"The answer is inside of you" if more people truly understood this powerful message you address! Thanks again for opening our minds Kenton! The time is NOW to take our lives into our own hands.....
Eco Oasis Right back at you! This is exactly the message you're putting out, and I think that the more of us who can sing this song together . . .=) Kenton
Spot on brother. I'm heartened, while living seemingly in a morass of the mundane and easily distracted, there are a fair number of us emerging, rejecting consumerism, embracing barter and trade, turning off the television and exploring our little corner of the world. We no longer need "stuff" to keep up with the Jones's or to sit on the couch, watching other people acting at living fulfilling lives. I know many young people who are understanding this at an early age and I hope that they can embrace it and change society, for all of our sakes.
Agile Woodsman I'm so happy that you brought up the young ones. I'm always amazed at how viewers in their early teens write to me and share things they've made, shelters they've built, or changes they're making in their lives. Often it's about replacing gaming time with time in the woods. Let's build this momentum together!=) Kenton
You're right. I'm encouraged by them. I hope they provide a catalyst for the change society needs to get away from rampant consumerism and superficial ideas.
Slick Fergus, your comment won't allow replies, so I'm hoping you get this. Thanks so much for your comment. I can hear you, and understand how it can look despairing. At the same time, you have made conscious choices, and are serving as an example to those around you. I figure we might as well believe that change can happen, and work toward it. It's a joyous pursuit, and in our small ways, we're each doing a bit of good. And together . . . =) Kenton
Even our credit system is based on 'forcing' folks to have debt payments on credit cards or loans in order to have 'good credit' ratings. I'm debt free and have been since I was in my late twenties. I did not get married until I was both emotionally and physically debt free. I made sure to marry a man who would NOT change my plan as well. Important to choose partners who are on the same page.
I feel very connected to what you’ve shared. And drawn to others who share this point of view. I’m currently unearthing unprocessed trauma from the past, in search of hearing my own voice again. Thank you.
I am weining myself of of several medications for Tourettes Syndrome, ocd, stress, depression. And your right, life style choices. Giving up bing drinking, poor eating habits, no exercise, too much stimuli, etc... I am taking control of my health and life. Treating the root causes instead of the symptoms. Finding your videos help as well. They mean a lot. Thanks.
+Luther George Bravo! So many of these elements can become habits that literally eat us alive, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That you are being so active in making changes is so inspiring! =) Kenton
This is mostly nonsense. I suffer from depression and it's not, "lifestyle induced." So very many health problems are not, "lifestyle induced." That's so offensive. A friend of had her thyroid removed after she got thyroid cancer, and it saved her life. It wasn't, "lifestyle induced." In fact, I have so very many examples of people who suffer from chronic illnesses and take medication, to their benefit, and there was no poor lifestyle choice. This is a pleasant fiction. It's nice to think that expensive medication, with potential awful side effects, are very rarely necessary. The problem is, it's not true. I'm a socialist, and I loath Big-Pharma, but the problem is that they do produce a lot of amazing meds that change so many lives for the better. And so many people who need those meds don't need them because of poor lifestyle choices. That's just something you want to believe is true. That our fate is always in our hands, we just have to make the right choices. Baloney. I undergo electro-convulsive therapy for depression ("shock therapy") and it helps immensely. I also lost my testes to cancer, and now use testosterone transdermal gel to maintain normal sexual function. My thyroid doesn't work at all, either. That makes the depression so much worse. I didn't do anything wrong to deserve any of this, and the meds I take, and the treatments I undergo, help so much. Sorry to burst your bubble on this.
thank you for another great video! please continue to share your thoughts with us. while I was listening I once again pictured the life I wish to live and how to get there. you gave me hope that it can indeed happen!
Great message , The only hope for us is to return to Nature, live simply off the land and in harmony with nature. Our Present culture is beyond sick and is falling apart as i wright this. I fear it may be already to late to reverse all the damage we have caused to our planet, We need a huge shift in human consciousness and a new understanding to live a life of joy and peace. thanks for your work and love the setting for this video. Namaste
larz hillbot Thanks Larz. I hope that all of us, working together, can make the shift you're speaking of. On the setting, that is Lake Superior behind me -- one of my favorite places.=) Kenton
Thanks Kenton, Some really great points that are totally inlign with a logical mind. To realize the whole person is the whole and that it can't be found outside is to be blissful...Pay attention to animals and you learn how easy it is to live in bliss...a little food, water and a sunny spot to lay down and take a nap.....You must love yourself first to then fully love everything outside of yourself as much as yourself...realizing it's part to the whole. If you pay interest on anything...it is because of greed and envy of wanting more than you can afford to pay with your savings...it might just be a purchase from the beast(control) that instead of getting face value of an item...you will now pay a penalty in the form of interest...at least the more interest you buy your able to achieve a higher score on the debt based slave labor system.(FICO)...we are all brothers and therefore interest is not meant to be charged...the only way to make money in my opionion should be by your energy or product of your labor being given to another based on the free will of both parties. I always enjoy your contributions to UA-cam and look forward to new releases.
I have always been different than most people I know. My father asked me what I wanted to be when I was 6 or 7 years old. I told him I wanted to be a hermit and he told that wasn't a real job and walked away from me. He asked again when I was 14 and I told him the same thing. He said that it would be too much work for me to do by myself, that I was too lazy to make it, and to "pick something real." I understand what he meant by me being lazy, but real? How much more real does it get? If I am hungry it is my fault for not gathering food. I did not enjoy doing work that did not benefit myself or my loved ones directly. When it came to living off the land, as I have done for many years off and on, I never thought of it as work. It was exhilarating for me, exciting to know that I was in direct control of every aspect of my life. The only time that I seemed to dive into the main stream way of life was when I got married or had a girlfriend, loneliness I guess. I think that may be the reason that my relationships have failed. I could get them to go camping, but they never showed any interest in the primitive side of camping, or doing without modern conveniences, which was almost physically painful for me. I know what I want to do with my life, but cannot seem to find the kind of partner I need to pursue it. I don't mind being out there alone, but it would be so much nicer to have a mate to share it with. I have no use for money and have actually had my friends ask me how I can live the way I choose to live. They cannot seem to wrap the minds around the concept of true freedom and being truly self sufficient. The only real weak point I have is recognizing wild edibles. I know a little more than the basics but have yet to find anyone to train me in the other plants that are out there. There are look alikes that can be dangerous, so I want some hands on training with someone that truly knows there way around the garden. I live in the foothills of the Adirondack State Park. There are self proclaimed woodsmen/women all over the place around here, but I never see them 40 miles off the beaten path. I never see anyone when I go walkabout. I spend between 1 and 4 months in the woods at a time, depending on loneliness of course. I dream of Alaska, but that is not totally within the realm of reality at this point. I do not know anything about the wild edibles there and would have to learn it all or have a partner that already knew and could pick up the slack while teaching me. I mean, yes, there are some that are the same, but many are totally different. So... For now, I have to stick with what I have been choosing because it is the only thing that truly makes me feel alive. Seems to me I made a choice. The rolling stone gathers no moss(debt). I am going to roll on. I love your philosophical approach to your life sir. Keep it real. Walt
Walter Cunniff Hi Walt, What a beautiful way to live! And I know what you mean about not encountering people off the beaten path. For most of my life I've roamed the woodlands, and unless I'm in a national park, don't seem to ever encounter any other people unless they are walking established pathways. Samuel Thayer was a great wild edible teacher for me. If you can get your hands on his books, they're great, and I think many of the plants would be in your area. Otherwise his website has many free resources and info on plants. He's someone who actually eats the plants he writes about -- he doesn't just repeat the info of others. foragersharvest.com Roll on, my friend! =) Kenton
Yeah, I always wished I could approach a stranger sitting around a fire and sit with them like in the movies hahaha, sucks not many people are like us and take the unknown over the path. I hate paths, I hate established ways, I take my own path through the wild.
