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"What each of us practices at the scale of our individual lives is what is then possible for us at a large scale. I’m a microcosm of all the possible liberation, justice, pleasure and honesty in the universe, and I act accordingly."
—adrienne maree brown
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Dear Wild Nature Hearts,
“Are we practicing on purpose?”
 It’s such a simple inquiry with profound implications. adrienne maree brown reminds us that from the perspective of somatics, we are always practicing something, the question is, “What would we practice in our bodies if we were actually living our values?"
(Oh to wake up to that delicious song of first rain tap-dancing on the roof after so long, after so much ash in our lungs! Please excuse me while I go get soaked in this first full rain of the season!)
Ok, where was I?
Oh yes, one of the values of an earth-rooted belonging is practicing  deep connection to the seasons and natural cycles. It is not an superfluous add-on, but foundational to our ecospiritual decolonial journey.
(What was dry in me is nourished. My ashes are being washed away and my senses crack wide open. The fennel and evergreen are strong in the air and I reach out to meet them.)
 I’ve come to understand that decolonizing time and our bodies is a prerequisite for this Great Turning. Escaping the tyranny of the coordinates of the colonial clock, of capitalism, of mechanized and muted bodies tied to artificial rhythms is part of our co-creation of the new maps wanting to emerge. (see Dawning and Dusking practice and Arrhythmia poem below)
(Of course, like a good citizen, I take off my clothes and lay on the ground, surrendering, greeting this gift like a long-awaited lover, my skin and tongue and heart open and vulnerable.)
So yes on the equinox, the full moon, the high tide, today’s first full luscious rain, we ask how are we slowing down enough to be present and honor the season and cycles both externally and within?adrienne maree brown invites further inquiries as forms of embodied practice that have as their premise:
“Am I practicing reciprocity or extractivism in my relationships, both human and non-human?"
“Where am I practicing democracy?”
“Who am I exiling or punishing right now?”
(I breathe-like really breathe the first deep breath in weeks. Gratitude intrawhelms me.)
I love the notion of activism as being in every moment, a form of microactivism (a term I learned from Nkem Ndefo). It is both challenging and empowering. It is challenging because it requires vigilance and practice to reunite our actions with our professed values or confronting the gaps therein. Yet ultimately empowering because it is brings agency back onto our hands/hearts. It helps us remained anchored in the present, the right here, right now.
(Muscles relax that I didn’t know had been armoring up.
I realize my body is in praise.
Tears join the slowing falling drops, composting my supremisms.)
(The world is full of tricksters and magical turnarounds.
I hear whispers that the rain may help us metabolize the holy longings
and sacred grief we are all carrying around with us right now.)
 Thank you for reading. May we find our particular ways of praising, our ways of spiraling up, our unique ways of converting the hard stuff into medicine and beauty for each other. May we belong to earth’s season, may we belong to the season of our lives.
with rain-spells for our dry culture,
Ryan
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SEASONAL RITE-OF-RENEWAL: FALL DAYQUEST
The Seasonal Rite-of-Renewal DayQuest is an opportunity to set aside sacred time to explore ourselves in/with/as wild nature. We cross the threshold to leave behind the voices of the dominant/dominator society, into a liminal space where our senses re-awaken, all our ears open, and we re-member both our kinship with the other-than-human world and our soul callings.
As the season turns, autumn begins to drape the world in its crimsons and golds. The pace slows and shadows lengthen, it is a potent time to begin slowing ourselves to honor the season both outside and within.
It is an intentional pause to listen to what is alive, to release what is no longer needed, to mark a transition, to clarify your vision and meaningful action, or to step into your power.
DATE: Saturday, October 1
TIME: Dawn-Afternoon
WHERE: Just outside Arcata
COST: $100
Note: 10% of program receipts go to Wiyot Honor Native Land Tax
REGISTER HERE
WHAT TO EXPECT:
🍁The day will begin with silent greeting with the sunrise.
🍁A discussion of the three-fold structure of Severance/Threshold/Incorporation, the importance of cultivating an inner circle, safety considerations, facets of our wholeness, and self-generated ceremony ideas.
