Wisdom of the Wilderness
By G V
Connect via wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com
Wisdom of the WildernessMar 18, 2024
E141: Transitions
E140: Courage, Determination, Bravery
E139: DNF
Did Not Finish (DNF) a race doesn’t define who you are. Today I'm reading an article I wrote about my DNF experience at the Coldwater Rumble by Aravaipa Running in Estrella Regional Park on January 20.
E138: Desert dwellers II
Today I delve into some of the questions and meanings we can consider when more desert animals cross our path. I'd forgotten about javelina and coyote as I recorded the previous episode, so decided to add them in here.
Javelina showed up for me last week in southern Arizona while I was driving at night: a family of four curiously investigating part of the desert. In a curious twist of fate, the day I recorded the episode, coyotes showed up multiple times both before and after. One place was in the book I finished that morning, about a tree in Haida Gwaii entitled The Golden Spruce by John Vaillant (highly recommend). One telling of that tree can be found here on the Haida Tourism site.
Thank you for listening! You can connect with me at cactusmoose@protonmail.com or @cactusmoose on Instagram with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Have a wonderful day, and enjoy the time you spend in nature.
E137: Dreaming with Geckos
Thank you for listening, friends! Today's run surprised me with three different lizard or gecko sightings. I thought that since they were spaced throughout my 7.5 mile run that there was likely a message for me in the guise of their wisdom. To my trusty Medicine Cards deck I went, and discovered lizard/gecko medicine is about dreaming.
We discuss dreaming the future into your perceived reality, and some steps to take to bring those far-off goals into your lived experience.
As always, you can contact me on Instagram or at cactusmoose@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Until next week, enjoy the weather and opt outside whenever you can.
E136: Desert dweller wisdom
Thanks for listening today, friends! It's a solo episode discussing the wisdom of some of my favorite desert beings: the saguaro cactus, roadrunner, owl and desert tortoise.
Inspiration for the episode comes from
National Parks Service
Jamie Sams & David Carson
E135: the importance of gratitude
E134: The Importance of Rest with Realist Idealist
Happy 2024, friends! We're starting the year off with Realist Idealist for another discussion... this time about the importance of rest.
Realist Idealist has made a point over the past 8 months to incorporate scheduled rest into her schedule... turns out, it ain't so easy.
We chat about her motivation to schedule rest, what's out of balance, the history of a sabbath day or full day of rest, the importance of recharging both psychologically and spiritually, and how her rest days change as her life ebbs and flows. Other topics that pop up are challenging the 9-5/8-4 Monday to Friday concept of work, questioning the control-based work schedules, and asking yourself if your life is full and is the schedule of your job working for you. It is important to note that rest looks different for everyone.
It's a challenge to separate oneself from the constant dings and addictive nature of technology, but ultimately it helps us reset and rejuvenate. Additionally, taking a day of inactivity can be a huge challenge for many.
Rest allows for a reset to happen, and can be incorporated into weekly, fortnightly or monthly schedules. It's something I'm actively focusing on, as it's a challenge for me to stop moving and just sit or lie still.
Realist Idealist read the book The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World by John Mark Comer before beginning her journey to rest more.
Thank you for listening, friends! I would greatly appreciate it if you shared this episode and gave it a rating and review on your podcast platform of choice. You can contact me at cactusmoose@protonmail.com on Instagram or on my website gregveregin.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions.
I hope you get a chance to be outside and take some deep breaths in a beautiful spot in nature. Until next week...
E133: Endless possibilities with Heidi Jorgensen
Thank you for listening today, friends! We've got a great episode with Heidi Jorgenson, an inspiring ultrarunner, obstacle course racer (OCR), and sponsored Speedland athlete in Arizona. Connect with her on Instagram or TikTok.
We cover a number of topics including mindset, bringing dreams to reality, the challenges of ultramarathons, how she became an OCR athlete, how she became a contestant on 3 seasons of American Ninja Warrior, and some of her bucket list items and long term goals. It was fun to record out at Tempe Town Lake on a gorgeous sunny winter day.
We originally met at at mile 76 of Mak Regan's Javelina Jundred experience in October 2022. The story of our roles in Mak's race can be heard on this Gremlin Talk podcast.
