Embodying Earth: Leadership for a Regenerative Future
Download MP3Ivy Yan: Introduce yourself.
Scott Jamieson: It's okay, we'll cut it out.
Ivy Yan: Okay, so when you introduce yourself, like, your name, right, your school, yo
Scott Jamieson: Welcome to the Empathy to Impact podcast. Today, we are talking about a program called Embodying Earth, Leadership for a Regenerative Future. And I'm really excited to get into this topic.
Scott Jamieson: And I have 3 participants of the program, Diana, Anandi, and Hui, who are here to share their experiences with us.
Ivy Yan: And I'm gonna pass things over to them for some quick introductions before we get started.
Diana: So, hi everyone, my name is Diana, I'm calling here from London. I study at Chibo School, and I'm feeling like a wind today, because I'm traveling for places and meeting new people.
Huy Mai: Hi everyone, my name is Hui. I'm calling from Singapore here. Today the weather in Singapore just had a… we had a pretty, long-rated morning, so the weather is really cool right now, and I feel like that's my feeling right now. Cool, calm, relaxed. I feel like, you know, like the earth.
Huy Mai: I've been, I've taken a shower, I guess you could say that.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Hey guys, I'm Anandi, and I'm calling in from Hyderabad, India. I'm in 11th grade, and the weather here is quite sunny right now, and I feel the same because I feel very bright and cheerful today.
Scott Jamieson: Thank you so much. I am also very excited to do something we don't do very often on the podcast, is have a guest host.
Scott Jamieson: Ivy Yan from Inspire Citizens is a good friend of mine, and also was a facilitator of this program. So, Ivy's gonna get us started in our conversation.
Ivy Yan: Hello, everyone. I'm super excited to join the conversation today for the reasons that Scott just mentioned, and also because I see this as an opportunity for us to reunite. It's like, you know, embodying a deja vu.
Ivy Yan: Yeah, so I really appreciate today's convers… the opportunity for us to get together, and hope, you know, the conversation will unfold in a way like us all flowing together as a river.
Ivy Yan: Okay.
Scott Jamieson: Go ahead. You can go ahead.
Ivy Yan: Because, you know, in our program, we start everything with, an embodied
Ivy Yan: practice, right? Whether meditation, tuning in to nature. So I thought, you know, we could do something special today. Before we start, we can, have just a few minutes to drop into our deeper presence.
Ivy Yan: And also connect with each other, you know, across the regions, the boundaries, the screen, so we can feel that, we are together. Yeah, so if you would like… we have done this before in our course, so you can reach out your hands.
Ivy Yan: Yeah?
Ivy Yan: And imagine, you know, we are now sitting in a circle.
Ivy Yan: And also, feel free to close your eyes if it kind of helps you to relax and focus.
Ivy Yan: So we start… Coming back to our own body.
Ivy Yan: And just pay attention to how you breathe.
Ivy Yan: Breathing in… I know I'm breathing in.
Ivy Yan: Breathe out, I know I'm breathing out.
Ivy Yan: And from that deep space in our body, Maybe it's our belly.
Ivy Yan: We imagine… Some beautiful light radiating outwards.
Ivy Yan: Through our arms, pens?
Ivy Yan: And fingertips.
Ivy Yan: It keeps radiating.
Ivy Yan: Reaching outwards… connecting everyone.
Ivy Yan: Who is right now, in this collective space.
Ivy Yan: And we are all holding hands.
Ivy Yan: Making a circle.
Ivy Yan: Maybe you can feel the energy.
Ivy Yan: Coming through you.
Ivy Yan: Connecting with you, connecting you with one another in the circle.
Ivy Yan: Maybe you can also feel this beautiful circle of light.
Ivy Yan: Turning around.
Ivy Yan: In the circle.
Ivy Yan: Animate some movement.
Ivy Yan: that generates… And regenerates life.
Ivy Yan: our life… And all life on this planet.
Ivy Yan: The animals and the trees that are breathing with us at this very same moment.
Ivy Yan: And the air we feel… Around us, the wind.
Ivy Yan: And the humidity in the air, the water inside of us…
Ivy Yan: And we imagine this circle keeps expanding.
Ivy Yan: Reaching outwards.
Ivy Yan: Until it holds the entire Earth.
Ivy Yan: So that all arms… become one.
Ivy Yan: with the arms of the Mother Earth.
Ivy Yan: And holding this beautiful blue water planet.
