In this episode, I’m joined by Amanda Freeman, Energy Coach and Facilitator. Amanda speaks about how her experience with disability and adult education taught her the value in supporting individual needs in learning environments. She also talks about the power of reiki as a tool for healing for kids as well as adults.
Amanda helps purpose-driven well-being professionals and therapists develop both the confidence and the go-forward plan to reach their most cherished life and career goals. In safe, sacred space they conquer fears, clear energy blocks, and develop sky-high confidence in order to make powerful, intuitive life and career decisions.
An adult educator, experienced Reiki Master and parent of teenagers, Amanda understands how important it is to cater for diverse learner needs and meet people where they are at.
Your homework:
Further learning related to this episode/references:
Learn more at teacherhealer.com
Music by Twisterium from Pixabay.
ZeroCo
Ditch single-use plastics
In this episode, I’m joined by Amanda Freeman, Energy Coach and Facilitator. Amanda speaks about how her experience with disability and adult education taught her the value in supporting individual needs in learning environments. She also talks about the power of reiki as a tool for healing for kids as well as adults.
Amanda helps purpose-driven well-being professionals and therapists develop both the confidence and the go-forward plan to reach their most cherished life and career goals. In safe, sacred space they conquer fears, clear energy blocks, and develop sky-high confidence in order to make powerful, intuitive life and career decisions.
An adult educator, experienced Reiki Master and parent of teenagers, Amanda understands how important it is to cater for diverse learner needs and meet people where they are at.
Your homework:
Further learning related to this episode/references:
Learn more at teacherhealer.com
Music by Twisterium from Pixabay.
ZeroCo
Ditch single-use plastics
00:00:00 Janine
Amanda Freeman is an energy coach and facilitator who helps purpose driven well being.
00:00:06 Janine
Professionals and therapists develop confidence and skills to reach their most cherished life and career goals.
00:00:12 Janine
When she's not holding space for her clients, you'll find her walking in the forest snuggling her pup, swimming, drinking, herbal teas.
00:00:20 Janine
Or learning about all things, healing, spirituality, conscious business and personal growth.
00:00:25 Janine
Listen to U.S.
00:00:26 Janine
chat about Amanda experiences with energy healing.
00:00:29 Janine
How battling an injury throughout her high school years affected her experience of mainstream schooling and learn from her experience gained by teaching adults in her private.
00:00:50 Janine
Amanda welcome to the teacher healer podcast thanks so much for joining us.
00:00:55 Amanda
Well, thank you for having me.
00:00:56 Amanda
I'm very feel very privileged to be here chatting to you today.
00:01:01 Janine
Well, it's really nice to have someone come on the podcast who's got a good connection with me we.
00:01:07 Janine
Got a bit of.
00:01:07 Janine
A history together.
00:01:09 Janine
So I'm really excited to dig in and have some really good conversation.
00:01:14 Janine
Now you are a private adult educator and an energy coach.
00:01:19 Janine
Would you mind just for the audience who doesn't know what that means?
00:01:23 Janine
Just filling us in a little bit about what you do?
00:01:26 Amanda
Yeah, sure, Umso energy coach kind of is so far the best way I've been able to articulate the fact that I work both with energy and also with the practicality, particularly in the work I do.
00:01:41 Amanda
I work a lot with professionals a lot with small business.
00:01:43 Amanda
Owners along with proof.
00:01:46 Amanda
With entrepreneurs and what I found is that my journey originally started as a uh, Reiki channel.
00:01:52 Amanda
So I think I'll probably have to explain a bit more about.
00:01:54 Amanda
That a little bit later.
00:01:56 Amanda
But as a hands on healing therapist and what happened is that as I started.
00:02:02 Amanda
To treat more.
00:02:03 Amanda
People people were like, oh, how do I learn?
00:02:05 Amanda
This so I was like OK.
00:02:07 Amanda
Well, I'll go and learn how to teach and then I'll come back and I'll teach you and so that's what I did.
00:02:14 Amanda
And so I kind of just followed these universal bread crumbs.
00:02:17 Amanda
If you like and moved from very much holding space for people as a healer to teaching them how to heal themselves and.
00:02:25 Amanda
How to self regulate and do self healing and then a lot of my clients then went well.
00:02:31 Amanda
Actually I'm really enjoying this and I want to start teaching.
00:02:34 Amanda
So how do?
00:02:34 Amanda
I learn how to be a practitioner or how?
00:02:36 Amanda
Do I learn?
00:02:36 Amanda
How to be a teacher and that was when I sort of began to crossover into more supporting small business owners and entrepreneurs.
00:02:43 Amanda
'cause I.
00:02:43 Amanda
Was actually teaching.
00:02:45 Amanda
The skills of of how to be a healer but not how to then run a business.
00:02:51 Amanda
And I think it's often assumed that if you're passionate about something and you're good at something that you know how to turn that into a business.
00:02:58 Amanda
And what I found very quickly was that that's not the case, and so probably in about 2015.
00:03:05 Amanda
I really moved into working a lot with small business owners and professionals and that.
00:03:14 Amanda
That meant that probably the last seven years I've more and more started working in this.
00:03:20 Amanda
That arena, which blends steal the energy healing and the skills that I, you know, have had right from when I started my business in 2010 to also coaching and mentoring.
00:03:31 Amanda
So a lot more of that practical stuff like OK, what are the solutions we need to find?
00:03:35 Amanda
What are the mindset blocks here going on?
00:03:38 Amanda
And also, what are the energetic aspects that are coming into play?
00:03:42 Amanda
That's it in a nutshell.
00:03:46 Janine
Cool story, so you've kind of fully into it a little bit by people making a lot of requests about, you know to learn more, which is really exciting.
00:03:55 Janine
So it sounds like people are really interested in in what you're doing.
00:03:59 Janine
And so just to go back to the the Reiki practitioner, can you tell us a little bit about Reiki?
00:04:06 Janine
For those who don't know what that is?
00:04:07 Amanda
Yeah, sure.
00:04:09 Amanda
So Reiki is an ancient Japanese healing technique.
00:04:13 Amanda
I came across it when I was 20, so I had a an accident when I was 11 and had spent you know many many years looking for modalities to sort of support me in my healing and UM came across Reiki.
00:04:29 Amanda
Someone just said one.
00:04:30 Amanda
Time or if.
00:04:30 Amanda
You ever tried Reiki before?
00:04:31 Amanda
I'm like.
00:04:32 Amanda
Oh no, I haven't.
00:04:34 Amanda
Why not?
00:04:35 Amanda
And I had a really intense experience, kind of like in a hard moment of OK everything is gonna be OK within that.
00:04:43 Amanda
Uhm, session and.
00:04:46 Amanda
And as a result.
00:04:48 Amanda
You know, sort of learned it from my own healing to support my own journey and overtime to sort of found people were asking me if I.
00:04:55 Amanda
Could give them.
00:04:56 Amanda
Reiki and whatnot.
00:04:58 Amanda
And that's how that sort of came about, but.
00:05:01 Amanda
In, in essence, what?
00:05:03 Amanda
It is is the channeling of energy through your hands.
00:05:07 Amanda
And UM, giving it to either yourself.
00:05:10 Amanda
Or to someone else so.
00:05:12 Amanda
When I say the channeling of energy, it's it's the premise that Reiki is universal.
00:05:17 Amanda
Life Force energy is the energy that's all around us and that when we are giving healing using Reiki, we're not trying to fix someone or we're not trying to take anything away.
00:05:26 Amanda
We're not trying to.
00:05:28 Amanda
Uhm, do anything.
00:05:29 Amanda
As a practitioner, we're literally just giving the energy.
00:05:32 Amanda
That's all around us and sort of channeling it in a really focused.
00:05:36 Amanda
Fashion for that person, energy or our own energy.
00:05:40 Amanda
To then do what it needs to do to reach that equilibrium again so.
00:05:44 Speaker 4
I really loved that.
00:05:45 Amanda
Because I've always been a big believer in, you know, self sovereignty and being responsible for and healing.
00:05:51 Amanda
And and I never really.
00:05:54 Amanda
As a result, I've never really called myself a healer per say because.
00:05:57 Amanda
I feel like a bum.
00:06:01 Amanda
I feel like.
00:06:03 Amanda
This idea of we're just given this beautiful energy and our bodies will do it what it needs really resonated with me.
00:06:09 Amanda
So that's why I ended up sort of falling in love with it.
00:06:13 Janine
I think so.
00:06:15 Janine
That's cool.
00:06:16 Janine
I know like these days.
00:06:17 Janine
A lot of people are really happy sort of talking about.
00:06:21 Janine
I love your energy.
00:06:22 Janine
I can feel the vibes of this person, but it's a different concept altogether when you're talking about using the energy to heal.
