Fresh Aesthetic with Stephen Garton

Stephen Garton
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Welcome to Fresh Aesthetic, where host Stephen Garton explores the human experience through the lens of creativity, authenticity, science, and spirituality. This space is about the quest for healing and wholeness, while celebrating the life-giving joy of creating shit. Join in for the sometimes serious and often silly escapade, while we all spin around the celestial canvas on this giant space rock we call home.

  1. 02/26/2025

    Black History: A Journey Through Blues, Jazz, Gospel, Hip-Hop and More with Benjamin Faye

    Today’s episode features Benjamin Faye and is a celebration of black history in music. Benji shares his musical expertise and breaks down a timeline of music history from the blues right through to hip-hop and its resulting influences on modern music. You'll hear all about how modern music as we know it today has been shaped and molded by the blues, and that the majority of popular styles of music have come from the creativity and innovation of black people. As there is such a plethora of artists and music referenced in this episode, I have taken the time to compile an accompanying Spotify playlist meant to be enjoyed in tandem with the episode. You can find it here - ⁠Black History Month Accompaniment Playlist⁠ For more of Benji’s work, be sure to check him out on Instagram @heytherebenji, and on BlueSky.

    1h 23m

  2. 12/23/2024

    Holding the Powerful to Account: A Conversation with Pat Brittenden

    Today’s episode is my conversation with Pat Brittenden Pat is an award-winning podcaster, YouTuber, and seasoned talkback radio host. With years of experience in podcasts and radio shows, he now dedicates his efforts to his primary project, Big Hairy News. This show offers long-form commentary on mainstream news, creating space to do justice to its guests and the stories it explores. You can tune into Big Hairy News live on weekdays at 10pm New Zealand time at youtube.com/DOCNZstudios. In this episode, we delve into some of the most troubling policies from the past political year and examine the human tendency to idolise politicians, mirroring celebrity culture. Pat also gives his perspective on moving beyond the dualism of the left-versus-right, focusing instead on the collective growth of humanity. There are a few important clips and resources mentioned in the episode that I will leave links for in the show notes. Some of the resources mentioned in the episode are: Is Every Civilization Doomed to Fail? - Gregory Aldrete "Christianity is in Crisis": Russel Moore's interview on NPR Reel about loving your enemies by Janie Lagata BHN Interview with Chloe Swarbrick ⁠Mountain Tui on YouTube Audio versions of Pat's podcasts can be found here: #BHN Big Hairy News First episode of the NZ Leftist Collective The Department of Conversation with Pat Brittenden (currently on hiatus)

    1h 37m

  3. 12/15/2024

    Burnout, Privilege and the Expansiveness of Contemplative Spirituality with Andrew Killick

    Today’s episode is my conversation with Andrew Killick. Andrew is a photographer, writer, poet, editor, and more, publishing his creative work under the moniker Safe Little World. Andrew’s work stems from the paradox and merging of physical and spiritual experiences. Andrew describes one of his core values using a quote from Evelyn Underhill, which says, “The double movement of Transcendent Love, drawing inwards to unity and fruition, and rushing out again to creative acts…"  This quote is also part of what it means to live a contemplative life, another key aspect of Andrew’s story.
 For more of Andrew’s work, be sure to check out his website, www.safelittleworld.com, or you can find him on Facebook and Instagram @safelittleworld. Andrew's work explores the idea of Safe Little Worlds, which he describes as loving and essential sanctuaries. At the same time, he explores ambiguity, often critiquing these spaces for their potential limitations and reflecting on moments of stepping beyond them into the expansive freedom of the wild world. The author referenced at the end of the episode is Dr. Claire Weekes. Though the material cited is dated, her quote and work at large still aligns with the newer minfulness-based modality of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Andrew's publishing company mentioned during an audio glitch at the end of the episode is shadowpress.co.nz sacramentofbreathing.wordpress.com⁠ is a collection of writings from Andrew about the contemplative life.

