Mark Shayler

26/10/2023

A darker swim than normal today. Massive respect for the lifeguards. In a world that insulates us from the seasons coming here pierces that. Swimming with falling leaves and temperatures, with a skittish duck and jumping fish, with the shouters, the divers, the ever-so-gently-inners, the heads-up chatters and the iron-man trainers, with my mates (yesterday) and on my own (today) is always joyous. Porridge at afterwards to raise my core temperature.

I’m filming today feeling thankful.

07/10/2023

Always a bit embarrassing and a lot uplifting when amazing people say nice things about your book. Here’s a couple from my mentors.

17/08/2023

Front and back covers confirmed for my new book “You Can’t Make Money From A Dead Planet”. There are some wonderful endorsements on the cover and more inside the book. I feel really moved.

Published by on 3rd October in the UK and Europe, and 10th October in the USA. Pre-order now on the usual sites.

I’m launching an accompanying podcast series at the same time and a new series of talks.

07/07/2023

Well this is exciting. I’ve got time to review the final proofs of my book for “You Can’t Make Money From a Dead Planet”.

32 years of experience in 60,000 words. To be fair I went well over and had to remove a chapter called “lessons from the best” (I’ll make that available as a download).

It feels good to see it typeset. I’m really proud actually. It’s urgent. Mega urgent. I need to stress that we still have time but not not much. The tipping points come thick and fast after we hit 1.5 degrees C.

Anyway, as my mate Jonathan Porritt says in his book of the same name, we do have a hope in hell. But no delay. Out with the old way of doing business. In with the new.

10/02/2023

I’m tremendously pleased to announce the title and cover of my new book. “You Can’t Make Money From a Dead Planet”. Published in August by and available to pre-order now.

32 years working in sustainability condensed into a single book.

I’m really excited.

08/02/2023

Water. I know I know, I bang on about it all the time. It’s my element. I live by the canal in the midlands. By four or five lakes. I’d love to live by the sea but that adventure is yet to unfurl.

I’m currently sat by the canal in east London. Watching the creases of the water fold and unfold, rise and flatten, and the resultant distortion of the shadows of the gulls as they look for food between the swans.

Yesterday I swam at the Men’s pond at Highgate/Hampstead. Today was the heated 50m pool at London Fields, complete with eerie mist. Monday was Swadlincote leisure centre. All different. All amazing.

Jump in. Get wet. Leisure centre, lido or muddy pond. Take your pick. I love them all but clearly (you didn’t need to ask) I love muddy ponds most.

12/12/2022

Last week I spoke to for my podcast series.

I met Jess in September 1990 on my first weekend in a rented house on my placement year. Her and her mates were art students and, unbeknownst to Jess, she opened the door on a world that was both beautiful and compelling.

She’s an artist that works with geometry and nature. Her work is stunning.

This is a conversation that covers many topics from why art matters financially, to the challenge of an art school crit and why sustainability is important to her. We also mourn the loss of the Enterprise Allowance Scheme which supported artists, entrepreneurs and creative souls alike.

To listen click my linktree and scroll down to the podcasts.

08/12/2022

That was lush. It was a cold one at about five and half Celsius in the water this morning (colder out) but wonderful nonetheless.

200m today. One lap of the shortened loop. The diving board was iced (as an enthusiastic diver/slider found out), there’s grit down on the jetty, and the ladder handles stick to your hands like an overly frozen lolly sticks to your tongue straight out of the freezer. Utterly wonderful.

Last night I went to ’s last talk before he jets off for a while. I’ve seen him talk loads. He’s always wonderful. But last night was different. He dug deeper. He showed more of himself. He also showed a closeup drawing of my c**k as a c**k-plant then mentioned that I was there with my teenage daughter. I owned up and owned it.

I have many friends but only a few close friends. Mr Bingo is one of those and I’m truly grateful.

I also got to meet two incredible souls in and and bumped into many old mates. A heart-filled evening.

Then back to Mabel’s Uni halls to doss on her floor.

06/12/2022

A few from this morning’s walk.

A different route as Boo was really stiff and we wanted to get her into cold water faster. We are utterly spoilt for trails and tracks, ponds and lakes.

She always comes out looking and moving five years younger.

Busy day today. A new coaching client and book writing are on the cards. But first qigong at 08.00 over on

03/12/2022

A later walk this morning.

Keep on moving.

As Soul II Soul said

Keep on moving
Don't stop, like the hands of time
Click-clock, find your own way to stay
The time will come one day.

Right that’s going on now.

27/11/2022

If you have to add the words your Democratic and Republic to the name of your country you can be assured it’s neither of those things. The DRC is so important in terms of resources and is part of China’s galloping neo-colonialism. The impending rush for resources threatens the most pristine (and second largest) tropical rain forest in the world.

Protecting this (as well as the Amazon) is essential to keeping temperature rise to below 3 degrees. Yep that’s right. 3 degrees. I think we stand no chance of being below 1.5 and only a slim one of staying below 2. This is not carte blanche to do what we want in terms of our behaviour. Every degree rise is a 10% reduction in food yield (and you thought food was expensive now) so we need to do everything we can. All of us.

But this asks a massive question. How do we compensate those countries that are exchanging their economic development, their future “growth” for the safety of the world? Whilst the only good news from COP27 was a fund to help those countries impacted by the effects of climate the real elephant in the room is this.

The west has converted it’s raw materials to profit already. We need to support those countries who simply can’t be allowed to do the same.

I have no idea how this happens but to talk about it is a start.

There are many great things happening in carbon reduction and removals, but the loss of these rainforests would probably be too much for the world to cope with.

27/11/2022

This will be a great event. I’ve wanted to go for a few years. I’m a small part of it next year.

🥁 .... Announcing The Big Retreat Festival 2023 line up ✨

Limited number of Tier 1 tickets on sale until Monday at 11am

Whatever you do you are guaranteed to find your feel good 😌 ✨.
Headlining music on the main stage next year are
Scouting For Girls Youngr Toploader and Huey Morgan with Max La Manna, The Fitness Chef and Jasmine Hemsley - wellbeing author and cook also topping the bill

Start your day with Mr Motivator and Kate Rowe-Ham in the Energy Fields 🧘🏿‍♂️ 🤸🏻‍♂️ 🏋️

Join us in Darwins Den with We swim wild, August Berstein and Jungle Goddess Gut Health UK

Head over to the Talk Tent to hear inspiring talks hosted by Shahroo Izadi, Matt Johnson Mark Shayler and Shareefa J

Or relax in the Soul Space area with gong Baths, take a cool dip in an ice bath with Anna Gough or head to another dimension in the hypnotherapy tent 🧘🏾.

Cook up a feast in the Chefs Kitchen with Sandos and Fell Foodie

Or head over to the Tangled Woods to try foraging, bush craft and artist workshops with Zen Wood Design 🌲.

Top up your feel good with Stargazing ✨ and astronomy workshops, hot tubs, fire walking and Tarot reading.

We can’t wait to see you!

Grab your tickets at www.thebigretreatfestival.com