand and Australian running community. And a practicing monk. When I asked Vajin to describe himself, the answer quickly became a kaleidoscope of colour and perspectives on reality and consciousness. It’s at this point the best approach is to grab some popcorn. Sit-back. And enjoy the show. Through our conversation we traverse the metaphysical and philosophical, more-so than the epic running achievements and associated identity. Things like; His spiritual journey. Being grounded in a world of chaos. Reincarnation. Meditation. Embracing the suck. Ancient fables and his perspectives on ‘The Meat Suit’. A couple of ideas that stuck-out at were: (To paraphrase) “We’re all blindly feeling our way around the universe. Trying to describe it to each other”. It’s the idea that we all could be right. Working with the information we have in-front of us. It depends on where you view the world from and being curious enough to ask others what and how they see. And being willing to listen. To consciously grow. Speaking to challenges of the past. The pages and chapters of your life that are already written can’t be changed. They’re part of you now. The only thing you can do is to learn from and embrace them as part of what makes you uniquely you. Your special sauce. A huge, huge thank you to Vajin for his generosity. For sharing his wisdom and perspectives. All with infectious enthusiasm, full of peace and light.  To listen to the full episode, click the link in bio or visit paperfoxradio.com/podcast Az 🙏🏃🏻 (Please excuse the sound quality on this one. Driver error 😬)

The background noise of life today is a constant siren of uncertainty for the future. It’s easy to feel out of control and lose sight of what matters. When the opportunity to interview Kirli Saunders arrived, I felt a pull to also talk about the future of our planet. Kirli is a proud Gunai woman. Her writing has received numerous awards and critical acclaim. An Artist and consultant on culture and diversity. She is an advocate for the environment, gender and racial equality and LGBTIQA+ rights. In 2020 Kirli was awarded NSW Aboriginal Woman of the Year. In our conversation we discuss the environment and listening to each other, our elders and to country. We follow Kirli’s trajectory from a career in teaching that inspired her to write ‘The Incredible Freedom Machines’. To the moment her mentor said “Kirli… you need to start taking this [writing] seriously.” And the pressure that comes with stepping into the unknown, success and responsibility.  The thing that struck me was that under the barrage of worldly heaviness and uncertainty, Kirli is a figure of calm resilience founded in daily practice. A voice of hope and possibility for the whole community. Kirli’s message begins with compassion and alignment to values, country and community. It’s in her voice when she talks, her writing, her art. Everything she applies herself to. It’s a reminder that making any change in the world needs to start with ourselves.  Enjoy, Az 🙏

"It's the realisation that there's always more that can be done. There will always be more that can be said. There will always be questions left on the table. There will always be more that you can add. There will always be room for improvement. It can always be better. It’s learning to be ok with things left undone and unsaid. It’s about doing what you can with what you have at the time. it’s accepting things for the way that they are and letting them fly and be in the universe." --- Hey team, I hope you’re doing really well 🙂 Sticking with the theme of the podcast → “this one’s a little different”. First: It’s my first shot at a solo episode. That’s an experience allllll in itself! Second: it essentially documents my personal rollercoaster through the process of redefining the next iteration of this podcast. What’s cool / interesting is how it started out as very rough sketch: “What if my creative process was the episode?” And transformed. Throwing stuff at the wall and seeing what sticks and building on those ideas. The episode emerged. The result not only captures how messy my (the) creative process can be. It’s a look behind the curtain at the internal challenges and habits that have derailed me in the past and confronting those head-on. Building an episode around this journey turned-out to be the perfect vehicle for new ideas and insights. I made a mess, learned a bunch of new things and had so much freaking fun along the way. As Bob Ross would say ‘a happy accident’. I hope you get something from it too and would love to hear your thoughts. Enjoy, Az 🙏

