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Live Free Ride Free with Rupert Isaacson

Live Free Ride Free with Rupert Isaacson

By: Rupert Isaacson
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 Welcome to Live Free Ride Free, where we talk to people who have lived self-actualized lives on their own terms, and find out how they got there, what they do, how we can get there, what we can learn from them. How to live our best lives, find our own definition of success, and most importantly, find joy. Your Host is New York Times bestselling author Rupert Isaacson. Long time human rights activist, Rupert helped a group of Bushmen in the Kalahari fight for their ancestral lands. He's probably best known for his autism advocacy work following the publication of his bestselling book "The Horse Boy" and "The Long Ride Home" where he tells the story of finding healing for his autistic son. Subsequently he founded New Trails Learning Systems an approach for addressing neuro-psychiatric conditions through horses, movement and nature. The methods are now used around the world in therapeutic riding program, therapy offices and schools for special needs and neuro-typical children.  You can find details of all our programs and shows on www.RupertIsaacson.com2023 Helios Harmony, LLC Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • Do Evangelicals Struggle With Nature – Faith, Disability & Kinship with Dr. Ben Conner | Ep 31 Live Free Ride Free

    Do Evangelicals Struggle With Nature – Faith, Disability & Kinship with Dr. Ben Conner | Ep 31 Live Free Ride Free
    Jul 3 2025
    Dr. Ben Conner, professor of practical theology and founder of the Center for Disability and Ministry, joins Rupert Isaacson for a radical rethinking of Christianity and environmentalism. From reinterpreting "dominion" in Genesis to empowering neurodivergent voices in ministry, Ben challenges assumptions about American evangelicalism, conservation, and the role of theology in planetary healing. Together, they explore how to reconnect children, horses, and communities to a sense of sacred kinship with nature—through wonder, embodiment, and relational theology.✨ “Maybe the vocation of a mountain is just to be a mountain.” – Ben Conner✨ "Jesus in the wilderness was being re-nurtured by creation itself." – Ben Conner🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why many American evangelicals misunderstand the concept of "dominion" in Genesis ([00:07:00])The roots of Christianity’s alienation from nature: Enlightenment rationalism, individualism, and soul-saving escapism ([00:14:00])How children (especially neurodivergent ones) teach us to see God through curiosity and wonder ([00:48:00])Practical steps to re-integrate theology, land, and disability in ministry and daily life ([00:52:00])The theology of kinship: how mountains, rivers, horses, and people are all called into vocation ([01:07:00])The idea that Christianity is often more about identity and power than faith in Christ himself ([01:15:00])Rupert's comparison of CS Lewis and Tolkien as hidden eco-theologians ([01:26:00])Creating church outside: the rise of Wild Church and Refugia communities ([01:30:00])Ben's story of his son recovering from brain trauma and becoming his teacher in theology ([01:36:00])🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:Why many American evangelicals misunderstand dominion and where that theology came from ([00:07:00])The Enlightenment-era origins of individualistic Christianity in the U.S. ([00:14:00])"You aren't seeing the rabbit anymore. You're seeing yourself and the schemes and appetites you bring to the world." – Matthew Scully, quoted by Ben ([00:35:00])Why start theology with children and people with disabilities ([00:48:00])Horses have vocations too: understanding agency, refusal, and partnership ([01:06:00])How Ben's son, initially disabled, became a theological teacher ([01:36:00])📚 Books, Thinkers, and Movements Mentioned:Thomas Berry – *The Sacred Universe *https://amzn.to/4ltj1rJDavid Clough – *Creaturely Theology *https://amzn.to/4kbRslFVictoria Loorz – Church of the Wild (and the Wild Church Network) https://amzn.to/4lx1GydMatthew Scully – *Dominion *https://amzn.to/4erqXr2Randy Woodley – Harmony Way & Indigenous Christianity https://amzn.to/4lv6UucPatty Krawec – *Becoming Kin *https://amzn.to/3TPCjvyFour Arrows – *Restoring the Kinship Worldview *https://amzn.to/4kazIXTDeb Rienstra – *Refugia Faith https://amzn.to/4khixUO *A Rocha USA (https://arocha.org)🛍️ Contact Ben Conner:Center for Disability and Ministry: https://westernsem.edu/center-for-disability-and-ministryFaculty Page: https://www.westernsem.edu/faculty/conner/Podcast: Disabling the Church🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com📲 Follow Us: Long Ride Home: Website: https://longridehome.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehomeNew Trails Learning Systems: Website: https://ntls.co Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems📊 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate tracking. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the show.
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    1 hr and 59 mins
  • Occult Philosophy, Rationalism & Esoteric History with Dr. Justin Sledge - EP 30

