Life is short. Time is long. As we get towards the end of 2021, so many of us are burnt out and overwhelmed: by the pandemic; by the uncertainty of the future; and by huge challenges like climate change, systemic racism, and inequality. But changing the way we choose to engage with time can be life-changing, both when it comes to the problems we’re facing day to day, and to the huge threats we’re facing as a species. Hosted by co-founder of The Long Time Project, Ella Saltmarshe, The Long Time Academy hopes to give listeners a sense of spaciousness, awe and passion to become good ancestors.
BONUS Part Six Practice: Your Long Time Ritual
This Long Time Ritual enables you to sense into your unique location in the great web of life. Use it whenever you’d like to drop into longer, deeper time. You’ll need a small object that represents the long time for you. It could be a pebble, an acorn, a seed … anything that connects you to the long past, the long future, or time itself.The Long Time Ritual is written and read by Ella Saltmarshe.
12/10/2021 • 9 minutes, 51 seconds
Part Six: The Art (and Pop Culture) of Getting Long Time
In our final episode we dive into the role art and culture play in cultivating long-termism at scale. Far from being window dressing, art and culture forms the operating systems of our world; it has the power to shift our collective identity. Culture doesn’t just reflect societal norms, it has the power to change, iterate and manifest new ones. We’ll meet the artists, creators and curators who are using time as both their medium and their message, and explore the role of creativity in shifting us to a long-term society.Special thanks to the contributors to this episode, Brian Eno, Bridgit Antoinette Evans, Katie Paterson, Jeremy Lent, Anab Jain and Sherri Mitchell.Discover more about Brian Eno here.Find out more about the work of Bridgit Antoinette Evans and the Pop Culture Collaborative here.Discover Katie Paterson’s work here and delve into the Future Library.Find out about Jeremy Lent’s work including The Patterning Instinct here.Experience the work of Anab Jain and Superflux here.Find out about Sherri Mitchell’s projects and writing here.If you want to delve deeper into Long Time ideas, here is a suggested reading list!NON-FICTION Deep Time Reckoning - Vincent IalentiFutureGen - Jane DavidsonTimefulness - Marcia BjornerudThe Precipice - Toby OrdPip Pip - Jay GriffithsThe Clock of the Long Now - Steward BrandThe Good Ancestor - Roman KrznaricDoughnut Economics - Kate RaworthSandtalk - Tyson YunkaportaThe Patterning Instinct - Jeremy LentThe War for Kindness - Jamil ZakiBraiding Sweetgrass - Robin Wall-KimmererUnderland - Robert MacfarlaneThe Oldest Living Things in the World - Rachel Sussman Sacred Instructions - Sherri MitchellFICTIONKindred- Octavia ButlerThe Parable Series - Octavia ButlerThe Ministry for the Future - Kim Stanley RobinsonThe OverStory - Richard PowersMan V. Nature - Diane CookLove & Other Thought Experiments - Sophie WardBarkskins - Annie ProulxLight Perpetual - Francis SpuffordCREDITSThe Long Time Academy comes to you from Headspace Studios and The Long Time Project, and is produced by Scenery Studios. The series was created and produced by Lina Prestwood and Ella SaltmarsheProduced by Ivor Manley and Madeleine Finlay. This episode was also produced by Eli Block. Executive producers at Headspace Studios are Ash Jones, Leah Sutherland & Morgan SelzerOriginal artwork by Mavi MoraisDesign by Loz Ives & Lewis Kay-ThatcherOriginal music, sound design and mixing by Tristan Cassel-Delavois, Scott Sorenson & Chris Murguia with additional music this episode from Eli Block and Jamie Patterson. It’s a Sin clips courtesy of Channel 4/ HBO Max/ Red Production CompanyGlee clip courtesy of Fox/ 20th Century Fox Television/ Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision/ Ryan Murphy ProductionsClips from Mitigation of Shock courtesy of SuperfluxFuture Library archive courtesy of Katie Paterson StudiosAdditional archive clips from xinaesthete, Astounded/Christopher J Astbury, Switzerland
12/10/2021 • 1 hour, 9 minutes, 17 seconds
BONUS Part Five Practice: Decolonising Your Imagination with Afro-rithms
This imaginative and interactive meditation exercise gives you a unique opportunity to experience elements of the Afro-rithms from the Future game with its co-creator, Ahmed Best. Feel the right hemisphere of your brain awaken with new ideas as he guides and inspires you to build and create a beautiful, decolonised world of your very own... Written and read by Ahmed Best, with thanks to Lonny Avi Brooks. Find out more about Afro-rithms from the Future here
12/3/2021 • 24 minutes, 10 seconds
Part Five: Decolonising The Future
