Return to the Moon, Return to Self

Posted on July 17, 2019 by

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Full Moon Blessings!

Last night a group of about 10 of us gathered to slow down and re-connect to nature, our inner voice, and each other. A sacred pause with the moon.

Only the moon hid behind the fog! Or was the fog there to teach valuable lessons?: That our wholeness is always there, despite clouds of distraction, doubt, division that we allow to gather in front of it.

That getting thwarted in agenda-driven life (even ‘lets go see the moon!’) can make us notice and simply BE WITH what is right there (persistent crickets, fresh air and summer scents, our bodies and breath and minds as they are, bats and mugwort)

After a simple spaciousness of silent BEING WITH the moment, we shared insights and stories that becomes medicine for each of us as we travel this human journey, as we keep coming back to wholeness, our enoughness, and our Groundedness at our core.

And as we walked back on the trail, knowing ourselves and each other better, the moon blessed us with an evocative dance through the Monterey pines, saying, thanks for visiting.
No, thank you, 🌝Moon.

In all the best and wild mysteries,
-Ryan

To keep in the earth loop of Wild Nature Heart events, sign up for the newsletter and join the Humboldt County or East Bay Meetup🦊

SIMPLICITY?

Posted on July 12, 2019 by

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Tornado. Whirlwind. Sooo busy. Overwhelmed. Too much going on. Just trying to catch a breath. Clusterfuck.

This is our life we’re talking about?! These phrases I hear a lot, from friends, family, colleagues. I myself utter them from time to time.

Today is National Simplicity Day, celebrating Henry David Thoreau and advocating simple living close to nature. But it has me wondering what simplicity could possibly look like in today’s fast-jet, multi-tasked, overbooked, commodified, insta-world. Is it possible? Desirable? Hmm

Distinguishing the necessary from unnecessary was one of Thoreau’s first counsels. Simplify, simplify, simplify, he continues. Sounds simple and easy enough. But maybe not as straightforward as it would seem.

That new book I bought, that splurge at the Mexican restaurant, is it necessary? Is social media? What (money, energy, time) am I exchanging for what? That week along the River? How many plates/shirts/shoes/books/devices/plastic things do I need?

I don’t know definitive answers, but I think it must start at least with taking A SACRED PAUSE, preferably with wild nature, to slow down enough to ‘take stock’ of what indeed is claiming so much of our time, energy, ‘resources’.

Then Letting what is aligned (with my goals, my authentic self), rise up and vibrate, letting what is not begin to release its claims. It may require ‘sacrifice’—which really just means trading something for something of greater value.

Friends, meaningful and soulful interactions, nature connection? Check. Health, food, fresh air and water, inspiration and creative outlets? Check. Dreams and beauty? A bowl, a spoon, pants? Check. Living Soul purpose? Triple-check.

Beyond that? Not much certainty. Still sifting, shifting, simplifying.

Some reminders from Thoreau:

“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.”

“As for the complex ways of living, I love them not, however much I practice them. In as many places as possible, I will get my feet down to the earth.”—Journal, October 22,1853

“Every morning was a cheerful invitation to make my life of equal simplicity, and I may say innocence, with Nature herself.”—Walden

WILD BERRY WALK

Posted on July 7, 2019 by

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Hermit thrushes slinging their ethereal songs among the Sitka spruce set the scene for @wildnatureheart’s first Berry Walk of the season. Lots of first time tasters for salmonberry and salal berry.

Blackberries and thimbleberries are just starting, and wild cucumber vines/coastal manroot were trailing and setting their exotic gourds among the huckleberries and currants. And don’t forget about twinberry honeysuckle and elderberry.

So great to connect to our local plant communities and each other. Thanks all who came out!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Re-Wilding Tip: Drink the Forest

Posted on July 4, 2019 by

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We were tossing around the idea of doing some quick, informative, and fun nature connection videos. So on a recent hike, we just went for it! So here’s the first of our Re-Wilding Tip videos.

In this one, wild-edible enthusiast Trinity Calabrese talks about how to make tea from evergreen tips. Enjoy!

Evergreen Tip Tea
_________________________________________________________________________________
Making a tea from redwoods and other evergreen needles:

Step 1)Gather a few spring tips (redwood, spruce, fir, pine)
Step 2)Crumble needles a little to release oils and put in jar/cup
Step 3)Pour in boiling water, then steep for 10 minutes and Strain.
Step 4)Drink the Forest. Feel it pour through your blood and come alive
Step 5)Give thanks to the forest for being awesome🙏 😎

INNER WILDERNESS WORK

Posted on June 15, 2019 by

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I love the work I do! I just finished another 2-hour Earth-rooted mentoring session with a new client. It is such an honor to be able to help provide a safe container for Whole Self exploration and witness the soul journey as people come into deeper belonging to themselves and nature. It’s gonna take each of us becoming our full selves and sharing our gifts to transition in this time of the Great Turning. The beautiful wild coastal landscape evoked the inner tide and walking at one’s growing edge.

