“Cartesian philosophy killed our innate spirituality 300 years ago rendering any kind of animistic belief as a childish, laughable fallacy because spiritual experiences cannot be measured, therefore they don’t exist’”
Academic at heart Sam has spent a life-time on a quest to deepen her spiritual beliefs alongside an innate thirst for research-based evidence to satisfy her rational and logical brain. Her animistic lifestyle emerged after an ‘awakening’ experience at seven that subsequently shaped her life and world belief systems.
Join us to gain an insight into the foundational nine elements based on ancient Indo-European societal wisdom (8,000 to 5,000 BCE), discover the ‘Medicine of the Four Directions’ a circular cosmology based on certain attributes and aligned with the natural annual rhythm’s derived from an early Medieval Irish folklore, learn about the consciousness of water and how to craft a deeper connection with our land, nature and ancestors.
This episode stretches beyond the coaching profession to give us an opportunity to gleam new knowledge and wisdom on nature and land connection that can then be weaved back into our practice. Every series we search out guests who offer alternative perspectives and beliefs that hopefully sparks something different in your coaching practice. Ultimately change lies at the heart of coaching that can only be created through a level of challenge to your current constructed reality as a coach; and that of your clients within the wider system.
Listen to the podcast
Watch the podcast
Our guest
Sam MacLaren is a British animist, seer, teacher, and co-founder of Pretani Wisdom Traditions, School of British Animism. She has walked an animistic path for over fifty years, after an ‘awakening’ experience at seven.
Since then, she has devoted the last thirty-five years researching, remembering, and working to re-establish our ancient relationships with the other-than-human inhabitants of the British Isles and Ireland and adheres to a strictly indigenous mystic and spiritual discipline based on her Scottish/Irish heritage.
She has studied one-to-one training in Celtic history and religion under Sharon Paice MacLeod, a Celtic Scholar from Harvard University, graduated with 1st Class Honours Degree in Celtic Studies with the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (2023) and studied Ritual and Religion in Pre-History with Oxford University, and the Archaeology of Star Carr with York University.
Sam also holds certificates in counselling and has extensive experience in mental health support, with particular focus on trauma recovery, including working for the Amy Winehouse Foundation in London.
Contact details & Resources
Pretani Wisdom Traditions Website
Pretani Wisdom Traditions Instagram
Professor Ronal Hutton, Professor of History at Bristol University
Sharon Paice McLeod, Harvard University & Canada Council for the Arts
Professor Graham Harvey, Open University
Professor Damian McManus, Trinity Collect Dublin
Book Series – The Dark is Rising – Susan Cooper