Whose imagination are we living in, and how does that feel?The last few years have highlighted the raw urgency of the struggle to ensure the future is not dominated by white-supremecy. But what do visions of an alternative future look like?This episode explores how historically, inequalities in the present have been projected into the future, both in terms of how the future has been portrayed, and how it comes to be realised.We look at the impacts of colonialism in the past, present and future, meeting the people changing this on the ground - from activists, to artists, to sci-fi fans. Whatever the future holds, it is in our hands. Paying attention to the patterns of our time reveals the importance of embracing and cultivating diversity now, and for the long time.Special thanks to the contributors to this episode, Alisha B Wormsley, adrienne maree brown, Safiya Noble, Jay Griffiths, Joshua Virasami, Annauk Olin, Lonny Avi Brooks & Ahmed Best Find out more about Alisha B Wormsley’s work hereFind adrienne maree brown’s most recent book, Grievers here, and listen to her Octavia’s Parables podcast hereGet Joshua Virasami’s book, How to Change it: Make a Difference, here and in all good local bookshops.Find Safiya Noble’s book Algorithms of Oppression: How Search Engines Reinforce Racism here and in all good local bookshopsJay Griffiths’s latest book How To Rebel, her book Pip Pip: A Sideways Look At Time and all her other brilliant works are available HERE and in all good local bookshopsHere more about Annauk Olin’s work hereListen to Lonny Brooks’ & Ahmed Best’s The Afrofuturist Podcast here and find out more about the Afro-rithms from the Future game hereCREDITSThe Long Time Academy comes to you from Headspace Studios and The Long Time Project, and is produced by Scenery Studios.The series was created and produced by Lina Prestwood and Ella SaltmarsheProduced by Ivor Manley and Madeleine Finlay Executive producers at Headspace Studios are Ash Jones, Leah Sutherland & Morgan SelzerOriginal artwork by Mavi MoraisDesign by Loz Ives & Lewis Kay-ThatcherOriginal music, sound design and mixing by Tristan Cassel-Delavois, Scott Sorenson & Chris MurguiaEast Liberty news report clip courtesy of KDKA-TV CBS Pittsburgh
12/3/2021 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 59 seconds
BONUS Part Four Practice: The Words Before All Else
A gift to the students of the Academy from Mama Bear, Bear Clan Mother for the Mohawk Nation Council. This traditional Haudenosaunee practice expresses gratitude and empathic connection to all of creation.Usually delivered whenever people gather to make a decision, it can also be done as an individual practice first thing in the morning - “ideally before your feet hit the floor” - or last thing at night.With a great many thanks to Mama Bear and Michelle Schenandoah.
11/26/2021 • 21 minutes, 12 seconds
Part Four: Future Tense Politics
How can we do politics with a Long Time lens? So often it feels like our leaders are firmly stuck in the short-term, motivated by getting re-elected every four or five years and the sway of vested interests. In this episode we meet the people changing this both from within government and outside it, with their imaginative and innovative - yet highly realistic - Long Time approaches to politics and law. We travel to ancient Greece, hear from teenagers suing their governments, ministers creating new laws to care for future generations, academics in Japan who are using theatrical methods to enable policymakers to feel into the future, and indigenous wisdom-keepers whose oldest living democracy on the planet shows us what a political system that cares for all future earth-dwellers looks like. Special thanks to the contributors to this episode, Roman Krznaric, Michelle Schenandoah, Mama Bear, Tatsuyoshi Saijo, Jane Davidson, Julia Olson and Levi Draheim. Leave us a voice note here telling us how listening to this series is making you feel about the present and the future - we listen to all your messages and would love to include some in future episodes. Irish referendum clips courtesy of Courtesy of The Citizens Assembly - Youtube Channel and ITV NewsJulia Olson in court audio courtesy the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, Official YouTube Channel, December 11th 2017Welsh devolution referendum results Courtesy of BBC News, 1997Kurt Vonnegut clip from NOW October 2005 courtesy of PBSSophie Howe, Welsh Future Generations Commissioner clip courtesy of Senedd Cymru/ Welsh Parliament, September, Youtube, September 2019CREDITSThe Long Time Academy comes to you from Headspace Studios and The Long Time Project, and is produced by Scenery Studios. The series was created and produced by Lina Prestwood and Ella SaltmarsheProduced by Ivor Manley and Madeleine Finlay Executive producers at Headspace Studios are Ash Jones, Leah Sutherland & Morgan SelzerOriginal artwork by Mavi MoraisDesign by Loz Ives & Lewis Kay-ThatcherOriginal music, sound design and mixing by Tristan Cassel-Delavois, Scott Sorenson & Chris Murguia
11/26/2021 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 37 seconds
BONUS Part Three Practice: Loving Kindness for Future Generations
This Loving-Kindness-meditation-with-a-twist asks us to generate care for people around us today, and for those in the future who have yet to be born. Co-created by Ella Saltmarshe and Headspace teacher Dora Kamau, who also reads the meditation.
