Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Ep.100 What I Learned from 99 Episodes of ReConnect with Plant Wisdom
50 Plays1 month ago
When I started this podcast, I had no idea how much it would change me—not just as a host, but as a person in deep collaboration with plants. Over the past 100 episodes, I’ve learned that true growth isn’t about having a perfect plan; it’s about showing up, refining, and co-creating with the world around you.
In this milestone episode, I reflect on three major lessons I’ve learned from working with plants, podcasting, and life itself:
🌱 Perseverance and Finding My Voice – Trusting the process, even when it felt unclear.
🌱 Co-Creation with Plants and People – Recognizing that wisdom isn’t something we own; it’s something we cultivate together.
🌱 The Power of Asking for Help – Understanding that receiving support isn’t weakness—it’s part of how ecosystems thrive.
Topics Covered about Plant Wisdom Podcast Reflection
➡️ Growth happens through presence, not perfection.
➡️ Plants (and life) respond when we engage with curiosity, not control.
➡️ Collaboration deepens impact—whether with plants or people.
➡️ Asking for help strengthens, rather than weakens, our work.
Chapters
00:00 Welcome
02:37 Reflecting on 100 Episodes
04:56 Perseverance & Finding My Voice
12:41 Important Messages for Humanity on Gaia
25:13 Co-Creating with Plants & People
32:59 The Strength in Asking for Help
48:07 Banyan’s Wisdom: A Closing Reflection
55:45 Final Thoughts & Outro
Resources Mentioned
🌱 Watch Gaia Original Series
🌱 Plant Wisdom Book Club
🌱 Sprouts Writing & Creativity Group
🌱 What's Your Spirit Wild Plant?
🌱 Personalized mentorship with me and the Plants
Expanded Show Notes
☝🏽ReConnect with Plant Wisdom podcast Ancient and modern knowledge from biology to spirituality about the wondrous ways plants help you lead a Naturally Conscious life.
Subscribe here and on your favorite podcast player.
👉🏽 Join the Naturally Conscious Community to nourish human-plant relationships
// Get to Know Me, Tigrilla //
// Let's Work Together //
// Shop from EcoConscious Partners //
Important Messages for Humanity on Gaia
More Partners: https://tigrillagardenia.com/shop/
Opening and Closing music by @Cyberinga and Poinsettia.
// Let's Connect on Social // Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Youtube
Recommended
Transcript
Celebrating 100 Episodes and Personal Growth
00:00:02
Speaker
Hello, hello, hello, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of Reconnect with Plant Wisdom. It's me, Tigreya Gartenia. Can you believe it that we have made it to a hundred episodes?
00:00:19
Speaker
Mind blown. When I started this podcast, I had no idea how much it would, well honestly, i didn't have a I didn't have any idea how much work it would be. Let's start with that. Let's just be honest. But also how much it would shape me, not just as a host, but also as a person in deep, deep collaboration with plants.
Recording Challenges and Banyan Tree Wisdom
00:00:44
Speaker
Originally, my idea for this when I was first asked if I would put together a podcast was to record these episodes outside. um As a matter of fact, this particular episode, I actually tried to record outside under these beautiful, sprawling branches of a banyan tree, this beloved banyan tree in Miami, um a tree that I visit every single time I'm back in my hometown.
00:01:14
Speaker
But ah let's just say that life and the elements and urban living had completely other plans. There was this background noise that made the audio unstable.
00:01:26
Speaker
I'm going to try to use some of the video of it throughout this episode. So because it really was so beautiful and I was so excited and I recorded 45 minutes out there only for my editor to say, nope, can't use it.
00:01:40
Speaker
So luckily the wisdom of that Banyan tree, which is the entire reason why I went to record with Banyan out there still is very present and it's going to be a part of this episode without any doubt.
Podcast Origins and Plant Connections
00:01:54
Speaker
You know, this podcast was something that I had sitting on the shelves as an idea for so, so long. I mean, I think I must have held the idea of this podcast, um,
00:02:09
Speaker
I can't even remember how long it was, but let's just say that it was a long time. And i only actually did it after somebody asked me if I would release 24 episodes of the podcast on their channel.
00:02:25
Speaker
In the end, that never ended up happening. It didn't manifest. it was a project that didn't work out, but it got me moving to it. And it felt like, okay, now is the right time to do it. So today I want to share the biggest lessons I've learned from from recording these first 99 episodes and what has changed in me.
Honoring Plant Wisdom and Future Curiosity
00:02:44
Speaker
Also, how in my relationship with plants has changed and evolved based on this and how this journey has shaped my work. You know, this milestone really for me isn't just about looking back, but it's about honoring the wisdom that's carried us, myself, the plants, I guess, everybody here and exploring with you what is going to come next.
00:03:06
Speaker
So let's just dive into it This is episode 100, what I learned from 99 episodes of Reconnect with Plant Wisdom and what a certain banyan tree has to say about it.
Mission of the Podcast and Community Impact
00:03:20
Speaker
Welcome to Reconnect with Plant Wisdom. I'm your host, Tigria Gardenia, nature-inspired mentor, certified life coach, and the founder of the Naturally Conscious Community. For over a decade, I've been known as a world ambassador for plant advocacy, working closely with plants to share their practical wisdom to help you consciously embody the elements of life that nourish your evolution.
00:03:42
Speaker
In this podcast, I delve into ancient and modern knowledge from biology to spirituality about the wondrous ways of plants. Together, we'll explore how ecosystem thinking helps you overcome limiting beliefs, understand the true nature of relationships, and live an authentic, impactful life.