David Wallin AKA ‘Davros’ has been documenting everything since he was a kid. Inspired by the local punk and skate scene in the 90’s – on the outskirts of Sydney. These days Davros is a commercial filmmaker, documentary photographer, husband and father. When his own estranged father finally succumbed to a lifetime of alcohol abuse and died alone in his tiny housing commission flat 10 hours away. Davros and his sisters travelled together to clean-up the mess. Instinctually he took a camera and over the course of a week, he shot 350 photos. Not knowing where they might lead him. Working with confidants and mentors the photos helped to repair some of the damage as they transformed into an exhibition: ‘I was too late - A portrait of a life’ at the Head On Photo Festival 2021. The exhibition became a catalyst for a national photography tour and has inspired a documentary series. Exploring the themes of fatherhood and the relationships we have with our fathers. Our conversation is about creativity and fatherhood. About emergence and trust in the creative process. It’s about the ever evolving role of fatherhood. It’s about creating a safe environment (for everyone) to be seen and heard. It made me reflect on the relationships I have with my father/s. Where they showed-up. Where I needed them more. It made me think about the type of father I want to be. Where am I present and where do I disappear? Where could I do more? Our children model us. We need to give them a map to follow. To help them feel safe when navigating their own way. Father, parent or child - this is an important conversation. It may just make you look more deeply at the relationships you’re having. How you’re showing-up, what you give and how they remember you. Enjoy, Az 🙏 📸 ‘I was too late - A portrait of a life’ David's website

At 93 Edward ‘John’ Swan is behaving like he’s 70. It’s like he’s blissfully unaware of the 'You’re ageing. Slow-down' memo. The retired school principle still has a firm handshake, a sparkle in his eye and purpose in his step. Although it’s just one knee gives him a bit of trouble. And only when walking uphill. Still fiercely independent and pushes himself too hard from time-to-time. He keeps himself sharp and comes prepared. His mother would be  proud. A voracious consumer of knowledge. John reads ‘Ulysses’ on a regular basis and stays across all worldly and neighbourhood topics. Curious about everything and everyone. This vibrancy for life and unbounded curiosity put him at-odds with his late wife. She would describe it as "John has an extremely high tolerance for boredom." A comment he accepts with a badge of honour and laughs “She had zero tolerance for boredom, whatsoever!” My conversation with John is vignette of themes across his 93 years: 'Life-long learning'. Parenthood. His passion for teaching. Major influencers in his life. Regrets. Happiness and what getting older is like. What’s beautiful is John's recall of early memories like they happened yesterday. Childhood bonds and adventures with friends. His first experiences at a potters wheel. Growing-up with his single mother in a small country town - in a time when being a divorced woman meant you were treated as an outcast. Experiences that shaped him remain unfaded in his heart and mind all these years later. For John, the conversation was an introspection. Looking back on the fond and difficult moments of life. In the hours after recording this episode, John was taken to hospital. Thankfully it was precautionary. The Doctors said he’d pushed himself too hard and needs to look after himself better: Rest. Hydrate & eat. They kept him in for a couple of nights with ‘other people his age.’ He hated that. Enjoy, Az 🙏❤

