Awake In Relationship

030 As mammals we are wired for pleasure, but how we actualize our desires has never seemed more complex.  The pandemic has added new layers of anxiety to the simple human need for intimacy and connection. Touch can be healing and transformative when mindfully given and received.  Consent is an ongoing process of agreements rather than a destination.  As partners in pleasure it is possible to move...

029 ON AIR is a pithy monologue by the host of Awake In Relationship Silas Rose  featuring commentary on  topics arising from interviews and current affairs.  As we enter the fourth wave of the global pandemic polarization threatens to derail the public health response and divide family and friends. How can we meet the challenge of the climate crisis if we cant even have a conversation?  In this i...

028 Dancing is something shared among all cultures to express joy and foster deep connection. How we move our body to music, especially with others can be very vulnerable and invoke awkward feelings and fear.  Think Elaine Benis dancing at the staff party on the sitcom Seinfeld. Like any mindfulness practice dance goes deep and sometimes shows us where we are stuck and need to move. In this episod...

027 Returning to ‘normal’ after the collective trauma of the global pandemic will take more than a vaccine. Hyper vigilance and fear of can narrow our window of tolerance for connection and prevent us from forming new healthy relationships. The ability to be fully present with others depends on a safe and empathetic container.  Compassionate exchange is a practice of reconnecting to the body, lett...

026  For close to a year forest activists in the Fairy Creek watershed have been defending the last unprotected stand of coastal old growth on Southern Vancouver Island.  Fairy Creek is the latest salvo in a conflict that goes back decades. In 1993 mass protests in Clayoquot Sound, dubbed ‘the war in the woods’, gave birth to an international movement to protect ancient forests and highlighted the...

025 To thrive in an uncertain world kids need to develop the capacity to be resilient in the face of change. Wild places are the ultimate training ground for youth to cultivate inner strength, interpersonal skills and a love of the natural world. However, with more of life being lived online many parents struggle to get their children off devices and into the outdoors.  In this episode of AIR I sp...

024 The longing to love and be loved is a universal human experience that can inspire great joy or plunge us into the deepest psychological hell.  Our expectations about a romantic partner are often unrealistic and locate the source of love as external to us.  What if love was not a mythical destination, but a way of being in the world that is accessible to all regardless of your relationship stat...

023 Fathers are often held to a god like standard and judged harshly when they fall.   For young men coming into adulthood there is longing for something only their fathers can provide and without this transference the journey feels incomplete.  Bill Gaston is a Giller Nominated, award winning author and lecturer living in Victoria BC.  In his recent memoire, Just Let Me Look At You Bill reflects...

022  During Covid 19 how we work, shop, do yoga, relate with family and find a mate has moved online.  The internet has connected us during a time of crisis, but  connectivity doesn’t equal connection.  As more of life is lived online our perception of the world is being shaped by powerful algorithms in ways that often  undermine real relationships and our shared sense of humanity.  In this episod...

021 Personal boundaries are a natural part of any relationship, but rarely are they discussed openly until a line has been crossed.  After a year of Covid lockdowns many people are discovering their edge the hard way.  In this episode of AIR I speak with Mel Cassidy, a relationship coach who focuses on polyamory and honest non monogamy, about the art of negotiating agreements and boundaries, espec...

020  Mindfulness is often seen as a tool for relieving anxiety, calming the mind, and developing greater focus.  However, according to the Buddhist tradition mindfulness is much more than a relaxation technique, when combined with compassion it becomes a path for transforming suffering and uncertainty into confidence in our enlightened nature. In this episode I speak with Buddhist author and teach...

019   After decades of prohibition Health Canada and the FDA have approved psychedelic drug trials for treating a variety of mental illnesses.  In this episode I speak with clinical counsellor and addictions specialist Jim Kragtwyk about the implications of the emerging field of psychedelic therapy.  In this conversation we discuss the origins, taboos and potential of psychedelics for intractable...

018 There are few experiences more challenging, confusing and lonely than a major life transition. Whether it comes in the form of an illness, divorce, job loss or global pandemic change is rarely welcomed as an opportunity to let go of old patterns and reinvent oneself.  In this episode of AIR I speak with ordained pastor and therapist Bill Israel about navigating change and releasing old traumas...