Hi Kenton i 100% relate to what you are saying here 5 years ago i lost one of my older brothers to suicide and to cut a long story short i had to quit my job to look after my mother she was grieving badly and in the process of grieving myself i kind of shut myself away from the world for some time but once i was out of the rat race cycle of society i can honestly say i discovered "myself" it was a battle at first almost like withdrawal symtoms from not taking part in the constructed ideology that we all go along with like we should have this new car we should be married and have kids by a certain age we should have a big house etc etc like a tsunami of feelings to try to overcome but much like the way you embrace the cold weather and condition yourself to it i think we have to condition ourselves against the weight of society and the pressure we put on ourselves from viewing life from a narrow perspective and i don't know why but i just thought about the quote Rebecca made from her shower video "the cold you imagine in your head is much worse than cold you actually feel" i think it's the same kind of feeling of apprehension of what to expect when entering into a path in life that society portrays as being "undesirable" but it ISN'T! breaking free from the trap of society awakens your mind gives you clarity and makes you look at life from a totally fresh perspective much like the cold shower :) loved the video Kenton it looks really relaxing sitting by that water :) oh i've been meaning to ask do you live OFF the grid ? thanks Kenton all the best to you Rebecca and family take care mate - Steve
***** Steve, thank you so much for sharing this story. Very, very powerful. It is sharing like this that really can touch people's hearts and inspire change. I do love that water -- it is Lake Superior, about 4 hours drive north of us. We make the trip once a year =)Right now we don't live off the grid. Five or six years ago we were living a more conventional life, with a house in the country, and our financial situation fell apart. Then came a year of living off the grid in our yurt, hauling water and living without electricity. Now, however, we rent a small home from a friend on a organic farm community. Some of the power comes from wind and sun and wood, but the farm isn't totally converted off the grid by any means. We're moving in that direction =) Would love to go back to that -- we often miss the yurt life.=) Kenton
Hi Kenton, Thanks for the wake up call! Very timely. I'd love to learn more about the folks you mention who are living unconventionally. Personally, hearing the specifics of their stories helps give me the courage and motivation to explore alternate, more conscious paths. Yours, Benjamin
Benjamin Benjamin Hi Benjamin, Here's one to get started with -- a man who is living moneyless and has a very spiritual foundation to his actions -- rewildu.com/living-without-money-2/=) Kenton
I couldn't agree more with (eye dea) I sure wish I could express myself that way,I thank you for the great insight in to what everybody should be doing,and to ReWildUniversity thank you for uploading this video its a wake up call for everyone, for us we downsize from house to a condo from a v8 to a 4 cylinder and from using the car to riding the bike whenever we can,and getting ready to take my six yr old on a camping trip and teach him that mother nature is what is important,love for nature and your family,and fellow man is what is important not your ps3 or xbox!!! thumbs up! and greetings from Germany.
Great video again, and completely on point. I'm curious what your thoughts are on trying to escape the social stigma of pursuing a lifestyle that emphasizes true happiness and fulfillment over consumption and money. I'm not at a point where I think I need a lot of money in order to be happy, but people often will judge and criticize you if you choose to take a simpler path, be that because you aren't in a prestigious enough job, or that they are worried you aren't secure enough financially, etc. When these people are family members or friends close to you, it makes me wonder how to balance respecting them but not letting them control your life. --andrew
AdventureArchives Great consideration, Andrew. I experienced this myself with my family. Coming from a well-to-do, professional family, they had trouble understanding many of my decisions. Years later, my father told me that he had actually been jealous at times, and was proud of my for having the courage to follow my own path.I think for me, it's a matter of realizing that if I try to live my life for others' expectations, I'll never be happy, and I both rob myself of the life I want, and rob those around me (even those criticizing my choices) of being able to have me as an example that might expand the possibilities in their lives. It doesn't make people happy initially (especially parents), but I think in the long run, those that love us would rather see us pursue our own dreams rather than theirs. Believe in the people around you, even those most vocal in their criticisms, share with them the honest joys your are getting from your life path, and I'd wager that before too long, they'll begin to get curious rather than critical.=) Kenton
ReWildUniversity I think people react like this because they want the best for you and they fear what they don't know, what is odd. They fear you will be sitting out on the sidewalk starving to death and drying of exposure. One of the biggest freedoms I have ever found in my life was the day that I knew that I could walk into the woods (MT) and live there without needing anything from outside of that environment. It is freeing to know that if your boss fires you and your house burns down, that you can walk out the door and into the woods and be well fed, happy and warm. I have never had to do this but knowing that I could gave me the freedom to stop worrying about things like my job. If I lose my job, I lose my home and my food is a great stress. We that know the wild are free of this even if we never really have to live primitively and only get to fantasize about it, we are free and secure. I am also quite happy to use modern things like my computer, my car, and my warm house knowing that I don't have to. I am very sleepy. Hope that made sense.
Douglas E Knapp For me, Douglas, this is one of the most powerful effects of learning these skills. That knowledge you speak of, that you don't NEED all these things. We can enjoy them, but not live in fear of being without them. One of the most freeing things we can do in our lives, I believe. Thanks so much for eloquently describing it! =) Kenton
Hi Cessna, your comment won't allow replies, so I'm replying here and hoping you see it. I too love how eye dea expressed things, and I thank you for your words about the ReWildU videos. I hope they're making a difference, if only in small ways. =) Kenton
Kenton, its nice to have found your videos . Watching a lot of what you say and talk about make a lot of sense. to confess what I am about to say openly is a lot for me . I don't think I have made many good choices in my life, to include a suicide attempt last year. I have yet to discover all of your videos or if you even if you touched upon this subject. I am talking about emotional fear. Not of being alone, or being good enough . It is unlike anything I have ever had to deal with before . I am 42 and at a point of change in my life were the only peace I find is when I am in the woods any more. I seek out people that feel this way but have had little success in this. I have reached out to a few such as yourself in hopes of finding a group or even a single person to relate to. I have been told by some I need medication and by others I am fine. I have been to therapy and doctors alike for these opinions, I know there is a better way, I just need to find it. I am seeking an opinion or suggestion , as I seek this new path for myself in life. I am tired of being shackled down, I almost just gathered my kit and walked off , and was stopped by my family . There afraid for me, I'm afraid for me. I am regressing to the state I was last year, where I have quit progressing forward. I know I am OK but for this fear that resides in me, the shackle that holds me in place. Thank you for your time, as it is the most precious thing any one can give another.
