Advertise on podcast: The Wilderness and Wellness Podcast

In this episode I sit down with a returning guest, my friend John Slattery who serves as a bioregional herbalist in the American Southwest. During our talk, John shares his stories and knowledge about what he has learned while delving into his self-discovery journey in connecting with his European heritage. John talks about his travels to Ireland, South America, and more. John discusses some of the unconventional knowledge and ideas about the history and spiritual landscape of the indigenous European peoples, especially in Ireland. We discuss ties to the landscape, animism, storytelling, and the importance of a personal spirituality tied to the land and its energies, among so many other topics. Don’t miss this intriguing episode! Contact John: John’s Website John’s Facebook Page John’s Instagram Desert Tortoise Botanicals Website John’s Books ·      Southwest Medicinal Plants ·      Southwest Foraging Book Recommendations: Irish Wisdom Preserved in Bible and Pyramids, by: Conor MacDari How the Irish Saved Civilization, by: Thomas Cahill

Join me for a discussion with Jahan Khamsehzadeh, Ph.D., psychedelic guide, teacher, researcher, and journeyer with over 20 years of formal and informal research, has taken 1000+ personal psychedelic plant medicine journeys, and guided almost 700 journeys for others. Jahan astutely guides us through what psychedelics are and some specific medicines as well as the natural active compounds they offer. Jahan speaks to the human evolutionary history of psychedelic use including the indigenous use of mind-altering plant medicines for healing and connection as well as the role of animism in human history and the ability of psychedelics to reveal a sense of consciousness or aliveness in all aspects of the natural world. Jahan discusses the current research on the nature connective and pro-environmental influence of psychedelic use on people. Lastly, Jahan offers guidance for those seeking out experiences with psychedelic plant medicines including harm reduction, self-education, and safety considerations. Connect with Jahan: Jahan’s Website: https://psychedelicevolution.org Social Media: ·      Jahan’s Facebook ·      Jahan’s Instagram Jahan’s Book: The Psilocybin Connection: Psychedelics, the Transformation of Consciousness, and Evolution on the Planet Book Mentions from Jahan (Listed in Order of Appearance): ·      Darwin’s Pharmacy: Sex, Plants, and the Evolution of the Noosphere, by: Richard M. Doyle ·      Animals and Psychedelics: The Natural World and the Instinct to Alter Consciousness, by: Giorgio Samorini ·      The Botany of Desire: A Plant’s-Eye View of the World, by: Michael Pollan ·      Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds & Shape Our Futures, by: Merlin Sheldrake ·      How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, by: Michael Pollan ·      Magic Mushroom Explorer: Psilocybin and the Awakening Earth, by: Simon G. Powell Book Recommends for Those New to Psychedelics ·      The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself, by: Sean Carroll ·      The Psychedelic Explorer’s Guide: Safe, Therapeutic, and Sacred Journeys, by: James Fadiman, Ph.D. ·      Consciousness Medicine: Indigenous Wisdom, Entheogens, and Expanded States of Consciousness for Healing and Growth, by: Françoise Bourzat ·      LSD and the Mind of the Universe: Diamonds from Heaven, by: Christopher M. Bache ·      Food of the Gods: The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge, A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution, by: Terence McKenna

Join me for a discussion with Ruby Pinyuh-Derovan, an experienced and skilled outdoor guide who leads young people on life-changing excursions into wild places. We talk about the power of nature and long-term wilderness experiences in shaping our lives, the importance of community and shared experiences in nature, and of course, some great wilderness expedition stories where trials are faced, lessons are learned, and one story in particular where a group of intrepid explorers utilize previously gifted indigenous knowledge to traverse a landscape by watercraft. You don’t want to pass up on this fascinating conversation with someone who lives her life traversing through and sharing the natural world in a thoughtful, intuitive, and healing way.

Discussion with Rick Berry, student of Tom Brown Jr. and founder of the 4 Elements Earth Education school, about the life, teachings, and legacy of Tom Brown Jr. Tom Brown Jr. Books 4 Elements Earth Education (founded by Rick Berry)

Discussion with Wendolyn Bird, former outdoor preschool/summer camp director and nature-infused parenting coach. We talk about techniques for mindfully dealing with the difficult but rewarding task of parenting and how to infuse nature into our parenting journey and create mindful, helpful, and nature-connected children. Connect with Wendolyn: - https://wendolynbird.com Book Recommendations: - How to Calm a Tantrum in 17 Seconds: From Chaos to Calm: Discovering Nature’s Path to Peaceful Parenting (eBook), by: Wendolyn Bird - Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Little Humans, by: Michaeleen Doucleff - Rest, Play, Grow: Making Sense of Preschoolers (Or Anyone Who Acts Like One), by: Dr. Deborah MacNamara - Trails, Tails & Tidepools in Pails, by: Docents of Nurserty Nature Walks - Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature, by: Jon Young, Ellen Haas, & Evan McGown