00:04:02
Speaker
Okay, so this episode, again, since I've already sort of recorded it once, I can tell you some of the ideas that I had. I'm sure new things are going to come up, but really i want to share with you some Big lessons, three big lessons that came up from
Embracing Uncertainty and Collaborative Growth
00:04:16
Speaker
working with the plants. The first one is really about perseverance and finding my voice.
00:04:21
Speaker
um This is about un embracing uncertainty because when I started this podcast, I wasn't entirely sure how it wasn't it would evolve. I had this idea for the first 24 episodes, kind of.
00:04:33
Speaker
but I, and um um I'm going to tell you all about that, but it kind of just decided that I was just keep showing up. I would keep refining my message. I would keep trusting in the process. And this really let me um kind of embrace the plants guiding more of the conversation over time. you You, you know, you'll start to hear that rather than having this structured approach, I really allowed the plants or, or ask the plants more than anything to help me make decisions in a more meaningful and aligned way, something that would really connect into the overall mission of my work and to my mission in my life in general, and really how this has helped me build my confidence up. You know, how did my voice become stronger?
00:05:15
Speaker
How did I move from thinking I had to know all the answers to really moving into more of curiosity and sharing openly and even learning alongside all of you that are listening and watching together.
00:05:26
Speaker
The second lesson is really about co-creation with plans and people. like, well, plants, plant people and human people, I guess is a better way of saying this. This podcast is really, for me, a living ecosystem, just like nature, this podcast has thrived through collaboration, interactions with plants and guests and, you know, and human guests and all of the naturally conscious community. So and I feel like the plants are my co host in this, the wisdoms of plants isn't just the topic,
00:05:56
Speaker
kind of active participants in what it is that we're creating. And I want to go deeper into what that means to me and what that means for the work that we're doing together. And also, you know, what is the power of community? How does community and collaboration shape the way that this podcast completely develops?
00:06:14
Speaker
The last lesson that I really want to share with you, which probably is extremely poignant in these times is about asking for help and about learning how to receive. Just as the plants rely on all kinds of different networks, on mycorrhizal fungi, on the relationship with other plants and animals around, I've learned how important it is for me myself to ask for help.
00:06:35
Speaker
Whether it's from mentors or my audience, which is all of you or the plants, you know, this is something that has really strengthened this podcast instead of weakening it, which I think a lot of people do think that if you ask for help, especially if you're supposed to be the, you know, the the person that knows, then that creates a kind of weakness. But in reality, I have found it to be incredibly enriching and something that has really strengthened my work.
Lessons from the Banyan: Strength in Asking for Help
00:07:01
Speaker
The other thing that I want to bring in in this process of asking for help is about trusting others in the creative process, like not thinking that all of the creativity and the vision had to come from me, but instead recognizing that Working with others is, you know, and engaging in collaborations and seeking advice and inviting others into the podcast has really made the podcast much richer and more impactful.
00:07:26
Speaker
And also, want to bring in some of the lessons that Banyan helped share with me while I was out there. I know that we couldn't use all of that recording, but Banyan is a really important part of my life.
00:07:37
Speaker
I grew up in an area not that far from where many, many, many Banyans live. And from the first time I discovered and and met this one particular banyan tree, I have been going back year after year after year.
00:07:51
Speaker
And that relationship with that banyan tree has really shaped much of my interactions. I've done photo shoots with this banyan. I have recorded with this banyan. I've sat and I've listened to the music of the plants. And this is a very urban banyan, huge, humongous plants.
00:08:07
Speaker
humongous tree, really quite amazing, connected to the old pillars of this of this city. So a very old being, but also extremely urban, used by many kids to like drink and hang out and all kinds of different parts.
00:08:25
Speaker
But you know, banyan trees have this very particular way of growing and that teaches us that asking for support creates a stronger foundation rather than, you know, again,
Appreciating Growth Through Perseverance and Collaboration
00:08:34
Speaker
being seen as something that holds us back.
00:08:37
Speaker
So by the end of this episode, I really want you to feel a deeper appreciation for your own journey, whatever that journey may be. you know, journeys where you've persevered or where you've co-created or or a journey where you've had to ask for help.
00:08:52
Speaker
And this could be a journey that you're actually on right now or a journey that you've, you know, are about to take in. But just like plants, you know, all of us have been growing in many different ways. And sometimes we don't see them until we stop and appreciate that.
00:09:06
Speaker
So, I want to take this time to really appreciate the growth that I have experienced thanks to these episodes. And I want you to recognize the power of showing up even when the path isn't clear.
00:09:18
Speaker
Just showing up to listen to this podcast for me is part of my growth because it means that I have learned how to engage you enough that you come back here. But also for yourself, recognizing that not always you're not always going to find a clear path.
00:09:32
Speaker
And sometimes just showing up, even when you're not sure where to go, is extremely important. How also to see collaboration, whether you're collaborating with plants or humans or any other kind of unseen or seen force, and how that collaboration really makes things richer.
00:09:49
Speaker
And I want you to know at the end of this episode that asking, um hopefully you know it already, but just in case, how asking for help is, you know, not a weakness at all. It's actually a strength. It's it's ah ah some a natural part of thriving is asking for what you want and answering what you need.
00:10:08
Speaker
So this isn't just a reflection of 100 episodes, 99 plus this one. It's an invitation to celebrate your own evolution. Because just like this podcast, you are constantly and continuously unfolding and adapting and finding your voice in so many ways that matter.
00:10:27
Speaker
And I want you to feel like this podcast is part of that evolution and something that you come back to because it continues to enrich you just as much as it's enriching me in doing this.
00:10:39
Speaker
So let's get ready to dive into all of these lessons and explore all of this together. But first, a very important part of this podcast, because without support, this podcast would
Community Support and Co-Creation
00:10:52
Speaker
not exist. And support for this podcast really comes in two major formats.