BadweatherC Hello my friend, and thank you for reaching out. Why don't you write me at rewildu (at) yahoo (dot) com, and we can talk more. I'm in and out of the woods with my students, so please forgive if it takes me a couple of days to get back to you. =) Kenton
Be thankful that you live in a place and time where you are free to choose. You are not free from the consequences of those choices YOU LIVE WITH THE CHOICES YOU MAKE. LIVE YOUR LIFE. CARPE DIEM
I've been saying for most of my life the same things that you just said in your video, but I am caught in our culture's 'debt trap'. I watched your video where you went barefoot into the woods with a paracord bracelet and lived off the land for one night. Which, except for wearing shoes and having a knife and a few other things, I lived off the land for a week as a teenager. Only eating fish, plants, and drinking water. Making a shelter and weaving a sleeping bag out of golden rods. Your video reminded me of that and then when I realized you taught classes on re-wilding, I went to your website. I figured to do it right and really make being re-wilded a major part of who I am and how I live my life from now on after the training, I should go for the longest time period offered, so when I saw the 11 months course offered, I knew that would be the best way possible to become re-wilded again. Then, I saw that it would cost $20,000 and the one for 2015 is already filled and I would have to try for 2016, but I am unemployed right now and there is no way for me to come up with that kind of money or even justify spending that much money on re-wilding myself. Even on minimum wage, people barely make a little over $15,000 a year. It's truly disheartening that your course costs so much and is already closed for next year. Even though I know it's not meant to be, it feels to me like it too is a part of our culture's whole 'debt trap', which makes it that much more disheartening. Is there any way for me to still participate in the 11 month course in 2015 and also get around the cost? When I say 'course' I do realize you're actually living in the wild the whole 11 months.
Christian L Hi Christian,Thanks for sharing all of this, including your reaction to my tuition prices. That's been a tough one for me. Because I can basically take on only one student a year, that means that I have to provide for a family of four on that single tuition payment. To make this possible for more people, we've downsized our life considerably, getting rid of most of our belongings, selling our house, and living a very simple life. Still, I usually have given people discounts, so that our family has learned to do well on $12,000-$15,000 a year. That was with just one little child, but now that we decided to have two, it's getting tougher to get by on that little, unless I could convince my wife to go live in a wigwam =) This year we're adding group classes, which I hope will allow me to both help support the two assistant teachers I've brought on, and to make our experiences available to more people. Still, I envision having some sort of very low tuition or free option in the future. I was actually offering something like that a few years ago, but that was when I convinced my wife to spend a year living in a yurt, during which we had very little expenses at all. I suppose if I brought on more people, I could charge less, but I like to give as full of attention as possible to everyone I work with, basically devoting most of my life energy to them while I'm working with them. So for me to bring someone on for a year for free would mean that I would be devoting a year to them with no income for my family at all, and I don't think most people would ask that of me. What I've found is that if people truly want an experience like this, they find a way to pay as much tuition as possible, and they do it joyfully. Thus far, none of them have been rich, but people have rallied their family, sold their car, or started Indigogo campaigns in order to raise the money. When they pay the tuition, they understand that they are supporting my family, helping to preserve the land that we hold ReWildU classes on, and paying money to someone who doesn't pay any interest debt to corporations. Some people who have felt the tuition was high also suddenly realized that they were willing to pay $15,000- $20,000 or more for a car, but balked at spending an equal amount on a year-long experience. That can be eye-opening, because at some point we decided as a culture that it's okay to pay money to people who are only out for their own gain, but that those who are doing things from a heart-place shouldn't get paid. It's a strange dynamic. One possibility for you would be to connect with my apprentice, who might be taking on students of her own. But I'd wager that upon reflection, you'd actually want to pay her, because as you began living on this land, you'd recognize that the owners of the land (not me) have to pay taxes on it, and are doing their best to keep the land as a place where people can come to learn. You'd probably feel that you wanted to be contributing with money or labor or some other significant trade in order to help them maintain the land, and to help your teacher/teachers to upkeep their own lives as they strive to give their most to you. I'm glad you shared the story of your week-long adventure. That must be quite a memory! Here's the most important thing I can share. Yes, we do offer courses here, but you don't need them. Nature is by far the best teacher, and all we do here is help people to open up to nature's wisdom. Rewilding is inside you, and I hope to continue to offer free videos, blog posts, and soon a book (that will cost rather less than a course =) that can help people such as yourself in your journey. Stories like yours, where you share that childhood adventure and express your yearing for rewilding, are what keep me devoted to continuing to try to provide as much of this free material as I can. I truly wish that I could take on everyone who wanted to do a year-long experience with me, but at this point I'm just one person, and am doing the best I can to reach out to as many people as possible. =) Kenton
ReWildUniversity And not to confusing things, I realize that I was talking about my old solo pricing of around $20,000 for one person, which has now changed with the new emphasis on groups of 4 instead of solo. The reason the tuition is that much per person is to pay my assistant teachers and to help the people who let us use their land to maintain it's environment. And, as you may have caught on, so that I can build wiggle-room into the tuition for people who can't afford it despite their best efforts =)
ReWildUniversity Thank you very much, for replying back to me about this. I actually didn't mean to sound like I wanted to do the course completely for free. I just meant I never had $20,000 to spend even when I had a job. And yes, I would most definitely be willing to pay what I could, and I even definitely would very much be willing and even be very grateful to work to help maintain the property that the classes are held on. I used to do trail maintenance, tree stand improvement, and build trail bridges out of railroad ties during the summers when I was a teenager, and for 7 years I was also the supervisor for a 1000 acre nature recreational park in South Carolina. Which was partly woods, creeks and a pond, and brackish marshlands. I was like Steve Irwin before he was on tv. Except, with gators instead of crocs, but I also dealt with poisonous snakes like he did. LOL We didn't do any living off the land at that park though, and I barely remember any of the eatable plants that I learned from my Scout Master as a 12 year old in Vermont. I remember the roots of cattails, basically. LOL Anyway, I didn't want to re-learn by trial and error and I didn't want to go out into the woods and end up becoming a hermit for the rest of my life, either. I wanted to regain knowledge and abilities that I've forgotten, learn new things, and grow as a person, who can truly exit and move forward in this world by learning from a teacher and mentor about true wilderness self-sufficiency, and maybe eventually ending up getting a job working in the wilderness again somewhere and maybe even ending up being able to train others myself. But, I definitely wouldn't want in any way to compromise your families' only means of livelihood by asking that you take less of the money that you truly need to live a proper existence of any sort. Especially, in our culture. Thank you again, for taking the time to explain your situation to me. You and your family take care! :)
Christian L Thank you so much for this conversation, Christian. Let's keep in touch -- perhaps in 2016 I could talk with the farm folks and we could find a way to make something happen. I loved hearing about all the adventures you've had! And I do have a secret plan hatching to create a rewilding opportunity for people that would not involve tuition or trade . . . but there is still a lot of hatching to be done =)
That was inspiring. I need to make big changes in my lifestyle. I always talk about it, but never take action. My physical and mental health are both terrible, so it's time I get my $h!t together and do what I need to do. Thanks for making videos!
