The Journey On Podcast with Warwick Schiller Episode: Nicola Evans Date: January 30, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode is a deep, soul-nourishing conversation between Warwick Schiller—renowned horseman and educator in horsemanship—and his guest Nicola Robinson Evans. Nicola shares her personal journey from the public spotlight to a life steeped in connection, holistic living, and devotion to nature. Together with her husband, former celebrity chef Pete Evans, Nicola runs Evolved Sanctuary: a retreat center focused on healing, presence, regenerative agriculture, and the profound wisdom of horses and the land. The conversation explores authenticity, shifting worldview paradigms, spiritual practice, the healing power of nature, biofield tuning, breathwork, and living in true partnership with both humans and horses.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Embracing Childlike Wonder and Intuitive Upbringing

• Child-led Living (02:06–04:46)
  • Nicola describes accompanying her friend Fleur and Fleur’s two-year-old daughter Azaria at an event, allowing the child’s intuitive desires to lead.
  • Importance of surrendering to a child's natural curiosity and connection to the world.
  • Quote:
    • “To be able to surrender into allowing a child to lead you where they intuitively want to go is a blessing really.” — Nicola (02:16)
  • Warwick contrasts this with the structured childhoods many experience, posing the question of what kind of adult such children might become.

The Journey from Public Life to Inner Sanctuary

• Nicola’s Background and Role at Evolved Sanctuary (06:09–07:52)

  • Nicola introduces herself as a "space holder and weaver of gentle pathways back to coherence”, explaining her role in creating spaces of safety, harmony, and presence at their retreat.
  • She emphasizes the simplicity and presence required to make environments where guests feel safe and can reconnect with themselves.

• Retreat Structure and Philosophy (10:01–14:24)

  • Retreats run most weekends, are three days long, and focus on relaxation, nourishment, and immersion in nature.
  • Features include yoga, a tea house, sauna, ice bath, float tank, and mountain pools.
  • Nicola underlines intuitive, body-based approaches instead of one-size-fits-all health hack culture, particularly regarding cold exposure for women.

The Way of Tea and Ceremonial Practice

• Global Tea Hut Lineage (19:24–26:11)

  • Nicola recounts her path into tea ceremony, inspired by her grandmother and mentorship in the Global Tea Hut lineage.

  • She tells of sitting with tea at sunrise as a practice for connecting to presence, stillness, and deep listening.

  • Tea is served ceremonially at retreats—framing every action and breath as sacred.

  • Quote:

    • “In a tea ceremony, everything is sacred. Every movement, every breath, every sip.” — Nicola (24:46)

  • Warwick observes the parallels with Native American, ceremonial cacao, and mindfulness rituals.

Stewardship and Regenerative Farming

• Healing the Land (29:33–34:57)

  • Nicola and Pete became stewards of 200 acres, immediately engaging in regenerative farming and land healing.
  • Removed invasive lantana to reveal pristine mountain pools.
  • Salvaged illegally felled timber for communal spaces (e.g., horse stable, tea house).
  • Regenerative rotations with horses; emphasize careful stewarding over overextending.

• Notable Moment: Nicola describes the magical experience and transformational power of swimming in untouched mountain pools, calling them “womb water.” (31:36)

Personal and Shared Growth—with Pete Evans

• Pete’s Evolution and Platform (35:06–44:09)

  • Pete, once a shy, introverted child, found confidence and presence through surfing and big-wave riding, applying these lessons to life and public advocacy.
  • Warwick and Nicola reflect on how being given a public platform by the universe serves a greater purpose when moving into more connected, less hierarchical worldviews—and how platforms can shift public perspectives.

• Partnering in Sovereignty (44:17–45:46)

  • Nicola details her and Pete’s journey from high-profile living to radical authenticity, non-mainstream advocacy, and sovereignty-oriented living.

Navigating Judgment and Fear—Biohacking, The Media, and Energetic Work

• Biocharger and Biofield Tuning (49:05–68:10)

  • Nicola discusses her studies in "biomancy"—which blends ancient gnosis, biology, and energetic healing—and biofield tuning, a form of sound therapy.

  • Warwick shares synchronicity: he and his wife had recently acquired a biocharger and felt energy moving in their bodies while using it, despite skepticism in the media.

  • Nicola recounts controversy around their public sharing of energy-based modalities; she stresses personal experience and practical evidence over external validation or criticism.

  • Biofield Tuning Explained:

    • Tuning forks used to detect and correct disharmony in the body’s energetic field—manifesting as both sound changes and physical sensation.
    • Quote:
      • “The fork is like a mirror. It offers us a reflection of the sound or the frequency, the vibration that we're encountering... moving through harmonious energy is like moving through melted butter.” — Nicola (63:26)

• Techniques for Tending to Trauma—With Horses and Humans (68:10–80:40)

  • Nicola describes her journey with Lumiere, her challenging mare, who forced her to slow down, listen deeply, and apply titrated, non-coercive techniques—mirroring principles of both horsemanship science and trauma-informed care.
  • Warwick highlights that presence and “woo” must always be grounded in attentive technique—such as respecting a horse’s true comfort boundary before intimacy.