🍁Council Circle where we will share and listen to intentions and what is calling us to this experience. What are you letting go of, marking, claiming, leaning into, renewing?
🍁DayQuest: The middle part of the day will be a solo experience on the land. You are invited (though not required) to fast, not only from food, but from the mundane things that can often distract us and fill our lives, in order to listen to what wants to be heard.
🍁We will gather again in circle in the afternoon for Story Council and Mirroring.
🍁We will end with a discussion of incorporation support and integration exercises as we return to our lives renewed.
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NATURE PRACTICE: DAWNING AND DUSKING
“𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘥𝘰 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘐 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳-𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘺.”—𝘌𝘳𝘪𝘯 𝘎𝘦𝘦𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘙𝘢𝘣𝘬𝘦
When was the last time you spent an uninterrupted, unadulterated, sacred pause with with either the sunrise or the sunset?
A simple sitting with either can be a recipe for revelation and calmness and renewal.
I call it Dawning and Dusking, one that combines two of my favorite activities: gratitude and deep listening. And is one of many invitational ecospiritual practices in the upcoming Deep Belonging in the Great Turning course. The ‘verbification’ of it indicating that though it is more a Being With than a Doing, it is cultivating an active presence. The invitation practice here is simple:
- Choose a morning and a night where you can really be present with the setting sun and the rising sun.
- What colors, sounds, sensations, feelings, energies, do you notice both out there and within?
- What praise, gratitude, grief, or longings bubble up spontaneously from your body and heart?
- What do you hear that normally gets drowned out by the distractions and daily noise?
- Extended invitation: Do this for several days in a row. How do you feel before and after?
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NEW COURSE: A HOOF IN EACH DIRECTION:
CULTIVATING EARTH-ROOTED WHOLENESS
“What if our primary human need and opportunity is not to endlessly attend to our emotional wounds and the eradication of perceived psychological disorders but rather to fathom and flesh out our natural human wholeness and to embody this integral bounty as a gift to others and our world?”
— Bill Plotkin, Wild Mind
A Hoof in Each Direction is a 5-class series for people ready to take a deep dive into intentionally cultivating their own wholeness, exploring their own inner wilderness and eager to expand their toolbox of exploration.
We, like all wild nature, have an original wholeness and vibrancy that in the context of the Overculture too frequently gets stunted or suppressed. We can intentionally cultivate these capacities, nurturing ways to access and express these in our lives, thereby empowering us to be more authentically who we are and live our purpose into the world.
This course draws on the work of Bill Plotkin (author of Wild Mind, Nature and the Human Soul, Soulcraft), the 4-Shields Model from School of Lost Borders, Jungian psychology, and my own experience as an inner/outer wilderness guide and ecotherapist.
WHEN: Online Program meets Wednesdays, October 12-November 9, 5pm-7pm PST
In-Person Program in Humboldt meets Thursdays, October 20-November 17, 10am-12pm
COST: EARLY BIRD-$125 if you register before September 30
(Regular $150 starting October 1)
REGISTER HERE FOR THE ONLINE PROGRAM
REGISTER HERE FOR THE IN-PERSON PROGRAM
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FENNEL FUN, BLACKBERRY PAWS, AND EQUINE BEACH THERAPY
 4 year old Abi was on Uncle RyRy duty again the other day. She is my partner-in-rhyme when it comes to cultivating my inner playful child and activating the wonder and simple excitement about seasonal surprises.
Whether that's getting our faces and paws stained purple from too many plump blackberries, cleansing our palate with wild fennel, or jumping in puddles after the rain, she is my ultimate ecotherapist.
And it keeps me rounded out and resilient so that I can hold the challenging stuff, for myself and others.
I was a little worried that she packed ALL 15 of her little ponies to  accompany us on our beach adventure. They took turns being the queen and princesses, and only I could play the king. For some reason, she didn’t like my proposal to abolish the institution of the monarchy, deposing the Queen, King and all princesses and practice distribution of wealth and direct democracy.
However, she was open to sing-alongs, gratitude to the water, and everyone being local organic farmers, growing everything from broccoli to candy and cinnamon ice cream. That's something I think everybody could get on board with.