Heidi's positive energy and inner light shine through during our conversation, and there are nuggets of wisdom hidden throughout. It'll be fun following her progress toward goals this year, and watching Ninja Warrior to see how she fares.
Below are links for some of the references from our wide-ranging chat:
Matt Fitzgerald - How Bad Do You Want It and The Champion's Mind
As always, I hope you enjoy this episode, and that you get a chance to day to appreciate something beautiful in nature. You can connect with me on Instagram or by email cactusmoose@protonmail.com
E132: Flow State... 2023
Flow state... the feeling of being so connected and having such energized focus in an activity as to lose track of time. It's what athletes and performers speak of... and it can also relate to our lives. Specifically, how well we are flowing with life, taking the path of least resistance. Or not.
In today's episode I share different ways I've found to connect to flow state, and how being in flow state has led me to new connections, opportunities and directions when I am open and receptive.
As always, connect with me on Instagram or at cactusmoose@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Until next week, here's to enjoying some quiet moments outside today!
E131: Amanda's experience at the Javelina Jundred Endurance Run
Thank you for listening, friends!
Today's episode was so much fun to record. Amanda and I share a mutual friend that introduced us at the recent Javelina Jundred Endurance Run in Arizona.
Amanda is a badass outdoor adventurer, having completed the Adirondack 46ers and currently working on the Adirondack Grid of 552 peaks. Amanda performed well at the race, and completed the 100 miles to get her finisher's buckle.
We talk about what happened in her race a couple weeks ago including why she decided to run 100 miles far from her mountainous New York home, what it's like to be in the desert overnight, what she ate, how her pacers made the last 2 20-mile loops fun, what she's up to next.
A great life tip was shared in the episode: to simply follow an idea. Just do it, and learn from it. Amanda crushed Javelina, and next up is completing the full Adirondack Grid.
It was a blast to record with Amanda: our laughter and Amanda's stoke fill the episode.
As always, connect with me on Instagram or through cactusmoose@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions.
E130: Another Way To Heal with Melissa Crawford
Thank you for listening today, friends! Today's guest is Melissa Crawford, a Medical Intuitive based in Nelson, British Columbia.
Melissa shares her journey from Medical Doctor in the allopathic system to Medical Intuitive, and how that journey was shaped by her own personal healing. Simple nature connection has strongly affected her, and she is enthusiastic about bringing nature time into personal time and homeschooling her son. Melissa uses a variety of modalities including Light Therapy, Holistic Detox, Reiki, Vibrational Water Medicine, Medical intuition and ThetaHealing.
We address a range of topics including her favorite nature connections, the potency of frequency medicine (Homeopathy and Vibrational Water Medicine), truth versus social programming, her experience healing on a deeper level through complementary, integrative modalities often eschewed by mainstream voices, teaching and modeling emotional intelligence, and how healing is simple... but not always easy.
This was a fun conversation full of great tidbits and resources. Melissa can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook, her website, Telegram and Instagram. She offers both in-person and remote healing for individuals, and group healings through her Wild Hearts Collective Membership as well as other workshops online and in-person.
E129: Javelina Jundred 2023 from behind the scenes
Hello friends, and thank you for listening. Today's episode details my experience being part of the biggest Hallowe'en ultramarathon dance party in the desert... the Aravaipa Running's Javelina Jundred presented by Hoka.
I did a lot, met a lot of cool people, and have so many more fun memories of driving trucks, pounding T-posts, setting up tents and passing out belt buckles. It's the first time I've been at a race and NOT been at an aid station.
Want to join us next year? Check out the Javelina Jundred website, Facebook page, Ultrasignup and the other events put on by Aravaipa. Signup starts January 1, 2024!
Remember... Arizona is AWESOME! Haha, just like all of us Aquarii are.
As always, you can connect with me with questions, comments and guest suggestions through my Instagram or cactusmoose@protonmail.com
E128: The stamina of elk
Thanks for listening today, friends!
The elk have unexpectedly dropped out of the high country, and I've seen some every day this past week. I thought I'd check in on elk medicine, and share a couple of tidbits about how I've applied that wisdom to my life.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com or @cactusmoose on Instagram with questions, comments and guest suggestions. There might be a slight shift in the podcast as momentum builds on another project I've been pondering.