Join me and co-host Fil Tkaczyk for a “proper yarn” with Tyson Yunkaporta about: ·      The idea of what it means to live within and through multiple associations, ideals, and ways of thinking. ·      Tyson’s indigenous and cultural roots. ·      How everything that is real about who we are is not necessarily only within ourselves, but within the connections of our relations. ·      What a “proper yarn” is and means. ·      Developing a relationship with place and society’s ideas of who should have a voice based on perceived identities and social fragmentation. ·      The idea of emergence for cultural change and tracking patterns. ·      How everything in the world is surrounded by sex and death. Connect with Tyson: Deakin University Faculty Profile Book Recommendations: Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World,  by: Tyson Yunkaporta Connect with Fil: [email protected] Animism: Listening to the Land Podcast on Apple Animism: Listening to the Land Podcast Facebook Page Animism: Listening to the Land Podcast Instagram Page

A short episode discussing the lyrics of the song "Alie Nation" written by the late John Trudell and performed by the musical group "The Halluci Nation" (formerly "A Tribe Called Red"). I offer a personal interpretation of the lyrics, discussing the two different mindsets one may adopt, that of an indigenous way of thinking which may lead to healing, connection, and sacredness, or that of a post-modern western societal way of thinking which embraces separateness, numb, trauma, and materialism. Alie Nation Youtube Video Halluci Nation Article Halluci Nation Article John Trudell Wikipedia Page

In this eighth episode of my tracking series I had the fortune to catch up with avid hunter, tracker, and CyberTracker evaluator Brian McConnell. In our discussion we cover a lot of ground (pun intended). Brian fills us in on his background as a young man being taught by his dad how to hunt in the Arkansas woods, then learning intuitively to trail deer, and finally, later in life, connecting with a class offering formal training in tracking techniques which helped him refine his craft to the point of earning a specialist level on his second ever trailing evaluation, then becoming an evaluator shortly after. Brian shares his knowledge on: ·      How a trailing evaluation unfolds and what the evaluator is scoring the tracker on ·      How he uses tracking to inform and support his hunting activities, especially for deer and elk ·      Tells us some hunting stories, showcasing how 90% of the elk he takes are done so by trailing right to the animal ·      Gives us some practical tips on how to begin learning the art of trailing, especially for hunting purposes Connect with Brian https://trackercertification.com/evaluators/ Book Recommendations Dersu the Trapper, by: V.K. Arseniev The Jim Corbett Omnibus, by: Jim Corbett (Includes “Man-eaters of Kumaon”, “The Temple Tiger and More Man-eaters of Kumaon”, and “The Man-eating Leopard of Rudraprayag”)

In response to a question from a listener, I tell the story of where the coyote howl recording from my intro came from. It is a very special story, near and dear to my heart, and discusses my experience with a pair of coyotes while searching for a quality sit spot area.  Stick around after the outro music to hear a 5 minute sample of all the coyote vocalizations from the story.

In this Wilderness and Wellness “Short”, I introduce the inaugural episode for a new format that I plan to start releasing and delve into a passage from Eckhart Tolle's "Oneness With All Life". Based on Eckhart's teachings in this passage I discuss the way that the thinking mind perceives organic natural spaces as chaos, whereas the quiet mind of "being" perceives a sacred order. I offer commentary on the importance of the "being mind" while in nature to develop a participatory relationship with other living beings and garner the personal and planetary health and wellness benefits that will ensue.

Join me for a discussion with Dr. Doug Tallamy about a simple yet revolutionary way that we can save nature while building a relationship with it and gaining the health benefits of such an activity at the same time. With his extensive research background on the interactions of the plant and insect world, Dr. Tallamy skillfully teaches us: ·      The ecology of native vs. non-native plants and why maintaining native plants matters to the insect population. ·      how the health of the insect population is foundational for the health of the ecosystem, especially birds.  ·      Why it is important not just to protect places where people aren’t inhabiting, such as national parks and preserves, but to also maintain suitable habitat in the places people do inhabit.  ·      How we can cut our lawns in half to create a “Homegrown National Park” and shatter the almost universally accepted myth that humans and nature cannot coexist in the same areas.  ·      How to approach prohibitive homeowners’ associations to advocate for the planting of more native species. ·      The three historical missteps that modern western humans have made that have disconnected us from nature and helped to create the ecological crisis we now face. ·      Ideas for getting started creating your own “Homegrown National Park”. Connect with Dr. Tallamy and “Homegrown National Park”: Homegrown National Park Website Dr. Tallamy’s Presentation to The National Wildlife Federation Book Recommendations: Nature's Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard, by: Douglas Tallamy Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded, by: Douglas Tallamy The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees , by: Douglas Tallamy (Available March 30, 2021) Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change, by: Larry Weaner & Thomas Christopher Essential Native Trees and Shrubs for the Eastern United States: The Guide to Creating a Sustainable Landscape, by: Tony Dove & Ginger Woolridge