Control is not an illusion.   It’s actually a wall I run head-first into on a daily basis.  Whether that‘s trying to get a strong-willed toddler to do something (anything). Anticipating the way a conversation will go. Believing that all workouts will be amazing. People not doing what they say they’ll do or living up to expectations. Believing I will get a block of uninterrupted space for creative work, or watching precious ideas be picked to death by others. You get the picture.  Life is one giant reminder that we are far from in control.  Rich Lees is a mindfulness and meditation teacher, fellow Kiwi and fits neatly into the ‘solid human’ category. His work is to help others learn to let go of this illusion of control, to be more present. To get more peace and enjoyment in their lives. When it came time to preparing for this episode, I knew our conversation needed to be different to the obvious series of questions about mindfulness. But how? While out for a walk one night I had this wild idea that the best way to do a podcast on mindfulness might be to use this conversation as a 'mindful experimentation'. To fling open the window and throw-out all of my usual hours of preparation and processes.  To let go of the illusion of control and trust in the higher powers of our universe. To internationally put myself out of the 'known' and into the creative 'unknown' space. To experience what comes up. To live through practice. As you’ll hear and as intended, there are moments where I got really stuck and uncomfortable. I didn’t know what I was saying or if it was making any sense. Awash with sensations of being in uncharted territory. Grasping, clutching, trying to control, trying to find my way.  Very different to anything I've done on the podcast before.  This episode includes a 10 minute (ish) guided meditation from 5:45 to 17:00 that you can do in your own sweet time. We also cover some common traps and misconceptions around mindfulness and meditation.  Do you ever get the feeling that the other person isn’t really listening? Or how often are you (trying to) listen to someone, while your mind is racing with thoughts. 👋👋👋  We do an reflective listening demonstration, based on ancient practices that’s equal parts eye-opening and enjoyable. It‘s perfect for a time when there’s so much noise in our world and no-one is listening.  The result of this experiment was one of the most freeing and fulfilling experiences in my creative career. In the days since recording this episode with Rich, my meditation practice became more enjoyable as I watched the drama of my mind unfold - instead of being sucked into it. And ultimately this conversation changed the way I think about this podcast and what it means to be present. A big dose of gratitude for Rich for taking on this challenge with me, for leading the meditation and discussion and sharing his experiences with us all.    And for you, I’d love your feedback on the episode and the experimental format. Keep your mind open and enjoy.  Az 🙏 Check out Rich’s work and mindfulness courses at www.mindfulcentre.com.au

(This is part two of my conversation with Matt Ottley.) ----- There are layers to a Matt Ottley story. Layer by layer they reveal themselves until you get to the essence. An internationally acclaimed, award winning multi-modal author, artist and composer with more than thirty-five picture books published. His work includes: ‘How to Make a Bird’, ‘The Incredible Freedom Machines’, ‘Teacup’, ‘Parachute’ and his ground breaking multi-modal work, ‘Requiem for a Beast’. Matt’s latest piece, ‘The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness’ is a multi-modal project of epic proportions, weaving the worlds of literature, music and visual art together. Inspired by his own experiences living with Bipolar disorder. In this conversation, we follow Matt’s early influences, from a childhood in wild Papua New Guinea (cannibalism was still very much on the menu). To his time working in the hard Australian outback as a Stockman. From one creative to another we peel back the layers of his work and discuss how he weaves his Synesthesia into his utterly fascinating creative process. Imagine: Painting sound and hearing colour. A major theme is about living under the weight of shame and stigma experienced from culture of  communities, to those who are closest and ‘only want the best for us’. This is the cost of blending in. Becoming invisible. Sure, no one will notice you and you might even be safe from harm. But your gift will never be seen. It's a potent reminder about being true to your nature and finding your people. At 59, Matt continues to evolve. He shares with us what it takes to develop as an artist and a person. Finally, it shows how even your darkest times can become your greatest gift to the world. My conversation with Matt was an absolute privilege. As a creative, and as a person navigating my way through this noisy world, this episode deserves a careful listen - It's courageous, colourful and full of wisdom. Thank you to Matt for putting your trust in me to share your story. Enjoy, Az 🎨🙏  

There are layers to a Matt Ottley story. Layer by layer they reveal themselves until you get to the essence. An internationally acclaimed, award winning multi-modal author, artist and composer with more than thirty-five picture books published. His work includes: ‘How to Make a Bird’, ‘The Incredible Freedom Machines’, ‘Teacup’, ‘Parachute’ and his ground breaking multi-modal work, ‘Requiem for a Beast’. Matt’s latest piece, ‘The Tree of Ecstasy and Unbearable Sadness’ is a multi-modal project of epic proportions, weaving the worlds of literature, music and visual art together. Inspired by his own experiences living with Bipolar disorder. In this conversation, we follow Matt’s early influences, from a childhood in wild Papua New Guinea (cannibalism was still very much on the menu). To his time working in the hard Australian outback as a Stockman. From one creative to another we peel back the layers of his work and discuss how he weaves his Synesthesia into his utterly fascinating creative process. Imagine: Painting sound and hearing colour. A major theme is about living under the weight of shame and stigma experienced from culture of  communities, to those who are closest and ‘only want the best for us’. This is the cost of blending in. Becoming invisible. Sure, no one will notice you and you might even be safe from harm. But your gift will never be seen. It's a potent reminder about being true to your nature and finding your people. At 59, Matt continues to evolve. He shares with us what it takes to develop as an artist and a person. Finally, it shows how even your darkest times can become your greatest gift to the world. My conversation with Matt was an absolute privilege. As a creative, and as a person navigating my way through this noisy world, this episode deserves a careful listen - It's courageous, colourful and full of wisdom.  Thank you to Matt for putting your trust in me to share your story. Enjoy, Az 🎨🙏 PS: This is part one of a two part conversation.