E127: Chipmunk wisdom
Hi there friends, thank you for listening today.
I've been seeing chipmunks everywhere for the past week, and decided to record an episode today about their wisdom.
Feel free to contact me with questions, comments and guest suggestions at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com or on Instagram @cactusmoose
E126: How to run an ultra on very few calories
Thanks for listening today, friends!
Last Saturday, July 22, I ran a 50k ultramarathon in the town of Fernie: the Elk Valley Ultra by Stag Leap Running. Today I'm sharing my race-day experience: having stomach issues 5 miles in, seeing a bear cub, and doing a lot of climbing while it was 95 degrees. The course is gorgeous, and I highly recommend it for the views; it's also tough, and will test you on the climbs and technical sections.
It was a blast to go out and see how I fare against others, and we were blessed with a beautiful bluebird, smoke-free day in the valley.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest ideas. I'm also on instagram @cactusmoose
E125: Badger medicine
Thanks for listening today, friends! I had a chance encounter with a badger on my run today, and thought I'd share badger medicine from the Sams & Carson deck I frequently use. Lo and behold, it's a meaning that's spot on for what I am experiencing in some aspects of my life.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Until next week, here's to spending time outdoors and unplugged!
E124: FIRE!!
Thanks for listening today, friends! We had a stressful situation out here a couple weeks ago now, and I wanted to collect my thoughts and share my experience dealing with a forest fire.
We got really lucky in that it was nearby, reported to us quickly, and we were prepared. A small crew of four of us got it put out. It could have easily become out-of-control due to conditions that day. Living with fire is a reality of life throughout North America, and not just in recent memory. Our ponderosa forest depends upon fire for its health.
I offer today my experience as a source of what went right, what could have gone wrong, and what I didn't do or even consider when fighting the fire. I learned a lot, about not just fire behavior but about resourcefulness and the need to be self-reliant. I'm grateful for the chance to practice earlier in the spring.
Fire safety is great to review periodically, especially when heading out to camp, run or hike in fire-prone areas. Just like I could have easily been in a bad place when the winds shifted, you could find yourself stuck in an unfortunate situation. The tips were modified from a Department of Interior website, and common sense hopefully prevails when people are recreating in the bush. Please do not do something stupid like setting off fireworks to reveal whether your baby will be a boy or girl.
E125: Adventures in Airports
Thanks for listening, friends! Today's episode details a few of the... adventures I've had in airports when traveling in western North America. Learn from my experiences traveling after performing landscape beautification and trying out a new dietary addition... things didn't go exactly as planned. This episode will help you know what NOT to do when traveling.
As always, connect with me on Instagram or through wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Until the next episode, I hope you have a wonderful day and get a chance to decompress in the fresh air.
E124: Values
Values.
What are they? How do they shape our lives? How do they change over time as we grow and evolve?
Today's episode is a perspective on values, how to approach them, and some questions to use to determine what your values are, and whether you're living in alignment with them.
My favorite way of picturing the difference between goals and values is
“Values are directions we keep moving in, whereas goals are what we want to achieve along the way,” Dr. Russ Harris writes in the book The Happiness Trap, “A value is like heading North; a goal is like the river or mountain or valley we aim to cross whilst traveling in that direction.”
Material for the episode is from a conglomeration of websites including this one.
As always, contact me with questions, comments and guest suggestions via Instagram
Cheers, friends, and be sure to get out into nature today!
E123: Raising your frequency (or vibration)
Thank you for listening, friends!
Today's topic is frequency/vibration from a spiritual or metaphysical perspective... and some ways that you can raise yours. What can happen when you raise your vibes, let go of old, non-serving behaviors and toxic people/places/situations? Listen along for some suggestions and reflections from my life experience.
I also pulled a card, When A Witch Must Drink Their Brew, from Colette Baron-Reid's free oracle cards app available here: https://www.colettebaronreid.com/use-colettes-free-online-oracle-cards-app/
E122: Things to ponder when taking a long trip
Thanks for listening today, friends! I've been asked a lot about the details of my recent 5 month road trip, and about what are things I considered when planning out my trip. Today's episode goes through some of my thought processes and tips for creating an epic adventure.