Ivy Yan: Very gently.
Ivy Yan: With love and care.
Ivy Yan: And just remembering… This sense… And feeling, holding, the earth.
Ivy Yan: Together, with our fellow human beings.
Ivy Yan: All living beings on the planet.
Ivy Yan: We come back to ourselves.
Ivy Yan: And gently, we open our eyes.
Ivy Yan: Coming back to this world.
Ivy Yan: And look again into the screen.
Ivy Yan: At all the friends.
Ivy Yan: Who we are with.
Ivy Yan: And maybe in your heart, you can repeat after me.
Ivy Yan: Here I am.
Ivy Yan: And here we are.
Ivy Yan: So that is our opening ritual, and I hope that
Ivy Yan: It can somehow bring you back.
Ivy Yan: To our experience together.
Ivy Yan: Whether it's online, or in Vietnam, in person.
Ivy Yan: Yeah, so my first question is… I wonder…
Ivy Yan: When we… when we mention embodying Earth.
Ivy Yan: What is that image or that moment came to you right away?
Ivy Yan: And maybe we just start with that moment, and to live it again today.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I think it would definitely be the werewolves game.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Because,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Because that was the place where I felt like I could let go, and that was the moment where I got to know all the people, the participants, on a personal level.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And it was fun, we lied to each other, we betrayed to… we betrayed each other, but… and yeah, we also produced, like, crocodile tears and stuff, but we laughed with each other, which was the most important thing.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: We were away from our phones, all the distractions.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And I think that gave us a feel of a whole another level.
Huy Mai: Yeah, I definitely agree with Anandi. And then, as for me, when I think back about emboldened Earth, which I do a lot these days.
Huy Mai: The activity that comes to mind for me is the Council of All Beings.
Huy Mai: So it was, you know, it was in the evening, and each of us were tasked with
Huy Mai: Embodying with becoming a life form.
Huy Mai: And I chose to be the bamboo, because bamboo is not only one of the, sort of, national plant species of Vietnam, but also because bamboo has so many virtuous qualities, you know. It's strong.
Huy Mai: It's versatile, it's very eco-friendly, and it's something that is something that, you know, I feel like really embodies the spirit of sustainability, the spirit of people who try to do good for the environment.
Huy Mai: And for me, the Council of All Beings stood out so clearly because
Huy Mai: I remember being picked as, you know, to temporarily take off my mask and to become a human again, and then stepping into the center of the circle, and then hearing all the different species, from animals to birds to whales to trees.
Huy Mai: seeing them talk… hearing them talking about, you know, their experiences of being affected by humans, their loss of habitats, how they have lost their lives, their livelihoods, their food, their family, their friends, you know, everything, as if I'm hearing another person speak to me.
Huy Mai: For me, that was deeply impactful.
Huy Mai: And it has left, you know.
Huy Mai: an emotional resonance in me, and really allowed me to sense it all. So…
Huy Mai: on a, you know, fundamental level, I… the way that I'm
Huy Mai: affecting the way that we are affecting our planet. It's just as serious as the way that we're affecting
Huy Mai: You know, other human beings, that we're all… we're all of the same value, we're all life of this planet.
Diana: I do agree with Anandi, and I do remember the Council of, of Banks.
Diana: It was truly a great experience, but for me, when I hear the words embodying earth, what comes to mind is our morning ritual, when we would sit together in a circle with closed eyes and sing songs together. And just being present in the moment
Diana: It's really what kind of shows the way we care for the Earth.
Diana: being there all together. That really lingers in my mind to this day.
Scott Jamieson: I think that's amazing. I think that being mindful and being in the moment is something that a lot of people really struggle with right now. We are really, really busy people, we have a lot of things that distract us and take our attention, and sometimes finding ways to slow down
Scott Jamieson: And that idea of interbeing, I think, is so, so important. Also, like, how Hui's talking about…
Scott Jamieson: giving a voice to the non-human life in our world, and what their perspective might be, and how that might play into some of the decisions we make, thinking about the future, and thinking about leadership for our regenerative future. I think that's something that's really important.
Scott Jamieson: What inspired the three of you to sign up for a program like this?