00:06:32 Janine
Yeah, but it is getting more and more popular and I know like Gwyneth Paltrow has done a bunch of stuff on different energy healing modalities on goop lab, so maybe it's becoming a bit more mainstream now, but for the listeners so you know that's how I got in touch with Amanda is I wanted to learn more about Reiki.
00:06:47 Janine
I have my own experience at a music festival one time and my sister recommended.
00:06:52 Janine
There actually, she was one of her clients.
00:06:54 Janine
And yeah, so I I've done Reiki level 2 myself with Amanda and I gotta say, she's a fantastic teacher, so that's why we've got.
00:07:02 Amanda
Her here with us.
00:07:05 Janine
So back to you, Amanda.
00:07:08 Janine
I know like we're in education podcasts here as well, so you know our business is kids and schools, but I was really interested to talk to you because of you've got that healing element and you do have that adult education experience.
00:07:20 Janine
And so I'm keen to hear a little bit about what you think Reiki has to offer to children.
00:07:27 Janine
And I know that you've introduced Reiki to young children before and your own children.
00:07:32 Janine
So what has that experience been like?
00:07:35 Amanda
Uhm, I think look Reiki I kind of I.
00:07:40 Amanda
I remember when we were sort of talking about what we discussed in in this podcast interview I.
00:07:46 Amanda
You know Reiki is a term for something that we all have inherently within us.
00:07:50 Amanda
Anyway, in every culture there is.
00:07:52 Amanda
If someone hurts himself or if someone sad, what do we do?
00:07:55 Amanda
We hug.
00:07:56 Amanda
Then we we rub their backs.
00:07:58 Amanda
We you know we put our hands on to others and onto ourselves to soothe so you know, most cultures have a hands on.
00:08:06 Amanda
Healing technique.
00:08:08 Amanda
Uhm, I just happened to learn and and fall in love with Reiki.
00:08:12 Amanda
But you know, within every culture you'll find it mentioned.
00:08:17 Amanda
And so I think you know the.
00:08:21 Amanda
Probably in terms of bringing it to to children is the best thing and why.
00:08:26 Amanda
Why I think it's fabulous for children, particularly, you know kids who are struggling with self regulation regulation and things like that is that Reiki one of the best descriptions I've I've been given is if we think of when we're born, we're.
00:08:41 Amanda
Born with this brilliant beautiful white bright light within our ourselves like our soul or our true being or our true selves right?
00:08:50 Amanda
And then bit by bit you know someone you know.
00:08:53 Amanda
Tells us off.
00:08:54 Amanda
At some point and and you know, almost like a lampshade goes over that lot.
00:08:59 Amanda
And then we grow up a bit more and then maybe another trauma happens up another.
00:09:03 Amanda
Another lampshade, dims that light a little bit, and then we get older again.
00:09:07 Amanda
You know our teenage years and we shrink ourselves another lampshade and so.
00:09:10 Amanda
By the time we become an adult.
00:09:12 Amanda
There are so.
00:09:12 Amanda
Many layers covering this light that's always been there out in a Reiki.
00:09:16 Amanda
If you like always there.
00:09:18 Amanda
We didn't need an initiation or.
00:09:20 Amanda
A workshop to to have that.
00:09:21 Amanda
Unfold always been there, but it's so cover.
00:09:24 Amanda
Up from, you know, trying to protect ourselves or navigate.
00:09:27 Amanda
Challenges that we've.
00:09:29 Amanda
Become disconnected from it and and the truest example of this was when I ran a children class.
00:09:37 Amanda
And you know, I had all these expectations.
00:09:40 Amanda
Having run, you know, so many adult classes by that by this stage.
00:09:46 Amanda
You know, in my teacher journey.
00:09:48 Amanda
I sort of had.
00:09:49 Amanda
This real, you know.
00:09:51 Amanda
I guess thought of.
00:09:52 Amanda
How it was going to unfold?
00:09:53 Amanda
But the truth was these kids new Reiki already.
00:09:56 Amanda
They knew what it felt like.
00:09:57 Amanda
They were feeling energy before we even did any of the initiation process is like they they just knew it.
00:10:05 Amanda
It was, it was just.
00:10:07 Amanda
Present within them they could feel each others energy.
00:10:11 Amanda
They could feel their own energy they could articulate.
00:10:13 Amanda
What energy felt like in terms of how you know what energy felt like when they were sad?
00:10:19 Amanda
What energy felt like when they were?
00:10:20 Amanda
Happy what what?
00:10:21 Amanda
You know, feeling the energy we went outside and what did the energies of the trees feel like and how is that different?
00:10:28 Amanda
You know too.
00:10:30 Amanda
To themselves and I actually thought with an adult class at the end of the level 1 trainings we give Reiki to each other and I kind of thought you know these.
00:10:39 Amanda
The kids are probably too young and and maybe that wouldn't be appropriate.
00:10:44 Amanda
To to do.
00:10:45 Amanda
That they might be nervous about, you know, giving you know healing to someone else, and.
00:10:50 Amanda
They were like.
00:10:50 Amanda
So when do we get to jump on a table and give?
00:10:53 Amanda
It to.
00:10:54 Speaker 4
Other people like, hey, let's do it was better.
00:10:57 Speaker 4
In the work so myself and the.
00:10:58 Amanda
Other parents who were press.
00:11:00 Amanda
And, you know, jumped on and received this healing from these kids I.
00:11:04 Amanda
Think the youngest was six and the.
00:11:06 Amanda
Eldest was 12 and there was I.
00:11:08 Amanda
Think 8 of them.
00:11:10 Amanda
Up and there was no difference in the strength or the potency or the the.
00:11:18 Amanda
You know, the difference in the energy to.
00:11:21 Amanda
An adult that I've received Reiki from so it was.
00:11:23 Amanda
It was quite a phenomenal experience for me.
00:11:27 Amanda
To really see that.
00:11:30 Amanda
Description In action of you know kids.
00:11:33 Amanda
Just get it.
00:11:33 Amanda
When they're given that ability to.
00:11:37 Amanda
Have words and language around what they already inherently know.
00:11:40 Amanda
It's such a gift and and in the years following that, you know I'd get messages from time to time from the parents saying all such and such has got.
00:11:48 Amanda
Their first day.
00:11:48 Amanda
Of school and they said don't worry mum, I'm gonna give myself some Reiki before I go or such and such has been in hospital with tonsillitis.
00:11:55 Amanda
But you know.
00:11:56 Amanda
We did some Reiki beforehand and they felt really calm going in and it wasn't the drama.
00:12:01 Amanda
I thought it was going to be.
00:12:02 Amanda
And you know.
00:12:03 Amanda
It really was this experience.
00:12:05 Amanda
Of these kids, noticing when they needed extra support.
00:12:09 Amanda
And being able to give the.
00:12:11 Amanda
To themselves and to identify.
00:12:12 Amanda
Or what do I need right now?
00:12:14 Amanda
Oh, I need to stop and pause and really address that my energy is not feeling so great right now.
00:12:19 Amanda
And how cool that I you know?
00:12:21 Amanda
Yes, of course they still need their parents for that support and and other other people in their.
00:12:26 Amanda
Life, but they really all had this.
00:12:30 Amanda
Inner strength and this.
00:12:31 Amanda
Trusting themselves that you know that experience of Reiki.
00:12:35 Amanda
Gave them it.
00:12:36 Amanda
Gave them a language to describe what that looked like.
00:12:41 Janine
That is so cool and it got a great story and what a great example of children like.
00:12:48 Janine
You know, feeling empowered in themselves and connected.
00:12:51 Janine
To each other. Wow, yeah.
00:12:53 Janine
Love that.
00:12:56 Janine
I'm like I'm interested in hearing you talk about the language having the language to talk about things they already inherently know.
00:13:03 Janine
I've been looking into quite a bit about social emotional learning in the early years recently, and also consent education and and it's all about having the language.
00:13:15 Janine
To talk about.
00:13:16 Janine
Feelings and boundaries and personal experiences, the things that happen in our inner world and.
00:13:23 Janine
That's exactly what you're describing there, so that's really it's very cool skill to have.
00:13:28 Amanda
Oh so cool and my kids, you know my my oldest daughter was in that class.
00:13:33 Amanda
My youngest daughter actually taught her one to one.
00:13:37 Amanda
I didn't have a a class gathered at at the time that she felt she wanted.
00:13:42 Amanda
And you know, for both my kids, it was 100%, you know, a choice. They knew what I did.
00:13:46 Amanda
They've been around me and Reiki, and being, you know, recipients of that for many years and it was, you know, really up to them whether they wanted to or not, and.
00:13:57 Amanda
Again, that choice to be able to say, yeah, actually I'm.
00:14:00 Amanda
I'm curious about this and.
00:14:02 Amanda
And how, yeah, their own timing of of taking that step if they.