00:10:56
Speaker
One is the naturally conscious community. I talk about the naturally conscious community in every episode because it is such an important part of my evolution and of the evolution of this work.
00:11:07
Speaker
co-creating with plants. And so being a part of the naturally conscious community is a way that you can support this work by participating in it and evolving alongside with it.
00:11:18
Speaker
Whether you join one of the membership programs or just participate in the free part, every single bit of your communication, of your sharing, of your questions, of your curiosity inside of the naturally conscious community, of your participation in the book club or in the writing group, or in the lessons that you take in Reconnect with the Plant Kingdom or in the Mini Voyage with Plants.
00:11:42
Speaker
All of these parts really move to evolve. They really help us evolve as a greater um society of, let me say this a better way,
00:11:54
Speaker
It's such a core part of me, excuse me, I get very emotional when I talk about the naturally conscious community, because what I see it is as a stepping stone and as a incubator for helping us really evolve human plant relations, and of helping us rethink how we want to live in the world.
00:12:10
Speaker
So that is one of the main ways that you can support this podcast. The other is, of course, to connect with one of our ego conscious business partners, or with all of them, every single episode, I share one of them.
00:12:22
Speaker
And because they are so important to the work that we're doing, these are the businesses that are moving us towards a co-created society through education, through the products that they create, through the services they offer.
00:12:37
Speaker
So please check out one of our eco-conscious business partners. If you're on a journey of spiritual growth and personal transformation like I am, then you're going to love what I'm about to share.
Partnership with Gaia and Expanding Consciousness
00:12:48
Speaker
I want to introduce you to Gaia, a one of a kind streaming platform dedicated to expanding consciousness and exploring the mysteries of our universe. Gaia offers thousands of enlightening videos from thought provoking documentaries and deep dive interviews to yoga and meditation classes that nurture your mind.
00:13:05
Speaker
Thank you. and soul imagine diving into ancient wisdom with the dalai lama exploring the depth of consciousness with ram das or healing with the insights of mattia seeffano or joe dispenscer all from the comfort of your home plus you even find me on gaa Yep, that's it. I'm one of Gaia's featured experts.
00:13:28
Speaker
Whether you're seeking to connect with your inner self, understand alternative healing methods, or simply curious about the nature of reality, Gaia has you covered. With Gaia, you'll find community of like-minded individuals who are all seeking to grow, evolve, and make a positive impact on the world.
00:13:44
Speaker
It's more than just a streaming service. It's a gateway to more conscious and connected life. Ready to elevate your journey? Click on the link in the show notes to start your free trial today.
00:13:54
Speaker
Trust me, you won't want to miss the incredible content waiting for you on Gaia to support your evolving green brilliance. Okay, so let's dive deeper into one of these lessons.
Challenges of Maintaining Structure
00:14:06
Speaker
The first lessons, like I said, is perseverance.
00:14:08
Speaker
When I started this podcast, I knew I wanted to share the wisdom with plants. That part obviously was clear, but beyond that, the direction was totally unclear. I sort of thought at the beginning I would do this structured plan. The idea was three episodes that prepared the listener for the upcoming plant inspired masterclass, which I host this plant inspired masterclass each month. And at the time i was doing very specific topics in it. So I thought, perfect, I'll do sort of three lead up episodes, kind of short, maybe about 20 minutes each one.
00:14:40
Speaker
And that way we can get deeper into the material and you can sort of prepare for it. And then we can have a really good conversation in the actual plant inspired masterclass. So then it would be followed by a recap that would recap all it was.
00:14:53
Speaker
Seems logical, right? yeah Well, that lasted about two months before I realized it wasn't the right fit. It was way too hard to think about exactly how I was going to, you know, match these up. And then what happened if you listened outside of it? Did you have to then join?
00:15:09
Speaker
the Plants Inspired Masterclass to listen to the last part, but that would be missing. It was just a mess. So instead, thought, okay, let's just let that go for a minute. And I started to try something else. Now, it's really interesting that I say this, because after about two months, I actually took a hiatus. I took about a month of hiatus, because I realized I wasn't ready at all. Like,
00:15:33
Speaker
Creating a weekly podcast takes time and energy. And I wasn't prepared to think about topics on a regular basis in that way and really go in depth.
00:15:44
Speaker
Or more importantly, not even go in depth because I do a lot of that in the naturally conscious community. But how do i give you something that is applicable to your day to day life, something that is useful to the way that you're living and to what you want to be living? And of course,
00:16:00
Speaker
you have an idea of who your audience is, but I don't know reality because I don't know you personally, who exactly you are or what exactly your level is. So I want to make sure i give it to you in a format that is neither boring if you are an experienced plant communator communicator, communicator,
00:16:17
Speaker
or neither over your head if you're somebody who's just starting out on this human-plant relationship journey. So you can just imagine that it was challenging. Plus, I didn't really understand any of the tech, so I was struggling with all of the technology going forward. so I took a little bit of a hiatus and I rethought things and then I started to again do the podcast episodes.
Influence on Masterclasses and Reciprocal Learning
00:16:41
Speaker
Something really interesting happened as I started going into and started kind of feeling my way through the podcasts rather than the podcast being the precursor to the masterclasses.
00:16:53
Speaker
I found that the podcast started to influence what I was doing in the masterclass. It started to shape the actual masterclasses and the different content that I was providing inside the naturally conscious community, the conversations we started to have.
00:17:07
Speaker
The more I recorded, the more I saw how these episodes were actually influencing or the, kind I guess, influencing the conversations I was having in my workshops and then vice versa,
00:17:19
Speaker
the the conversations in the workshop then influence the the podcast. It's almost as if the podcast gave me a chance to think deeper about these subjects and then think about how to either make them more applicable, like more practicable, more more usable, and then vice versa when we would have confusion or conversations that kind of touched a more global topic inside of one of my workshops or courses or masterclasses or different activities, I could then go deeper into it in the podcast. So there was this reciprocal exchange that started to happen.
