#101 Apian Wisdom: Michael Joshin Thiele

In this episode, Michael Reiley engages in an insightful discussion with Michael Joshin Thiele, a honeybee conservationist and president of Apis Arborea. The conversation explores the intersections of cultural, spiritual, and ecological dimensions of natural honeybee life. Michael Joshin Thiele is an apiculture consultant and founder and president of Apis Arborea, a nonprofit focused on honeybee conservation through deep ecology and ecosystem-based strategies. Originally from Germany, he studied philosophy and anthropology in Berlin before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area for Zen Buddhist training. With over a decade of experience, Michael has presented his innovative beekeeping practices at institutions like Harvard and NYU, and co-founded one of the first honeybee refuges in the U.S. His work has been featured in major media and films like Rewilding Honey Bees and Queen of the Sun. https://www.apisarborea.org/ Topics: 00:00 – Introduction 01:13 – Michael Thiele's Journey with Bees 02:52 – The Spiritual Connection with Bees 03:35 – Zen Monastery Experience 04:52 – Bees and Dharma 08:37 – Language and Terminology 15:28 – Critique of Industrial Beekeeping 22:40 – Founding of Apis Arborea 27:45 – The Music of Bees 34:41 – Ethics and Apian Culture 48:11 – Apian Alchemy Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member