‘Lightning‘ Liz Allen is one of a rare number of Lightning Process practitioners - on the planet. A process that helps thousands of people overcome issues from chronic fatigue, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, IBS and more. After months of illness, chronic fatigue ended Liz’s design career. In this conversation we follow Liz’s transformation from chronically ill, back to health and being of service to others.  We dive into the nuts-and-bolts of chronic illness, NLP and the Lightning Process. We explore the massively fascinating mind-body connection and how life altering change can happen - much quicker than we believe. What really landed for me is how people who’s lives are impacted by chronic conditions, often continue to live with it long after their initial trauma event. When getting out of bed, having a conversation or catching a bus become virtual mountains to climb (Things most of us don’t think twice about, and often can’t see the pain it causes from the outside). What’s remarkable about the Lightning Process is not just how fast it can work but how empowering it is to the individual. Who go on to reclaim their autonomy, confidence, sense of self and often lead more fulfilling lives.  A big, big thank you to Liz for her time and sharing her story so generously. Her passion and energy for making real, lasting change in people’s lives is abundant.  Az ⚡️🧠❤️

Connecting with your inner explorer. After some time in the wilderness, doing my own exploring, we are back! Along with being a top human and friend of mine, Kay is an elite ultra endurance athlete, an executive coach and author of the award winning book ‘Turning Right: Inspire the Magic.’ Kay’s book had a significant impact on me that has helped me take more of my own ‘right turns’. It’s essential reading for anyone wanting to transform their lives to reach their next level… whatever area of life that might be and whatever that looks like. In this conversation we unpack those ingredients of transformative change. The things Kay learned through his own transformation journey from ‘weekend warrior’ to ‘elite ultra endurance athlete’: Raising consciousness, the role of fear and success, meditation and the illusion of control. He also introduces us to characters who were pivotal along the way. There’s a lot in this ep. I’m grateful for Kay’s generosity of time and sharing his experiences with me, and producing his thought provoking book. And to be back from the wild. Creating things with my hands again. Having great conversations with interesting people and to be able to share this with you. 🥾🧭 🌳 - Az

"When the pain of not changing outweighs the pain of change - there's really no choice". Mark tried to play-down his problems, hiding the truth from those who were closest to him, because time and culture had taught him that vulnerability was a sign of weakness. Through his depression Mark rediscovered running, like a daily meditation to get his mind and body right. Day-by-day his life slowly started to mend. How far he could go? What sort of legacy would he leave behind? I caught-up with Mark soon after he'd finished running 21 Half-marathons in 21 days to help raise awareness for Mental Health (a 'warm-up' to running 22 Marathons in 22 days 😬). Marks is a story about the death of a close friend, his own mortality and working through depression. It's about the choices we make and the actions we take in the face of crisis. It's about having a daily practice of patience and self awareness. It's about speaking-up when you need help, and discovering purpose in the darkest of places. I hope you enjoy this episode Az x PS. If you've got a story to tell or know someone who does -> drop us a line. 🦊 How can I support this podcast? Subscribe, Rate and share with your friends! Thanks heaps :)