Jerry Brown You're welcome, Jerry. And I'm super excited that you are going to be taking back your mental and physical health. To be in the midst of it and decide to pull yourself out . . . bravo!!!=) Kenton
We're having an emotional debt. That's an excellent point. I never had money as a youth so I grew up to become very frugal. I would buy second hand clothes and save for months to buy shoes. It worked fine but I always had that emotional debt that in case I'd get those really expensive sneakers or branded jeans I would feel better, I'd become cooler and people would accept and like me. Guess what, I saved even harder, found places where I could get that stuff cheaper and soon I was the best dressed guy in our school. When I finally bought that unique pair of sneakers nobody else had for like 300$ and nothing happened, nobody fell in love with me for that I gave up and returned to normal. I started buying moderately priced goods again. I've found out about child labor in Nike and Adidas factories in Asia and so on. When I finally got into financial debt it was for health and business reasons so in a way I had no choice. I don't have an emotional debt. I don't own a steel cage (car) or electronic leash (smartphone). I don't need cosmic ray travels (flights) as I prefer to discover my country by train. I'm healthier, look and feel better than all those people trapped in their materialistic lifestyles.
onreact Thank you for sharing this. You've been "there and back again", having recognized the emotional debt, attempted to feed it, and found it to be empty. Now you're living very, very consciously, and that is an inspiration for all of us. I really appreciate you taking the time to share this with readers. =) Kenton
Jeff Thompson Hi Jeff,Thanks so much -- I am continually impressed by the comments on these videos -- it reaffirms my faith in human nature to see people displaying so much intelligence, thoughtfulness, and sharing. I feel very fortunate for this UA-cam community!=) Kenton
Thankyou for your mentor-like encouragement to live my life in line with my heart and true desires. I'm currently making a big choice to move into the woods. I don't know how it will go. I'm a bit scared that I'm leaving good friends behind and lose the support of my urban tribe, that I won't be able to sustain myself, that my health will become worse rather than better. Though it is creating a focus in me that I have never felt before, I can feel it now. I think I have to make the leap.
+snarewrek What a powerful thing you are doing, my friend. I can understand the fear, and also the excitement and sense of "rightness" I imagine you must feel. If you come in to get access to civilization once in a while, I would love to hear about your adventures! =) Kenton
Hey ,Kenton I've done the barefoot training like I said I would and I have to say...I feel a lot more connected to nature and I feel able not to have to have shoes on all the time to be comfortable. I enjoyed this video you have done and I believe I understand what you are saying. Thanks for taking the time to release(and make) this video, and I look forward to seeing more like it:)-Austin.
Be thankful that you live in a place and time where you are free to choose You are not free from the consequences of those choices. YOU LIVE WITH THE CHOICES YOU MAKE. LIVE YOUR LIFE. CARPE DIEM
What a wonderful video. Thank you for sharing with me. As I stated before. I am about to lose my home that I have been in for 21 years and will become homeless for the first time, very soon. I only had about 9 years of payments and the house would have been mine. Although I have paid way more to the bank than what I borrowed '53,000', I still owe 30,000. HMMM! Anyway! To my main point about 'things' and the power we give them. As I was putting my most cherished things into storage today in 96 degree temperature. I broke the most precious and valuable thing I own. Instantly, my joy was gone. Anger took over and Self Condemation seemed more than a worthy sense of punishment. I lost it for over an hour. Anger set in as the streams of sweat dripped from my body. I was simply moving this item of great value a few inches and I took its value from thousands of dollars, to maybe a hundred. I had diminished it, and in doing so, I unjustly diminished myself. The latter was the real damage. But I reflected, gathered myself and in no time, I was lifting my hands and thanking God for the New breeze that was sent to cool my body in order to complete my scheduled tasks. Which I DID.
A wonderful story of transformation, Jim. That anger can "own" us, coloring our entire perspective on life. Yet in transforming it, you found gratitude for the simplest of things. Beautiful! =) Kenton
So true, as a paramedic I see every day how people become victims of our satisfaction reward system, I.e. Thru food, drugs, debt, and generalized self destructive behavior. The list of the self destructive things people do to themselves or to their family/loved ones is just way too long and depressing. It' sometimes feels like our nature to destroy ourselves and everything around us. :/
TAVOR VICEROY VALDOR I know what you mean. For a long while I was very down on humanity, thinking we were basically a cancer that thrived on self-destruction and destroying everything around us while we were at it. At some moment I decided I might as well be optimistic, and I suppose I've now taken it just as far in the other direction, believing that everyone has the potential to make powerful shifts, if only they can be shown a way out of our culture's traps. I know it's probably idealistic, but . . . =) Kenton
It is a great outlook on life, I stopped watching dramas 20 years ago only comedy for me and now I never watch tv or even the news because you get your choice between bad news gorse news or catastrophic news with the buy the new iPhone 73.45 right Now! Also I no longer see my old friends anymore because they still drink smoke and create drama all the time, life is to short to waste it on bad emotions and depression.
Hi Janie, Your comment didn't allow replies, so I hope you see this =) How true! A lot of encouragement to go into debt, isn't there? And good credit is so sanctified in our culture that it seems ridiculous to question it. Yet if you're not going to go into debt anyway, there is no reason at all to have good credit. Quite a system, isn't it? =) Way to go on consciously freeing yourself of it! =) Kenton
I enjoy your Christ type/Thoreau type philosophy on life. And Dave Ramsey thoughts on cash rather than debt. And your view on treating the heath causes instead of just the symptoms. Insightful and wise, in my humble opinion. Thanks as always.
"There are people who don't use money at all" Money is only for things we want or have been coerced into wanting. Everything we need, we can get without money.
Did i read or here you say that you are righting a book on rewilding ? would love to meat you someday, would be so great to sit around a camp fire with like minded people talking about mindfulness and living with nature and such. i love nature and spend all my off time outside walking on trails. i often dream of working/living at an eco village of sorts. all my best
larz hillbot I am indeed writing a book with Rebecca, that we hope to have ready by winter's end. And you've also hit on another idea that's been on my mind, which is to host a get-together where people could come from all over and share ideas, skills, and inspiration. Finally, you've hit on a third idea that has been percolating, which is to create a place where people could come and live rewilded for anywhere from a month to years . . . where they wouldn't have to pay money or even trade for the right to be there, but could explore living in a rewilded community. There are a lot of things that have to come together for that vision to become a reality, but I don't think it's that far off . . .=) Kenton
Hi Kenton, thanks once again for these invaluable lessons! I sometimes envy you for the way you talk. The way you manage to calmly and aptly formulate your thoughts. If I recall correctly, you mentioned in some videos that you were a very anxious person in the past. I would be really interested to hear how in particular you have acquired such an amazing "presentation style". Did you do something to practice this in particular, or is it more like a consequence of mindfulness, general calmness, gratitude, and your whole lifestyle and such? Or were you always like this? Would love to hear your thoughts on this! Or is there a video where you address this, which I haven't watched yet? Hope I'm not the 647586th person to ask about this… 😄 Lots of love!