Trusting your inner guide. Courage to take meaningful action. Creating Ritual for marking transition and celebration. Finding your own flow and rootedness. Leaning into the hardest spaces. Connecting to the inner child/healer/masculine/feminine. Clarifying your purpose. Dancing on the growing edge. Own the shit parts. Cultivating facets of the whole self from the four directions. Shedding old stories that no longer serve. Deepening your ecological self.

These are some of the things I live for!! Like anybody, I have a lot to learn, but I love holding space, deep listening, and gently guiding. 1-on-1 work is about a third of my @wildnatureheart work (the others are reconnection workshops and Wilderness trips-and the Wild Nature Heart Academy soon). One of my specialties is facilitating a series of inner/outer wilderness sessions, culminating in a solo wilderness ceremony that we co-create.

If some of these themes resonate with you and you’re curious about working with me, drop me a line at ryan@wildnatureheart.com, I’d love to have a free chat with you. Everybody who works with me over several sessions also receives my two earth poetry books. I currently have 1 in-person spot available (in Humboldt County) and two remote (via video chat) spots available. Find out more about working with me in 1-on-1 Earth-Rooted Mentoring/Inner Wilderness Guiding.
-Ryan @ryanreturntotheearth

“The world was made to be free in. Give up all the other worlds except the one to which you belong. Anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.” – David Whyte, Sweet Darkness

“If we surrendered
to earth’s intelligence
we could rise up rooted, like trees.” -Rumi

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🌝BEING WITH Last night a group of about 10 of us gathered to slow down and re-connect to nature, our inner voice, and each other. A sacred pause with the moon. Only the moon hid behind the fog! Or was the fog there to teach valuable lessons?: That our wholeness is always there, despite clouds of distraction, doubt, division that we allow to gather in front of it. That getting thwarted in agenda-driven life (even ‘lets go see the moon!’) can make us notice and simply BE WITH what is right there (persistent crickets, fresh air and summer scents, our bodies and breath and minds as they are, bats and mugwort) After a simple spaciousness of silent BEING WITH the moment, we shared insights and stories that becomes medicine for each of us as we travel this human journey, as we keep coming back to wholeness, our enoughness, and our Groundedness at our core. And as we walked back on the trail, knowing ourselves and each other better, the moon blessed us with an evocative dance through the Monterey pines, saying, thanks for visiting. No, thank you, 🌝Moon. In all the best and wild mysteries, -Ryan To keep in the earth loop of Wild Nature Heart events, sign up for the newsletter and join the #Humboldt County or #EastBay Meetup🦊(links in bio)
🌝 PAINTS HERSELF INSIDE MY SKY This night-owl Luna wild-eyed she paints herself inside my sky washing walls that gather dust making murals moonly must of love and lonely lunar lust illuminating rivers lost coloring canyons filled with moss or mud from eroded banks from many months of ambling aches leaving light in her wake got no gate to keep her out now she waxes why and wanes my how gliding through with brushes wide painting pictures, pulling tides evoking all the scenes inside This night-owl Luna wild-eyed she paints herself inside my sky. Full Moon Blessings —Ryan Van Lenning
🐋 MEMORIAL FOR OUR WHALE AND DOLPHIN FAMILY We will hold a memorial service at dusk for the 181 whales found dead along the Pacific coast this year, the hundreds of dolphins washing up dead on the Gulf Coast, the thousand dolphins found mutilated in France, and the increasing numbers of marine life impacted by plastic. Many hearts are breaking open as we witness these losses. These species have shared this planet with us for as long as we have been human. Our world will be a poorer place without them. Our intention is simply to offer an opportunity for people to gather together and share our grief and sense of loss at what’s happening with the whales and many other of our more-than-human family and habitats. Gray whales have washed up dead along the Pacific coast in record-breaking numbers recently. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared an “unusual mortality event,” for both the gray whales on the Pacific and the bottlenose dolphins on the Gulf Coast. Because we are NOT separate from nature and others, we cannot help but be impacted on many levels. Grief is an essential process and a critical feedback of Earth/Gaia itself. Because we love and care for the world, we feel grief and other emotions when we see the harm being done. We are often not able or willing to fully feel or express these emotions for a variety of reasons. The idea here is that by allowing the space to feel and be seen with these emotions, we are honoring nature's feedback loop and can become unstuck. When: July 24, 8:15pm Where: Trinidad State Beach. What to expect: This is a FREE, non-religious, simple earth-based gathering and everyone is welcome. Together we will do an opening circle, share a moment of silence and an opportunity to share our grief, gratitude, and other emotions. Attendees may expect poetry, movement, & singing. What to bring: Layers An item that symbolizes something you are feeling about what is happening in the world and our relationship to Mother/Lover Earth. More info and RSVP on FB Event Page and Wild Nature Heart Humboldt Meetup (link in bio).