Ian loves working with a beautiful piece of timber in his shed. Good tunes on the radio. Dog by his side. He's salt of the earth kind of guy. His face and hands are weathered from a life spent outdoors and working on the slipway. A shipwright by trade, his passion is restoring old wooden boats; He's worked on everything from century old yachts to old fishing boats. Old boats are like time capsules. When opened and paid attention will share their many lives and stories with you. In a time of lightweight, space-age, almost disposable materials. Short attention spans and constant pressure for things to be done faster and cheaper. It's Shipwrights like Ian who ensure these boats live on and continue to tell their story. I hope you enjoy this episode, Az ⛵️ PS. If you've got a story to tell or know someone who does -> drop us a line. 🦊 How Can I support this podcast? Subscribe, Rate and share with your friends! Thanks heaps :)

"I'll never meet the angel on the other end of that phone call... I'll never know who they are. They saved my life..." Something was wrong with Jack. It wasn't just burn out. This had a frightening quality to it, that he'd never experienced before. It started when Jack wasn't finding joy in the things he loved. A string of injuries kept him from his passion of sport. In his life outside of sport, no matter how hard he worked, how high he climbed, no amount of praise or accolades were enough. He felt empty, uncared for and alone. But on paper, Jack was 'kicking goals'. He was a young, white, straight Aussie bloke. He had a great education, played high level sport, was hard worker and he had plenty of friends. His family loved him. However, the wheels still fell off. This wasn't one of those problem he could solve with more hours at work, more reps in the gym or just 'man up' and muscle through it. Those things that had bought him success, were now his enemies.` Jack found himself headed into a severe state of depression, about to take his own life. The moment he picked up the phone and called Lifeline, Jack's recovery began. Today, Jack's journey has led him to The Banksia Project where he is now the program lead. Jack has devoted himself to serving and supporting others, caring during tough times and empowering them with preventative skills to better manage their mental health, before reaching crisis point. He has been there, he doesn't want to watch others go through it. - My conversation with Jack follows his journey from crisis to recovery. How mental health is one part of the personal health picture. And what we can each do to look after ourselves and the people we care about. Mental health still carries a lot of stigma and it's important that we give people the tools, space and support to have these conversations. A conversation that could change your life. I hope you enjoy this episode, it would mean a lot if you shared it with your friends, family and community. Az x PS. If you've got a story to tell or know someone who does -> drop us a line. 🦊 How Can I support this podcast? Subscribe, Rate and share with your friends! Thanks heaps :)

"When you go to an Onsen, you're able to see that you're not different. Everyone is different. There's no 'perfect body'. There's no way you 'should' be. "You can see how 'ok' they are with their bodies, because they can see their friends bodies. "Oh - my friend has these imperfections! Or these great parts!... I have imperfections - I have great parts too! "But I think having a really healthy idea of what bodies should look like, is not something we get a great exposure to in our society." Steph knew there was more to life than the prescribed path she was on. The big-ticket items of our society that are supposed to make us happy; A secure, well-paid job. Climbing the ladder and checking-off life's milestones... The people around her were all happy and content. But why wasn't she? There wasn't a choice. Steph changed direction (hard), and embarked on a new voyage of personal and professional growth. Stepping out of the shadows of others and the ideals that weren't her own. Away from the things that were holding her back and towards a clearer expression of her true self. Navigating her own limitations and anxieties took immense courage and self-belief. It's fair to say that Steph is a role-model, lighting the way for others in a world that needs to know that we're enough just the way we are . Life is a process of gradual uncovering. Expressing who we are - not who the world tells us to be. Az

"I'm good in situations that others fall apart in" ~ Seb Langton. Seb was born into sailing and has been a professional yachtsman and entrepreneur for close to 20 years. He is a highly unique character with a skill-set to match, having sailed many times around the world alongside starting a number of companies along the way. Where the vast majority of us keep our feet dry, work secure regular jobs and might travel once or twice a year, Seb's world is the exact opposite of that! His story is one of adventure, the entrepreneurial spirit, heart and pure resilience in the face of life's heaviest of storms. Enjoy the pod, Az :)

A sports obsessed, natural athlete with a unique set of people skills, Gary followed his instincts, turning his passion and abilities into his life's work. Today he is one of the most respected and successful running coaches in Australia.

Samantha's story is about chasing her childhood dream to become the first female Australian Astronaut and the path that unfolds.