Topics covered include
-planning
-prioritizing
-what's important and NOT important to you
-saving & budgeting
-fear of the unknown... it's just unknown
-researching the trip through blogs, social media, videos, books, asking friends to share their stories
Next steps for my Fall '23 trip
-redesigning the platform
-waterproofing the canopy
-improving gas mileage
-researching places & races
-clearing clutter and minimizing the stuff I bring
E121: Living the question with Realist Idealist
Today's episode is another with my good friend Realist Idealist. Unfortunately, the first 45 minutes of our discussion of language is lost to the ethers, but what's left is a neat discussion. It's a philosophical discussion the likes of which I enjoy for the different perspectives that we can access.
Language is a powerful tool. Realist Idealist ponders what we can become aware of as we notice how the use of certain words make us feel.
We chat about lifestyle design, affirmations, how to stay positive while your focus isn't manifesting, and what you're speaking into existence. There's a discussion about how if an affirmation is not going to change you, it's not going to work.
A big part of this episode is our chat about values - what is important to you, and are you making that a priority in your life? It's been neat for me to reflect upon that concept as I've redesigned my life to fit my values rather than those of external organizations.
When you think things are falling apart, what if they are actually falling together? Could a shift in perspective or language help you through a situation you're experiencing?
Realist Idealist organizes her life around living the question, and then living her way into the answer. The full context of the snippet can be found in the poem below or at this link:
“Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and like books that are now written in a very foreign tongue. Do not now seek the answers, which cannot be given you because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.”
As always, thanks for listening! Feel free to contact me at cactusmoose@protonmail.com or on Instagram with questions, comments and guest requests.
E120: Learnings from 5 months in the truck
I spent a lot of the past 5 months dry camping in my truck as I explored the desert and participated in the trail and ultrarunning communities. Today's episode is a synopsis of the motivation for the trip, as well as what I learned.
The main reasons for the trip were to see friends, explore the desert, try out the snowbird lifestyle and connect with the community I enjoy in different places. There are a few things I'd change about my camping setup, the routes I took, places I still have yet to experience, and taking much less stuff... that's not at all to say it was a bad trip, only that there's ways it could be improved.
I also chat about what I learned and some of the key takeaways from the whole experience making new friends, seeing new places, reconnecting to old ones, and attempting to date along the way. The passenger seat is still open, and there will be more space and a greater degree of comfort this coming fall.
Thank you for listening! As always, you can connect with me on Instagram or through cactusmoose@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest requests. Enjoy!
E119: Black Canyon 100k
Thanks for listening, friends! Today's episode is my perspective of the events from the Aravaipa Running Black Canyon 100k that I ran on February 18, 2023 in Arizona.
It was a great experience: meeting new and old friends, being part of the race community and supporting others.
A lot of things happened that day, and even in the recording and as I write the description I realize I've missed a few things. Here are a few links to topics or people I mention during the episode:
Heidi Garner Studio made the awesome Black Canyon 100k buff racers received
Race results are here
My friend Lindsay
My friend Emily
My friend Jen
As always, contact me with questions, comments and guest suggestions at cactusmoose@protonmail.com or through Instagram
E118: Lend a hand
It's been a hot minute friends! This week's episode catches you up on January busy-ness, and what I've been pondering as this adventure comes to an end. My long run in January was a whopping mile(!!) while I stayed with friends for lambing season to learn, experience and help out. That prompted the idea for today's episode, and with the nonstop nature of lambing/calving on the ranch, explains the absence of episodes lately.
One thing we can all do is lend a hand to another person, cause or endeavor that we support. Maybe it's listening to a friend struggling with a relationship; maybe it's digging ditches for your favorite trails or maybe it's bottle-feeding bum lambs at 2 in the morning 7 days a week.
As always, connect with me @cactusmoose with questions, comments and guest suggestions.
E117: Inspiration
Happy 2023!
Today I'm discussing how I spent New Year's being inspired by participants in a 6 day race called Across The Years, and ways that we can all be inspiring to others.
Connect with me on Instagram @cactusmoose or wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest requests.
As always, here's to a magical day outdoors full of laughter and love!
E116: Decision-making on a road trip
Thanks for listening today, friends, and hello to all the different cities and countries y'all are tuning in from!
