In this episode of the Breath of Life podcast, Yulia talks with Wendy Peterman, a forest soil scientist and conservationist with over 20 years of experience working in land management and environmental systems.

We explore what forests can teach us about regeneration, resilience, and working with complexity rather than against it. The conversation moves between science and lived experience touching on nature connection, empathy, leadership, conservation work, and what happens when human systems forget they are part of living systems.

00:00 Growing up in forests and early belonging
04:20 Nature connection and “nature deficit disorder”
07:40 Soil, humus, and the role of decomposition
10:30 Forests as home, regulation, and perspective
14:10 Complexity, interdependence, and forest systems
18:00 Science, empathy, and holistic thinking
22:45 Human systems vs. living systems
27:05 Leadership, listening, and adaptability
31:20 Forests, resilience, and learning from failure
35:30 Apex predators, balance, and power
41:45 Disconnection, domination, and modern culture
46:00 Forest Thinking and practical applications
52:10 Closing reflections

Wendy Peterman is a forest soil scientist and conservationist with more than two decades of experience working in land management and environmental systems. She grew up in the forests of Northern California and has spent her career studying soil, forest ecology, and complex living systems. Today, she supports grassroots and conservation organizations in developing resilient structures that honor relationship, balance, and regeneration. She is the author of Forest Thinking.

→ Wendy on Substack: https://substack.com/@wendybrd

→ Pattern Synthesis webpage: https://patternsynthesis.com/

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life on Substack
https://substack.com/@yuliabogdanova

→ Connect on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuliabogdanova/

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/

In this Life in Flow episode, I spoke with Kat van Oudheusden about non-duality—the idea that the “separate self” we work so hard to manage might not be real. And on ways to step beyond the illusion of a separate self.

Time codes:

00:00 Introduction & What Is Non-Duality?

06:00 The Illusion of Separation

09:00 Awareness and the Nature of Reality

14:57 Leadership and Letting Go of Control

20:55 Thinking, Identity & the Role of Inquiry

27:13 Living Beyond the Illusion

32:58 Final Reflections & Closing

🔗 Links & Resources:
→ Kat on Substack: https://dailynonduality.substack.com/

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life on Substack
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/about

→ Berlin Breath Walks
Slow walks using breath and forest presence to recalibrate your nervous system.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/p/berlin-breath-walks

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/

In this episode, Yulia talks with philologist, philosopher, and writer Eugene Terekhin about the energy and other unseen powers of spoken language.

They explore how words are more than data, how sound shapes matter, why language can act like spells, and how Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and the Inklings saw language as a doorway into the unseen. The conversation weaves together philosophy, creativity, spirituality, and practices for re-enchanting our daily lives.

00:00 The Energy of Spoken Language
06:49 Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and the Inklings on Language
11:16 Words as Living Energy
16:00 Attunement and Sensing Through Language
22:20 Magic, Technology, and Elvish Tongues
30:59 Sub-creation and Creativity
39:01 Prayer as Breath and Response
43:45 Words as Spells
47:09 Re-enchantment Practices

About the guest

Eugene Terekhin is a philologist, philosopher, and translator with a background in English and German linguistics and philology. Author of Eleven Hidden Gems in the Works of the Inklings: The Music of Iluvatar in the Worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Owen Barfield

→ Eugine on Substack: https://eugeneterekhin.substack.com/

→ Eugine’s bookstore: https://restandtrust.org/

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life on Substack
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/about

→ Berlin Breath Walks
Slow walks using breath and forest presence to recalibrate your nervous system.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/p/berlin-breath-walks

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/

In this episode, Yulia talks with Elina Kieft, a Qigong teacher, a shamanic practitioner, dancer, and anthropologist.

They explore the body as a place of knowing, a bridge between self and nature. Elina shares her journey from dance and anthropology to Qigong and shamanic work, and how movement, breath, and imagination connect us to the life force that flows through all things. The conversation touches on animism, embodied consciousness, empathy, archetypes, and the wisdom of trees and animals as teachers.

00:00 The Body as a Place of Knowing
05:40 Dance, Nature, and Early Curiosity
10:30 Remembering Lost Senses and Intuitive Knowing
15:40 Sensitivity, Pain, and Living in a Human Body
20:05 The Alchemy of Qigong
26:15 Animals, Elements, and Seasons as Teachers
31:10 Shape-shifting and Embodied Empathy
34:20 Archetypes as Patterns of Energy
37:25 The Body’s Literacy and Ways of Perceiving
43:30 Learning Through the Body
45:30 Simple Practices to Reconnect — The Wisdom of Trees

About the guest:

Elina Kleft is a shamanic practitioner, dancer, anthropologist, and Qigong teacher. Born in the Netherlands and having lived across Europe and Africa, she brings together movement, nature connection, and embodied awareness. Her work explores how breath, body, and imagination can open us to a deeper relationship with the world. She teaches Qigong, mentors individuals, and leads programs that draw on movement, archetypes, and the natural elements.

→ Eline on Substack: https://elinekieft.substack.com/

→ Eline’s webpage: https://www.elinekieft.com/

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life on Substack
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/about

→ Berlin Breath Walks
Slow walks using breath and forest presence to recalibrate your nervous system.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/p/berlin-breath-walks

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/

In this episode, I join hosts Lisa and Ryan on the Synergy podcast to explore a familiar topic—innovation and leadership—through an unfamiliar lens: nature as a catalyst for transformation.