00:17:55
Speaker
And I felt like the plants themselves were kind of guiding me in a more organic way and sharing. Now, those early episodes, they are most definitely an experiment.
00:18:06
Speaker
Some felt effortless, like I would just hit the record button and boom, everything would come out. Like I was in this flow fully connected to whatever message I wanted to have. Others, honestly, they're a bit of a mess. so think There are episodes where I rambled, episodes that felt way too structured, like I thought I was going to talk about something. And then i I tried to stick to that subject so much that they're incomprehensible. And a couple where I had this giant, awkward video box around my face because I completely messed up all of the recording settings.
00:18:40
Speaker
So instead of focusing, though, on what went wrong, i chose very consciously to focus on what I was learning. So I would take from each one of the episodes, you know, what it is that I did right. For example, the fact that there was two episodes with a big box around my face tells you how much I was not paying attention to what I was actually recording when I was recording it.
00:19:05
Speaker
And so that really helped me understand where I needed to put my focus and more importantly to give time before I record. So for example, right now i have dedicated time every week to recording, but I also allow myself to record whenever I feel inspired. So sometimes I record on that Friday, which I have um other times I will spontaneously choose that. Oh no, right now I really have a message and I want to do to it, but it also helped me understand how important my planning was.
00:19:35
Speaker
And you know, how much I needed to think about it and that I couldn't just come off the cuff completely and give you a polished episode. I mean, I'd like to say that I'm that good, but I'm really not. i i do...
00:19:48
Speaker
feel very inspired when I do sit down now to to do an episode, but it's obviously because I have sat down and thought about the topic and planned out maybe some outline, giving myself a few steps here and there.
00:20:01
Speaker
Every single episode, whether it was smooth or clunky, was refining my voice. It's always helped me grow and understand. right I wasn't just finding what I wanted to say, but I was learning how I wanted to say it What is the importance of that? And I think that balance between giving yourself some space to reflect, to think about, and to structure something that you're going to present and making space for flow and um inspiration to hit became something really important for me to learn about.
00:20:37
Speaker
And honestly, this was what perseverance looks like. It's not about getting it perfect the first time. It's not about waiting until things are polished. For example, I did publish those two episodes with the box around my face.
00:20:51
Speaker
I could have not published it, but I chose that I wanted to publish it because it was honest and it was true. It was early on my podcasting journey. And that's where I was. You know, I didn't know how to fix my hair. or I didn't know how to do the light. I still don't know how to do the lighting, by the way. Lighting is still hard. Right now I have natural light, so it looks nice. But if you go back to episode 99, the episode right before this, you'll see that my lighting is terrible, all with the same equipment.
00:21:16
Speaker
So I'm still working on lighting. But that's the whole point, the perseverance in finding my own voice and my own expression and way of expression is about continuing even when the things feel uncertain or
Gaining Clarity Through Experience
00:21:31
Speaker
messy. It's about trusting that the clarity will come with the experience and that your audience is getting something. You know, I'm taking a class right now. And I wrote to the instructor because the class just finished the module that I was doing and the next module is going to start. And I wasn't sure if the module was a repeat or not. But I said, even if it's a repeat, it's not a problem because the material that you're teaching is so deep. It's so expansive.
00:21:58
Speaker
It's so um different from the way that I have learned this type of material before that I feel like going through it again, and just being in that energy, I'm going to understand more because many times when he's speaking, I'm just sitting there and I'm just like letting it wash over me, I have this innate feeling, or this deep understanding, especially because I always call in my plant partners to do this, because it's related to the topic.
00:22:26
Speaker
But, um and I always call in, you know, these more also expansive beings that are also connected to this topic. And I feel like I'm not going to intellectually understand everything, but I do feel like my body is receiving it It's very similar to, you know, episode, what was it, 98, where I talked about how I received plant communication.
00:22:51
Speaker
And so therefore redoing the material again, even if it's exactly the same, um is going to be great because this is something that needs to be embodied.
00:23:02
Speaker
So this understanding and this clarity you know, that it's going to come over time and that every single but episode has something important to share and that the the listener or the watcher um is going to receive that in whatever way is possible.
00:23:21
Speaker
So sometimes you're going to receive it intellectually and you're going to walk away going, oh my goodness, that was such a great EP, like a great episode and you really enjoyed it. And other times you're going to walk away and you're going to like, I'm not exactly sure I got it But I think I got it. Like it's going to be inside of you and it's going to develop over time. You know, my philosophy is about the slow approach, right?
00:23:41
Speaker
That's why I love working one on one with people, because I love the ah opportunity to develop over time in the direction that they want to go and to be there to hold that space and to be that sounding board that the person may need.
00:23:54
Speaker
And that's the same thing for this podcast. Part of the reason why I really love this format is because it gives me the opportunity to piecemeal things and to give you space to be able to do it. And honestly, the clarity is coming. If I look back now, i can see the evolution of the podcast.
00:24:10
Speaker
I can see my confidence growing as i as I speak. I can see the connection deepening, not just with the podcast, but with all of you that are listening as well. So if there's something in your life that you feel like you're still figuring out, take this as your sign to keep going.
00:24:29
Speaker
Like, because the only way to truly find your voice, to find your authentic expression is to use it, is to explore it. It's to put it out there and see what happens with it.
00:24:40
Speaker
So that was really why the perseverance became that number one lesson. Keep doing it. Keep refining it. Keep moving it forward. The second big lesson that I learned in all this was really about how important it is to co-create.