Today I'm answering listener questions about my truck camping setup for road trips, how I get water, where I get clean, and how I choose sites for the evening. I also discuss the many decisions anyone on a road trip faces every day, and some ways to prevent those processes from becoming overwhelming. Breathwork (Wim Hof method; Kim Anami style), taking things one step at a time, gathering information and trusting the process are strategies I use to keep from being overwhelmed.
I recorded today's episode from a trailhead in an undisclosed location as I watched the colors start dancing on the incredible geologic formations.
As always, connect with me on Instagram @cactusmoose or at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments, and guest suggestions.
Enjoy your day, and here's to a magical experience in nature.
E115: The energy of place
Thanks for listening, friends!
Today I talk about the energy of place, and how it can affect how we feel in different locations around the globe. I'm drawn to deserts, despite growing up on the wet coast... perhaps there's something for us in the locations we're attracted to, and perhaps our life can change if we visit (or move to) places that call us.
I'm mentioned on Gremlin Talk as for my role in Mak's race experience at Javelina Jundred.
As always, connect with me on Instagram @cactusmoose or at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions.
Have a wonderful day, and remember how great you feel after getting into nature for some fresh air!
E114: Cougar Patrol
Thanks for listening today, friends!
This episode details how cougar patrol came into existence, how it's both a real thing and a playful way to create content, and some trail safety thoughts. It was recorded while grounding myself in the majestic landscape of White Sands National Park.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com or on Instagram @cactusmoose with questions, comments and guest suggestions.
Here's to a wonderful day!
E113: Draw of the desert
Why am I, and many other people, so drawn to the desert? Tune in today to hear some thoughts about why the desert is my happy place, and how being in deserts has helped me process life and grow.
A few of the topics I mention:
open spaces and openness of people
harsh environmental conditions requiring adaptation and resourcefulness
facing yourself
spiky plants
sunshine
Episode 111 with Megan
As always, connect with me through wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions, or on Instagram @cactusmoose.
Thank you for listening! Please consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice.
E112: My Deadman Peaks 106 ultramarathon experience
Thanks for listening, friends! Today I share what transpired as I DNF'd my attempt at the 106 mile Deadman Peaks ultramarathon near Cuba, New Mexico.
It didn't end how I anticipated and I learned a lot about myself, about preparation, and about leaving it all on the course. It was a fantastic, albeit painful, experience, and I'm planning to return in 2023 to finish and claim my buckle.
Big thanks to everyone at the race, all the volunteers who helped out, the other runners, and race director Eric Bailey. Follow along on the Deadman Peaks Instagram page for more updates.
E111: Megan Kupres - The less traveled path is more exciting
In today's episode, Megan Kupress @mkupres22 shares some wisdom and insight from her journey into trail running, competing and coaching that extends far beyond start/finish lines and trails.
Megan's positive energy is contagious, to the point that she seems to be the Energizer Bunny.
We chat about a variety of subjects including Aravaipa Running, what it's like to coach, how to influence high school to make running fun, the importance of community, staying motivated during an injury, perfectionism versus living life, learning from mistakes, learning patience through trail running, how the trails reflect life and work back to us, mentoring younger women and pursuing passions versus staying put in life.
As always, connect with me through wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions, or on Instagram @cactusmoose.
Thank you for listening!
Please consider leaving a review on your podcast platform of choice.
E109: Looking at old landscapes with new eyes
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust
What does this quote actually mean? Listen today for some thoughts about the famous Proust quote as it relates to reconnecting with places I've lived, worked and explored in the past... and how the quote can apply to jobs, relationships and even relocation.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. You can also find me on Instagram @cactusmoose
Here's to a wonderful day of sunshine, fresh air and quality time spent in nature!
E108: the magic of spider
Thank you for listening today, friends!
I've been seeing a lot of spiders lately, and was curious about the meaning behind spiders, and on take on their energy. It's a shorter episode today, but sometimes the short and sweet stories have the greatest impact.
Big, heartfelt thank you for a wonderful Saturday mountain adventure, and to the powers we all have for what else has manifested out of that hike.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com or find me on Instagram with questions, comments and guest suggestions.
Until next week... #optoutside, friends
E107: Worms, worms, everywhere
The title says it all: there were worms everywhere today. So many showed up I looked into the wisdom of the worm in relation to what may be transpiring in our lives.
Enjoy this episode, and the rest of your day!
Connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com or on instagram @cactusmoose for questions, comments and guest suggestions.
E106: Jen: how to live an adventure...
I'm really excited to share today's episode with the hilarious and inspiring Jen Laughlin because... cool people do cool stuff.
We have a wide-ranging discussion about how to balance ultramarathon training with family and work responsibilities, creating and sharing adventures, the awesomeness of Arizona, the value of networking and some of our favorite beers. We even chat about beer selection before introductions!
It was a lot of fun to chat with Jen, another contact made from random synchronicities in my life. We discuss training (and living) in the heat, living in the desert, following intuition and what it's like to manage a LOT of social media accounts. There are gems of wisdom hidden throughout the episode, and I encourage you to listen through the end to find out what Jen's top three beers actually are. You'll also hear a great recipe for a kind-of rehydrating orange dreamsicle.
We chat about a lot of different organizations and places... if you're having trouble finding any of them you can connect with myself or Jen and we'll point you in the right direction.
Sounds of Freedom IPA from State 48 Brewery
Arizona State University Sun Devils
University of Arizona Wildcats
Church Music IPA from The Shop
E105: Otter says hello
Thank you for listening, friends!
Today's episode focuses on the energy and medicine within the Otter card from the Sams & Carson deck that I frequently use. It's really neat how the energy has shown up in my life the past few days, including just towards the end when I see a deer then the friend who carries otter energy. Magic can--and does--happen all the time.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com or on Instagram at @cactusmoose with questions, comments and guest suggestions.
Here's to a magical day spent out of doors!
E104: WOW: canoeing adventure
Thanks for listening today, friends! Toda is a solo episode sharing a bit about the adventures of the last 10 days, culminating in a spontaneous overnight canoe trip in the dark. Many opportunities come up to say yes to the gifts from the Universe. Last night was one: a friend and I had a fantastic evening paddling, chatting, and supporting each other discussing past traumas.
I'm on the hunt for guest to share their stories on the podcast, and comments, questions and guest suggestions, too. You can connect with me on the following platforms:
wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com
@cactusmoose on Instagram
It really helps me out if you can give a review of the show on the podcasting platform you're listening to; the list of platforms upon which the show can be found is through this link to Anchor.fm
E103: A pivotal moment
Thanks for listening friends! Today I share a bit about my experiences over the past couple of weeks: death, unexpected endings and potential opportunities, unanticipated injuries and a LOT of sunshine. I felt it would be beneficial to share some of my thought processes and reflections in light of going through a few traumatic experiences in the space of a few days. To me, it's just life, and I keep going... but it's also beneficial to share strategies and techniques for managing life as it comes up.
During the episode I refer to episode 100 with Realist Idealist discussing the difference between jumping into or jumping out of life, quote Robbie Burns, and share a perspective about which meridians flow through the tooth I broke... and how that relates to the emotions I experienced and sought to subconsciously self-manage with a significant injury.
Fret not, friends: I'm fine, and by the time this comes out... the dentist's kids' tuition will be halfway paid, I'll be back from a backcountry adventure and eating solid food again.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com for questions, comments and guest suggestions. You can also follow the wisdom I glean as I create life on Instagram: @cactusmoose.
E102: Eyes of the Eagle
Thank you for listening today, friends! It's Episode 102, and today's topic is the wisdom from Eyes of the Eagle which I accessed through the free oracle cards available on Colette Baron-Reid's website. It's a gem that connects with much of my experience over the past 72 hours, before pondering the couple of years before that. It's always fun for me to look for deeper meaning in the seemingly-random "coincidences" that define my experience.
As always, #optoutside and enjoy the lovely living world around us, friends. Connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest requests. I'm excited to have more guest on the show in the next few months as we all expand and support each other.
E101: We're all inspiring someone else
Thank you for listening, friends!
I'm celebrating the entry to triple-digit numbers with an episode sharing my thoughts about how we can all be an inspiration to someone else. Wherever you are at in your life situation, job title, relationship status, athletic achievements, education, business savvy and all other avenues or situations in life, you're an inspiration to someone else. There's someone out there wondering if they could make the change(s) you made... and we all have an opportunity to assist others who are where we used to be.