Hi my friend!!! Oh goodness, I appreciate your words! I was always terrified of doing anything that could be construed as public presentation. The video you found was one tool I used, but a lot of it was just continuing to cultivate mindfulness and gratitude, and especially curiosity. Here's a video on that: ua-cam.com/video/w6lDrujuWmE/v-deo.html Switching to curiosity helped me start to laugh at myself. I remember the first public speech I gave, and I was so nervous, and then I said to myself, "well, I'm just going to go up there, pee my pants, point to my crotch, and laugh at myself out loud." That sort of took my fears, brought them out in the open, and made me actually curious about what people would do if I did that. It would certainly give people something to talk about!!! =) That sort of evaporated my fear, and the talk went pretty well. I think that ability to not take ourselves seriously can go a long way toward helping us get over these anxieties. Love to you!! Kenton =)
Hi Jasper. We've done so much research on this, and we're still on the fence. At this point we're going ahead with most vaccines, but not all. "The Vaccine Controversy" by Kurt Link was a good one that was balanced, it seemed. =) Kenton
Hey, thanks!!! You can definitely start with some of the skills, like learning friction fire: ua-cam.com/video/ScmQxuRrFww/v-deo.html UA-cam is full of skill tutorials -- learn fire, see what edible wild plant are in your area. But the most important thing you can do? Well, the most powerful survival skill you can develop is YOU, and your mental/physical abilities. Find something fitnessy you like, such as parkour, swordfighting, martial arts, gymnastics, calisthenics . . . and start to get addicted to increasing your strength, agility, balance, etc. Then, start developing your mental/emotional resilience (this is the fun part). Notice when you get angry/anxious/nervous/etc., and learn to transform those emotions (I have some videos on that on my channel). When it's raining, take off your shirt and go for a walk in the rain. Practice sleeping out at night with only a blanket. Meditate. If you get snow, roll in it in your underwear. Take cold showers. Look up my "bowl of challenges" video and make one up. In other words, just challenge yourself every day, learn to love adventure, and your body and mind will continually get stronger and more resilient. The biggest survival challenge is keeping a good attitude when everything is falling apart -- and if you develop mental, emotional, and physical strength, you'll have the most powerful survival skill out there. Hope this helps! =) Kenton
Kenton, Indeed, that definitely helps. Thank you for your detailed advice, it is priceless and will help several others as well. I'll be taking your advice to work on "myself", I intend to improve myself slightly everyday and let the changes build up over time.
Jacob Zamira A message well worth heeding, Jacob. Whether we prefer to say God or nature or the universe or whatever, there is truly great wealth that has nothing at all to do with chasing dollars, and I think it only comes to us when we cease that chasing . . .=) Kenton
ANXIETOR Very interesting what our holidays have become, isn't it? =) And the Black Friday phenomenon . . . it makes it pretty clear the sort of addiction that is being instilled in us. Time to break free!=) Kenton
Very nicely spoken speech my friend P.S. I am curious as to what you're decision on hunting is, whether it is a good/bad, necessary/unnecessary, natural/unnatural, hobby to be involved in. =)
SoccerToBePro Thank you! On hunting, I used to be completely anti-hunting, feeling that if we chose to eat meat, we could get plenty from roadkill =) Then I read a book called "Where the Wild Things Were" by William Stolzenburg, and it really changed my perspective. Because my family does eat meat, and because I realize that I play an active role in my local ecosystem, I took up traditional archery. It's been a great journey, but has allowed me to take many of the skills I learned long ago and apply them to hunting. I have to say that hunting makes me feel closer to nature. One place I'm still definitely against hunting is in the hunting of predators. I think the world is a richer, more adventurous place when it is populated by wolves, bears, coyotes, and cougars, and we don't have nearly enough of them to create a balanced ecosystem (again, this is info I learned from that book, which cited numerous studies showing the positive impact of wolves and other apex predators on ecosystem health). The science is clear, but money and fear still dictate that we have WAY fewer predators than we need. As for making hunting tougher -- bring it on! If the wolves make the deer more scarce, then I just have to ramp up my skills in order to get a deer myself, and that, I think, is what makes hunting so amazing. I do the stalking method -- no tree stands -- so it's very difficult to get a deer. But that just means I get a lot of quiet time in the woods . . .=) Kenton
Interesting points you bring up Kenton :) I do agree with you on most of it, too. Predators in the wild make our lifestyle a lot more fun for sure haha! I did a speech not too long ago about hunting and I brought up two of the ideas you mentioned: Not killing as many apex predators (for the same reason of ecosystem balancing), and also various methods of hunting and styles of hunting, which included the no tree stands method like you said - along with taking about every "weapon" hunting as for people to choose. By the way, my friend has gotten me into archery also and after learning a bit with a compound bow I would definitely like to make and own a traditional longbow and learn that way, too. :) Where the Wild Things Were is an amazing book! -Luke
SoccerToBePro It sounds like you've read it! And I'm excited to hear that you're giving traditional archery a try. I've been very inspired by this man's self bows -- bisonbows.com. I'm hoping to have him up to teach me how to make one. I'm still using an old vintage Bear recurve. It's a great bow, older than me, but to have one of real wood instead of wood/fiberglass composite . . .
I think a lot of SADness is brought to us by cult ure.... Standard American Dream...Standard American Diet ... Life is such a fine line...Living in the present should be living in bliss...understanding that every choice outside this is choice of direction..... good/bad, creator/consumer, slave/free, educated/ignorance, love/hate. This section is kind of long but shares a rebuttal to the standard american life that a fellow youtuber was kind enough to share. It is long but worth the read to see different view points that are made by persons led by cult ure.....Joe the Conservative....Joe gets up at 6:00 am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure they are safe and work as advertised. All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.Joe walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor. Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation days because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune. It's noon time, Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposits are federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Depression.Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time. Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards.Joe arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republican's would still be sitting in the dark). Joe is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home. Joe turns on a radio talk show, the host's keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees, "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I'm a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have" MY RESPONSE Very Interesting read...thank you for the entertainment... Forgive any mistakes...I did not have the fortunate ability of cut and past here.... this is from the hip due to my mild interest in this battle of logic. Here is how I see a smart person spending their day.... 0530 awakening to the morning sun penetrating your windows in your tiny home that is powered by solar and human energy, warmed by a rocket stove that burns cleanly and efficiently and only consuming a footprint of approximately Joe s garage......not to a screaming alarm like Joe that is his morning bell for the self imposed debt slavery/mass consumption cycle that Joe has gotten himself into. 8:00 Then after a morning yoga stretching and strengthening exercise, Joe should have consumed a large amount of distilled water because coffee is a toxin intended to get a biological response when taken... exercise is better for the heart than the heroin type addiction that rots and discolors your teeth and if made with city water is weakening your skeletal structure. A few pieces of fresh fruit from the aquaponic garden is a much better start for the day than consuming dead animal matter and unfertilized chicken fetus. Joe shouldn't be taking medication...but since he lives the life he does we will hope that he isn't one of the 270,000 people last year that died due to medical error or one of the 13,000 people who overdosed on prescription medication last year Now because that Joe isn't healthy and living correctly he has to forfeit some of his slave earning to his employer because Joe doesn't believe he is capable of saving money for himself in case he has a personal monetary expense. Joe does not feel that he owns himself and the products of his labor and feels he must depend upon a corporation to take care of him. Joe isn't very independent at all is he? Our only dependence upon others should be through the way of cooperation. 08:30 Joe is now showering with many chemicals that are known to cause hair loss and have a much larger carbon footprint than some of the natural methods someone with a higher IQ might choose. Besides...using the gray water from a shower is beneficial to a garden...as long as your not dumping a bunch of chemicals down your drains...Joe's alter ego lives and works on his permaculture farm in the country where the air is clean....Unlike the Joe who doesn't believe he owns himself and the products of labor and only receives a portion of what his energy creates as a wage, at least he is greatly increasing the lobbying potential of corporations to enact laws that imprison many non violent people so that Joe doesn't have to work the midnight shift at his factory...that is the time slot for the correctional facility slaves that make even less than Joe..which by the way is never paid as reparations to the victim of their crimes necessitating their incarceration. At noon in Joe s alternate reality as a creator vs his old as a gross consumer...Joe has no bills because he realized his wants were toward gluttony and greed and so he chose a different path.. involving stewardship to the earth and chose to live within his needs. He doesn't believe in placing his money into a bank where fractional reserve lending has bankers making money on money they don't even have which is now quite concerning to him as to their true intentions and moral character. Joe the conservative only pays a mortgage because he has believed the American dream taught to you by Cult ure... he hasn't noticed that there is a lot of space in his Standard American Dream house...that SADly he must put off living his life so he can make a living to purchase, maintain, heat, cool, furnish and keep clean this SAD reality. Instead he has spent his time today in nature tending to his animals and food crops and possibly tinkering on some free energy solutions in his tool shed and enjoying an afternoon nap just because it is good for the soul....He wakes up and listens to the radio for a little bit while he has a small snack of organic food that was harvested hours ago not months ago like his City la la dependent version of himself....Good thing in Joes new reality his dad will be enjoying a nightly dinner with him (without the consumption of fossil fuels and the risk of becoming one of the vehicular accident statistics that will undoubtedly proove his mortality) because Joe s dad lives in a tiny house next to him where a multi-generational farm and lifestyle has proven to benefit all age ranges. Joe might even be able to extract more wisdom from his fathers experiences that they have the time to talk about. Shorltly after sunset and conversations by the open fire they retire to a blissful night of sleep...... I think the moral of this story is to realize that red vs blue or me vs you isn't working .Humans not living within their FREE WILL have been constrained to believe their choices are only what is been placed in front of them and never to look for an alternative that might be living closer to the earth not demanding so much of other people for their existence while wondering why they are the only animal on the planet that pays to exist....Our current society has allowed this chain of destruction to continue and without Justice and Accountability in our Government you will eventually run out of people to extract their energy from. Hope you enjoyed.