00:24:56
Speaker
And in this case, to co-create with plants and with humans. One of the biggest shifts over these 99 episodes was realizing that the podcast isn't about plants, it's with plants.
00:25:09
Speaker
And early on, I really thought that my role was to share with you kind of what I know, what I know, what I knew, what I had learned, what how I had applied it to bring forward the wisdom that the plants had taught me and that I had gathered.
00:25:25
Speaker
But the plants, yeah, they looked at that and they were like, no we have way other ideas. And at some point I felt you know this little tap of kin saying, hello, what about us?
00:25:37
Speaker
Like you're talking about us, but what about talking with us? We we have things to say. We want to be a part of this as well. And so when I truly listened to that, that also became a big change in the evolution.
00:25:51
Speaker
You know, tomato and basil and chickweed and cactail, they all had wisdom to share that had passed through my experiences, but it was really about kin. but Each one had a different way of interacting with me that led to something different and that voice wanted to be heard.
00:26:10
Speaker
I never would have expected that this podcast would have so much of my personal journey into it. But when I sit back or when I sat back now as I was reflecting, preparing this hundredth episode, I realized that I'm not telling my story so much as I'm sharing with you a human way that plants interact with you.
00:26:32
Speaker
So it's really about using myself as a kind of almost avatar to how and the different mechanisms that plants can work with. Because I really wanted this podcast and I still want this podcast to be about the relationship you have with plants.
00:26:48
Speaker
And that's where also You know, so many of the different humans came in. So, of course, the plants are essential. Like when I started this podcast, I was working with Spider Plant, my original plant business partner, who really helped me kind of frame this journey and recognize when I was doing things wrong.
00:27:06
Speaker
And then now Noel, the Christmas cactus, has started to help guide the next phase. And as I've told you already, Noel has a very different way of going. You know, Spider Plant is very vocal, very much about language and sharing and music and and using those two tools, whether it's, you know, musicality or language, to express.
00:27:27
Speaker
And so therefore, it was a little bit easier to receive a message. Noel is much more about... body about embodiment. And I think that that really reflects where the podcast itself is moving. And it's helping me to develop in a different way. So you'll see that I have been adding in different things like activities and meditations and more embodiment pieces, because that's Noelle's specialization.
00:27:52
Speaker
So when I explicitly asked the plants to help me with the podcast, rather than just talking about them, something really shifted. the message became more personal, but yet more universal.
00:28:05
Speaker
It's almost like, again, they're you know can use me to express something that can be passed on to everybody. And the rhythm and the flow all deepened. they got The podcast actually episodes became longer.
00:28:19
Speaker
So I went from doing 20 minutes, 30 minutes to now doing 45 minutes, 50 minutes, sometimes over an hour. i And it's all because the plant said, slow down, take your time. It's no longer me creating these, but it's a collaboration. For example, in episode 84, where I brought in tomato and basil, lessons from the plant, from the plate, i I never would have thought about talking about tomato
00:28:50
Speaker
And I never put the combination of tomato and basil together until they, Kin, started to speak to me because tomato and basil had been living with me for a while by then.
00:29:01
Speaker
And it wasn't until one episode when I was sitting here at my computer trying to like think about what I was gonna write in the episode, which happens to be right next to my balcony where they live, that I could feel them kind of saying, hello, like, have you thought about talking about us?
00:29:19
Speaker
and why we're here. And I was like, I turned my head to look outside to them, who I can see right here. And this flood of communication of what I was supposed to talk about in that episode came to be.
00:29:31
Speaker
So really inviting the plants in and and bringing each one of them into this conversation has changed the flow so much.
00:29:42
Speaker
And allows me to express more aspects of how it is that working and being such close relationship with plants changes the way you are. And honestly, it wasn't just the plants, right? This podcast also became a co-creation with humans as well.
00:29:57
Speaker
If you remember, at some point, I started to invite guests. This wasn't something that wasn't the original intent of the the show. The series was supposed to be just me and sharing all these different pieces.
00:30:08
Speaker
But then I started to invite these guests that were working intimately with plants, people like Evgenia Emmets and Amanda Nicole and Julia Matera, like Anne Riley, like Spence Madden, they all these fantastic people that are, each of them is adding a different perspective of what it's like to work and collaborate closely with plants, right?
00:30:31
Speaker
Amanda Gacol, who's working with, you know, the tulip poplar so closely and really having this long-term relationship that's almost turning her plants in so many different ways and how it had changed her life and and working on it from an artistic
Enriching Conversations with Guests
00:30:48
Speaker
perspective. And how does, for example, Eugenia Emmett or Julia Matara really use their art or Antonio Irre, how are they using the art to express this relationship with plants?
00:30:59
Speaker
Each one of these people, or these human people have lived their own experience. And so expanding this conversation to include all of their voices is another part of that co-creation that has changed so much. i some of them in completely unexpected ways, for example, Amanda Tracy, when I ended up interviewing her, you know, she's a doctor who's working on perimenopause and menopause.
00:31:26
Speaker
not exactly the traditional plant method other than the ingestion of plants to help you with that. And we ended up getting into a beautiful conversation about natural rhythms and your cycle and the natural way your your body um evolves and how much we, especially as women, do not enjoy our menstrual cycle enough because we don't recognize the beautiful messages from you know our natural self that are coming through this.
00:31:55
Speaker
This podcast honestly has never been fully a solo endeavor and it's this living breathing exchange between myself and plants and all of you that are listening.
Podcast as a Collaborative Ecosystem
00:32:08
Speaker
And that has been what has made it so powerful. That exchange, that co-creation, that ability to express more than just my personal views, but the views of all of these beautiful beings that make up the rich ecosystem that I live in is what makes this podcast so powerful. It's what brings so much joy to me to and to everybody who tells me that they listen to it, which is, of course, a reminder to go and hit the subscribe and the like button and to you know leave a review and all those good things that help share this with other people.