Also, whatever situation you've left in your life takes courage, and it's important to acknowledge and appreciate it. Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, whichever thing you've left in the past, I appreciate your willingness to embrace the discomfort of leaving something familiar to experience what other possibilities exist.
Again, as always, thank you for listening. Y'all can connect with me through wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com for questions, comments and guest suggestions. I appreciate feedback and enjoy hearing from listeners.
Here's to wonderful adventures, happiness, and some rejuvenating time outdoors today!
E100: Realist Idealist: Are you jumping into or out of life?
I've got Realist Idealist back to celebrate the milestone 100th episode of Wisdom of the Wilderness... and want to thank you, the listeners, spread out amongst 42 countries.
This is a wide-ranging conversation (as usual) covering spiritual aspects of navigating life and the balance between planning versus going with the flow. We spontaneously create new words, ponder the role of horses in catalyzing personal growth and cultural change, consider the energetic differences of jumping into or out of a situation, and reminisce about how the Universe provides gifts to us in the form of synchronicities when we're on the right track. There are heaps of nuggets of wisdom in this chat between friends: we ponder attachment to identity, seeing evidence of possibility rather than lack, and the space that opens up when releasing longtime hobbies... complete with real life examples.
We reference a number of topics that can be further investigated through these links:
14ers.com is my favorite website for accessing route descriptions, trailhead directions, photos, trip reports and conditions when hiking the 14,000' peaks in Colorado.
Moab, Utah is one of my favorite areas... the landscape and energy of the rock formations, canyons and mesas, arches and ecology is magical. The Moab Information Center has great resources, friendly volunteers and maps. To learn about the area I suggest reading my favorite book, Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey, as it derives from his journals as a park ranger in Arches before it was developed.
Realist Idealist partners with a BLM mustang, a wild/feral horse who was adopted after formerly ranging freely. Mustang herds across America are caught in the middle of a protracted political debate concerning their future on the rangelands.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. I enjoy reading listener comments, especially how episodes have influenced your lives.
Until next week, opt outside and enjoy some quiet time in nature today, friends.
E99: Walking through the wilderness
Big thank you to the listeners from all 42 countries! Today's episode walks through a bit of my journey from urban office to a variety of "Wait... what happened? ... really?" stories from the adventures I've had at work. There's value to everyone's individual dreams - perhaps today is the day to start pondering whether you want to wait until retirement to do that, or just start today...?
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Here's to a lovely day for all of y'all, and remember to #optoutside for some fresh air, sunshine and good vibes.
E98: WOW: Beach Wisdom
Thank you for listening, friends! Today I'm sharing some lessons from the beach, and how they can be used to help is grow and work with what's happening in our lives.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions... or to share your favorite way to enjoy the beach.
Until next week, #optoutside and take some deep breaths fo fresh air!
E97: WOW: What do you see?
Thank you for listening again today, friends! Today I'm sharing about my trail run yesterday, and the way our vision and perspective can change as we get more experience route-finding, at a job or while creating a relationship.
As always, contact me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Here's to a wonderful adventure today as you #optoutside
E96: WOW: Say Yes
Today's episode is a tale of what happened, and what I learned, by saying yes and trusting my intuition. Thank you for listening!
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Until next week, enjoy the sun and #optoutside!
E95: Technical difficulties
It's been a challenging time as I've encountered technical difficulties that resulted in the non-recording of three episodes... Thank you for your support, and here's to being back in top shape by July.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with comments, questions and guest suggestions. #optoutside and enjoy some time in nature today!
E94: Movement
Thank you for listening, friends! I was listening to a great podcast with Luke Storey about water, and one of the ideas stuck with me. Those words and idea inspired today's episode where I talk about the ways movement helps us grow in life thanks to what we see with water out in nature.
As always, connect with me at wisdomofthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Until next week, #optoutside and enjoy the beauty all around us!
E93: Fate
Thank you for listening today, friends! It's a brief discussion of fate in the context of natural rhythms and circles/cycles of life, combined with an update on the curious sights and experiences I've had this week... tying into the idea that perhaps those wxperiences were fated... and if not, what aspect of me called them into this life experience?
As always, connect with me at wisdomfthewilderness@protonmail.com with questions, comments and guest suggestions. Until next week, #optoutside and find a way to spend some time outside today; your mind, body and soul will thank you.