    Occult Philosophy, Rationalism & Esoteric History with Dr. Justin Sledge - EP 30
    Jun 19 2025

    "The foundation of Western rationalism? A series of mystical dreams."


    Artist, philosopher, and occult scholar Dr. Justin Sledge joins Rupert Isaacson to illuminate a forgotten dimension of Western thought. With over 870,000 YouTube followers on his channel Esoterica, Dr. Sledge has built a global audience passionate about the academic study of magic, mysticism, and esotericism. In this fast-moving and rigorously researched conversation, Justin pulls back the curtain on the mystical roots of rationalism, the dream logic behind Descartes, and how occult traditions shaped the very sciences that claim to have left them behind.

    Why should we care? Because the stories we’re told about history shape the world we live in now—and as it turns out, much of what we consider to be modern, empirical, or secular is deeply rooted in visions, divine languages, and hermetic transmissions.

    🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

    • Why Descartes founded modern philosophy after a mystical dream ([00:14:58])
    • How John Dee “downloaded” an angelic language and changed history ([00:11:15])
    • What Judaism really says about the afterlife—and how it’s changed over time ([01:44:00])
    • Why ancient aliens and Atlantis myths persist despite zero evidence ([01:02:29])
    • The origins of Western esotericism and how they shaped Newton, Leibniz, and Spinoza ([00:13:00])
    • Why witch trials targeted women, but occultist men survived with status ([00:50:00])
    • How occult philosophies were hidden in plain sight in Enlightenment thinking ([01:10:00])
    • What Gobekli Tepe, Egyptian afterlife myths, and Enochian grammar have in common ([01:22:00])
    • The mystical tension between religious tradition and rational skepticism ([01:33:00])
    • How Justin grew a massive global audience for deep esoteric study on YouTube ([02:00:10])


    🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

    • "If you wake up in heaven, you should be angry. That’s hell." ([01:36:01])
    • Justin describes reading 16th-century Latin texts as a teenager ([00:11:15])
    • Rupert confronts academia’s discomfort with magic’s role in rationalism ([00:20:00])
    • Justin explains why he believes religion creates meaning—not literal truths ([00:27:00])
    • A conversation about Yahweh’s evolution from tribal god to sole deity ([00:40:00])
    • Justin's take on Gobekli Tepe and why its burial is stranger than its building ([01:22:00])
    • How Judaism splits the afterlife timeline: Sheol, Heaven, Reincarnation ([01:44:00])
    • "The past isn’t dead. It’s not even past." – William Faulkner quoted ([02:14:00])

    📚 Books, Films, Causes & Contact:

    Dr. Justin Sledge: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheEsotericaChannel
    Website: https://www.justinsledge.com/
    Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/esotericachannel
    Rare Bookstore: https://www.esotericaoccultbooks.com/
    Study Guide: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1caKNlW7sogEF7lAeYNbOQF9pt5O5b70yAXa-icUJO3o/


    Related Episodes: Craig Foster – My Octopus Teacher & Amphibious Soul: https://youtu.be/X1-tZ_XhvUo
    Emelie Cajsdotter – Talking to Forest Spirits: https://youtu.be/YOUR-LINK-HERE
    Warwick Schiller – Journey On Podcast: https://youtu.be/sTeXpmGc8Ls


    🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows: Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

    📲 Follow Us:

    Long Ride Home:
    Website: https://longridehome.com
    Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
    YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

    New Trails Learning Systems:
    Website: https://ntls.co
    Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
    YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

    🎧 Browse Our Playlists: Live Free Ride Free: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUcRPFFblvSlyVsZX682F63uQ5WpiZNfu
    Equine Assisted World: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL8f9kQxaWe5Fv25usp3pXM9rLZR2VyUYz

    💡 Affiliate Disclosure: Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.
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    2 hrs and 16 mins
  • Rewilding, Regenerative Farming & Imagination with Nick Viney | Ep 29 Live Free Ride Free

    Rewilding, Regenerative Farming & Imagination with Nick Viney | Ep 29 Live Free Ride Free
    Jun 5 2025

    Artist, regenerative grazier, and rewilding facilitator Nick Viney joins Rupert Isaacson for an expansive conversation from the wilds of Dartmoor to the edges of imagination. With boots-on-the-ground wisdom from 20 years of land restoration, livestock management, and community-building, Nick makes a compelling case for restoring ecosystems through play, art, and radical listening. This episode is a masterclass in how to bring trees back, slow the water, and let the wild shape us.

    🔍 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

    • The forgotten role of imagination in restoring landscapes (Starts at [00:03:00])
    • How regenerative grazing works and why it's not “just moving cows” (Starts at [00:12:36])
    • A real-world experiment: 40 years of non-grazed land on Dartmoor (Starts at [00:31:16])
    • The critical role of beavers and why they’re returning to the UK (Starts at [00:47:00])
    • Why reintroducing wolves might be inevitable — and good for everyone (Starts at [01:13:00])
    • How art can spark environmental change and communicate complexity (Starts at [01:27:00])

    🎤 Memorable Moments from the Episode:

    • How she revived her artistic self after years of working for others ([00:02:00])
    • Nick describes the joy of animals grazing fresh pasture every day — "It's pristine every single day" ([00:12:36])
    • Rupert and Nick debate whether Britain is still a forest landscape or not ([00:19:25])
    • What a bramble patch teaches us about songbirds and tree nurseries ([00:32:00])
    • The haunting power of glow worms and how they reflect land recovery ([01:45:00])

    📚 Books, Films, Causes & Contact:

    Websites:

    • Nick Viney Art & Projects: https://nickviney.co.uk
    • Glamping & Land Connection: https://rewildingfutures.co.uk
    • Beaver Watching & Rewilding Coombeshead: https://rewildingcoombeshead.co.uk

    Other Rewilders Mentioned:

    • Róisín Campbell-Palmer
    • Gerhard Schwab (Bavaria)
    • Derek Gow (UK)

    Books:

    • Wilding: The Return of Nature to a British Farm by Isabella Tree – https://amzn.to/43j3Dbj

    Conferences:

    • "If Not Now, When: See Beyond" (July 25–27, 2025) – Rewilding Coombeshead
    • Rewilding Coombeshead Conference by Derek Gow (July 26–27) – https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/keep-it-wild/t-kraexje

    🌍 See All of Rupert’s Programs and Shows:

    • Website: https://rupertisaacson.com

    📲 Follow Us:

    Long Ride Home:

    • Website: https://longridehome.com
    • Facebook: https://facebook.com/longridehome.lrh
    • Instagram: https://instagram.com/longridehome_lrh
    • YouTube: https://youtube.com/@longridehome

    New Trails Learning Systems:

    • Website: https://ntls.co
    • Facebook: https://facebook.com/horseboyworld
    • Instagram: https://instagram.com/horseboyworld
    • YouTube: https://youtube.com/newtrailslearningsystems

    💡 Affiliate Disclosure:

    • Links to books and products may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission if you make a purchase through these links. This does not affect the price you pay and helps support the podcast.
    Show More Show Less
    2 hrs and 1 min

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