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Well, I'll go first.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I am a person who's always been caught between two love.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Science and Nature.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Science gives me spots, but nature gives me the heart.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I've always wanted to, find a space where those two can meet, where knowledge doesn't just stay in books.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: But it becomes a lived experience. That's what drew me to Emboding Girls. I,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I didn't want sustainability to just be another big word, which I used in school projects. I wanted to step into it. I wanted to breathe it, and I wanted to see what it, actually looked like when people live in tune with the land.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: In a way, I,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I was searching for something more than answers, I was searching for connections, and I think that's exactly what I found.
Diana: I think I found a connection in this program as well, and what truly inspired me to apply was probably how a great opportunity… how I saw a great opportunity in participating
Diana: And I saw how many people I could meet, how many news stories I could hear, and how much knowledge we could exchange together.
Diana: And it was just really great to meet people who really care about the Earth, care about the environment, and want to…
Diana: go into the future, and probably teach their kids, teach their environment, the people they surround themselves with, their community, about the Earth, and why they love it. And that's why I decided to apply to it.
Diana: And also, as a person who has been raised in Poland, I've never been to Vietnam, and it was a great opportunity to travel and taste the cuisine, and just, you know, share the stories with people from all over around the world.
Scott Jamieson: Oh, you're on mute. Sorry.
Huy Mai: I agree with all the reasons that Anandi and Diana mentioned, but for me.
Huy Mai: that one factor that really stood out was the location. We, you know, the program took place at this eco-village called Mudo, you know. That's probably my second home now.
Huy Mai: It was right by the riverside of the beautiful Atien National Park.
Huy Mai: It was really cozy, and everyone there was so tight-knit, and for me, you know, even before signing up for the program, I was looking through the images and the photos and all the places, and I'm like, oh wow, this is somewhere that I definitely want to be in, even if for just a week.
Scott Jamieson: I think it's so inspiring listening to the three of you. A lot of people in the world think teenagers are not engaged, and don't care, and are addicted to their phones, and, you know, the list goes on, but it's so inspiring to hear
Scott Jamieson: How you were able to follow your passion for nature, and your desire to connect.
Scott Jamieson: with people who care about things that you care about, and finding a space to work together and really grow this regenerative movement. I think that is such an inspiration, and it gives me hope for the future.
Ivy Yan: And listening to,
Ivy Yan: all of you, I was actually looking at all the photos during our program, before the call, and I think two things really stood out. One is smile.
Ivy Yan: there is just so much smile, you know, filled my screen, when I look at all the photos, including myself, you know, I smiled a lot. And then another thing is.
Ivy Yan: community, like, you know, Hui, you mentioned, right, Nutan, itself is a community, and by living together, learning together.
Ivy Yan: For the 9 days we spent, there, we also formed a community
Ivy Yan: And, you know, there were moments in our program
Ivy Yan: When we had the cultural night, right, because we had 29 participants from 12 countries.
Ivy Yan: And as one of the UWC traditions, we had a cultural night, so we all, you know, wore our costume, right, brought the national flag, and then showed our
Ivy Yan: national or, like, human identity, right? And then, in the end, we send a song. Imagine.
Ivy Yan: Which is a classic, you know, for all generations, and to be honest, I was first quite surprised that your generation still resonates with that song, you know? And then singing it while seeing all the diversity in the room,
Ivy Yan: it felt, you know, the song came alive to me, personally. But then I also felt we not only showed our human identity, we were learning to recognize and discover
Ivy Yan: Another big part of our identity, which is forgotten.
Ivy Yan: and easily overlooked, which is our ecological identity, right? You, you know, mentioned the counsel of all beings, and then, how to learn from
Ivy Yan: Beings other than humans.
Ivy Yan: And we also talk about, you know, the concept of intervening a lot in our program.
Ivy Yan: So then I wonder, you know, now, going back to your life, your school, right, how do you feel, that…
Ivy Yan: Well, first of all, like, what did you notice,
Ivy Yan: Some change happened inside you, about your relationship with the more-than-human beings, and then how does that change still rippling or continuing evolving in your life?
Ivy Yan: As you flow back into your own world.
Diana: maybe this time I could start. So, for me, I would say after the program, I became more mindful. Mindful in the way I eat, perhaps, because during the
Diana: During our program, we had a practice of mindfully eating, right? And it was, it was a process when we would eat without saying a word, just appreciating the food we have. So I have implemented this practice in my family, with my friends as well.
Diana: and also in the way I care about people. So, I tend to say the words like,
Diana: appreciate more the people I have around me, and being… just care for them. And Noah Dames, I just feel like I've kind of slowed down after the program. It helped me kind of
Diana: stay focused on what I do and be more mindful.