00:14:07 Amanda
Wanted to do was really cool to to just see.
00:14:10 Amanda
See how that unfolded.
00:14:11 Amanda
And again, it is.
00:14:12 Amanda
It's all about that consent.
00:14:13 Amanda
And I mean Reiki is very much like that anyway.
00:14:17 Amanda
It's all about.
00:14:18 Amanda
This again premise of.
00:14:20 Amanda
You know we're not.
00:14:21 Amanda
We're not trying to fix.
00:14:22 Amanda
Anyone with?
00:14:22 Amanda
We're just taking responsibility for ourselves, and if we are open to receiving and persons open to giving, then what, uh, you know what an empowering exchange for everybody.
00:14:34 Janine
That's cool, like I also heard you talk about the fact that this energy healing is so.
00:14:42 Janine
Present in so many different cultures around the world and has been so for a very long time and still is used.
00:14:50 Janine
And it just makes you sort of think about how how we skip that.
00:14:54 Janine
Like missed that bus.
00:14:56 Janine
Do you know what?
00:14:57 Janine
I mean when so many people in the world have access to this and use it as a gorgeous tool for themselves and their loved ones and their communities.
00:15:06 Janine
I, I think it's really great that it's becoming more and more popular in mainstream culture, Western culture and and I think for me it really helps me connect and understand a little bit more.
00:15:19 Janine
You know what?
00:15:19 Janine
First Nations Australian communities have to offer?
00:15:25 Janine
Yeah, because I know that you know Aboriginal healing is is starting to become more known about.
00:15:31 Janine
Yeah, and it's really nice that there isn't that same level of stigma that might have been around that topic and.
00:15:41 Janine
Yeah, that there's a connection that was.
00:15:42 Janine
That's something that we can share and learn from.
00:15:45 Amanda
Absolutely, and that's yeah, that's one of the examples that I definitely had front of mind.
00:15:50 Amanda
I've actually had a, uh, an Aboriginal healing.
00:15:54 Amanda
They're from South Australia the the healers that I had a session from and you know so similar in some ways.
00:16:01 Amanda
Terakki you know that touched that healing touch and different in in other ways as well.
00:16:06 Amanda
And one of my beautiful clients actually gave me a book which you know really goes into detail.
00:16:11 Amanda
They they share where the.
00:16:12 Amanda
Wisdom came from and how they use the practice.
00:16:15 Amanda
And it's just so beautiful.
00:16:16 Amanda
Like to think.
00:16:18 Amanda
Yeah, like we don't even necessarily need to learn Reiki.
00:16:22 Amanda
We can just trust our own.
00:16:24 Amanda
You know, out in a in a bright light and our inner self healing, you know to bring into our everyday.
00:16:32 Amanda
And I think you know.
00:16:34 Amanda
Schools are bringing mindfulness in.
00:16:36 Amanda
There are a lot of schools now that are bringing in.
00:16:38 Amanda
Things like yoga.
00:16:40 Amanda
Most schools I know my daughters are in high school, have a well being centre where they.
00:16:46 Amanda
You know, have safe spaces to go, so I think we're heading in the right direction with this stuff.
00:16:52 Amanda
I think it's we're moving into a space where it's not.
00:16:59 Amanda
Yeah, it's people are more able to talk about their energy or how they're feeling, what their needs are, and I don't think that was certainly not really present when.
00:17:10 Amanda
I was at school a.
00:17:11 Amanda
Long time ago.
00:17:13 Amanda
So yeah, you know, I just think the more tools we can give our young people.
00:17:19 Amanda
For that self soothing that self regulation the more.
00:17:24 Amanda
Or we're going to have self regulating adults and emotionally intelligent adults.
00:17:29
You know?
00:17:30 Janine
Umm I have a have a weird question I I don't know if you have a religious background but I was brought up Catholic and I know my primary education.
00:17:39 Janine
Majority of that was in the Catholic school and that would have been, you know, this sort of been a conversation.
00:17:44 Janine
It would have been quite frowned on, I think, even though I think if you re.
00:17:48 Janine
Read the story of the New Testament of Jason Story.
00:17:52 Janine
You kind of like well, come on now there's stared links here.
00:17:56 Janine
This man is an energy here.
00:17:57 Speaker 4
Yeah, Anton, who?
00:17:58 Janine
You know how is that?
00:18:00 Janine
A non Christian thing?
00:18:02 Janine
So do you have you met many people who are religious who've done Ricky or have opinions about Ricky and how they see that either connecting or opposing their beliefs?
00:18:12 Amanda
Yeah, not really.
00:18:13 Amanda
Interesting question actually and and quite quite funny because yeah, my one of my well my grandmother was Catholic.
00:18:21 Amanda
We weren't brought up Catholic much to her horror.
00:18:25 Amanda
She used to give my.
00:18:26 Amanda
Dad so much grief I think I.
00:18:28 Amanda
Was christened and then that was it, but a lot of my family are religious, and actually.
00:18:32 Amanda
One of my aunties is very heavily involved in the Catholic Church and she's a Reiki channel and has always been very open about that and so actually wasn't or isn't frowned upon in in.
00:18:42 Amanda
You know how she practices and I remember at one point I actually.
00:18:47 Amanda
In my sort of late teens dated someone who was very strict Christian and I just sort of come.
00:18:54 Amanda
Across Reiki and.
00:18:56 Amanda
I'm like come and learn it with me like this before I did my training and he's like I can't.
00:19:01 Amanda
You know it's not.
00:19:02 Amanda
It's not within sort of the boundaries of my faith, and my auntie actually sent me.
00:19:06 Amanda
This whole list.
00:19:07 Amanda
Of quotes from the Bible that speak to hands on healing and physician, heal myself and you know, like I'm.
00:19:14 Amanda
Like but look look in.
00:19:15 Amanda
The Bible.
00:19:16 Amanda
It's here.
00:19:16 Amanda
It's here.
00:19:16 Amanda
It's here.
00:19:17 Amanda
It's here, it's here, but he really dumb.
00:19:21 Amanda
Couldn't couldn't even consider that as as being you know.
00:19:26 Amanda
Acceptable as part of his.
00:19:27 Amanda
Faith so similarly I've had people come and train with.
00:19:31 Amanda
Me, who have had.
00:19:33 Amanda
Uhm, religious upbringing and have not been I, I guess struggled with the concept of Reiki, but more this concept of evil and witchcraft.
00:19:45 Amanda
And and the fact that it might fall.
00:19:47 Amanda
Into that category which is.
00:19:49 Amanda
Not what it is at all, it's a.
00:19:52 Amanda
Very, you know.
00:19:53 Amanda
Pure self.
00:19:55 Amanda
Orientated, you know there's no negative connotations at all in Reiki again, which is why I think I'm really drawn to it, but there was definitely.
00:20:04 Amanda
Some people over.
00:20:05 Amanda
The years have come and said, oh, I'm just worried that you know what?
00:20:08 Amanda
What about the bad energy?
00:20:09 Amanda
You know, if this is good energy, where's the bad sort of thing as a result of you know?
00:20:15 Amanda
Religious experiences that talk a lot about evil or.
00:20:19 Amanda
Evil spirits or things like that, so that's definitely come up a lot in the past.
00:20:25 Amanda
And then yeah, I guess there's people like myself who.
00:20:30 Amanda
Aren't really just that consider themselves sort of spiritual in that that that we feel a connection to something bigger than ourselves.
00:20:37 Amanda
And this is one way that.
00:20:39 Amanda
We can sort of connect into that our higher self and that I guess higher power yeah.
00:20:47 Janine
Yeah, thanks for clarifying some of that.
00:20:50 Janine
So it seems to be a bit of a mixed bag.
00:20:52
Yeah, oh gosh.
00:20:52 Janine
Depending on people doctrines and what they're believing and stuff.
00:20:56 Janine
I mean for me, I sort of it seems like obvious that it's very similar to the.
00:21:01 Janine
The gifts of the Holy Spirit that were given to the disciples after the resurrection.
00:21:05 Janine
Jesus seems very similar, so for me to have that conflict with religion is a bit of a shame and a bit confusing, but I can completely understand why some people.
00:21:14 Janine
You know it's hard to enter into something you really just don't understand, and the thing that I found when I discovered, or a key, or was able to do, you know, after having been into my first course with you, it, it didn't enter my imagination that this kind of thing was possible or real.
00:21:34 Janine
And and until you have that experience, you can't understand.
00:21:38 Janine
And so I've just at the point, I'm like well.
00:21:41 Janine
I can't now judge people who see ghosts.
00:21:44 Janine
I can't judge people who have other experiences that I haven't had because I haven't had it, but that doesn't make it not real for them.
00:21:53 Amanda
Yeah, and that's that's it in a nutshell, isn't it?