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ARRHYTHMIA
Ryan Van Lenning
“The clock does not measure time; it produces it.” —Jeremy Rifkin
Where did the moon in you go?
To what unworthy machine
have you chained yourself
that even now your heart beats
with such abnormal rhythm?
The hour has come to thrust
your chest skyward
to plant your feet
and let the season
season you
False beats and terrible tides
and all the big lies have you
sweating
all the wrong things
For the dawn and dusk of you
have been hidden too long
behind the purchase of scandalous belongings
Behind the veil of acceptance
that cowardly cloak
woven by strangers’ hands
Still, some pulse in you
stalks you
the boundless fiery, elemental truth
in you
pounding out its irrepressible throb
Make a dwelling of it
that dark red root that grabs you
in the night
like a whispering lover
who knows your true heart
and it’s unstoppable rhythm
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SPIRALING UP: CAIRNS OF HOLY LONGING
Ryan Van Lenning
This one's a long path. Is it worth following to the end?
Gazing up it looks impossible.
The sheer scale of the thing
is dizzying
and if all you've become accustomed to
are thin shoes and slipping
it's a lot easier
to not try.
But should your imagination
get the best of you
you should know that on the mountain
there are several ways to spiral up
all involving the same move:
space and a slow and steady pace
It's inevitable you'll become disoriented
from time to time
a certain panic or pain will arrive
threatening to close you down
Clicks will emerge and you'll read them
perhaps as alarms or perhaps
as chirps of your grasshopper heart
indicating something is wanting to be revealed
That's the moment to push
the pause button.
Look around. If you are patient
and cultivate a plumed heart
you'll start to see cairns
of holy longing
stacked as stones
along your highest path.
Who put them there is not known.
Maybe someone looking out for you
Maybe it was you.
This may feel unfamiliar
being so used to the comfortable
dirty pain of collapse.
Yet the sun says
try something different:
Give your body the gift of air
and look around.
A cairn appears.
You give a step.
This is how it will be
with each turn:
Something will want to twist you,
and something will invite you upwards.
There's no magic trick here.
Pause. Breathe. Look around. Give a step.
Practice this maybe 40 or 50,000 times
and you'll be on your way.
A poet once said, a lover learns
to leap.
"Nothing risked, nothing gained,
razzle dazzle, play the game"
Yes, a lover leaps, but first
a lover must get their footing.
If you are committed to going fast
guaranteed you'll make a mistake.
A lover leaping with a pocket full of wounds
is just another reckless fool
or worse, liable to bring a boulder down
on the whole thing.
And best believe, once a boulder has landed
chances of recovery are slim.
Pause. Breathe. Look around. Give a step.
You'll have opportunities to spiral down
at any moment.
You'll know it because that familiar tug
would have you cursing, would have you
blaming even the rocks
calling the wind names.
Pause. Look around.
Give your body the gift of air.
Give the next right step
towards the cairn of your holy longing.
You'll reach a point
where you'll look back
seeing all the places below
where you've let your spiral down
You'll see the devasted landscapes you walked
the fires you've started
You'll swell with a tender surrender
in the recognition the damage is done
Yet even then, a view as soft
as the stone is hard
makes the next cairn
materialize out of nowhere.
There is room for mourning
but there is no room for punishment.
and so you give a breathe
and you give a step.
dedicating them both
to Mystery.
There will be a point where
there's nothing left to do
but scramble on your hands and knees
sweating and surrendering--
Forget dignity.
This is not a pissing contest, this is not
about fucking mountains.
This is about something much harder--
Love.
You give a step and find yourself
in a clearing
with so much space
it feels like you can see forever
And just when you think you've arrived
the wind picks up
carrying on its wings
a falcon in ever-widening gyres
hinting that the spiral is unending
and requires a heart as light as a feather.
For now, it is enough to know
it is time to bring the spiral home.
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I acknowledge that I live in and Wild Nature Heart works in/on/with traditional Wiyot and Yurok lands, in so-called Humboldt County, CA.
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If you're in Humboldt I invite you to mark your season with a 
