Hi everybody! It's been a little while since I've written to all of you, so I decided to take a little while and “put to paper” some thoughts I've been having as of late, especially after the transitions, trials, and tribulations that I've gone through. It's amazing how one-minute things can be and feel perfect, and then next thing you know, you feel like you're in a snow globe being shaken by a sugar-filled child in a gift store.
When you're in the middle of the storm, and it seems like all hope has abandoned you, that is when you are most alive.
Many people think our species is amazing because of what we can create and build. But the true magic of our species lies in the fact that we have emotions. We must learn to fully feel each and every one of them, till they are like old friends.
Instead of wallowing in my own crapulence, I made the choice to walk through the fire, the fear, the sadness, and the rage. To sum it up, I quote the author Frank Hebert, from the pages of the immortal book Dune: “I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it is gone past, I will turn to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain."
I’m finally settled in my new space and blessed to have a back door that looks into many acres of old-growth forest. I can’t wait to explore all its facets and caretake it with help from the guidance of the spirit that moves in and through all things.
Anyway, like an ember slowly being blown into a tinder bundle, I have got my spark back, and it burns hotter every day. I will continue to do good works, leading as many as possible to a connection with nature through a class or my photography. I want everyone to experience the rapture of entering the wilderness and seeing the world as I see it.
We need to break the chains of the technology we've created or use it correctly. People have so little care for the Earth. I'm going to fix that. And I need your help. My ultimate goal is to teach for free.
Why? Because the skills that I share in my classes are part of our shared human heritage. They're embedded in your DNA. My goal is to by this time next year to run the first of the free classes, with the help of a few well-known top-notch instructors, and run a free five-day class for around 30 people. There will be an application process to make sure the students are those that want nature education but can't afford to pay for a class.
To realize my Vision, I need your help. I aim to put 10% of every sale I make on my photo prints or class tuitions aside into a fund. When I think the fund has reached an adequate amount where I can afford to rent a facility, pay the instructor staff, and provide food, the first free class will be born.
If you want to help me with this process, there is my Patreon page, which has many really awesome member gifts. There's also my photography. Any photo that you see me post on social media, or is on my website in the gallery sections is available and can be printed on anything from paper, canvas, glass, and even wood and acrylic. I’m also going to be releasing a new line of T-shirts with my photos on them in the very near future.
As far as the rest of my summer goes, I'm excited to run the classes with Adam Larue and The Sharpening Stone in southern Oregon, plus my class with Andrea Kreiner. I just put 6 online classes on the schedule. They can be taken individually ($100 for 2-2 1/2 hour webinar), or you can buy the package of 6 for $450.
Head over to my schedule page where you will find “Intro to Wilderness Survival,” “Awareness: the Most Important Skill in Life,” “Animal Tracks and Sign 101,” “Wild Edible Plants and Ethical Foraging,” “Urban Survival,” and “The Way of the Caretaker.”
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me through my website! I hope to see some of you down the trail in a wild place!
Thank you all for your love and support. And thank you for taking the time to read my words.
Forever giving thanks,
T3