00:21:56 Amanda
We can, we can only go by our experiences and and probably I mean I was always brought up in a very.
00:22:02 Amanda
Some sort of open minded spiritual my dad side of the family particularly were you know, there was a quite a few hippies sprinkled in his enormous Irish Catholic family.
00:22:12 Amanda
And so we were always sort of, you know, open to herbs.
00:22:16 Amanda
And my Nana was always going with that hurt guard heard from the garden and like if she wasn't.
00:22:21 Speaker 4
Catholic I would have.
00:22:21 Amanda
Called her a kitchen witch because she was like.
00:22:23 Amanda
So deeply into medicinal herbs.
00:22:24 Speaker 2
Ha ha.
00:22:26 Amanda
And like the basil for concentration and that you know, come and have a look at this amazing crop of.
00:22:32 Amanda
Whatever beautiful lettuce and like she, she just had the most magic green thumb and just the most incredible garden.
00:22:41 Amanda
And that was her medicine, you know, so I.
00:22:45 Amanda
I remember I was.
00:22:47 Amanda
I was going to go with that, but I think for me it wasn't a big leap.
00:22:53 Amanda
It wasn't, it wasn't 'cause.
00:22:54 Amanda
I remember that first session I had.
00:22:56 Amanda
I mean, I've had so many manual therapies and healing therapies by that point to try and help me with the pain I was experiencing and I'd never had this experience.
00:23:03 Amanda
Like I, I was literally lying on the table.
00:23:05 Amanda
And she was.
00:23:06 Amanda
Doing the process and it was like a light went on in my heart space like like an actual light.
00:23:13 Amanda
And I felt oh everything is gonna be OK and I had been in a pretty dark place.
00:23:18 Amanda
Prior to that, so that in itself was significant, and then when I did my Loki one class, I, you know didn't consider myself very spiritual or I thought I'm going to be the one in this.
00:23:30 Amanda
Group that can't do this, you know?
00:23:34 Speaker 4
Yeah, something that all my in every single class everyone there's at least one person that goes.
00:23:38 Speaker 4
I'm surely going to be the one that this doesn't work for.
00:23:41 Amanda
That was me in my class.
00:23:43 Amanda
And sure, and I've had these incredible experiences of feeling energy and sensing things and and seeing things that I prior to that moment in time.
00:23:52 Amanda
Never would have thought would have been.
00:23:55 Amanda
Within my capacity to do so as just like a normal everyday person.
00:24:00 Amanda
So yeah, I think it's definitely something to be experienced.
00:24:04 Amanda
And even when I you know first started doing treatments, I remember having one one person come in and his wife had got a voucher and he.
00:24:14 Amanda
You know he had been having a rough time and so she.
00:24:16 Amanda
Sent him along.
00:24:17 Amanda
With that, just so absolutely no belief whatsoever that this.
00:24:20 Amanda
Was even gonna do anything.
00:24:22 Amanda
And he actually.
00:24:22 Amanda
Said that, he sat on the table and.
00:24:24 Amanda
He said just so.
00:24:25 Amanda
You know, I don't believe in.
00:24:26 Amanda
Any of this ship but my wife said it might help, so I'm gonna give it a go.
00:24:31 Amanda
No, like OK then this is going to be.
00:24:33 Amanda
Interesting, and by the time he.
00:24:35 Amanda
Left he was like.
00:24:37 Speaker 4
I don't even.
00:24:38 Amanda
Know what you just did, but.
00:24:41 Amanda
Wow wow like he was just kind of speechless 'cause he you know just thought it was all going to be a bunch of rubbish and and left feeling really.
00:24:50 Amanda
All the things that he needed to feel for his hearing at that.
00:24:53 Amanda
Time so it's yeah.
00:24:55 Amanda
It's always interesting to see how different people.
00:24:58 Janine
Yeah, yeah yeah, I think it just comes down to you.
00:25:00 Speaker 2
That was fun.
00:25:02 Janine
Just don't know what you don't know.
00:25:04 Janine
Are dumb.
00:25:06 Janine
And the more we're learning, the more we're being open to new things, which is pretty nice.
00:25:11 Amanda
It is and I think the reason.
00:25:12 Amanda
I love Reiki as well is.
00:25:14 Amanda
'cause it's very much doctrine free.
00:25:15 Amanda
So you can be whatever religion you want and still be a Reiki channel like there's no need to adhere to any particular you know practices in your life or.
00:25:27 Amanda
It's all about coming home to yourself.
00:25:29 Amanda
At the end of the day, you know it's all about just clearing things within your energy and clearing your mind and clearing your every every aspect of yourself so that light that inner light can just shine as brightly as as possible.
00:25:44 Amanda
So I think that's what I love about it too.
00:25:46 Amanda
It's you don't have to change who you are.
00:25:48 Amanda
You don't have to go.
00:25:49 Amanda
You have to meditate for five hours a day to use it.
00:25:52 Amanda
You don't have to become a vegetarian if you don't want to.
00:25:55 Amanda
Like you know what I mean like it's.
00:25:57 Amanda
Not a religion.
00:25:59 Amanda
And so it just makes it so accessible to people and I.
00:26:04 Amanda
I actually redid.
00:26:06 Amanda
My training with the Japanese teacher would be about five years ago now 'cause I was really curious to see what you know, having been taught by an an amazing Western teacher who had, you know, being learned by someone else who is from the West actually learn learn Reiki from someone who was Japanese and to ensure that you know.
00:26:25 Amanda
Was it appropriate?
00:26:26 Amanda
Made it even be practicing this and and teaching this.
00:26:29 Amanda
Given that I'm Australian like you know, cultural appropriation is something.
00:26:34 Amanda
I'm very aware of and never sort of wanted to.
00:26:39 Amanda
Yeah to to be doing that and he was just like everyone should.
00:26:44 Amanda
Have it like.
00:26:45 Amanda
Everyone needs Reiki like teach everybody like he.
00:26:49 Amanda
Was just like.
00:26:50 Amanda
This is we we need this in our world like in order for our world to change.
00:26:55 Amanda
I'm totally paraphrasing here, he's an incredibly.
00:26:57 Amanda
Uh, incredibly humorous, very humble, lovely teacher.
00:27:03 Amanda
Yeah, I really.
00:27:04 Amanda
I really loved that training, but it really gave me that sense of peace of OK, cool like it's OK that I do this as long as I'm saying true to the teachings.
00:27:15 Amanda
And you know, one, probably one of the things that.
00:27:18 Amanda
We tend to do in the West, around appropriation and, and this is rife with Reiki.
00:27:23 Amanda
That and this I do.
00:27:25 Amanda
You know, really struggle with is when people go.
00:27:26 Amanda
Well I've created.
00:27:27 Amanda
My own ranking it's called such and such Reiki and it's like, well, you've kind of been gifted.
00:27:32 Amanda
This teachings from this lineages that's from another culture and you know like create your own healing modality by all means.
00:27:40 Amanda
But if you're going to call it Reiki, then you really need to honor.
00:27:43 Amanda
That Lenny Edge otherwise that.
00:27:44 Amanda
Is kind of in my mind appropriation, so that's something that I've come across a lot and.
00:27:52 Amanda
Yeah, I find really challenging.
00:27:54 Amanda
Plus, you know a lot of things have moved online and and this really is such a such an experiential.
00:28:03 Amanda
Modality that to to move it completely online, particularly with the teaching I think, leaves a lot of room for missed learning and missed depth.
00:28:14 Amanda
There is a place for it in some ways, but I think, yeah, that's that's something that the world of Reiki is having to reckon with.
00:28:21 Amanda
Now with all with everything moving online.
00:28:23 Janine
But as well as everyone else.
00:28:25 Amanda
Yeah yeah, so finding how how do we honor that and how do we honor the the teaching?
00:28:30 Amanda
And how do we honor the sacredness of it and the fact that it is from a different.
00:28:35 Amanda
Culture to our own and also evolve with, you know, changing technology and changing circumstances like you know kovid.
00:28:44 Amanda
So it's yeah, it's a big kind of worms that one but.
00:28:48 Amanda
Yeah, yeah.
00:28:50 Janine
So it's actually really great that you know you you got an opportunity to do that to go to Japan and be taught by Japanese teacher.
00:28:57 Janine
Actually fits Accent and Melbourne.
00:28:58 Amanda
And it was in Melbourne he came to.
00:28:59 Amanda
Mum said well, he came to.
00:29:01 Janine
Melbourne either.
00:29:02
But I didn't have to travel.
00:29:02 Speaker 2
Even better.
00:29:08 Janine
And he said that everyone everyone should benefit from these.
00:29:10 Janine
That's pretty exciting, and I guess that's part of the reason I have you here on this podcast is to just what if it a little bit in terms of what?
00:29:19 Janine
What if this became part of mainstream education and our kids learned this from an early age and it was something that was quite.