Banks: You should give your "time" to us right now. Us: Yes but in the future my "time" is less valuable? Banks: This is the system, you pay now, or pay double later. It is all about competition. Give us quickly so we can finish first. Us: But, time is symmetric, my time is the same, my 1 hour is always my 1 hour. Banks: No, if you give us beforehand, "we" can invest and finish first in the race. Us (should say, if clever enough): Wait a minute... My time should worth more in the future with all those technological advances, because I can do more in 1 hour with all those technology. Why are we racing with each other again? (Answer: to make rich richer) Banks: Oh shit, they started to think... :) I hate sometimes why people are so stupid, but then I recognize they raised to be. If you are reading this, please start to think. This is what is going on. And everyone who is worried about future should consider this point.
The part about illness is mostly nonsense. I suffer from depression and it's not, "lifestyle induced." So very many health problems are not, "lifestyle induced." That's so offensive. A friend of had her thyroid removed after she got thyroid cancer, and it saved her life. It wasn't, "lifestyle induced." In fact, I have so very many examples of people who suffer from chronic illnesses and take medication, to their benefit, and there was no poor lifestyle choice. This is a pleasant fiction. It's nice to think that expensive medication, with potentially awful side effects, are very rarely necessary. The problem is, it's not true. I'm a socialist, and I loath Big-Pharma, but the problem is that they do produce a lot of amazing meds that change so many lives for the better. And so many people who need those meds don't need them because of poor lifestyle choices. That's just something you want to believe is true. That our fate is always in our hands, we just have to make the right choices. Baloney. I undergo electro-convulsive therapy for depression ("shock therapy") and it helps immensely. Mental illness runs in my family, in the form of schizophrenia and bipolar depression and depression. I also lost my testes to cancer, and now use testosterone transdermal gel to maintain normal sexual function. My thyroid doesn't work at all, either. I need to take levoxyl. Low thyroid levels make the depression so much worse. I didn't do anything wrong to deserve any of this, and the meds I take, and the treatments I undergo, help so much. Sorry to burst your bubble on this.
Sorry that you found this offensive. The point is not to imply that all illnesses are lifestyle induced, but that we have MUCH more power over our health than we've been told. Daily movement, a clean diet, meditation, and other lifestyle choices can have strong positive effects on our health. If you read "The Mindful Way Through Depression", you'll find one example of where a non-drug therapy is highly effective in treating severe depression. Here's a pilot study, and you can find more info if you search: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866254/ I think in the end we often see what we want to see. You've seen many people who take medications to great benefit, while I've seen many people reverse ill health through lifestyle changes. I'm sure that there is truth in both, and I'd like to think that we're only scratching the surface of a greater truth about our relationship with illness. =) Kenton
Your words are deep medicine. You're talking about nothing less than a return to being truly human.
Craig Richardson Thank you, Craig. I appreciate your words.=) Kenton
could not have put it better myself! preach on good sir! we are in the midst of a shift that will be felt for generations! - stony
BlackOwlOutdoors Thanks Stony -- I agree that we're undergoing a powerful shift, and I'm excited to witness and be part of it!=) Kenton
"The answer is inside of you" if more people truly understood this powerful message you address! Thanks again for opening our minds Kenton! The time is NOW to take our lives into our own hands.....
Eco Oasis Right back at you! This is exactly the message you're putting out, and I think that the more of us who can sing this song together . . .=) Kenton
Spot on brother. I'm heartened, while living seemingly in a morass of the mundane and easily distracted, there are a fair number of us emerging, rejecting consumerism, embracing barter and trade, turning off the television and exploring our little corner of the world. We no longer need "stuff" to keep up with the Jones's or to sit on the couch, watching other people acting at living fulfilling lives. I know many young people who are understanding this at an early age and I hope that they can embrace it and change society, for all of our sakes.
Agile Woodsman I'm so happy that you brought up the young ones. I'm always amazed at how viewers in their early teens write to me and share things they've made, shelters they've built, or changes they're making in their lives. Often it's about replacing gaming time with time in the woods. Let's build this momentum together!=) Kenton
You're right. I'm encouraged by them. I hope they provide a catalyst for the change society needs to get away from rampant consumerism and superficial ideas.
Am back in church and rewatching several of your videos. Finally making several life changes. Can't say thanks enough.
+Luther George Thank you for sharing this! I'm honored to hear that these videos are helpful in that way.
=) Kenton
ReWildUniversity They absolutely do.
Slick Fergus, your comment won't allow replies, so I'm hoping you get this. Thanks so much for your comment. I can hear you, and understand how it can look despairing. At the same time, you have made conscious choices, and are serving as an example to those around you. I figure we might as well believe that change can happen, and work toward it. It's a joyous pursuit, and in our small ways, we're each doing a bit of good. And together . . .
=) Kenton
beautifully said...
***** Thank you =)
Even our credit system is based on 'forcing' folks to have debt payments on credit cards or loans in order to have 'good credit' ratings. I'm debt free and have been since I was in my late twenties. I did not get married until I was both emotionally and physically debt free. I made sure to marry a man who would NOT change my plan as well. Important to choose partners who are on the same page.
thank you for that great message of wisdom ! fully agree to that .much lovehave a wonderful day
Thanks my friend! So much love to you!!!