Huy Mai: I think something for me, personally, you know, and I… it's, the way that… something that I've… I haven't really given much thought to before the program.
Huy Mai: are… is the labels, the terms, the names that we give to Mother Earth.
Huy Mai: I feel like sometimes it is so easy for us to consider Mother Earth as almost like…
Huy Mai: a stakeholder, you know? Like, oh, we need to release our emissions so that nature, so that, you know, the environment won't be so polluted, or so that the environment can still sustain human life. We don't really consider nature as something that is part of us.
Huy Mai: And so for me, once, you know, and I just feel like the way that I've been talking about nature, I've been talking about the environment and the things around us.
Huy Mai: has evolved, because now I recognize that, oh, I am very much a part of my environment, I'm very much a part of my surroundings. And when I talk about, oh, I want to save the environment, I want to recycle, at the end of the day, I mean, you know, not at the end of the day, I am literally saving my own life. I am trying to better my own life.
Huy Mai: So, for me, I've been… for example, when I've been talking with
Huy Mai: friends at school, people at clubs, I've been trying to consciously shift the way they talk about certain things. For example, instead of saying, hey guys.
Huy Mai: let's recycle, so that we reduce our waste for the environment. I'll say, hey guys, let's recycle to reduce our waste for ourselves. So, being more inclusive, being more, again, mindful of the way that we label and we apply our names to nature, I feel like
Huy Mai: Something that the program has made me aware of.
Huy Mai: I was saying.
Huy Mai: Yeah.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: where I, related to Diana and Hui on a…
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: personal level. For me, I used to see environment as
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: something out there, like, a separate box labeled nature, but after embodying her, I started seeing it,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: something woven into me. The, tree outside my window isn't just scenery, it's filtering my air, cooling my street, holding the soil together.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I think we often grew up with this invisible wall between us, between us and nature. And once the wall falls apart, your perspective changes forever.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I realized that I don't just love on Earth, I live with the Earth. And suddenly, like, every small action feels more connected and meaningful, so,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Beyond actions, I think my mindset has also changed, if you get what I mean. It's, more about walking gently, and how I treat people, how I conceive, and how I see plants and animals.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: So, I think, yes, my mindset has truly changed.
Scott Jamieson: I love how all of you are talking about… sorry, go ahead. You wanna jump in first?
Ivy Yan: No, no, it's okay. I just wanted to say, you know, as one of the co-facilitators, I was so touched to hear that change and hear that transformation. And I wonder, you know, Scott.
Ivy Yan: may I share just a few sentences from other participants about, you know, their takeaway and insights from the program, so that, you know, we can also have more voices in the room?
Ivy Yan: And, you know, I guess the three of you would love to hear from your cohort as well.
Scott Jamieson: Sure, go ahead.
Ivy Yan: I… So I will share one from Laurie. She said.
Ivy Yan: I applied to the course, looking for an answer.
Ivy Yan: Instead, I received so much more than I ever imagined. Things I didn't even know I needed.
Ivy Yan: You've taught me to live boldly, fearlessly, and freely.
Ivy Yan: To listen, to share, to give compliments, and show love whenever I can.
Ivy Yan: I never saw you come in, and I will never be the same.
Ivy Yan: And then Tony summarized it so beautifully. He said, I went to Nutong expecting to learn.
Ivy Yan: Instead, I remembered.
Ivy Yan: I remembered that I am nature.
Ivy Yan: That grief and joy can dance.
Ivy Yan: That a forest can become a family.
Ivy Yan: And that sometimes, the most powerful way to change the world
Ivy Yan: It's simply to love it fiercely.
Scott Jamieson: That's beautiful.
Scott Jamieson: I love how we're all talking about perspectives and mindsets, and just how powerful some of these little shifts are in our thinking.
Scott Jamieson: to help us to think about being part of something bigger. And I think that's really amazing.
Scott Jamieson: I want to talk a little bit about… we mentioned something about how we label things, and I want to talk a little bit about the difference, perhaps.
Scott Jamieson: between a regenerative approach and a sustainable approach. Are those the same things? Sometimes we hear those as being interchangeable. When we talk about leadership for a regenerative future.
Scott Jamieson: What does that really mean?