017  ON AIR is a new monthly addition to the podcast featuring some pithy commentary on themes and topics arising from guest interviews.  It has been a year since recording the first episode of Awake In Relationship and so much has changed.  There is nothing like a global pandemic to illuminate the importance of relationships and community. AIR host Silas Rose reflects on the evolution of the podc...

016 Between Trump and a global pandemic there is very little bandwidth left over for the climate crisis.  Like a deer caught in the headlights it is easy to feel overwhelmed with existential dread.   In this episode I talk with Trina Woods, clinical social worker and facilitator of the Work That Reconnects about processing the emotions many of us are feeling about the current state of our world. ...

015  During the pandemic many couples are reporting that home life is feeling like a pressure cooker of stress and frustration.  Some experts are even calling this time an anger incubator.   Juggling domestic and work duties, as well as money problems are exposing the fault lines in many long term relationships. In this episode I speak with intimacy coaches Penelope Hagan and Michael Lium Hall abo...

014  Many of us are craving a release from the restrictions Covid has put on our lives.  In all cultures and in all times music and dance have served as a means to elevate the spirit, move through emotional blocks and unify people in uncertain times.  In this episode of AIR I speak with Shauna Devlin, ecstatic dance facilitator and founder of Dance Your Ability, about ecstatic dance as a relationa...

In a time when many of us are spending 11 or more hours a day glued to screens our innate connection to the nature has suffered.  Youth are particularly vulnerable to algorithms that  distort our sense of self and perception of the world around us.  Beyond Covid 19 there is a looming mental health crisis on the horizon, and there isn’t an App for that.  In this episode of AIR I speak with David Se...

012 - With Covid 19, the climate crisis, economic free fall and massive social unrest you might be feeling the need to find your tribe.  Community is more important than ever, but as many of us in this ‘new normal’ are spending more time at home and online it is harder than ever to form those intimate bonds.  In this episode of AIR I speak with Ame Lia Tamburrini, a community engagement consultant...

011 - Thanks to the star power of Oprah and other influencers millions of people have been introduced to the power of mindfulness and compassion practices.  Despite an emphasis on self liberation and ending suffering many western meditation communities have failed to encourage diversity among their membership.  In this episode of AIR I speak with artist, activist and dharma practitioner Farheen Ha...

010 The relationship between father and son is often defined by ordinary moments shared in silence.  Fathers are held to a god like standard and judged harshly when they fall.  For young men coming of age there is longing for something only their father’s can provide, and without it the journey feels incomplete.  In this episode of Awake In Relationship I talk with Bill Gaston, celebrated Canadian...

009 - In the wake of George Floyd's murder at the hands of police in Minneapolis a global anti racist movement has risen up and brought to light a long history of inequality and racism woven into our key institutions.  In this episode we discuss First Nations rights and title and the struggle against eco-racism with Ana Simeon, fundraiser and campaigner for Raven Trust, a not for profit that...

#008 After 3 months of Covid lockdown many people are confronting conflict and challenges in close relationships,  When it is at home or work a breakdown in communication can sometimes feel like living inside a pressure cooker that is about to blow.  Strong emotions quickly take over and it easy to turn someone we care deeply about into an object of anger or even hate.  How do we stay connected to...

#007 - Reestablishing close human contact after Covid 19 can be anxiety provoking. Touch is an essential part of our mental wellbeing and trust building with others and without it relationships and even communities start to fall apart.  In this episode we talk about creating safety for platonic and intimate touch in the post Covid era with Trica Bowler and Michael Haines from Being Held, a monthly...

#006 - For 8 years a lone wolf named TAKAYA survived and thrived on a small archipelago near Victoria BC.  Cheryl Alexander, an internationally recognized conservation photographer and educator spent 6 years documenting his remarkable life.  Sadly, TAKAYA was killed by a hunter in March 2020, but his story of resilience has now gone global.  In this episode Cheryl shares some of her personal journ...