=) Kenton
I feel very connected to what you’ve shared. And drawn to others who share this point of view. I’m currently unearthing unprocessed trauma from the past, in search of hearing my own voice again. Thank you.
Kiki, that is such difficult work. But I sense you will find great treasures as you find ways to transform that trauma. Good journey =)
I am weining myself of of several medications for Tourettes Syndrome, ocd, stress, depression. And your right, life style choices. Giving up bing drinking, poor eating habits, no exercise, too much stimuli, etc... I am taking control of my health and life. Treating the root causes instead of the symptoms. Finding your videos help as well. They mean a lot. Thanks.
+Luther George Bravo! So many of these elements can become habits that literally eat us alive, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. That you are being so active in making changes is so inspiring!
=) Kenton
This is mostly nonsense. I suffer from depression and it's not, "lifestyle induced." So very many health problems are not, "lifestyle induced." That's so offensive. A friend of had her thyroid removed after she got thyroid cancer, and it saved her life. It wasn't, "lifestyle induced." In fact, I have so very many examples of people who suffer from chronic illnesses and take medication, to their benefit, and there was no poor lifestyle choice. This is a pleasant fiction. It's nice to think that expensive medication, with potential awful side effects, are very rarely necessary. The problem is, it's not true. I'm a socialist, and I loath Big-Pharma, but the problem is that they do produce a lot of amazing meds that change so many lives for the better. And so many people who need those meds don't need them because of poor lifestyle choices. That's just something you want to believe is true. That our fate is always in our hands, we just have to make the right choices. Baloney. I undergo electro-convulsive therapy for depression ("shock therapy") and it helps immensely. I also lost my testes to cancer, and now use testosterone transdermal gel to maintain normal sexual function. My thyroid doesn't work at all, either. That makes the depression so much worse. I didn't do anything wrong to deserve any of this, and the meds I take, and the treatments I undergo, help so much. Sorry to burst your bubble on this.
thank you for another great video! please continue to share your thoughts with us. while I was listening I once again pictured the life I wish to live and how to get there. you gave me hope that it can indeed happen!
Jacob Apodaca It can, Jacob! Awareness is the key, and I have a feeling that you have plenty of awareness.=) Kenton
Great message , The only hope for us is to return to Nature, live simply off the land and in harmony with nature. Our Present culture is beyond sick and is falling apart as i wright this. I fear it may be already to late to reverse all the damage we have caused to our planet, We need a huge shift in human consciousness and a new understanding to live a life of joy and peace. thanks for your work and love the setting for this video. Namaste
larz hillbot Thanks Larz. I hope that all of us, working together, can make the shift you're speaking of. On the setting, that is Lake Superior behind me -- one of my favorite places.=) Kenton
Thanks Kenton, Some really great points that are totally inlign with a logical mind. To realize the whole person is the whole and that it can't be found outside is to be blissful...Pay attention to animals and you learn how easy it is to live in bliss...a little food, water and a sunny spot to lay down and take a nap.....You must love yourself first to then fully love everything outside of yourself as much as yourself...realizing it's part to the whole. If you pay interest on anything...it is because of greed and envy of wanting more than you can afford to pay with your savings...it might just be a purchase from the beast(control) that instead of getting face value of an item...you will now pay a penalty in the form of interest...at least the more interest you buy your able to achieve a higher score on the debt based slave labor system.(FICO)...we are all brothers and therefore interest is not meant to be charged...the only way to make money in my opionion should be by your energy or product of your labor being given to another based on the free will of both parties. I always enjoy your contributions to UA-cam and look forward to new releases.
I have always been different than most people I know. My father asked me what I wanted to be when I was 6 or 7 years old. I told him I wanted to be a hermit and he told that wasn't a real job and walked away from me. He asked again when I was 14 and I told him the same thing. He said that it would be too much work for me to do by myself, that I was too lazy to make it, and to "pick something real." I understand what he meant by me being lazy, but real? How much more real does it get? If I am hungry it is my fault for not gathering food. I did not enjoy doing work that did not benefit myself or my loved ones directly. When it came to living off the land, as I have done for many years off and on, I never thought of it as work. It was exhilarating for me, exciting to know that I was in direct control of every aspect of my life. The only time that I seemed to dive into the main stream way of life was when I got married or had a girlfriend, loneliness I guess. I think that may be the reason that my relationships have failed. I could get them to go camping, but they never showed any interest in the primitive side of camping, or doing without modern conveniences, which was almost physically painful for me. I know what I want to do with my life, but cannot seem to find the kind of partner I need to pursue it. I don't mind being out there alone, but it would be so much nicer to have a mate to share it with. I have no use for money and have actually had my friends ask me how I can live the way I choose to live. They cannot seem to wrap the minds around the concept of true freedom and being truly self sufficient. The only real weak point I have is recognizing wild edibles. I know a little more than the basics but have yet to find anyone to train me in the other plants that are out there. There are look alikes that can be dangerous, so I want some hands on training with someone that truly knows there way around the garden. I live in the foothills of the Adirondack State Park. There are self proclaimed woodsmen/women all over the place around here, but I never see them 40 miles off the beaten path. I never see anyone when I go walkabout. I spend between 1 and 4 months in the woods at a time, depending on loneliness of course. I dream of Alaska, but that is not totally within the realm of reality at this point. I do not know anything about the wild edibles there and would have to learn it all or have a partner that already knew and could pick up the slack while teaching me. I mean, yes, there are some that are the same, but many are totally different. So... For now, I have to stick with what I have been choosing because it is the only thing that truly makes me feel alive. Seems to me I made a choice. The rolling stone gathers no moss(debt). I am going to roll on.
I love your philosophical approach to your life sir. Keep it real.
Walt
Walter Cunniff Hi Walt,
What a beautiful way to live! And I know what you mean about not encountering people off the beaten path. For most of my life I've roamed the woodlands, and unless I'm in a national park, don't seem to ever encounter any other people unless they are walking established pathways.
Samuel Thayer was a great wild edible teacher for me. If you can get your hands on his books, they're great, and I think many of the plants would be in your area. Otherwise his website has many free resources and info on plants. He's someone who actually eats the plants he writes about -- he doesn't just repeat the info of others. foragersharvest.com
Roll on, my friend!
=) Kenton
Yeah, I always wished I could approach a stranger sitting around a fire and sit with them like in the movies hahaha, sucks not many people are like us and take the unknown over the path. I hate paths, I hate established ways, I take my own path through the wild.