11/19/2021 • 14 minutes, 44 seconds
Part Three: Once Upon an Economy
Greta Thunberg famously chided world leaders for pursuing “fairytales of eternal economic growth”. In this episode we learn how short-termism is baked into our current economic story, and why we need to change this narrative. Ella meets poet, podcaster, and economics student, GEORGE THE POET and together they visit “the belly of the beast” - The Bank Of England - and begin to reimagine a new economic storyline. We then meet people all over the world, creating the new economic systems that work for the long-term future of all inhabitants of the planet. This is economics for people who feel like economics isn’t for them!Special thanks to the contributors to this episode, George The Poet, Jason Hickel, Kate Raworth, Andy Haldane, Temuera Hall and Sandy Darity, as well as Immy Kaur, Eduard Müller, Jared Bybee and Fanny Brøholm.George the Poet’s latest project Common Ground encourages interaction with his Peabody Award-winning podcast Have You Heard George’s Podcast?Jason Hickel’s fascinating work can be found HEREFind out more about Kate Raworth’s Doughnut Economics in action HEREMore about Temuera Hall’s work can be found HEREMore about William Sandy Darity’s book From Here to Equality HEREWatch Greta Thunberg's full speech at the September 2019 UN Climate Action Summit HERE CREDITSThe Long Time Academy comes to you from Headspace Studios and The Long Time Project, and is produced by Scenery Studios.The series was created and produced by Lina Prestwood and Ella SaltmarsheProduced by Ivor Manley and Madeleine Finlay with research by Momoe Ikeda-ChelminskaExecutive producers at Headspace Studios are Ash Jones, Leah Sutherland & Morgan SelzerOriginal artwork by Mavi MoraisDesign by Loz Ives and Lewis Kay-Thatcher Original music, sound design and mixing by Tristan Cassel-Delavois, Scott Sorenson & Chris MurguiaClip of Greta Thunberg at the September 2019 UN Climate Action Summit courtesy of the United Nations
11/19/2021 • 1 hour, 6 minutes, 40 seconds
BONUS Part Two Practice: The Well of Deep Time
Read by Kessonga Giscombe, this immersive and transformative meditation takes listeners back through time, and through the 4.6 billion year evolution of our living Earth. Experience a unique perspective of deep time!The Well of Deep Time was written by Stephan Harding and Robert Woodford of the Deep Time Walk Project, with thanks to Ella Saltmarshe and Lina Prestwood.The Well Of Deep Time is available in an illustrated .pdf from The Deep Time Walk Project website, alongside the Deep Time Walk App and other useful resources.The meditation was composed and sound designed by Casually Here for Scenery Studios. Audio courtesy of The Deep Time Walk Project with additional sound design elements from Jo Hutton.
