Wilderness Awareness School is no longer selling the Kamana Naturalist Training Program or the Seeing Through Native Eyes audio series. While 8 Shields is the owner of these products, we have been integral in providing student support and selling this program for over two decades. At this point, we have come to realize that although this […]
I love my neighborhood. It is so full of life—eclectic, eccentric, seedy, edgy, quirky, resilient, creative, beautiful life. Until two years ago, I would have said that all this abundance was predominantly of the human variety. Now, of course, I know differently, as I am greeted by display after stunning display of the bounty that […]
When someone speaks this phrase they are often indicating that something stinks and they don’t know where it’s coming from. Perfume, fabric softener, and all the strangeness of the cleaning products aisle also come to mind. Our sense of smell is literally attacked by modern fragrances. It’s no wonder that new Wilderness Awareness School students, […]
I have a confession: I am terrible when it comes to reading topo maps. I think they are amazing tools, I like looking at them, I can glean some information from them, but when it comes to actually using them, I am an adamant beginner! I decided it was time I got some education, so […]
I love exploring the woods behind my house in the wintertime. I love the way the wall of green that protects certain areas in the summer lets its guard down for those who are willing to brave the winter cold. I tend to venture into new areas, exploring the hidden hollows and dark thickets that […]
Like most of you, I have spent a lot of time in all types of classrooms. At university, I studied literary theory, plant taxonomy, ethnobotany, and even how to ride a horse. In the Army, I went through jump school, language school, and how-to-soldier school. However, the most significant school for my career as a […]
The topic that I receive the most questions about is the Sit Spot. It makes sense because it is a new concept to most people. I’ve compiled some of these questions and answered them below: My sit spot doesn’t have _______ (insert noun or adjective). Can I still use it? There are only two things […]
Sitting in the cold: Why would you want to do it and how you can make it work… If I were to suggest to most people that it’s a great idea to go outside even in the thick of winter and sit on the cold wet ground for half an hour… they might think I’m […]
I was in Dresden, a city in the southeast of Germany which has a population of half a million people. My wife had a meeting in the middle of the city and I was supposed to wait for a couple of hours. I sat on a bench and looked out at a busy place, where […]
A good story has a way of getting inside you. It can reveal something about where you are in life. Stories also give us a cultural context and sense of continuity. They teach us how to live. In many Native cultures there are stories of the First People, or the Ancestors, that show how people […]