00:29:28 Janine
Common and broadly taught what?
00:29:32 Janine
What benefits do you think that would bring to the kids and and to society?
00:29:38 Amanda
Gosh, I think first and foremost you know it would be that self autonomy that self soothing that ability to say.
00:29:45 Amanda
I'm not feeling great.
00:29:46 Amanda
I can put my hands on and just take a moment.
00:29:48 Amanda
You know, hands on my body, imagine the healing energy coming into my body and feel that energy and just calm myself.
00:29:56 Amanda
So I think that that self.
00:29:58 Amanda
Them self regulation would be a game changer but also compassion.
00:30:03 Amanda
Like I know before my my daughter was in well when my daughter was in Prep.
00:30:07 Amanda
My youngest, she came home one day and she said mum Maddie went home today.
00:30:12 Amanda
She had a sore tummy.
00:30:14 Amanda
I did give her some Reiki.
00:30:15 Amanda
It didn't help but I did try.
00:30:18 Amanda
And, uh, yeah she's she's gone.
00:30:22 Amanda
Home sick.
00:30:23 Amanda
And just this idea that you know 'cause obviously it through her childhood you know their own well.
00:30:27 Amanda
Would you like to make here?
00:30:28 Amanda
Yes please mum you know.
00:30:29 Amanda
Like just they're so used to when when they run well, that's that's what helps them feel better that she just had this from our heart.
00:30:37 Amanda
Just here, I'll.
00:30:38 Amanda
Give you some Reiki.
00:30:38 Amanda
Obviously asked her friends permission and her friend obviously said yes, we've always spoken about the fact you know that you don't just walk up to someone.
00:30:46 Amanda
Give them like yeah, it's always asking if you like it and if they say no respecting that.
00:30:47 Speaker 4
Cool math.
00:30:50 Amanda
Uhm, but I think.
00:30:52 Amanda
Again, like just that, that learning of of consent.
00:30:55 Amanda
Uhm, it's it's helpful for that.
00:30:57 Amanda
And yeah, just that compassion like the first thing she thought was.
00:31:00 Amanda
I can do something here I can.
00:31:02 Amanda
I can help my friend feel better.
00:31:04 Amanda
And you can imagine what what an impact that would have in a in an environment.
00:31:08 Amanda
You know when when kids are taught the appropriate.
00:31:12 Amanda
Way which is.
00:31:13 Amanda
You know Reg keys for ourselves first.
00:31:16 Amanda
You know, particularly with children, they're not really going to be trained at a level to give Reiki to others, but if someone, if you feel like someone needs some comfort.
00:31:24 Amanda
You can always ask them and say would you like me to hold your hand and give you some Reiki or would you like me to break your foot that you've just heard?
00:31:31 Amanda
Until the teacher gets.
00:31:32 Amanda
Here, or you know, like there's this real, this real possibility.
00:31:36 Amanda
Of of of that, compassion and care being.
00:31:41 Amanda
Yeah, I don't know.
00:31:43 Amanda
That's that's what I've witnessed with my own kids through their experience of it for sure.
00:31:50 Janine
That's lovely.
00:31:53 Janine
I know like you've talked a little bit about your injury and I just I wondered if you could unpack that a little bit in terms of.
00:32:01 Janine
Just so that the audience can understand a little bit better about how you found raking white helped you, but also you know what was it like being in school in in mainstream education when you were battling this?
00:32:17 Amanda
Yeah, well, I mean, I guess speaking to the first part for me come from the age of 11.
00:32:24 Amanda
You know right up until I came across Reiki I'd had practitioners do things to my body.
00:32:30 Amanda
So whether that be osteopath or chiropractor or physio's or Chinese medicine practitioners or whatever like I.
00:32:36 Amanda
Really felt like.
00:32:37 Amanda
Other people were.
00:32:40 Amanda
In control of my healing and I was just kind of bumbling along for the ride and hoping that something would help or something wouldn't make it worse, you know, and what I remember, you know so clearly from those initial sessions of Reiki was that she said, you know, you can learn this for yourself like you don't have to be coming here every week.
00:33:01 Amanda
Uhm, now that you know what it feels like.
00:33:03 Amanda
Now that you know.
00:33:04 Amanda
That it's helping you that you can.
00:33:06 Amanda
You can learn this yourself and so from that level it was incredibly empowering to think oh what I'm. I'm powerful enough to impact my own healing. And you know, I think I was like 1919 maybe 20.
00:33:21 Amanda
At that time, and that's a long time that's like 9 year.
00:33:24 Amanda
As of of basically feeling disempowered in my own body so and and as though my body was at the at the.
00:33:35 Amanda
Women of other others, and I think you know I don't think consent was a big thing back then either.
00:33:42 Amanda
And you know, when I reflect back on even that experience of having treatments from practitioners, there were times where something they were doing didn't feel OK.
00:33:51 Amanda
And as a trial they didn't feel.
00:33:56 Amanda
I didn't have the language to say, actually, I don't like that.
00:33:59 Amanda
I don't like it when you do that, you know, is there another way?
00:34:01 Amanda
I would just go well, they know best.
00:34:03 Amanda
They're the practitioner and I want.
00:34:05 Amanda
My back fixed so.
00:34:07 Amanda
So that that was, you know, I think that was why Reiki was so so powerful.
00:34:11 Amanda
Just having that permission to take ownership of my own healing journey.
00:34:16 Amanda
In in terms of having an injury like that as a kid again.
00:34:21 Amanda
It was tough because, you know, this is before there was, you know, legislation and wording in schools about inclusivity and you know meeting the needs of all children where they are.
00:34:36 Amanda
I mean, I'm sure that was spoken about, but I definitely don't remember hearing.
00:34:39 Amanda
OK, you've now got.
00:34:41 Amanda
An injury slash disability.
00:34:43 Amanda
Here's your.
00:34:44 Amanda
Support plan those words were never spoken to me.
00:34:46 Amanda
I got.
00:34:46 Amanda
Given a chair, a padded chair to sit on.
00:34:49 Amanda
There therefore I was really killed and othered by other kids.
00:34:52 Amanda
Help him sugars to sit.
00:34:53 Amanda
On the chair.
00:34:53 Amanda
Well, you know we're building.
00:34:55
Is in there, yeah?
00:34:55 Amanda
Floor and like here I am on this chair.
00:34:57 Amanda
Just wanting to be on the floor but physically unable to be on the floor 'cause the injury was to my coccyx bone.
00:35:02 Amanda
So I I couldn't sit on the hard floor.
00:35:04 Amanda
And and not really.
00:35:06 Amanda
Yeah, it wasn't.
00:35:07 Amanda
Even it wasn't sort of discussed like that.
00:35:10 Amanda
There would be children within the class that might have different sensory needs or different mobility needs or different learning needs.
00:35:20 Amanda
And I think I'm grateful that that's definitely changed.
00:35:24 Amanda
I mean, even you know, as a as a teacher of of Reiki and as a facilitator, facilitate sacred circles as well.
00:35:33 Amanda
And I've facilitated workshops and all things from stress to intuition to self care like.
00:35:40 Amanda
Motivation Cross Nation like all the above and I think one of the gifts of of teaching Reiki was that I learned very quickly that the style.
00:35:53 Amanda
Of teaching that I had been taught, which suited me very well, which was I'm going to stand up here and I'm going to talk to you and you're going to read the booklet and maybe write some notes and then at the end you'll have the knowledge.
00:36:04 Amanda
Well, I learned very quickly when I started teaching that not everyone could learn that way, and so I really have to vary.
00:36:14 Amanda
Very quickly adapt to so that everyone would leave with the same depth of understanding to be like.
00:36:20 Amanda
OK, so first we do it like that.
00:36:22 Amanda
Then we get up and we do some practice and.
00:36:25 Amanda
Practical practice so the kinesthetic learners go.
00:36:27 Amanda
Oh, now I get.
00:36:28 Amanda
It you know, or the people who you.
00:36:31 Amanda
Know have ADHD and.
00:36:32 Amanda
Who really can't?
00:36:33 Speaker 4
It's still for a four hour block before like.
00:36:36 Amanda
Break, you know, I really was able to kind of just learn very much on the go that what those different learning styles look like and the difference that was made in understanding when I was able to meet the students where they were at.
00:36:51 Amanda
I mean, I had some adults, you know, grown adults who.
00:36:56 Amanda
We're like really struggling with the writing components because they were told when they were at school.
00:37:00 Amanda
You know they were stupid, or maybe they didn't finish.
00:37:03 Amanda
High school so.
00:37:04 Amanda
This kind of sitting at a desk with pen and paper it just totally triggered these memories of you know, really unhealthy school.
00:37:11 Amanda
Ling techniques and and.
00:37:13 Amanda
So it was really.
