It seems that something may be off-kilter with our species right now. We've been on Earth for quite a bit now, not considering our pre-Homosapien ancestors. Empires have risen only to fall more than a few times in our history. On my most optimistic days, I like to think that we are almost ready to reach a place of enlightenment. A place where we give up on the atrocities of war, violence, racism, sexism, and other horrible things we do to each other and the Earth. Don't you find it funny that we are supposedly the most advanced creatures on this planet, but most of us struggle to find our purpose in life? Bees pollinate flowers, and mycelia help break down the forest for litter to turn into compost; trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. How is it that bees, who are often thought of as “lesser beings,” automatically know, and fulfill their purpose, while that guy stands on the side of the road in front of the used car dealership every weekday flailing his arms? Could that be his true purpose in this lifetime?
I think I have found the meaning of life or at least the purpose of mine. We are meant to be caretakers. We have thumbs for a reason. We can make a wide variety of tools, both physical and digital. Every tool has multiple purposes. Some can be used for good, and others for evil. Take the internet, for example. Here is a tool that allows us to access the breadth and length of the human experience. We can experience things from the other side of the world and learn about anything and everything. Yet, what do most people do? Shop, get into fights and become envious of people on social media who appear to have better lives than them. This is the trap. You're often only seeing the best moments of that person's life. Their shit days are just as bad as yours.
I’m sure you know this horrible truth already, but dare I remind you? Corporate entities profit from the division. They seek to divide us by race, class, sex, and net worth. They want us to fight with each other and argue on social media because it distracts us from waking up to reality. The reality is that most of us are frankly stressed out, overworked, and probably questioning whether or not our job and many other life circumstances are honestly our true purpose in this lifetime. Long story short, it's time to realize we are one human family. No matter what we look like, where we're from, and who we choose to love. It doesn't matter because we are all Homo sapiens. We all face the same fate if we don't unite as one world community, repair the damage we've caused each other, and then focus on healing the Earth.
I love it when I watch my students realize how much they've been missing when they go to the woods and open their eyes. I love watching the glow on someone's face as they blow their first tinder bundle into flames. It amazes me to watch them establish relations with beings they've walked by in their daily lives and barely noticed. In my 22 years of teaching nature skills, I have seen beyond a shadow of a doubt that simply spending time in nature heals. And since modern society causes many of our senses to atrophy, when you combine time in nature with simple body mechanics changes like eye gazing techniques or walking techniques, life can take on a whole new meaning! I have seen nature transform people countless times, so I break myself to bring about FutureNature.
Now that we have that out of the way, here is my schedule for the first half of 2023! There will be a few more classes, and collaborations added, and I will be sure and let you know about them!
Im also excited to announce the addition of “Package Deals.” By purchasing a “2 pack” or “4 pack,” You will save some money, and I can move closer to making quality Nature Education affordable to all who want it.
In closing, I want to thank some friends and students who have gone out of their way to help me try and grow FutureNature. I am an educator, writer, and photographer, not a business person. I am eternally grateful for this select group of folks who have been helping me learn. Thank you!
Last year was, without question, the worst of my life. 2023 PLEASE ease up on me so I can get my heart fire burning bright again!
Much love, Thanks, and Praises,
T3