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Oh, that is such a deep question. I haven't, really thought about it that way before.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I think it's, leadership for a regenerative future means taking accountability, I think, on behalf of
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: everyone, and taking the lead. I think sustainability…
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And regeneration, like, go hand in hand, but they're also different at the same time.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Yes.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Taking accountability, definitely.
Huy Mai: Another way that I view this as an issue is… and it could be a matter of semantics, but I feel like when you say that you are regenerating, it implies that you have, to a certain degree.
Huy Mai: Fallen down, or fail, or… You know, just…
Huy Mai: change in a way that could be negative, change in a way that could have… that you did not desire. But that is something that is completely natural, right? We, as humans, we all fail.
Huy Mai: Not a single one of us is perfect, we all have our own flaws and mistakes. And I feel like this is something that we should also be adapting into
Huy Mai: the son of…
Huy Mai: the mindsets and the narratives we are trying to push for in our fight for the planet, right? Of course, fighting for the planet is going to be difficult, right? We're fighting for our very homes, we're fighting for our very livelihoods. Of course.
Huy Mai: we're going to fail. We are going to meet obstacles, we're going to meet people and challenges, and we're just gonna,
Huy Mai: be frustrated. But I think it's important to recognize that, just like our environment, just like ecology, just like, you know, the forest, you know, that has just been, you know, bulldozed, but it's now growing again, just like the fact, just like.
Huy Mai: You know, my plant, which…
Huy Mai: has died, but, you know, through reseeding and through careful caring, it's now regrowing again. Our efforts, our hope for the planet can still regrow, and it's something that will be cyclical, something that we will always need to nurture and to care for to keep it going.
Huy Mai: So I think that could be another difference between regenerative and sustainable.
Diana: Both Anandi and Kui, beautifully said what regenerative means.
Diana: I would like to just say my perspective on it. So, for me, it's kind of renewing and restoring systems that we depend on for our communities to thrive in. And, for me, it's just, you know, caring for the environment the way I can.
Diana: You know, going to schools, teaching people about ecology and the ways we can help it, and to use and restore the goods we have.
Diana: and good, and to, like, create great impact, go into green ecology, and just be mindful of what we use, and trying to reduce the carbon footprints. Like we said, we are not perfect, we all have flaws, but we all can care for each other, we all can.
Diana: Input something, even the small things we have, even the small parts of us, into our planet, into our community, and make it better.
Scott Jamieson: I agree. I think that is so important. The fact… sometimes when we think about these big global issues that we're facing, it can feel a little overwhelming.
Scott Jamieson: And we think, what can I do as just one person?
Scott Jamieson: And the reality is, we can make such a big difference. And we see that happening in some of these small stories, in small communities, at little eco-villages in Vietnam.
Scott Jamieson: And other places around the world, where we have communities of individuals who are engaging in small acts that are regenerative and are working towards
Scott Jamieson: working towards our aspirational future. And I think it's so inspiring when we see those things happening, and we bring people in.
Scott Jamieson: You guys had folks coming in from different countries in the world to experience that, and then take that back. So not only are they having an impact in their local community, but they're inspiring all of you.
Scott Jamieson: Through your work together, through their teaching, through that building of connection and community, to take some of these ideas back
Scott Jamieson: and shift your own perspectives, and think about what that might look like in your community. And that's what's going to lead me into my next question.
Scott Jamieson: Thinking of some of your biggest takeaways.
Scott Jamieson: What does leadership for a regenerative future look like now that you're back home, now that you're back in your school?
Scott Jamieson: What are we… See, I told you I would mess this up a few times.
Scott Jamieson: What is… I don't know, I'm trying to think of how I wanna ask.
Scott Jamieson: What's the next step for you as changemakers and leaders, now that you're back, now you've had this inspiring experience and this shift in perspective.
Scott Jamieson: What are we gonna do with that to make a difference?
Scott Jamieson: Hui, I know you've got a cool project on the go.
Huy Mai: Yeah, I'll just share it here. So, at my school, at SJR International.
Huy Mai: I have myself and a few other people at our school's environmental club. We have been running a completely student-led club and audit of our school.
Huy Mai: So, in this project, we measure the data, we report the data of our school's emission and our activities, and then we come up with a number. What is our school's carbon footprint? What is the amount of greenhouse gases that we, as a school, emit?
Huy Mai: And really, the aim of this project, and for me, something that I feel like connects really well to Embody Earth.
Huy Mai: Is fundamentally, Knowing.
Huy Mai: When you don't know, you know.