00:37:15 Amanda
Awesome to go.
00:37:17 Amanda
OK, that's not working for you.
00:37:18 Amanda
How else can we do this so that you can understand this process and feel really confident in it so that that sort of thing wasn't there when I was a kid.
00:37:29 Amanda
So you know, by the end of the day, I might be in.
00:37:31 Amanda
Quite a significant amount of pain, but I couldn't say to the teacher.
00:37:34 Amanda
Hey, you know, after about 3 hours of sitting I'm in quite a lot of discomfort, so I'm I'm gonna need to really get up.
00:37:40 Amanda
And move around a bit if that's OK.
00:37:42 Amanda
Uhm, no, that wasn't a thing and.
00:37:46 Amanda
Even when I think to high school, when I first went to high school, I had one of those bag trolleys 'cause I used to have to catch the bus and.
00:37:54 Amanda
Ridiculous amount of bloody but books you'd have to carry and everyone thought it was the funniest thing here I am this tiny year seven with this school bag.
00:38:04 Amanda
Dragging this trolley and now.
00:38:06 Amanda
What are?
00:38:06 Amanda
All the suitcases and what do people do they've got.
00:38:08 Amanda
Bags on wheels don't.
00:38:09 Amanda
They don't give me.
00:38:10 Janine
You're an innovator, Amanda.
00:38:11 Amanda
I was an.
00:38:12 Amanda
Innovator for sure, I just didn't make any money.
00:38:14 Amanda
Out of it.
00:38:14 Amanda
I probably should have, you know, we should wish my parents.
00:38:17 Amanda
Were entrepreneurs at the time and went oh there?
00:38:19 Amanda
We go so stuff like that like that was really challenging for me.
00:38:23 Amanda
Like just getting to school was painful because I couldn't check my bag on my back like everyone else.
00:38:28 Amanda
Or, you know, attending school camp, there wasn't a conversation with.
00:38:32 Amanda
OK, so you've got.
00:38:33 Amanda
A A back injury.
00:38:36 Amanda
We're going on an adventure camp.
00:38:37 Amanda
There's gonna be hiking.
00:38:39 Amanda
You gotta carry all.
00:38:39 Amanda
Your own supply.
00:38:40 Amanda
Was how?
00:38:42 Amanda
How are we going?
00:38:43 Amanda
To navigate that for you.
00:38:44 Amanda
No, I was just really lucky that my bestie carried my bags as well as her bag.
00:38:49 Amanda
And you know, I had a lot of eye rolling.
00:38:52 Amanda
From the poor people.
00:38:53 Amanda
That were, you know, paired up with me in the the physical activities that I I was in.
00:38:59 Amanda
You know, didn't have the capacity for and.
00:39:01 Amanda
When I look.
00:39:01 Amanda
Back I think gosh, you know that there would have been so many ways that that those situations could have been handled differently.
00:39:09 Amanda
But again, I didn't have the language or the.
00:39:14 Amanda
The framework to go?
00:39:17 Amanda
Oh, so how?
00:39:18 Amanda
How will my well being be supported through this given I have this injury like that just wasn't wasn't conversations you had and of course when you think of being a teenager as well, you don't want to be different.
00:39:31 Amanda
You want more childhood really all through you don't want to be different.
00:39:34 Amanda
Everyone else, do you absolutely no.
00:39:35 Janine
I know.
00:39:37 Amanda
So I yeah, so I'm excited for the fact that a lot of this is more.
00:39:43 Amanda
Seems to be not more normalized.
00:39:45 Amanda
Watching my children go through the education system.
00:39:47 Amanda
There's definitely it's not executed.
00:39:51 Amanda
You know, I wouldn't say it's executed.
00:39:53 Amanda
That great all of the time, but that's hugely different to you know 30 years ago, which.
00:40:00 Speaker 2
Is which is exciting.
00:40:02 Amanda
And and I do think it's important.
00:40:03 Amanda
I think anything that's going to.
00:40:04 Amanda
Give our kids.
00:40:06 Amanda
Language to talk about how they're feeling.
00:40:08 Amanda
How to self regulate?
00:40:11 Amanda
You know what practices work for them, so for some people the idea of Reiki as a child might feel amazing.
00:40:16 Amanda
For other kids that might be, you know, permission to move about a little bit.
00:40:20 Amanda
You know in between teachings for other kids.
00:40:23 Amanda
Still, it might be having some quiet space to take themselves off to to regulate, like I don't think.
00:40:29 Amanda
Reiki is certainly not a you know.
00:40:33 Amanda
One one thing.
00:40:35 Amanda
Suits all sort.
00:40:36 Amanda
Of scenario by any means, but it is.
00:40:38 Amanda
It is one of many you know, really positive.
00:40:43 Amanda
Strategies that I think would be yeah, really.
00:40:46 Amanda
A really good thing to to bring in.
00:40:49 Amanda
Early to normalize.
00:40:52 Janine
Now let's pray suborder, our toolbox and if we can widen our thinking a little bit into into new areas that gives us more options, doesn't.
00:41:00 Amanda
100% and that's what it's all about and you know, with having worked with just and and trained so many people over the past 12 years, we're we're all just so different.
00:41:11 Amanda
And and when we get, when we find a way of doing something that suits us, it's like magic, isn't it?
00:41:20 Amanda
We can go, oh.
00:41:21 Amanda
This is the way you know this is the way like standing desks for some people.
00:41:25 Amanda
Oh my gosh.
00:41:27 Amanda
Well, she's been all.
00:41:27 Janine
I love him.
00:41:28
My life, you know.
00:41:28
Yeah, I love them.
00:41:31 Janine
All that sort of stuff.
00:41:33 Janine
That's so true, so I want to ask you, Amanda, as Amanda not as an energy code, you're tired for you, in in particular, to separate yourself from your work because it's so much a.
00:41:42 Janine
Part of your life.
00:41:44 Janine
But but Amanda.
00:41:46 Janine
Yeah, what is your wish for education?
00:41:50 Amanda
Uhm, I think yeah.
00:41:52 Amanda
From my own experiences and my my experiences with helping my kids never gave it.
00:41:57 Amanda
I think I would love it to be more fluid.
00:42:00 Amanda
I would love it to yes have.
00:42:02 Amanda
That based curriculum and things like that.
00:42:04 Amanda
But to really move on.
00:42:06 Amanda
From this kind of archaic.
00:42:09 Amanda
Uhm, system of we sit for, you know an hour 6 / 6 hours a day and you look at a board and you know how amazing would it be if it really you know did that that thing where OK sometimes we sit and learn and then we get up and we do something.
00:42:29 Amanda
Anesthetic and then so that each child needs through those you know, early years, particularly in particular, and met.
00:42:35 Amanda
And then imagine if that was able to be streamed into, then high school where the kids who.
00:42:42 Amanda
Learn in one particular way you can go in this stream and you know I mean that kind of does happen a little bit in high school in terms of.
00:42:48 Amanda
You know, vikesland.
00:42:50 Amanda
Apprenticeships and and and things like that.
00:42:52 Amanda
I think that's kind of been taken on board, but why is it taking until kids are in year 11 and 12 for for what they're saying they.
00:43:01 Amanda
Need to learn.
00:43:02 Amanda
Best to be listened to.
00:43:05 Amanda
Why isn't that happening?
00:43:06 Amanda
You know in grade four and five, why aren't we listening to our kids and saying I don't learn well that way and and changing it to encompass?
00:43:15 Amanda
You know the learning of emotional intelligence and and things like that, as as being as essential as.
00:43:23 Amanda
You know the things that they're currently being taught.
00:43:29 Janine
Yeah thanks so.
00:43:32 Janine
I guess as a healer.
00:43:35 Janine
Well, you know healing the planet is probably something on your mind, and I I know as well that you think a lot about climate change and.
00:43:44 Janine
Support for people with disabilities and and all sorts of UM, hot topics.
00:43:49 Janine
If you like that that are really, really important in our day and age, but.
00:43:54 Janine
I guess when you think about the education system and what it has to offer to that, like what do you think is the potential for education to heal the planet?
00:44:06 Amanda
Uhm, look, I think the kids today have a lot greater awareness than we did.
00:44:13 Amanda
I mean, when I was growing up it was all.
00:44:14 Amanda
About the ozone.
00:44:15 Amanda
Layer and I think we were pretty aware of that, but not much outside of.
00:44:20 Amanda
That I think kids today through the education system.
00:44:25 Amanda
Have have more of an understanding, but I.
00:44:28 Amanda
Also don't see a whole.
00:44:31 Amanda
Lot of of practical action like I know in primary school they had the compost and they had the chickens and they had the veggie garden and you get to high school and it's all that's all gone and I think what what magic it would be if that was continued.
00:44:48 Amanda
If this if this idea of you know involving them in.
