In this episode, Sam Bell speaks with John Paul Fischbach, also known as EagleHeart, about art, shamanism, business, sacred sites, and the practical wisdom that helps people find their way.
John Paul is a theatre and film director, author, arts business advisor, CEO and Chief Alchemist of Auspicious Arts Incubator, and a formally trained Native North American / Canadian shaman. In this conversation, he brings those worlds together with humour, clarity and care.
They speak about artists as entrepreneurs, building sustainable creative businesses, why art can be a vessel for love, child-led change, site whispering, responsibility, generosity, sacred places, and the value of combining intuition with knowledge, experience and practical action.
Guest bio:
John Paul Fischbach (EagleHeart) is a Canadian/American film and theatre director, arts business advisor, author and shaman. He is CEO and Chief Alchemist of Auspicious Arts Incubator, author of No More Starving Artists, and creator / presenter of The Shaman and the Stones, a documentary series exploring sacred sites with scientists and wisdom keepers.
What you’ll hear:
• Art as a way of putting love into the world
• Why artists are entrepreneurs, and why business skills can support creative life
• Mentorship, encouragement and helping someone see the future of their work
• Practical shamanism, responsibility and right relationship
• Site whispering, sacred sites and listening to the wisdom of place
• Saying yes, course-correcting mid-flow, and choosing where attention goes
Guest links:
• John Paul Fischbach: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-paul-fischbach/
• Auspicious Arts Incubator: https://auspiciousartsincubator.org/
• EagleHeart: https://www.eagleheart.com.au/
• EagleHeart YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@eagleheartshaman
Conversation mentions:
• What is a shaman?: https://www.eagleheart.com.au/about
• Kevin Kelly’s 1,000 True Fans: https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/
• fuck, YES! by Wing F. Fing: https://www.shepherdbooks.com/
• Kids Thrive: https://www.kidsthrive.org.au/
Chapters:
00:13 Introduction to John Paul Fischbach (EagleHeart)
01:12 Bringing spirit into art and business
05:07 Artists as entrepreneurs and No More Starving Artists
06:51 Child-led change, emotional intelligence and community impact
12:25 Mentorship, encouragement and “you are the prize”
17:49 What a shaman means in these times
21:23 Responsibility, right relationship and seven-generations thinking
36:21 Site whispering, rock carvings and listening across time
48:50 The Shaman and the Stones, sacred sites and ancient wisdom
54:32 Cooking, intuition, knowledge and AI agents
Explore further:
Discover Natural Genius: https://naturalgenius.com.au
Learn more about Sam: https://samanthabell.com.au
Subscribe to hear future episodes.
Credits:
Hosted by Samantha (Sam) Bell in Kiama and Collingwood, 21 May, 2026
Produced at the Kiama office, 21 May - 2 June, 2026
Natural Genius Podcast https://naturalgenius.com.au
