Spiritual Landscapes: Eric Nagelmann's Journey to Inner Peace

01/23/25 • 47 min

What happens when a visionary landscape architect combines his passion for design with a deep connection to nature and spirituality?

Join me in a conversation with Eric Nagelmann, as he takes us on a journey through his life and work—creating gardens that are as much spiritual experiences as they are beautiful landscapes. From his early days in Santa Barbara to his current home in New Mexico, Eric’s path has been shaped by his deep love for the natural world and his travels to places like India, Laos, and Tibet. His experiences in these spiritually rich cultures have influenced his approach to both art and life, bringing new layers of meaning to his stunning designs, including his work at Lotusland.

Eric’s stories are filled with vibrant cultural encounters and profound spiritual insights, illustrating the power of travel to open our hearts and minds. Hear how life’s unpredictability can lead to deeper self-discovery. His journey is a testament to the transformative power of following one’s passion and embracing new challenges. Eric and I reflect on how his evolving creative journey has shaped his understanding of interconnectedness, animism, and the magic of living a life guided by purpose and intuition.

Eric Nagelmann, born and raised in Santa Barbara as one of 10 siblings, was the rebellious one who found solace in nature. Struggling with school, he developed a passion for plants and gardening at an early age. By 11, he secured his first gardening job, marking the beginning of a lifelong career. Over the years, he worked for notable figures in Santa Barbara and designed gardens globally, including Lotusland's iconic landscapes. Now based in New Mexico, Eric explores new interests like building, art installations, and creating a native plant oasis on his property.

In this episode:

(00:00) Eric Nagelman's unique journey in landscape architecture
(03:44) Transformative travel experiences in India, Laos, and Tibet
(12:30) Finding a path to landscapes and gardens
(15:47) Pursuing passions for fulfillment
(20:29) Change and new beginnings in New Mexico's solitude
(25:16) An Appalachian Trail adventure, language, love and intentional living
(28:17) Creation of world-renowned gardens like Lotusland
(33:00) Leaving home at an early age
(38:00) Writing a book, Eric's dedication to inspiring others and giving back
(42:30) Closing questions
Subscribe, like, and send us your comments and ideas for future episodes!

Resources:

Lotusland

What happens when a visionary landscape architect combines his passion for design with a deep connection to nature and spirituality?

In this episode:

(00:00) Eric Nagelman's unique journey in landscape architecture
(03:44) Transformative travel experiences in India, Laos, and Tibet
(12:30) Finding a path to landscapes and gardens
(15:47) Pursuing passions for fulfillment
(20:29) Change and new beginnings in New Mexico's solitude
(25:16) An Appalachian Trail adventure, language, love and intentional living
(28:17) Creation of world-renowned gardens like Lotusland
(33:00) Leaving home at an early age
(38:00) Writing a book, Eric's dedication to inspiring others and giving back
(42:30) Closing questions
Subscribe, like, and send us your comments and ideas for future episodes!

Resources:

Lotusland

Previous Episode

Innovation and Creativity as an Expression of Love with Patricia Mendivil

In this captivating episode of "Came Here to Love," host Liz Logan engages in a heart-centered conversation with Patricia Mendivil, the creative visionary behind Mexican design company Tata Mosaics. Listeners will embark on a journey through the vibrant design elements of Mexico and other cultures, integrating cultural traditions into modern design through food, crafts, and architecture. Together, Liz and Patricia explore the potential of natural materials to create wellness-centered, sustainable living spaces, while also navigating the intricate dance of entrepreneurship and soulful discovery in a rapidly changing digital world. Patricia and Liz highlight the power of creativity as an expression of inner love, encouraging a collective movement toward compassion, balance, and purpose in both personal and professional realms.

Patricia Mendivil Favela founded TATA in 2015 to work with artisanal processes and natural materials. With her background in architecture, she develops design models to create a conscious relationship with the objects we consume and the value of their process. She engages in projects that embrace the imperfection of the earth and its differences as natural beauty; working alongside architectural studios, designers and great regenerative minds to continue to materialize Tata’s purpose.

In this episode:

(00:00) What we love right now - San Miguel de Allende, MX and travels in Greece, connecting cultural traditions through food, crafts, and design with Patricia Mendevil, owner of Tata Mosaics, inspired by travels to Greece and Mexico, ancient/modern style
(06:22) Patricia’s path, connecting earth and urban architecture, integration of traditional techniques in contemporary projects in cities
(18:39) Tata Mosaics, designing healthier living spaces with earth-friendly materials, embracing sustainability, and the transformative power of purposeful living
(22:37) A transformative moment, entrepreneurship and personal growth are intertwined, with authenticity and alignment being challenged in a changing world
(30:29) Discovering love through inner creativity, love as an intrinsic force within us, expressed through creativity and shared in a collective journey
(33:08) Encouraging the listening audience to do anything creative to build up that creativity, balance, and compassion in your life and art
(36:44) Closing questions
Subscribe, like, and send us your comments and ideas for future episodes!

Resources:

https://tatamosaicos.com/

Next Episode

Weaving Stories of Hope: Angela del Sol Varela on Indigenous Artistry and Sustainability

How can embracing ancient wisdom and aligning with love combine to tackle today's global challenges and inspire personal transformation?In this episode of *Came Here to Love*, Liz Logan sits down with Angela del Sol Varela, founder of Ancient Future Earth, to explore how Indigenous artistry and ancient wisdom can fuel sustainable solutions for the modern world. Angela shares her journey of blending "Ancient Futurism" with climate activism, highlighting her SISU initiative that supports keystone species like bees, trees, and reefs. The conversation delves into the importance of honoring indigenous artisans, the power of personal growth through love and alignment, and how creativity and compassion are driving positive environmental change. Tune in to hear about Angela’s transformative work, her Colombian heritage, and how we can all contribute to a more sustainable and connected future.Angela del Sol Varela is a visionary social entrepreneur and climate activist, founder of Ancient Future Earth, where she pioneered "Ancient Futurism" to tackle global challenges. Combining technology with indigenous wisdom, she creates transformative solutions through community organizing, regeneration projects, and art. Her SISU initiative focuses on keystone species like bees, trees, and reefs, developing innovative funding models for local impact. With experience working on large-scale projects for organizations like Google and the UN, Angela is now collaborating with the Planetary Health Lab at the University of Edinburgh, driving global change through creative climate action.

In this episode:

(00:00) What we’re loving right now - country music!?
(06:00) New Year’s Eve with Angela
(09:13) Expressing personal style through clothing, living generously and non-attachment
(16:11) Essence of love and alignment, what Liz is loving right now - Angela’s artisan bag project
(18:31) Honoring indigenous artisans through handcrafts
(27:00) Pollinators and supporting sustainable fashion, the Sisu project, bees, meeting Zach Bush
(32:10) Exploring ancient wisdom for inner healing, soulful private adventures being planned, accessing ancient knowledge today
(40:33) A transformative moment, navigating relationships and trauma responses
(45:10) The art of war is peace
(47:55) Balancing masculine and feminine energies
(51:00) What Angela came here to love, embracing love and inner light, spreading love and living fully
(59:21) Closing questions
Subscribe, like, and send us your comments and ideas for future episodes!