Huy Mai: I remember there's this one quote that says, yeah, you can't solve your problem if you don't know that it exists.
Huy Mai: And that was very much the rationale that we were approaching with, which is that
Huy Mai: If you don't know exactly how much you're emitting, how much you are impacting the environment, then…
Huy Mai: How are you going to know which specific area you're going to address? How are you going to know what would be a reasonable benchmark for your target, your next goal? So for us, we have been, you know, we feel like, yeah, this is a project that could really change the way that our school operates.
Huy Mai: So, we've been doing a few things. We managed to collect the data, we did the calculations. Since then, we have been hosting a couple of workshops, both inside and outside of school, where we could share the results, share our stories, share not only our lessons and our insights.
Huy Mai: but also our challenges, right? Because doing this work is not easy. And really, my hope with this project, and something that, you know, I'm going to keep working to expand on, and something that I'll
Huy Mai: Keep trying to…
Huy Mai: incorporate the lessons that I've learned in Borning Earth into is how do I show people, how do I help people see that, oh, so the problem of carbon emissions, the problem of greenhouse gases, it will seem big.
Huy Mai: But at the end of the day, it comes down to the very small choices, such as, are you going to take the bus, or are you going to take the train today? Are you going to eat meat, or are you going to have vegetables? And if we can all contribute, my teammate at school has to say, our teaspoons of change, right? If we can all contribute our teaspoons of change.
Huy Mai: That's something that…
Huy Mai: will result in major change. So… and, you know, embodiment has definitely reaffirmed in me the belief that, yeah, people will change, and we do very much have the momentum to act for everyone.
Huy Mai: So, yeah, that's how I think could be an approach for us to keep working with, which is, you know, informing people, education, to telling, hey, here are the problems, and here's what you can do to solve it.
Scott Jamieson: I love an idea of giving solutions to people. Not just saying, hey, here are the problems, here are one or two or three things that you can do right now, today.
Scott Jamieson: that's going to have a positive impact on this issue. And inviting people in, and keeping… inviting people in, and creating that sense of belonging around that solution, in your community, and having that extend beyond, I think that's really inspiring.
Diana: So, me and my friend from my previous school in Poland.
Diana: Well, we invented an ecological fertilizer together.
Diana: So, I had an idea to create an fertilizer that would be based on bacteria strains, which would help plants grow.
Diana: Because in Poland, there is a main issue called eutrophication, and eutrophication happens when nutrients from fields, where… because farmers use fertilizers rich in phosphorus.
Diana: And nitrogen.
Diana: And, of course, those nutrients are needed for plants, but they are also really detrimental for the water bodies. And that's when eutrophication happens. We could see the alga, we could see the bacteria in the water, and as a person that lives in Gdainz, which is a coastal city, I could see that problem.
Diana: And we collaborated together and decided to create a fertilizer. And I would say just
Diana: dreaming of it, you know? It was just a concept at first, but we ended up pitching our project in the USA at the…
Diana: ISEP, which is, like, the science contest for international… International Science Contest for Young Innovators. So it was a great experience, and just, you know, coming from an idea which was supported by, you know, people in our environment who wanted to help.
Diana: And just, you know, coming together, we can make a great difference. That's the message I have for today from this project. And just, you know, caring for the environment.
Diana: We can all do it together.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Well, my project, I think, well, my brother and I started it way before Embodying Earth, but…
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I've been continuing it. So, our idea, I think it was when I was in 6th grade,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: rural, the people in rural India don't have access to LPG or, gas for cooking, so all they use is, like, wood.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: and stuff, which creates a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, and they work for deforestation, obviously. So, what I thought of was to use waste plastic and dry leaves, which we, like, usually throw away, and to, like.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Make them into a pulpy thing, and then make
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Cakes out of those, similar to cowdoin cake.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And then we use them for cooking, since they are, like, very cheap to use, and people can make them at home, too.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Well, that was one of my projects. And the other project was to make a biodegradable drone.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And I came along with that. I actually, submitted that idea at a national level science exhibition, which I won. Yay. So…
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Yeah, so the idea was that,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Drones, which are usually made of metals, once they're discarded into the earth, they,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: They emit a lot of,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: gases and stuff, and they degrade the soil around it. So my idea was that once you're done with the drones, you could just, put them into the soil, and they degrade into it, and they make this soil
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Vertile.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And since onboarding Earth is officially done, we have started with Space 3, and Ellie and I have been making, have been thinking of making a project of
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Essentially combining technology and storytelling. We're going to start a Facebook page, an online platform, where we,
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Use animation and storytelling to essentially convey, the, the feelings and the hurt that the animals, are feeling right now, and, make
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Yeah, make humans feel, sad, I guess, and more contributors.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: In a good way.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Yes.