I share a pivotal experience training with Wim Hof (the Iceman)—climbing a Polish mountain in −15 °C—and how breathwork, somatic practice, and time in wilderness reshaped my understanding of change, creativity, and leadership.

🌱 What We Explore

Emergent innovation vs. “hero” brainstorming: why sensing, play, and co-creation often outpace overthinking.

Being like water: embracing fluid identities, cross-pollination, and regeneration over rigid image-keeping.

Pattern recognition in the wild: how nature’s systems inspire product, team, and organizational design.

Restorative routines: sitting to “seed” place, taking unstructured walks, and storytelling to restore focus and presence.

AI and the natural mind: how technology can flatten ideas—and how natural systems (birch, fungi, watersheds) can help us think in living patterns.

💡 Why It Matters

If you’re a leader, innovator, or systems thinker ready to trade pressure for presence—and compliance for commitment—this conversation explores how the natural world can become a powerful co-creator and R&D partner in the way we work and lead.

→ Synergy Podcast:

https://open.spotify.com/show/24exp6AxzfoR1uw6vaDZql?si=902324d2d2e14303

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life on Substack
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/about

→ Berlin Breath Walks
Slow walks using breath and forest presence to recalibrate your nervous system.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/p/berlin-breath-walks

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/

In this episode, Yulia talks with Charlotte Rogg, a death doula, artist, and educator exploring the cycles of nature, grief, and renewal.

Charlotte talks about what the seasons can teach us about living and dying — how change, decay, and rest are all part of the same cycle. She shares ways to notice the world through the senses, to find meaning in darkness, and to let winter and stillness do their work. We also talk about death care, grief, and belonging, and how staying close to the natural world can help us meet all of it with more courage and resilience.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Death and Nature

07:21 The Role of Mushrooms in Life and Death

10:56 Understanding Seasons Through a Death Doula's Lens

16:14 Navigating Life Transitions with Seasonal Awareness

21:19 Embracing Darkness and Winter

26:42 The Importance of Community in Seasonal Changes

32:02 Launching the Mail Club for Seasonal Connection

About the guest

Charlotte Rogg is a death doula, artist, and educator based in Boston. She works with people around death, grief, and change, and explores how the natural world mirrors those experiences. Charlotte sees her work as a way of staying close to the rhythm of life — noticing how everything moves through cycles of growth, stillness, loss, and renewal, and helping others find their own way of being with that.

→ Charlotte on Substack: https://metamorphosisworks.substack.com/

→ Charlotte’s webpage: https://www.charlotterogg.com/

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life on Substack
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/about

→ Berlin Breath Walks
Slow walks using breath and forest presence to recalibrate your nervous system.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/p/berlin-breath-walks

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/

"We are our relationships."

Yulia speaks with Monika Jiang about loneliness as a systemic issue, not a personal flaw. They explore how culture, tech, and work shape disconnection, why silence builds trust, and what the lost word “oneliness” reveals. Monika shares practices from the Oneliness Project and her Berlin community dinners.

Chapters:

00:00 Monika's Journey: Understanding Loneliness

04:50 The Misconception of Loneliness

07:15 Acknowledging Loneliness: A Shared Experience

09:04 Curiosity and Care: Approaching Loneliness

12:27 The Importance of Feeling: Slowing Down

14:50 Oneliness vs. Loneliness: A Linguistic Perspective

18:20 Interdependence in Everyday Life

22:59 The Roots of Loneliness: Technology and Environment

27:09 The Search for Connection in a Fast-Paced World

30:26 Work Culture and Its Impact on Loneliness

36:23 Navigating Technology and Loneliness

39:28 The Consequences of Loneliness in Society

46:06 Creating Community Through Shared Experiences

🔗 Links & Resources:
→ Monika on Substack: https://oneliness.substack.com/
→ The Oneliness Project: https://www.monikajiang.org/

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life (Substack)
Creating experiences of interconnectedness—with ourselves, others, and the world.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/about

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/

→ Berlin Breath Walks
Slow walks using breath and forest presence to recalibrate your nervous system.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/p/berlin-breath-walks

In this episode, Yulia talks with Nikos Nikolaou—writer, spearfisher, cyclist—about adventure not as an activity, but as a way of being. Nikos shares how engaging with wild places, physical challenge, and deep conversation brings him back to what feels real.

Chapters:

00:00 – What adventure means and why it matters

04:00 – Spearfishing explained: breath-holding, precision, and instinct

11:40 – The freshness of the real: what screens can’t replace

17:00 – Fulfillment, purpose, and feeding your family

22:30 – Weekend adventures as antidote to overload

28:00 – How conversation can also be an adventure

33:00 – Noticing tracks, following curiosity, and expanding awareness

🔗 Links & Resources:
→ Nikos on Substack: https://substack.com/@nikosnikolaou

Stay in touch:
→ The Breath of Life on Substack
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/about

→ Berlin Breath Walks
Slow walks using breath and forest presence to recalibrate your nervous system.
https://yuliabogdanova.substack.com/p/berlin-breath-walks

→ Nature Flow Lab
Outdoor, experiential sessions for teams to approach complex challenges through engaging with nature and a shift in mental state.
https://natureflowlab.com/