00:32:48
Speaker
The third lesson that I really learned that feels ah so powerful to share is the importance of asking for help.
Viewing Instability as Growth Opportunity
00:32:56
Speaker
Look, times are challenging right now and lots of us are experiencing so many different parts. I did do an entire, I've done several episodes where I've talked about the chaos in the world in different aspects and how it is a necessary part of our growth, right? We are in the cycle of instability. Actually, one of the first series of episodes back when I was still connecting it to the podcast is about, you know, stability and instability and and why these two cycles are important. And we're we're just in a cycle of instability. And if you look at it from a natural perspective, that's great. Like, thank goodness that we were in instability, because the truth of the matter is that.
00:33:34
Speaker
we were trying to make big, big societal changes, big global changes in a world of stability. Now, a lot of this instability looks like crap for some people. I understand it. I am not going to get into any of that.
00:33:47
Speaker
But my point is is that In order to evolve and transform, we need to be unstable. And so if this is perfect right now. But in that instability for us as individuals, for for humans as individuals, we need to learn how to ask for help. So beyond of collaboration, i learned an even deeper experience.
00:34:11
Speaker
or more pressing, you know, piece of knowledge and wisdom, which is the importance of seeking guidance, of asking for help, of looking to others. Now, mind you, I have talked about this multiple times, but for those of you that know human design,
00:34:27
Speaker
I am a projector. If you don't know human design, go look it up. It's super cool. It's kind of like astrology. It's an imprint on your, on your system that happens at birth. And as a projector, it means that I am the one waiting for the invitation. i am waiting for someone to ask me for something.
00:34:44
Speaker
So asking for help is extremely difficult. And as a matter of fact, Part of my way of working through my or of using the talents of my projector, which has these other app characteristics that I absolutely love and feel very, very connected to this thing of waiting for the invitation is something that I struggled with.
00:35:04
Speaker
And one of the things that this has taught me to do is to be much more vocal about that. And so going out and telling others, Hey, I need an invitation for certain types of things. And in my private life and my, my, my public life and all these different aspects, I'm getting much better at asking for help.
00:35:20
Speaker
by inviting in the invitation. i know it sounds tricky, but if you are a human design projector and want to know more, just contact me and I will tell you more about this though. Because even though I've spent years speaking and teaching around the world, crafting a cohesive message week after week is a completely different skill set.
00:35:41
Speaker
One that I did not possess all that well. i am more of a conversationalist. I am fantastic in a group of people. I can take your ideas and show you the big picture from them.
00:35:53
Speaker
But speaking to a camera like I am doing right now, that is something difficult. And I quickly realized that I needed support to refine my storytelling, to give my episodes a shape that had a beginning, a middle and an end without sounding too formulaic.
00:36:13
Speaker
And in order to truly honor the wisdom that was coming through and make sure that it was coherent for you, This is something that I have had to work on quite a bit.
00:36:24
Speaker
I am still long winded and rambly and hopefully you enjoy that. But you know, it'd be nice to get to the point. So I am great in my interviews, but on my solo episodes, I had to ask for help.
00:36:39
Speaker
And so I sought out a presentation coach before I even got to the presentation coach, which i am going to tell you about. I actually um gave myself a big birthday present last year and I spent a week holed up in a cabin.
00:36:56
Speaker
It was a beautiful cabin, by the way, in a beautiful location of the United States. It was my birthday gift to myself was to pay and take care of and create the conditions for a dear friend of mine and an amazingly talented book coach to come with and to distill with me what the plants wanted me to share. We spent an entire week in connection,
00:37:21
Speaker
and in exploration in order to map out the journey. Now, honestly, I thought this would lay the foundation for a book. That was my original goal.
00:37:32
Speaker
But instead, what ended up coming out when I came home with this, and I took all of the notes that we had put together and all of the big sheets of paper, which are actually on this door back here, and I laid them out.
00:37:47
Speaker
I realized that these were my podcast episodes. We had spent a week, she had spent a week getting me to regurgitate out everything that was the path from, you know, plant, you know, from the beginning of my plant reawakening to the emergence that happens when you allow yourself to reconnect to the natural part of yourself, to remember that you are a being of nature.
00:38:13
Speaker
And all of this part became, my podcast. Like I could see the episodes as I looked at it, different stories, different angles, different perspective, different emergence, all these different pieces.
00:38:28
Speaker
And I was so grateful for this work and the fact that i gave myself the permission to ask her for help and to give myself the time to work with her because it's so easy to just say, I'm too busy for that, or I don't have the money or i don't have, you know, or I don't need it or it's not going to work.
00:38:55
Speaker
All of the other limiting beliefs that exist in our head and to give myself that space to, to ask for her help so deeply to to stand and say i don't know how to do this on my own I need you to help me do it was very humbling to be honest in a great way and it was so liberating to know that there are these amazing people out there who are you know who have that skill set. It's, it's why I love working with people. So I periodically will work with other people in order to ensure that I am the best me that I can be because I'm also evolving into new parts of myself.
00:39:40
Speaker
So just the same as I love guiding my clients and being there and holding that space and allowing them and their greatness to emerge in life, which is what I do, right, to help them bring together their their life skills with all of their multiple multiple passions and incorporate that into whatever it is that they want to do for career or business or life purpose projects or all these different aspects and know that they're going towards their life purpose, right? All these pieces weaving together to do that.
00:40:12
Speaker
I also need somebody to hold that space for me. And so giving, you know, giving myself that opportunity was such an amazing birthday gift for myself.
00:40:25
Speaker
And then when I got back, I realized after I started to kind of apply what she was doing, that I wanted to be better at coming to you with a clear message and clear action items and something that really resonated with what is happening in your life.
