Squiggly Lives

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About this episode
In this episode we talk to Matt Brown, an astrophysicist, independent researcher and academic.
We cover topics such as the origins of meditation, the Indus Valley, plant medicine, self-motivation and the mind. Matt talks openly about his life journey and his personal motivations. We delve deeply into his thought processes and the inner workings of our minds.
This episode was truly inspiring to record and we hope you also find some personal insights from it!
Key topics:
Religion and science (03:40)
Independent research, personal motivation and intuition (17:00)
Mental processes, learning and memory (20:43)
The workings of the mind (24:49)
The birth of meditation within the Indus Valley Culture (30:15)
Fasting and inducing trance states (39:30)
Plant medicine (50:27)
Society today and reconnection to nature (59:03)
Purpose and pursuing curiosity (01:03:57)
Book recommendation:
'The Falling Sky: Words of a Yanomami Shaman’ by Davi Kopenawa
Article recommendation:
The Real Urban Jungle: how ancient societies reimagined what cities could be
Matt’s personal website:
Matt Brown Physics
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Sign up to our Squiggly Lives podcast newsletter and we'll email you as soon as we publish a new episode. You'll also get updates on the podcast's Facebook page . Please take a moment and review us on iTunes — it really helps us to spread the word. Thank you and enjoy our free Podcasts.

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About this episode
In our very first guest episode we speak to Phoebe Lindner - a human rights lawyer, jazz singer/violinist and solo global traveller from Australia. She has represented asylum seekers in both the UK and Australia, and worked at numerous international human rights organisations, including Human Rights Watch.
Phoebe recently contributed to a three-book series on the subject of lesbian and bisexual woman and their place in history, culture and law in society. Presently, she works at the Victorian Law Reform Commission, Melbourne, Australia, where she is undertaking a project to make the jury system more inclusive.
In this episode we cover a huge range of topics from human rights to Stoicism; privilege to sources of joy. We delve deeply into subjects such as travel, finding meaning through service to others and following your passion.
Key topics:
Asking for help from others to get into the career you want (02:00)
Finding your purpose (07:30)
Balancing your interests and finding energy for creativity (08:00)
Philosophy, Stoicism and accepting what is (14:00)
Travel and what we can learn from it (20:30)
Where to look for joy (27:20)
A decision to make when you’re young (or at any point in your life): 35:00
Equality and privilege (37:00)
The collective (47:50)
Book recommendations:
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday
Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel García Márquez
Personal bio
Phoebe Irving Lindner is an Australian human rights lawyer and researcher, as well as a jazz violinist and singer. She graduated Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Music from Monash University. Phoebe has worked at various international human rights organisations in London, including Human Rights Watch and Human Dignity Trust, specialising in human rights advocacy and strategic litigation. She was Supervisor of the Public Law and Immigration service at Camden Community Law Centre and worked in private practice representing asylum seekers in London. She has collaborated with Professor Paula Gerber, Monash University - together they have published numerous articles and book chapters, including three chapters in Paula Gerber, ed. Worldwide Perspectives on Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals [3 volumes] Praeger, 2021; ‘Birth Certificates for children with same sex parents: a reflection of biology or something more?’(2015) 18(2) New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy 225; and ‘Modern Families: Should children be able to have more than two parents on their birth certificates?’(2015) 5(1) Victoria University Law & Justice Journal 34. Phoebe presently works at the Victorian Law Reform Commission in Melbourne, Australia.
Key Personal Links:
Music:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thebackyardbanjoclub
Insta: @thebackyardbanjoclub
Academic research:
Paula Gerber, ed. Worldwide Perspectives on Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals [3 volumes] Praeger, 2021 - see chapters:
Gerber & Lindner, ‘Pathways to decriminalization of homosexual conduct’, Chapter 4, Vol.2.
Gerber, Lindner & Grover, ‘Using the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as a tool to advance LGB rights’, Chapter 7, Vol.2.
Gerber, Lindner & Nanlohy, ‘Constitutional protections for LGB persons’, Chapter 9, Vol.2.
Paula Gerber & Phoebe Irving Lindner, ‘Birth Certificates for children with same sex parents: a reflection of biology or something more?’(2015) 18(2) New York University Journal of Legislation and Public Policy 225
Paula Gerber & Phoebe Irving Lindner, ‘Modern Families: Should children be able to have more than two parents on their birth certificates?’(2015) 5(1) Victoria University Law & Justice Journal 34.
Get new podcast episodes straight to your inbox
Sign up to our Squiggly Lives podcast newsletter and we'll email you as soon as we publish a new episode. You'll also get updates on the podcast's Facebook page . Please take a moment and review us on iTunes — it really helps us to spread the word. Thank you and enjoy our free Podcasts.
 

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About this episode
In this special prequel to our guest episodes we talk about the creation of Squiggly Lives! We give an overview of what our podcast is about, why we started it and what we will be doing in coming episodes.
We then ask the quick fire questions to each other, the same ones that we plan to ask each of our guest that we interview. Although admittedly we do end up cheating a bit and our answers are not always so short (so apologies in advance to our future guests – we now know how difficult the questions we ask are!).
We briefly talk about our own life experiences, how we’ve approached some of the big life questions we many of us may have grappled with and the paths our own squiggly lives have taken so far!
Click here to find out more about us!
Key topics:
Part 1: Introduction to Squiggly Lives
What to expect from this podcast and future episodes (00:15)
How did Squiggly Lives begin (01:31)
Part 2: Quick fire questions
Helena’s answers (04:15)
Clare’s answers (11:30)
Part 3: Open conversation
Helena on finding purpose in each experience and connecting the dots (21:13)
Clare on the fluidity of our nature and the grey areas of purpose (25:50)
Accepting what is, being in the now and finding balance (30:30)
Navigating life decisions with family and loved ones (33:15)
Book recommendations:
New and Selected poems by Mary Oliver
Sapiens and Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Get new podcast episodes straight to your inbox
Sign up to our Squiggly Lives podcast newsletter and we'll email you as soon as we publish a new episode. You'll also get updates on the podcast's Facebook page . Please take a moment and review us on iTunes — it really helps us to spread the word. Thank you and enjoy our free Podcasts.