11/12/2021 • 17 minutes, 49 seconds
BONUS Part Two Practice: Death Meditation
Written and read by end-of-life specialist, Alua Arthur, this meditation asks us to imagine what it is like to die, in order to bring about a deeper appreciation of being alive. It’s a life-affirming practice that’s best done in its entirety, in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. And it’s important to say, that practice isn’t recommended for those experiencing depression or having suicidal thoughts. If this is you, we gently advise not to do this meditation today. Here’s a link to a collection of mental health resources around the world for those feeling, depressed, suicidal or needing emotional support: https://www.headspace.com/mental-health-resourcesMore about Alua Arthur’s end of life work HERE
11/12/2021 • 19 minutes, 24 seconds
Part Two: How To Stretch Time
NOTE: this episode contains discussion around death which some people may find difficult.In Part Two we learn how to stretch time! We journey back to the beginning of life on earth, and forward into the far, far future, we learn from Brian Eno himself about why he invented ambient music, and we discover how coming to terms with our own death can transform the way we live. We dive deeper into indigenous thinking, discover how to look at the world like a geologist, and find out why you might be looking the wrong way when you think about the future … clue: it’s below you!This second episode is a time-travelling adventure through the glittering awesomeness of deep time - so buckle-up, and get ready to experience The Long Time!Special thanks to the contributors to this episode, Vincent Ialenti, Brian Eno, Alua Arthur, Kimberely Wade Benzoni, Jay Griffiths, Marcia Bjornerud, Tyson Yunkaporta and Stephan Harding.RELATED LINKSthelongtimeacademy.comheadspace.comscenerystudios.comthelongtimeproject.orgJay Griffiths’s latest book How To Rebel, her book Pip Pip: A Sideways Look At Time and all her other brilliant works are available HEREMore about Alua Arthur’s end of life work HEREVincent Ialenti’s book, Deep Time Reckoning: How Future Thinking Can Help Earth Now is available hereMarcia Bjornerud’s book, Timefulness: How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Help Save the World is available hereTyson Yunkaporta’s book, Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save The World is available hereThe Deep Time Walk App and Field Kit is available hereCREDITSThe series was created and produced by Lina Prestwood and Ella SaltmarsheProduced by Ivor Manley and Madeleine FinlayExecutive producers at Headspace Studios are Ash Jones, Leah Sutherland & Morgan SelzerOriginal artwork by Mavi Morais (instagram.com/moraismavi)Design by Loz Ives (idleletters.com)Original music, sound design and mixing by Tristan Cassel-Delavois, Scott Sorenson & Chris MurguiaTrack 1/1, Music For Airports (1978) by Brian Eno courtesy of Polydor RecordsAudio courtesy of The Deep Time Walk Project (Sound Design by Jo Hutton, directed by Jeremy Mortimer, performed by actors Chipo Chung and Paul Hilton)
11/12/2021 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 19 seconds
BONUS Part One Practice: Human Layers
This practice has been created by Ella Saltmarshe & Hannah Smith. It is inspired by the work of deep ecologist, Joanna Macy. It enables us to walk across the generations, developing an emotional connection to the lives of past and future ancestors, read by host Ella Saltmarshe.
11/5/2021 • 11 minutes, 17 seconds
Part One: How We Got To NOW
Life is short, but time is really, really long. So long that most of us can’t really comprehend more than a few years at a time into the future. It’s time to take a longer view. In Part One, we will look at how we’ve arrived at a short-term culture that is obsessed with short-term thinking, quick fixes and instant gratification. We’ll consider how the industrial revolution reshaped our relationship with time and why getting long-term could be essential to the survival of our species. Over your time in the academy you’ll learn how thinking long term can help make you feel more present, more connected, less anxious and more hopeful about the future.Are you ready? Good. Because class is now in session.Special thanks to the contributors to this episode, Celeste Headlee, Roman Krznaric, Toby Ord, Diane Schenandoah, Michelle Schenandoah, Jamil Zaki and Finley Rainbow.RELATED LINKSthelongtimeacademy.comheadspace.comscenerystudios.comthelongtimeproject.orgCeleste Headlee’s book, Do Nothing How to Break Away from Overworking Overdoing and Underliving, is available HERE, and in all good local bookshopsRoman Krznaric’s book, The Good Ancestor: How to Think Long Term in a Short-Term World, is available HERE, and in all good local bookshopsToby Ord’s Book, The Precipice: Existential Risk and the Future of Humanity is available here and in all good local bookshopsJamil Zaki’s book, The War for Kindness is available here and in all good local bookshopsMichelle Schenandoah is the founder of Rematriation magazine - read hereThe Long Time Academy is produced by Scenery Studios, and brought to you by Headspace Studios and The Long Time Project.CREDITSThe series was created and produced by Lina Prestwood and Ella SaltmarsheProducer are Madeleine Finlay and Ivor ManleyExecutive producers at Headspace Studios are Ash Jones, Leah Sutherland & Morgan SelzerOriginal artwork by Mavi MoraisDesign by Loz Ives at FieldworkOriginal music and sound design by Tristan Cassel-Delavois, Scott Sorenson & Chris MurguiaQueer Eye clip courtesy of Scout Entertainment, ITV Productions and Netflix.The New Women's Shuffle Dance song performed by Gaehnew Printup
11/5/2021 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 32 seconds
Welcome to The Academy!
Right now so many of us are burnt out and overwhelmed: by the pandemic; by the uncertainty of the future; and by huge challenges like climate change, systemic racism, and inequality. The Long Time Academy is an immersive and entertaining new podcast that steps into this space with one clear message: changing the way we choose to engage with time can be life-changing, both when it comes to the problems we’re facing day to day, and to the huge threats we’re facing as a species.Celeste Headlee, Brian Eno, George The Poet and adrienne maree brown are among the 30 strong faculty who have come together to teach one of the most important classes of our time.