Scott Jamieson: Yeah, connecting on an empathetic level, I think. Yeah. And just like that experience, like, that you had at Embodying Earth.
Scott Jamieson: I think that would be really cool, just to kind of help people to have that sort of perspective shift. I'm always so inspired when I listen to young people like you, with the innovation and the creativity.
Scott Jamieson: And the ability to think like a designer, and be innovative, and come up with some really cool solutions.
Scott Jamieson: And I think it's awesome when we have that space to meet a community who's also really engaged in this work, and allow us to collaborate and share our experiences and share our learning.
Scott Jamieson: And be able to grow through this. So, love that we're moving on to Phase 3, and continuing to work together as a community. I think that's really cool.
Scott Jamieson: Ivy mentioned earlier about a song, and there's a video that I got to see at the end, kind of summarizing your experience at this event in the Eco Village.
Scott Jamieson: And it's an old song. This is John Lennon, I think it's circa 1971, like, coming up on 50 years old. Like, that's even older than me, and I'm old.
Scott Jamieson: How does a song like Imagine continue to resonate and inspire hope with your generation?
Scott Jamieson: Tell me about, I guess, also, just tell me about that experience, too. It looks like a lot of joy in the room. As you're watching, I'm gonna link that video in the show notes, so if anyone's curious, there'll be a link in there to be able to check out this video.
Scott Jamieson: And that was one of the things that jumped out at me, and something that Ivy and I have talked about as well. And I'm just really curious about your impressions of that scene from the video.
Huy Mai: Yeah, if I may, I would just hopefully do, like, a memory recollection for everyone. So, it was at the end of a long, but really fun meeting.
Huy Mai: Talent now.
Huy Mai: we had… what happened was there were, I think, 20-plus performances from virtually everyone participate in the program. And there were performances of all kinds, right? Dancing, singing,
Huy Mai: Instrumentals from so many different cultures and generations, and, and just…
Huy Mai: Honestly, it was awe-inspiring to see just how many ways you can express yourself in such a setting. And, you know, after all of that, at the very end.
Huy Mai: I still vividly remember the scene, the lights were dim, and then Sam, our program.
Huy Mai: cornered, and he was, hey guys, let's sing the song, Imagine by John Leonard. And I was thinking, oh, what was that song? I think I know that song. And then it was like, Imagine All the people. And then, like, oh, yes, that song.
Huy Mai: And then we joined hands, we were together, we were swing back and forth, and the whole room was just filled. The person who was singing. And…
Huy Mai: for me, it was… and it was so surreal, because we were living out the lyrics of the song, as we were singing it, imagining, you know, a world of people with no barriers or boundaries, and there we were. We were dreaming about a world where we could all be together, not just with ourselves, but also with
Huy Mai: Mother Earth, with the world around us. So…
Huy Mai: I think it was… yeah, I might even say it's spiritual, but I guess it was… yeah, it was… it was really special to be in that room and to sing the song with everyone.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: I think it would definitely be intervening.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Yeah, like Clay said, we were all… I think the, element that gave us the feel was the light being dim. I actually couldn't see anything, I could just feel everyone. We were holding hands, and we were rocking back and forth, and we were swaying.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And, I hadn't heard the song before. I was just going with the flow.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: And it felt so, lovely, to hear everyone's voices. We were out of tune, but that didn't matter, because we were all living as one organism, like Ivy Mam, mentioned on our first day of embracing Earth, I think.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: one organism intervening. That was what I felt in that moment. And also, to answer your question, sir, imagine that song definitely gives me hope.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: It gives hope for our entire generation. It gives hope that we could be something better. We still have, a future ahead of us, a future which changes every moment.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Yes.
Diana: Yes, we do have a future, and as Ivy mentioned in the song, it says to live as one, and, you know, just be… because we are all part of this whole world with
Diana: You know, in the song, there's a concept of no religion, no wars, no heaven, no lies, no… I don't remember the lyrics exactly, but it was really beautiful, and it really touched my heart how everybody was singing, you know, together, and I could really feel present in that moment.