• Cultural and Family Shifts

  • Nicola and Warwick discuss moving beyond dominance-based, hierarchical systems—whether with horses, children, or the land—into “synergistic” and collaborative models.

Resonance, Sound, and the Unseen

• Opening to Energetic Truths (77:58–84:26)

  • Anecdotes illustrate how energetic modalities (drumming, tuning forks) offer tangible experiences even for skeptics.
  • Both hosts discuss the irony of critics relying on invisible energy (Wi-Fi, radio waves) to disparage energetic healing, missing parallels with indigenous wisdom.

• The Great Forgetting and Remembering (84:26–89:02)

  • Nicola frames humanity’s journey: choosing "the great forgetting" to more profoundly experience "the great remembering"—the return to interconnectedness, presence, and compassion.

Personal Transformation and Purpose

• Lessons from Trauma and Nervous System Awareness (89:12–90:47)

  • Warwick expresses gratitude for the perspective that old trauma states once served him, underscoring the transformative power of shifting perspective rather than circumstance.

• On Intuition and Patience (91:24–93:26)

  • Warwick shares quotes:
    • “Your intuition will speak to you in statements, and your fear will speak to you in questions.” (91:47)
    • “Impatience is merely denying reality.”
  • Nicola and Warwick discuss patience in horsemanship as an acceptance of “what is”, not a test of endurance.

• Relationship with Fear (94:20–99:29)

  • Nicola treats fear as an echo and an invitation to welcome home lost parts of self.
  • Practical distinctions between real, protective fear and echoes of past, unprocessed experience.

• Purpose and Presence (104:30–107:35)

  • Asked about her true purpose, Nicola anchors it not in a doing, but in being–“just to be me, to flow with that... to keep opening my heart to life and everything that comes my way.”
  • Warwick notes this is the first time a guest has connected purpose so wholly to being and presence.

Nourishment, Nature, and Regeneration

• Recharging Through Nature (107:50–112:45)

  • Nicola’s place of replenishment is always nature—especially water. She describes the healing, harmonizing effects of mountain pools and connecting to water as a living, sentient being.
  • Veda Austin’s work with water crystallography illustrates water's capacity to record and respond to intention and emotion.

• Transformation in Marriage (112:45–115:02)

  • Nicola shares two simple but life-changing changes: stopping micromanagement of her husband, and giving his intuition space. This allowed both of them to deepen into their true natures, healing their partnership.

• The Worthwhileness of Tending Nature (115:31–117:38)

  • Gardening and devotion to nature are recounted as the most worthwhile investments of her time, calling it a romance rather than just a relationship.
  • The reciprocity with nature leads to regeneration within oneself; hands in soil are as healing as hands on heart.

Memorable Quotes

• On Space Holding and Presence:

  • “You are creating a space that's in tune. And the spaces I create are very simple… so that, for me, is what a space creator is and a space holder.” — Nicola (07:52)

• On Ceremony and Devotion:

  • “In a tea ceremony, everything is sacred. Every movement, every breath, every sip. And that eventually steeps you into that way of being throughout your entire journey.” — Nicola (24:46)

• On Synergy and Healing:

  • “We’re all remembering our ancestor’s way of being, which is the way all of the natural world is flowing—is from the bottom up.” — Nicola (43:20)

• On Energetic Modalities:

  • “The woo is true.” — Dr. Azra Bertrand, cited by Nicola (78:19)

• On Tending and Connection:

  • “Mother Earth has been holding space for us all to remember who we are.” — Nicola (115:31)

Notable Segment Timestamps

• Child-Led Wisdom & Intuition: 02:06–04:46
• Space Holding & Retreats: 06:07–14:24
• Way of Tea Lineage: 19:24–27:36
• Regenerative Farming & Tending Land: 29:33–34:57
• Pete Evans’ Journey & Influence: 35:06–44:09
• Biocharger/Biofield Tuning: 49:05–68:10, 61:30 (visible effects), 63:26 (sound as mirror)
• Horsemanship, Trauma, and Technique: 68:10–80:40, 73:43 (comfort boundaries)
• On Sound Healing & Energy: 77:58–84:26
• Transformation from Criticism: 84:26–89:02
• Intuition, Fear, and Purpose: 91:24–107:35
• Natural Immersion, Water, & Nature’s Healing: 107:50–112:45
• Marriage & Surrender: 112:45–115:02
• Gardening as Devotion: 115:31–117:38

Tone & Style

The episode is candid, contemplative, warm, and sprinkled with humor and humility. Warwick’s conversational style draws out Nicola’s wisdom in gentle unfolding layers. The dialogue is full of reverence for interconnectedness, both spiritual and practical, and encourages listeners to reflect on their own journeys and relationships—with self, others, and the land.

Summary Takeaway

Both practical and profound, this episode is a roadmap for healing, grounded living, and personal growth. Nicola Evans shares practices and philosophies that invite greater presence, authenticity, and a return to living in cooperation with nature and body. Whether you are an equestrian, a seeker, a skeptic, or simply curious, her story and insights resonate across disciplines and invite us all to return home to ourselves.

“The Journey is the Destination.”