00:44:51 Amanda
Ideas of how can we create a more sustainable world and what can we do in our school that's going to contribute to that?
00:44:59 Amanda
I think I almost feel like high schools aren't look we're having enough trouble keeping these kids engaged.
00:45:04 Amanda
We're going to have one.
00:45:04 Amanda
Been not going to have a recycling bin.
00:45:07 Amanda
We're not going to have a compost heap.
00:45:08 Amanda
We're not gonna have chicken like you know, kids.
00:45:11 Janine
Yeah, it's just.
00:45:12 Amanda
This total disconnect from all this you know, beautiful work that I'm seeing showing up in a lot of primary schools you get to.
00:45:21 Amanda
High school and.
00:45:22 Amanda
Yeah, so I think there's a big opportunity there.
00:45:25 Amanda
For for that to continue through and have our kids really take responsibility because they are going to be left with this mess.
00:45:32 Amanda
Is that the previous generations have kind of?
00:45:36 Amanda
Left us in for, you know, not necessarily consciously, but it's.
00:45:42 Amanda
Just it is what it is.
00:45:44 Amanda
Uhm, so yeah I think.
00:45:48 Amanda
There's a definite.
00:45:49 Amanda
There's a definite potential.
00:45:51 Amanda
And the exciting thing is.
00:45:52 Amanda
That with social media and things like that, kids are really stepping up.
00:45:56 Amanda
The ones who are passionate about healing our planet are stepping up and.
00:45:59 Amanda
Making an impact like.
00:46:02 Amanda
In ways that we never we.
00:46:04 Amanda
Never had the ability to.
00:46:05 Amanda
To do because we just didn't have those platforms, you know, so that that's hopeful you know.
00:46:13 Janine
Can I can I pick your brain just a
00:46:15 Janine
Tiny bit about.
00:46:17 Janine
What you would see, as you know what?
00:46:20 Janine
What would the ideal high school experience look like?
00:46:25 Amanda
Oh gosh, I think it would be, you know, recognizing the development of our children.
00:46:33 Amanda
So gosh, how long has research been out that kids need?
00:46:36 Amanda
Teenagers need longer sleep and are still drowsy in the morning.
00:46:40 Amanda
'cause of their melatonin levels?
00:46:42 Amanda
Like how long is that research been out and yet?
00:46:43 Janine
I'm still doing that.
00:46:45 Amanda
Yeah, and yet we're still sending our.
00:46:47 Amanda
Kids to school at.
00:46:48 Amanda
8 between 8:15 and 9:00 o'clock in the morning like.
00:46:52 Amanda
Uhm, yeah, so I guess the idea would be to really be working with the stage of development that they're at.
00:46:58 Amanda
It would be including self awareness, self regulation, not as a not as an add-on, but as something that's like integrated within.
00:47:10 Amanda
Uhm, the language?
00:47:11 Amanda
That's yeah, that's being that's just within the day and I think some schools I do try to do that.
00:47:18 Amanda
With things like you.
00:47:20 Amanda
Know, uh, Learning mentor class in the morning and having consistent teachers.
00:47:23 Amanda
And things like that so.
00:47:24 Amanda
I think that's already being done to some degree, but really having these.
00:47:28 Amanda
You know, like imagine if there was a tool kit that they had access to.
00:47:32 Amanda
They could choose to do, you know some Reiki they could choose to do a meditation.
00:47:37 Amanda
They could choose to do some mindful sandplay or whatever, and that's how they started their day.
00:47:43 Amanda
And you know before lunch there was a meditation break and then at the end of the day they did some stretching.
00:47:48 Amanda
Like imagine if all of these things which.
00:47:51 Amanda
We have evidence of.
00:47:52 Amanda
Being, you know.
00:47:54 Amanda
Good for growing brains and good for development.
00:47:56 Amanda
Good for stress.
00:47:58 Amanda
Imagine if you know this somehow that was integrated in what?
00:48:03 Amanda
A difference that would make.
00:48:07 Janine
Yeah, it sounds like something.
00:48:07 Amanda
So that was.
00:48:08 Amanda
That working lie yeah.
00:48:10 Janine
Something that should be in workplaces as well, and I know where I work at the moment.
00:48:14 Janine
We've certainly brought in meditation practices and things like that.
00:48:17 Janine
It's not all the time, yeah, but it makes a huge difference.
00:48:21 Amanda
Yeah, absolutely.
00:48:23 Amanda
It's proven to do that and we are.
00:48:26 Amanda
You know the the bottom line as our Prime Minister says, you know, we are, uh, can do capitalist society like we are conditioned to work, work work if you're not working, you're lazy.
00:48:37 Amanda
You're not contributing to society or not.
00:48:40 Amanda
You know, so there is this cultural, deep, deep cultural conditioning to work hard and so you know if our own Parliament and government.
00:48:51 Amanda
Is spouting that messaging, then we do have to say well of course it's going to then be hard.
00:48:58 Amanda
To get that.
00:48:59 Amanda
Through our
00:49:00 Amanda
Education system and things like that because.
00:49:03 Amanda
They're not saying we want.
00:49:05 Amanda
We want our Australians healthy and we want to really balance the work life we want.
00:49:10 Amanda
You know we want families to have quality time, so we raise, you know, supported children and we want to, you know, meet the needs of people with disabilities so that they can thrive as well as an able bodied person within.
00:49:22 Amanda
Any workplace like?
00:49:23 Amanda
We're not, they're not spouting that they're saying you know, we're capital of society and what is capitalism?
00:49:29 Amanda
It's get the work done at any cost.
00:49:33 Amanda
So I think that that makes it really hard and I.
00:49:37 Amanda
Think that's the reality of of why the change is so slow because.
00:49:44 Amanda
You know there's not that it's it's it's madding because there is all this research about it, but it's it's not being implemented in the Parliament workplace which doesn't even have HR.
00:49:55 Amanda
I found out recently I hate.
00:49:56 Speaker 4
To our department so.
00:49:59 Amanda
Gosh how how we you know if well being is not taken seriously at the highest levels.
00:50:05 Amanda
Then it makes sense that it's harder to get into other levels of.
00:50:09 Amanda
Our society so.
00:50:12 Amanda
Yeah, it's a big.
00:50:13 Amanda
It's a big.
00:50:14 Amanda
So that's why it is so important that these these consistent like that we do stay really vigilant.
00:50:16
This consume.
00:50:20 Amanda
And really hopeful.
00:50:21 Amanda
That every little change is having an.
00:50:24 Amanda
Impact so every person who you know has the experience that I had of being told you.
00:50:30 Amanda
Can you know you can make a difference in your own health and healing every person that that.
00:50:34 Amanda
Happens to then goes out and takes responsibility for themselves and looks for ways to to feel well and empowered.
00:50:41 Amanda
And then they go and.
00:50:42 Amanda
Find ways to help other people become well and empowered, and then you know that's hopefully one day gonna reach those higher levels as more.
00:50:51 Speaker 4
And more people go gosh.
00:50:53 Amanda
This is a better.
00:50:53 Amanda
Way to do it, I'm more productive anyway.
00:50:56 Amanda
Now you know.
00:50:57 Speaker 2
Oh yeah.
00:51:00 Janine
I'm I'm wondering so much here.
00:51:03 Janine
It's like.
00:51:05
Gosh, I just
00:51:06 Janine
I've lost my thoughts because there was so much in that.
00:51:10 Janine
I guess my my question is about going forward.
00:51:15 Janine
Oh yeah, so we we consider if you talk to politicians perhaps about what the purpose of school is or education they'll say it's about being able to join the workforce and be engaged citizen, right?
00:51:28 Janine
And and as as a parent, I guess I'll ask you because it's it's hard sometimes for us to differentiate what's the role of the educator or the teacher and what's the role of the parent.
00:51:39 Janine
And I think there's a lot of hot debates about.
00:51:42 Janine
That you know where does this fit and where does that fit and who's responsible for which, and.
00:51:49 Janine
So yeah, that's my question to you as a parent and all the other roles that you bring here.
00:51:55 Janine
What do you think?
00:51:57 Janine
The function and purpose of education is?
00:51:59 Janine
Or should or could be?
00:52:02 Amanda
I think you're right, I think.
00:52:03 Amanda
It is to be part of that capitalist system with which we live in, which is get people into the workforce, keep the economy going.
00:52:12 Amanda
You know, keep keep the money ticking over in our in our country.
00:52:17 Amanda
I think that is the purpose and I think that's why it is so rigid and it's very predefined because the government knows where it wants.
00:52:23 Amanda
People to sort of head to, I guess.
00:52:27 Amanda
For the needs of.
00:52:29 Amanda
I guess of.
00:52:30 Amanda
Of the community, but I.
00:52:32 Amanda
Think it's it's not the right way to go about.