Diana: And, like, everybody was wearing their national, you know, national costume, waving their flags and singing.
Scott Jamieson: Sounds beautiful, and hopeful, and really inspiring. Thank you for sharing just your thoughts and your impressions of that moment.
Scott Jamieson: Is there anything else that you'd like to share about your experience from the Eco Village, from this program, that we haven't asked the right question yet to allow you to share?
Diana: Well, for me, I vividly remember the walk we had in Katian National Park.
Diana: And the way we kind of have to go back years, back, back, back.
Diana: In order to be able to live in the moment and appreciate the things that, you know, humans have done, the way the agriculture has developed, our society was built, and, you know, the way the world has created. And it was really great, because then we could plant trees together.
Diana: And I really wonder whether those trees will be able to, you know, tell our stories.
Diana: to other generations of future, you know, activists for future ecologists who will visit the Katian National Park and be able to, you know, find a shade under the tree and relieve those experiences we had.
Diana: This program was really great, and I've learned a lot, and I've learned about things I didn't even know I could learn about from other people, and I truly, felt at peace at that moment, you know? Being far away from all the things that travel me.
Diana: And being with people who really care about what I love.
Scott Jamieson: Thank you to all of you. A big round of gratitude for giving me an opportunity to slow down and enjoy this mindful moment with all of you.
Scott Jamieson: And for giving me hope for the future. And I hope our conversation today, when people are listening, are inspired and thinking about regeneration.
Scott Jamieson: And how we might take a regenerative approach in our own lives to…
Scott Jamieson: work for ourselves, like we said, and to also think about the future, and think about the Earth as something we're part of. I think that was really beautifully said in our conversation.
Scott Jamieson: And I'm feeling really inspired by all of you, and I just want to say thank you for being such great guests, and sharing your story, and sharing how this program has impacted you, and will lead to some of these big ideas that you're already working on.
Scott Jamieson: So thanks for being such a fabulous group of guests.
Scott Jamieson: And also, one last big shout-out to my guest co-host on the Empathy to Impact podcast in this episode. It's great to have Ivy here, who is a really good friend and inspires me to be more mindful and…
Scott Jamieson: to really kind of think deeply about some of these things that are important to us. I've learned so much, too, from Ivy, through our friendship and through working together over the past few years, and I'm really grateful to have her be part of this conversation with us today.
Ivy Yan: Thank you, Scott, for inviting me to join, and thank you everyone, you know, to recreate, that beautiful and profound memories we had. But also, I feel a great sense of continuation, and then expansion, and, you know, that spaciousness.
Ivy Yan: That you have made it possible, yeah, so I'm truly, truly… Grateful.
Ivy Yan: Yeah, for this conversation.
Ivy Yan: And now it will go outwards, you know, to the world, and then to inspire more people, and touch their heart, yeah. Yeah, just, you know, to plant more seeds, like the seeds, you know, flying with the wind, and then to land, and then thrive in…
Ivy Yan: unknown and new territories, yeah, and who knows, you know, what life it might grow, and then,
Ivy Yan: developing, too, yeah.
Ivy Yan: Thank you so much.
Huy Mai: Thank you so much, Scott, and Ms. Ivy, and Andy, and Diana for… yeah, whenever people ask me about Embodied Earth, I always… yeah, I will… I can spend an entire day talking about Embodied Earth. So, it was great to just have a chance to just, yeah, talk with everyone about just how transformative the program has been for me. So, thank you, everyone.
Diana: Thank you, everyone.
Scott Jamieson: Sorry, go ahead, we all interrupt And Andy first, go ahead.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: yet.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Thank you, sir. Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Hui, Diana, everyone, for being here and letting me talk about my experience at Embodyinger. Like Hui said, he could talk for a day. I think I could talk for an entire lifetime, and that still wouldn't be enough.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Yeah, that experience was just wonderful, and I'm so thankful to you guys for letting me, live through the experience again.
Anandi Gaurav Sharma: Thank you.
Diana: And thank you very much for inviting me, and inviting, you know, creating a space for all of you, of all of us, to be able to share our experience. Well, thank you, Ivy, thank you, Scott, thank you, Faye, and thank you, Anandi, and, well, have a great day, full of sunshine.
Scott Jamieson: Thank you, and thanks to our listeners.
Scott Jamieson: That's our episode.
Scott Jamieson: That's a wrap, everyone!