00:40:45
Speaker
So that's when I sought out the presentation coach to help me find my voice in this format and to help me take my speaking engagements also to a whole new level.
00:40:57
Speaker
And it was wonderful because this was a person who gave my way my neurodivergent brain works the opportunity to have a structure and then know through the work that we did one on one how to break it and adapt it for me.
00:41:13
Speaker
So I have this beautiful structure that helps me kind of understand what are the important things I have to hit. But because I and and not a bud and because I worked with him one on one directly over a period of time, i also know how to adapt that.
00:41:34
Speaker
I know how to take that structure and use that as a foundation and then modify that structure in order to um better adapt to what it is that I want to say or do or experience to, you know, a format, to the format that I'm using. And that has been ah amazing. It completely opened and it,
00:41:56
Speaker
it honestly relaxes me. My mind needs a certain amount of structure, right? Not too much, but it does need structure. So having some level of structure for each one of my episodes and each one of my presentations in general helps me see what it is that I want to say, helps me make it clear to you what I bring to the table.
00:42:18
Speaker
And so, you know, asking, I would have never gotten to any of these had I not asked for help. So did you just see that? Did you see how my video switched?
00:42:30
Speaker
Like this is this thing that my computer is doing lately. I have to figure i still keep saying i have to figure it out. But anyway, you got a little bit of a taste of the wider room. and Anyways, look, asking for help has hasn't just been my lesson.
Importance of Collaboration and Support
00:42:45
Speaker
It's been a big theme across my clients lately. And I'm often You know, I'm often reminded of this beautiful lesson that I first learned in Biomagry.
00:42:57
Speaker
We evolve faster together. So much of collaboration isn't just working alongside others. It's learning how to ask for what you want and what you need. It's about understanding your authentic self, your true essence, so that you're so comfortable in yourself that you can take in feedback from others And you can then share that, modify it, change it, or tell them, no, this is what I need. Or you can ask for help. I don't understand. i don't know where you're going.
00:43:31
Speaker
I don't know how to do that. Another scary one for a lot of people. In a time when so many systems are collapsing around us, when we are being asked to reimagine how we want to live and what we want to create, knowing how to ask becomes more important than ever, like more important than ever.
00:43:55
Speaker
Partnerships, collaborations, co-creations, these aren't just nice additions for our work. They are the way forward. They are the way that we create happiness.
00:44:07
Speaker
They are the way we create enriching ecosystems that allow us to destabilize ourselves in order to grow while still being held and feel safe.
00:44:19
Speaker
Safety doesn't come from anything external. No amount of money, no amount of of external validation, no amount of external success will ever make you feel safe.
00:44:33
Speaker
Safety has to come from inside. Sure, money allows you to embody that safety better, but it's not going to provide the safety. And so it's important to recognize that the relationships that we create, these archetypes that sometimes i like we're missing, are the most important thing in order to have any kind of successful project.
00:44:57
Speaker
Even though it might look like I do this podcast alone because Obviously you're seeing me on camera. Well, that's not true. You're seeing their name Dracena. You're seeing peace slowly. You're seeing a baby spider plant over here. That's all you're seeing. Everybody else is in this side or higher up. So you don't see them, but I'm the one on camera, but I couldn't do this. If I was doing it ah alone, my editor, Rocio,
00:45:24
Speaker
My designer, Veronica, my marketing manager, Samantha, like they are some of the most important humans without any of these beautiful and amazingly talented ladies. I could never put this together.
00:45:38
Speaker
And without Noel, the Christmas cactus, without Jaina and Zane, sorry, Jaina and Zan. I'm trying to go fast and I'm like, i I get so excited without, you know, all the other beings that have chosen for now to stay nameless because they work with me in other ways and some don't even work with me. They're like, hey, I'm just happy to live with you.
00:46:01
Speaker
That's enough for me. I couldn't do this. They have been, all of them have been with me since the very beginning. And along with all of my human guests and other plants that are been coming in in different ways, they are the ones that have shaped the space.
00:46:17
Speaker
And then, of course, there's you. You, amazing, beautiful listener, watcher. When you post what you share, when you send me via the Naturally Conscious Community some questions or you participate,
00:46:32
Speaker
It's all part of this podcast, right? This isn't just me asking for help for myself. It's us co-creating something bigger together.
00:46:48
Speaker
Oh, I am. I'm sorry. Again, i get emotional. I'm an emotional being. I'm an emotional being. And this definitely emotions. This podcast continues to shift and evolve on a regular basis. What started as a structured format quickly became something that is much more dynamic Just like my journey has been with perseverance and co-creation and asking for help. It's all the dynamic movement that is necessary to create something long lasting, to create something that really touches, moves and evolves.
00:47:23
Speaker
I thought I knew what this podcast should be when I started. But the truth is that it's had its own rhythm. that has been waiting to emerge. And each episode has been a reflection of that process, of my listening, my deep, deep listening, of my collaborations, of my asking for help and of interacting and going back and forth.
00:47:47
Speaker
Some of the episodes have been deeply personal. Others have been shaped by the plants themselves or by the humans that have been on them. And then there are the ones that have been influenced by the wisdom that you've shared with me, your questions, your stories, your reflections.
00:48:04
Speaker
This podcast mirrors the very essence of plant wisdom, adapting, growing, flowing with the environment. Look, I speak to multi-potentialites, to multi-passionate people because that's what I am.
00:48:19
Speaker
I speak to neurodivergent minds because they I have a neuro spiciness to me. And all of this, I've learned to embrace the variety, the fluidity, the unexpected turns that sometimes, to be honest, you know, my little spectrumy mind doesn't really appreciate. But I have learned thanks to these beautiful beings all around me, because the lesson in all of this isn't just about podcasting. like It's about life.