00:52:35 Amanda
It I see.
00:52:36 Amanda
And have seen my children.
00:52:38 Amanda
You know, there's some aspects of the education, their education, they're so passionate about, you know, and they they love.
00:52:44 Amanda
And then there are some aspects that they.
00:52:46 Amanda
Like I don't.
00:52:47 Amanda
See the point of this like there is so many chunks of.
00:52:50 Amanda
Of high school that are so.
00:52:52 Amanda
Irrelevant to real life and the real world.
00:52:55 Amanda
And our kids are smart enough to know.
00:52:57 Amanda
This and go yeah so waste of my time and.
00:53:01 Amanda
If kids are.
00:53:02 Amanda
Recognizing that, why aren't we putting in something you know?
00:53:05 Amanda
Imagine if instead of that thing, that's a complete waste of everybody's time. There was something in there that really inspired them to, you know, innovate, 'cause this generation they are innovators, I think.
00:53:17 Amanda
More than any of us.
00:53:18 Amanda
They've got access to so.
00:53:19 Amanda
Much technology and.
00:53:22 Amanda
Knowledge that we never had access to.
00:53:25 Amanda
They're smart and they've got.
00:53:27 Amanda
New ways of.
00:53:27 Amanda
Thinking, and we're not really respecting that, and I think yeah, as a parent like I've my daughter has recently been really add.
00:53:36 Amanda
Waiting for some of her needs at school and it's been really interesting to watch those needs not be heard.
00:53:44 Amanda
Come as a.
00:53:45 Speaker 2
I'm done.
00:53:46 Amanda
As a 17 year old and to be going wow she has really stepped up and articulated so well what's missing in her being able to get the best out of her education?
00:53:56 Amanda
Why is it not being heard?
00:53:58 Amanda
And and you know, she's stubborn and strong willed gets that from me.
00:54:03 Amanda
I think from a man, and we've that's one thing as parents, you know, we've worked on really early.
00:54:09 Amanda
As you know, saying you know.
00:54:11 Amanda
You're in high.
00:54:11 Amanda
School now you need to advocate for yourself with something.
00:54:13 Amanda
Is not working for you.
00:54:15 Amanda
If you're not able to learn in that environment.
00:54:17 Amanda
Then you need to say, hey.
00:54:18 Amanda
This isn't working for me.
00:54:19 Amanda
And it was really interesting to watch her.
00:54:23 Amanda
Do that so beautifully, and so articulately and so consistently and still not be listened to.
00:54:32 Amanda
So I think gosh imagine how many other.
00:54:34 Amanda
Kids are there.
00:54:35 Amanda
Who maybe haven't had parents behind them saying go on?
00:54:39 Amanda
You can advocate for yourself this.
00:54:41 Amanda
Is you know you know what you need, go and go and.
00:54:44 Amanda
Do it who have these.
00:54:46 Amanda
Same feelings of not being seen or heard or don't have.
00:54:49 Amanda
The courage or a bit shy to to speak up.
00:54:53 Amanda
And what would happen if they were empowered, like what?
00:54:56 Amanda
Would look different.
00:54:57 Amanda
Within their education experience, if a teacher went OK, tell me more about that.
00:55:02 Amanda
Tell me more about that and and what that looks like to you and how can we apply that?
00:55:06 Amanda
What a great idea and and it turns out there's five or six other kids in that that same class ago.
00:55:12 Amanda
Yeah, that'll work for me too.
00:55:13 Amanda
Oh I need like.
00:55:14 Amanda
These kids are smart.
00:55:15 Amanda
Our kids are smart and I don't think we give them enough.
00:55:20 Amanda
We don't give them enough credit.
00:55:22 Amanda
Across the board, sure.
00:55:24 Amanda
There's the the leaders, the ones who get into be whatever peer support leader or house leader and things like that.
00:55:29 Amanda
But it's one role, isn't it?
00:55:30 Amanda
In a school of how many imagine if you know there was these beautiful, informal ways where kids could speak up about where their needs are.
00:55:41 Amanda
Being met and not being there and they're concerned for how the schools meeting environmental needs and.
00:55:48 Amanda
Yeah yeah.
00:55:50 Amanda
So as a parent I think I've I've been really.
00:55:53 Amanda
We've been really strong in advocating for our kids to speak up for themselves and and really, you know, let them make mistakes and step in.
00:56:03 Amanda
Obviously when needed.
00:56:04 Amanda
But to illustrate to them, they're powerful, they're.
00:56:07 Amanda
They've got good thoughts.
00:56:09 Amanda
They've got good ideas and they know themselves bear.
00:56:12 Amanda
So I think when you're lucky enough to get educators who can see that for what it is and there are, there are educators there that do.
00:56:19 Amanda
And really, there have been teachers that have really appreciated that initiative and that inside in that articulation.
00:56:26 Amanda
I just think there's magic in that across.
00:56:30 Amanda
If that was to be something that.
00:56:31 Amanda
Was encouraged across the board.
00:56:35 Janine
Yeah, and like in edges speak we we call that Co creation and student voice.
00:56:41 Janine
Yeah, it's just so nice to hear you articulate what that actually means to you.
00:56:47 Janine
And that's definitely something for us to go away and think about in terms of, you know how?
00:56:53 Janine
When's the last time we asked?
00:56:55 Janine
Our students about their needs and actually really listened.
00:57:00 Janine
Uhm, yeah, so I might just set that as a homework task for the week.
00:57:04
Oh JC.
00:57:05 Janine
Send people on their way to think about that because.
00:57:09 Janine
I think perhaps you know we we talk about learning needs and stuff a lot, but there's there's a lot of other needs that that go unaddressed, and we often assume that we know what all of those needs are rather than.
00:57:20 Janine
Asking the question.
00:57:23 Janine
Yeah it should not.
00:57:23 Amanda
And you know what?
00:57:24 Amanda
No worries and and I think the important thing is that the first time you asked that question, you know they might not know what to say, because how often do particularly teenagers get asked, you know?
00:57:34 Amanda
Do you need like yeah or what might?
00:57:36 Amanda
What might help you to, you know, really feel empowered and it might sort of take them back and.
00:57:41 Amanda
Maybe you'll ask it again.
00:57:42 Amanda
And I'll be like.
00:57:44 Amanda
Oh, I don't know.
00:57:45 Amanda
And then maybe the third time they'll be like.
00:57:46 Amanda
Well, actually I've been giving it some thought and.
00:57:49 Amanda
You know, so it's.
00:57:49 Amanda
It's also not about it being a A.
00:57:52 Amanda
Uh, one off conversation like the first time I said to my daughter, well, you need to email your teacher about that.
00:57:57 Amanda
She was like like an email to child or knew what would.
00:58:00 Amanda
I say I might.
00:58:01 Amanda
You'll figure it out.
00:58:02 Amanda
You know, you know you know how to navigate a computer, so let them know what what's wrong, what you need, and you know it's that skill is.
00:58:12 Amanda
The tips appreciate it.
00:58:14 Amanda
The sheep she now has good rapport with these teachers and communicating and.
00:58:19 Amanda
You know the first time wasn't easy, she.
00:58:21 Speaker 4
Didn't know what to say.
00:58:22 Speaker 2
I yeah.
00:58:24 Amanda
Like anything, it's it's a.
00:58:25 Amanda
It's a conversation, isn't it?
00:58:27 Amanda
That goes on and and uh, and a muscle.
00:58:29 Amanda
A man and a trust.
00:58:31 Amanda
You know 'cause kids aren't used to teachers.
00:58:32 Janine
Oh, I'm listen.
00:58:34 Amanda
Maybe asking what do they need so it might not be a question.
00:58:38 Amanda
They immediately know how to answer.
00:58:41 Janine
Yeah, and that's that's why it really has to be embedded in the culture and not just being tokenistic thing or a one day workshop or something you just do with the school leaders.
00:58:49 Janine
I think it's a practice that we all need to invest in on the daily.
00:58:56 Janine
Well, Amanda, I think I've kept you for long enough.
00:59:00 Amanda
Time flies when you're having soup.
00:59:01 Janine
And that I'm sorry.
00:59:04 Janine
I'm I'm so grateful for the opportunity to talk to you on the teacher.
00:59:07 Janine
The podcast and thanks for everything you've added to our learning, and you've opened our minds to some new ideas.
00:59:17 Janine
So yeah, thanks for all that you've brought to.
00:59:19 Amanda
The table thank you for having me.
00:59:21 Amanda
I really enjoyed the conversation.
00:59:23 Amanda
And yeah, can we talk about this?
00:59:25 Amanda
Sort of stuff for.
00:59:28 Speaker 4
No worries at all.
00:59:30 Janine
Awesome, well I will see you soon.
00:59:32 Janine
All the
00:59:33 Janine
Best thank you.