    56 min

  4. 10/31/2024

    Embracing Our Pain with Curiosity and Compassion: A Conversation with Dr. Brendan Kwiatkowski

    Today’s episode is my conversation with Dr. Brendan Kwiatkowski. Brendan is a researcher, speaker, consultant, and educator focused on the social-emotional development and wellbeing of boys and men, particularly in relation to the wellbeing of those around them. His interdisciplinary work bridges psychology, sociology, and education. Brendan completed his Ph.D. in Education at the University of Edinburgh in 2023, researching emotions, masculinities, and school experiences among Canadian teenage boys. This interview was such a blast and brings so much clarity to the importance of emotional regulation and doing the work of sitting with yourself and processing your pain and trauma. For further study I would highly recommend diving into the therapeutic modality of IFS or Internal Family Systems. IFS was developed by Richard Schwartz in the 80s. Psychology Today describes it as “an approach to psychotherapy that identifies and addresses multiple sub-personalities or families within each person's mental system.” 
If you would like to check out more of Brendan’s work, you can find his website at remasculine.com You can also find him on Instagram @re.masculine

    54 min

  5. 09/29/2024

    The Intersection of Queerness and Spirituality with Sam Sellers

    Today’s episode is my conversation with Sam Sellers Sam is a registered therapist and a clinical supervisor, specialising in religious trauma. Sam is queer and talks about her experiences navigating the intersection of queerness and spirituality. 

Sam describes being a queer person within a faith community as potentially painful and hard and how it can involve an immense amount of cognitive dissonance and suppression.
 As a content warning, this episode contains references to trauma, religious trauma and the repression of identity as a queer person. If you are struggling, please reach out to helplines, such as OutLine Aotearoa. Sam’s message and practice as a therapist centres around practicing self-compassion, setting healthy boundaries, and speaking our truth. Sam describes therapy as a safe space to explore vulnerability, build connection, and reclaim your voice. Healing is a process, but you don’t have to do it alone. 
If you would like to check out Sam’s services, make sure to visit anchoredcounsellingservices. Also be sure to check out her podcast, Beyond the Surface.

    1h 22m

  6. 09/05/2024

    Decolonisation, Platform Culture, and the Sin of Capitalism with Janice Lagata

    Today’s episode is my conversation with the one and only Janice Lagata. Janice is a writer, a podcaster, a musician, and an incredibly intelligent thinker and speaker. Her work is thoughtful, carefully considered, intelligent, and most importantly, challenging. This conversation is a 2 hour deep dive into capitalism, platform culture, the undervalued nature of the arts, decolonisation, white saviourism and much more. Be sure to check out more of Janice’s work: janicelagata.com God Has Not Given on Instagram Scratch Paper on Substack Second Stories Writer's Room Workshop Scratch Paper on Soundcloud Patreon See her Linktree for more: Link

    2h 16m

  7. 08/23/2024

    Changing Your Relationship to Pain, Uncertainty and Constant Work with Brady Rather

    Today’s episode is my conversation with Brady Rather. Brady is a musician and host of the podcast Love Like A Heretic. This episode covers a range of topics around themes of authenticity and being true to who you are, not who others want you to be. Brady talks about why it’s so important to be committed to intentional presence on a daily basis. He also discusses 3 unavoidable constants of life: pain, uncertainty and constant work, and just how important it is to change your relationship to these things. Brady also talks about how authenticity and honesty with yourself are keys to building a peaceful life - that is your inner landscape, and the essence you bring to those around you. One of the many takeaways from this episode is the importance of surrounding yourself with people that exemplify the qualities that are important to you. You can never get rid of pain, uncertainty and constant work, but at least you can make the journey along the way more hopeful and full of peace and contentment. Another takeaway is to keep coming back to the simile of your life being like the sky, and every cloud that comes along and blocks the sun belongs. It all belongs. Welcoming those clouds and thanking them for being there are important steps to understanding what they are and what they are trying to tell you. Our attachment to all kinds of things, like emotions, material possessions and other people’s perceptions of us are what lead to suffering.

    58 min

  8. 08/03/2024

    Neurodiversity, Worldview, Identity Markers and Creating Lasting Positive Transformation with Cameron Bishop

    Today’s episode is my interview with Cameron Bishop. Cameron works for Impact Lives - a centre for transformation, cultural competence, and social innovation. Cameron works specifically to guide communities to places of inclusion and belonging in order to influence equity and freedom. Our conversation is rich with ideas for expanding worldviews to include more space for otherness. Cameron also discusses what it means to create lasting positive transformation within your own life and within the communities you are apart of. For more of the work that Cameron is part of, be sure to check out impactlives.org. If you have any questions for Cameron, or want to check out the ebook referenced in the episode, send him a DM on Instagram @cameronlbishop. You can find a copy of the eBook referenced in this episode here - I Am Unique - A Human-Centric Blueprint for Developing an Actionable Definition of Yourself.

    1h 4m
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About

Welcome to Fresh Aesthetic, where host Stephen Garton explores the human experience through the lens of creativity, authenticity, science, and spirituality. This space is about the quest for healing and wholeness, while celebrating the life-giving joy of creating shit. Join in for the sometimes serious and often silly escapade, while we all spin around the celestial canvas on this giant space rock we call home.

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