In this seventh episode of my tracking series I get out in the field with Bryon Lichtenhan of Sky Island Alliance to volunteer doing some work in gathering data for a border wall study that the conservation organization is conducting. In this journalistic style episode we learn from Bryon and the Executive Director of Sky Island Alliance, Louise Misztal, why wildlife migration corridors along the border are important, the threat that the looming border wall poses to these corridors, and how tracking supports SIA’s efforts in collecting data to bolster conservation work towards preserving the area and the migration corridors used by many species. You’ll also have an opportunity to learn tracking knowledge from Bryon and get a peek into the minds of trackers as Bryon and I attempt to decipher tracks and sign in real time.  Connect with Sky Island Alliance SIA Website

In this sixth episode of my tracking series I had the privilege to sit down and talk about bird language and animism with tracking author, instructor, and podcaster Filip Tkaczyk. Fil teaches us the intricacies of bird language, sharing foundational principles, stories, and examples of how we can tap into, and become a part of the communications of nature. The following topics, and more, are discussed: -The art of bird language, what it is, how it works, and how we can learn the secrets of the landscape using it. -The specifics of bird vocalizations and what they mean. -How bird language fits into the art of tracking. -A few stories from Fil and I about our experiences with bird language and interpreting the mechanics of what birds are saying with their vocalizations and behavior within those stories. -Animism as it relates to communications in the natural world. -The practice of interspecies honoring (species giving space to one another) and how we can practice honoring with other animals as a part of being in relationship with nature. -The concept of reciprocity with the land as all species give and take and how this relates to humanity’s current state of relationship with the land. -How to begin learning bird language and building reciprocity-based relationships with the natural world. Connect with Fil: [email protected] Animism: Listening to the Land Podcast on Apple Animism: Listening to the Land Podcast Facebook Page Animism: Listening to the Land Podcast Instagram Page Book Recommendations: Track and Sign of Reptiles and Amphibians of North America by: Filip Tkaczyk What the Robin Knows: How Birds Reveal the Secrets of the Natural World, by: Jon Young Becoming Animal: An Earthly Cosmology, by: David Abrams Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants, by: Robin Wall Kimmerer Media Recommendations: Merlin Bird ID App

In this fifth episode of my tracking series I had the privilege of discussing the topic of mantracking and its applications with European mantracking instructor Kyt Lyn Walken. Kyt and I delve into the many ways that mantracking can be utilized, from survival scenarios to anti-poaching operations and so much more. We talk about the differences and similarities between wildlife tracking and mantracking, some historical situations where mantracking has been employed, and some resources for people to begin learning the art of mantracking. Connect with Kyt and “The Way of Tracking” Mantracking School: The Way of Tracking Website The Way of Tracking’s Facebook Page The Way of Tracking’s Instagram Page Kyt Lyn Walken’s YouTube Channel Book Recommendations: Tracking: A Blueprint for Learning How Sign and the Art of Tracking: A Guide to Support Law Enforcement Tracking and Anti-Poaching Operations  Booklist Link from Kyt’s Website (With many free downloads including the two books listed above) Complete Guide to Tracking: Concealment, Night Movement, and All Forms of Pursuit Following Tracks, Trails and Signs, Using 22 SAS Techniques

In this fourth episode of my tracking series I sit down with tracking practitioner, educator and CyberTracker evaluator, George Leoniak, to explore the concept and practice of “inner tracking”. Through his 20+ years of tracking, and mentoring with some of the world’s most skilled trackers, George has gained an in-depth understanding of tracking both the outer, and inner landscape. George guides us through the shady and sunny parts of our inner landscape, and along the trails of our souls, unfolding the concepts of how a tracker follows oneself using the same principles they may use to follow a trail, allowing the maker of the trail to reveal him or herself instead of forcing a preconceived idea or projection. George discusses the practice of inner tracking in relation to other traditions of self-inquiry, pointing to inner tracking as a method that utilizes the land and the natural world as a conduit through which to explore the self. We reflect on how tracking, deep nature connection, and inner tracking can facilitate a powerful healing journey as one identifies baggage and begins unloading it to move on through the world in a lighter way. George also explains the process of openness, spaciousness, and that where we put our attention and love, our energy flows out and is reciprocated by the world and the people around us. All this and much more. Connect with George Mindful Tracker Website Mindful Tracker Facebook Page Inner Tracking Facebook Group Page Knew Spirituality Facebook Page Knew Spirituality Instagram Page LeoniakTracking YouTube Channel [email protected] Book Recommendations “Tracking and the Art of Seeing” and “The Wild Within”, by: Paul Rezendes Additional Recommended Links/Resources 8 Shields Institute – Mentoring, Tracking, and Naturalist Training Programs Think Radio Interview – George Leoniak: Tracking Animals to Find Oneself The Mindful Trackers Youtube Playlist – Videos of George and Paul Rezendes exploring tracking and self-awareness ideas and principles Tracking Related Education/Events Northeast Wildlife Trackers 2020 Conference Tracker Mentoring Online courses from Kersey Lawrence and Lee Gutteridge