Episode 8: Grounded In Nature: The Ecology of Self - a podcast by Andrea Catherine, Yoga Health Coach

 Do you think it’s possible to build future communities of belonging and connection? Living in a culture that values the immediacy and efficiency of life has placed a strain on the importance of connection and belonging to our natural roots. Open your heart and mind with an educational and engaging chat with Brett Holmquist, co-founder and Executive Director at Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center. Listen as we explore how to cultivate the “survival skill of belonging” and why it's important for young people to learn the beginning steps of fearless self-love in community as well as on our own.

• How nature can teach us about gratitude and belonging
• How our connection to nature relates to our level of connection within ourselves/others
• How to help our youth foster self-sufficiency and self-love

Links Mentioned:

Jon Young’s “Coyote Mentoring” Book https://wildearth.org/shop/books/coyotes-guide-to-connecting-with-nature

Wilderness Awareness School in Duvall, WA https://wildernessawareness.org/about/about

Jake and Judy Swamp, http://www.thetrackingproject.org/ttp/native-communities/remembering-jake-tekaronianeken-swamp/

 

Show Highlights:

01:18 Ravenwood Family Packages Program

03:36 Easeful Living Practice ~ Sensory Awareness Meditation / Sit Spot

13:12 Interview with Brett Holmquist; Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center history and purpose: “Nature connection mentoring program”

21:07 Culture of Gratitude at Ravenwood and blew me away about the campers & staff

24:04 Roots of Ravenwood’s mission: Connecting people with nature, community & self; Mentoring as modeling with elders and others

27:25 Core routines of Ravenwood: Skill-building, gratitude, survival skills

29:28 “The survival skill of belonging”: A difficult skills to learn in a disconnected and isolated culture

31:45 Andrea’s reflections on Ravenwood’s mission to cultivate freedom, nature, community, belonging

35:50 Examples of core routines and 8 attributes of connection

37:01 “Art of questioning”: Creating internal curiosity

42:11 Understanding bird language as a concept and skill: the “art of awareness”

45:26 Courageous Self-Care Tip ~ Survival Skill of Belonging

 

Favorite Quotes

“Our mission is connecting people with nature, community, and self.” -Brett Holmquist

“We find that our interdependence with nature and our relationships with nature are the perfect place to teach that [ecology of self]. It’s natural, it just happens.” -Brett Holmquist

“The practice of gratitude is the practice of connection. All people want is to belong.” -Brett Holmquist

“How do I stay in connection so I am healthy and thriving in this world?” -Brett Holmquist

“The belonging includes taking time for ourselves.” -Andrea Bachman

“Any individual has these deep ropes of connection to every plant, every tree, every mountain, every river, all the people, all the things that we have relationship with.” -Brett Holmquist

“The translation of health in Ayurveda is, ‘to be situated in oneself’.” -Andrea Bachman

 

Meet Brett:

Brett Holmquist is the co-founder and executive director of Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center located in Whitefish, MT. Brett is passionate about using nature to help youth foster better relationships within and with the world around them. Learn more about all the amazing work Ravenwood is doing and connect with Brett at brett@ravenwoodolc.org.

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Further podcasts by Andrea Catherine, Yoga Health Coach

Website of Andrea Catherine, Yoga Health Coach