00:48:49
Speaker
We are evolving. And the more we embrace that, the more we can create something that truly lives on and continues to grow.
00:49:00
Speaker
I wanted to record this episode with Banyan because in many ways it embodies everything that I've shared with you today. And more than that, Banyan asked me to do this, right? I, a week before my ah first recording attempt of this episode, i was in a writing session for the Sprouts Writing and Creativity Group where i we where I kind of guided the group to embody another being.
00:49:26
Speaker
Asking permission, of course, very, very important piece, so that you could write from the perspective of this other being. I asked Banyan if we could work together. And the answer was a resounding yes, which made me so happy. I was in Miami at the time, so it was so exciting to be able to work that closely with Banyan again.
00:49:47
Speaker
Something that, to be honest, I hadn't done up until then. I had mainly been with Banyan, experienced Banyan, lived with Banyan, but I had not asked Banyan to work with me or to help me on a specific project.
00:50:01
Speaker
And Banyan shared all these different experiences of watching a city grow up around Key, of being a home for children and ducks and lots of the hidden things that humans do, ah feeling forgotten, even as
00:50:20
Speaker
That part was harsh. As the words spilled out of me, as I wrote them down, it was obvious how much this beautiful, gigantic, iconic tree can sometimes feel alone.
00:50:34
Speaker
And even though there is the strength in the way that, you know, these beautiful branches stand, sand
00:50:43
Speaker
There is this sadness that happens at all the cars passing by without anyone really stopping to recognize how much this plant is holding up for the neighborhood in which it lives.
00:50:56
Speaker
Banyan also talked about how time is like this vast, endless pool where it simply floats and flows and how different it is from the way that we experience time.
00:51:11
Speaker
And it's greatest, you know, Key's greatest wish to me was that humans would recognize trees, all plants really, as living beings and not just objects to be used and discarded or worse, to discard around them.
00:51:27
Speaker
The amount of garbage around Banyan sometimes is disheartening to think that people would just not consider this beautiful being that they're sitting inside because you can sit inside of Benyon so well. There's so much space for it. It's a conversation, to be honest, that lingers inside of me. It helps me appreciate the life that I have, but it also makes me realize how important this work that we're doing together of you know, advocating for plants is.
00:52:00
Speaker
And it feels like the perfect way to close this important milestone episode by reminding us that all of us are on this journey. This work, it's not just about plants. It's about relationships.
00:52:12
Speaker
It's about listening. It's about being willing to learn and grow and co-create with the more than human world. So thank you so much for being a part of this journey, for listening, for sharing and for evolving alongside me.
00:52:27
Speaker
This journey of perseverance and of co-creation and of asking for help isn't just about making a podcast or recording an episode. It's about how we live our lives, the patterns we repeat, the stories we tell ourselves, the way we hold ourselves back.
00:52:45
Speaker
And just like plants, we're all constantly growing and shifting and evolving. The question is, are you growing in a way that truly nourishes you?
00:52:57
Speaker
Because that's my dream. My dream is for you to reflect on questions like, where in your life have you been forcing growth instead of allowing it to unfold naturally?
00:53:11
Speaker
On who or what is already offering you wisdom? If only you'd slow down and listen. To think about how often do you try to figure everything out alone instead of co-creating with the support that is around you for asking for what you need.
00:53:30
Speaker
We're not meant to do this alone. i couldn't, I can't say this enough. The plants know this. They thrive in relationships. They are attempting to show you how to support each other, how to adapt, how to communicate with everything around you.
00:53:49
Speaker
You have all of these capabilities inside of you. So if you're feeling the pull to live differently, to stop struggling against yourself and instead to grow in a way that feels natural, then you don't have to do it alone.
00:54:06
Speaker
That's exactly what we explore inside the naturally conscious community. That's what this podcast is for. It's not just a place to talk about plant wisdom as if this abstract topic. It's where we learn how to apply it to everything in life so that you can finally live the way you've always were meant to live.
00:54:26
Speaker
And if you need deeper support, if you need guidance or holding of space, remember that I'm always here for you. As a nature-inspired mentor and as a life coach, I work on this every single day.
00:54:44
Speaker
I work with those that feel called to something more, but who need a way to move forward that actually fits who they are, the relationships they want to create, the ecosystems they want to be a part of.
00:54:59
Speaker
The plants have answers for us. And when they don't, they're here to co-create those answers, to find those answers, to support and hold you.
00:55:10
Speaker
And together, we are ready to help you hear them. So if any of this resonates, don't wait. Join us in the Naturally Conscious community or book a call with me today.
00:55:22
Speaker
All the information you need is in the show notes. The life you've been craving, it's already here. You just have to take that next step. So thank you again for being a part of this journey.
00:55:34
Speaker
And here is to the next 100 episodes and to the next evolution of you. So that's it for this episode. Remember to resist the urge to hold back your emerging green brilliance.
00:55:50
Speaker
Thanks for tuning in to this episode of Reconnect with Plant Wisdom. To continue these conversations, join us in the Naturally Conscious Community, your premier online ecosystem for plant reawakening and accelerated evolution and co-creation with other kin.
00:56:05
Speaker
Here you'll find expansive discussions, interactive courses, live events, and supportive group programs like the Plant Wisdom Book Club and the Sprouts Writing and Creativity Group. Connect with like-minded individuals collaborating with plants to integrate these insights into life. Intro and outro music by Steve Shuley and Poinsetta from The Singing Life of Plants.
00:56:25
Speaker
That's it for me, Tigria Gardenia, and my plant collaborators. Until next time, remember, resist the urge to hold back your emerging green brilliance. I'm out. Bye!