Hi Kenton i 100% relate to what you are saying here 5 years ago i lost one of my older brothers to suicide and to cut a long story short i had to quit my job to look after my mother she was grieving badly and in the process of grieving myself i kind of shut myself away from the world for some time but once i was out of the rat race cycle of society i can honestly say i discovered "myself" it was a battle at first almost like withdrawal symtoms from not taking part in the constructed ideology that we all go along with like we should have this new car we should be married and have kids by a certain age we should have a big house etc etc like a tsunami of feelings to try to overcome but much like the way you embrace the cold weather and condition yourself to it i think we have to condition ourselves against the weight of society and the pressure we put on ourselves from viewing life from a narrow perspective and i don't know why but i just thought about the quote Rebecca made from her shower video "the cold you imagine in your head is much worse than cold you actually feel" i think it's the same kind of feeling of apprehension
of what to expect when entering into a path in life that society portrays as being "undesirable" but it ISN'T! breaking free from the trap of society awakens your mind gives you clarity and makes you look at life from a totally fresh perspective much like the cold shower :) loved the video Kenton it looks really relaxing sitting by that water :)
oh i've been meaning to ask do you live OFF the grid ? thanks Kenton all the best to you Rebecca and family take care mate - Steve
***** Steve, thank you so much for sharing this story. Very, very powerful. It is sharing like this that really can touch people's hearts and inspire change. I do love that water -- it is Lake Superior, about 4 hours drive north of us. We make the trip once a year =)Right now we don't live off the grid. Five or six years ago we were living a more conventional life, with a house in the country, and our financial situation fell apart. Then came a year of living off the grid in our yurt, hauling water and living without electricity. Now, however, we rent a small home from a friend on a organic farm community. Some of the power comes from wind and sun and wood, but the farm isn't totally converted off the grid by any means. We're moving in that direction =) Would love to go back to that -- we often miss the yurt life.=) Kenton
Hi Kenton,
Thanks for the wake up call! Very timely. I'd love to learn more about the folks you mention who are living unconventionally. Personally, hearing the specifics of their stories helps give me the courage and motivation to explore alternate, more conscious paths.
Yours,
Benjamin
Benjamin Benjamin Hi Benjamin, Here's one to get started with -- a man who is living moneyless and has a very spiritual foundation to his actions -- rewildu.com/living-without-money-2/=) Kenton
ReWildUniversity Thanks!
you're the best !
''...there is something inside of you''
Thank you deeply.
=) Kenton
I couldn't agree more with (eye dea) I sure wish I could express myself that way,I thank you for the great insight in to what everybody should be doing,and to ReWildUniversity thank you for uploading this video its a wake up call for everyone, for us we downsize from house to a condo from a v8 to a 4 cylinder and from using the car to riding the bike whenever we can,and getting ready to take my six yr old on a camping trip and teach him that mother nature is what is important,love for nature and your family,and fellow man is what is important not your ps3 or xbox!!! thumbs up! and greetings from Germany.
Great video again, and completely on point. I'm curious what your thoughts are on trying to escape the social stigma of pursuing a lifestyle that emphasizes true happiness and fulfillment over consumption and money. I'm not at a point where I think I need a lot of money in order to be happy, but people often will judge and criticize you if you choose to take a simpler path, be that because you aren't in a prestigious enough job, or that they are worried you aren't secure enough financially, etc. When these people are family members or friends close to you, it makes me wonder how to balance respecting them but not letting them control your life. --andrew
AdventureArchives Great consideration, Andrew. I experienced this myself with my family. Coming from a well-to-do, professional family, they had trouble understanding many of my decisions. Years later, my father told me that he had actually been jealous at times, and was proud of my for having the courage to follow my own path.I think for me, it's a matter of realizing that if I try to live my life for others' expectations, I'll never be happy, and I both rob myself of the life I want, and rob those around me (even those criticizing my choices) of being able to have me as an example that might expand the possibilities in their lives. It doesn't make people happy initially (especially parents), but I think in the long run, those that love us would rather see us pursue our own dreams rather than theirs. Believe in the people around you, even those most vocal in their criticisms, share with them the honest joys your are getting from your life path, and I'd wager that before too long, they'll begin to get curious rather than critical.=) Kenton
ReWildUniversity I think people react like this because they want the best for you and they fear what they don't know, what is odd. They fear you will be sitting out on the sidewalk starving to death and drying of exposure.
One of the biggest freedoms I have ever found in my life was the day that I knew that I could walk into the woods (MT) and live there without needing anything from outside of that environment. It is freeing to know that if your boss fires you and your house burns down, that you can walk out the door and into the woods and be well fed, happy and warm.
I have never had to do this but knowing that I could gave me the freedom to stop worrying about things like my job. If I lose my job, I lose my home and my food is a great stress. We that know the wild are free of this even if we never really have to live primitively and only get to fantasize about it, we are free and secure. I am also quite happy to use modern things like my computer, my car, and my warm house knowing that I don't have to.
I am very sleepy. Hope that made sense.
Douglas E Knapp
For me, Douglas, this is one of the most powerful effects of learning these skills. That knowledge you speak of, that you don't NEED all these things. We can enjoy them, but not live in fear of being without them. One of the most freeing things we can do in our lives, I believe. Thanks so much for eloquently describing it!
=) Kenton
Hi Cessna, your comment won't allow replies, so I'm replying here and hoping you see it. I too love how eye dea expressed things, and I thank you for your words about the ReWildU videos. I hope they're making a difference, if only in small ways.
=) Kenton
Hi. I love your videos; they're food for thought. Thank you for sharing you insights
Appreciated. It means a lot to hear when these videos make a difference!
=) Kenton
Kenton, its nice to have found your videos . Watching a lot of what you say and talk about make a lot of sense. to confess what I am about to say openly is a lot for me . I don't think I have made many good choices in my life, to include a suicide attempt last year. I have yet to discover all of your videos or if you even if you touched upon this subject. I am talking about emotional fear. Not of being alone, or being good enough . It is unlike anything I have ever had to deal with before . I am 42 and at a point of change in my life were the only peace I find is when I am in the woods any more. I seek out people that feel this way but have had little success in this. I have reached out to a few such as yourself in hopes of finding a group or even a single person to relate to. I have been told by some I need medication and by others I am fine. I have been to therapy and doctors alike for these opinions, I know there is a better way, I just need to find it. I am seeking an opinion or suggestion , as I seek this new path for myself in life. I am tired of being shackled down, I almost just gathered my kit and walked off , and was stopped by my family . There afraid for me, I'm afraid for me. I am regressing to the state I was last year, where I have quit progressing forward. I know I am OK but for this fear that resides in me, the shackle that holds me in place. Thank you for your time, as it is the most precious thing any one can give another.
BadweatherC Hello my friend, and thank you for reaching out. Why don't you write me at rewildu (at) yahoo (dot) com, and we can talk more. I'm in and out of the woods with my students, so please forgive if it takes me a couple of days to get back to you.
=) Kenton
Be thankful that you live in a place and time where you are free to choose. You are not free from the consequences of those choices YOU LIVE WITH THE CHOICES YOU MAKE. LIVE YOUR LIFE. CARPE DIEM
I've been saying for most of my life the same things that you just said in your video, but I am caught in our culture's 'debt trap'. I watched your video where you went barefoot into the woods with a paracord bracelet and lived off the land for one night. Which, except for wearing shoes and having a knife and a few other things, I lived off the land for a week as a teenager. Only eating fish, plants, and drinking water. Making a shelter and weaving a sleeping bag out of golden rods.
Your video reminded me of that and then when I realized you taught classes on re-wilding, I went to your website. I figured to do it right and really make being re-wilded a major part of who I am and how I live my life from now on after the training, I should go for the longest time period offered, so when I saw the 11 months course offered, I knew that would be the best way possible to become re-wilded again.
Then, I saw that it would cost $20,000 and the one for 2015 is already filled and I would have to try for 2016, but I am unemployed right now and there is no way for me to come up with that kind of money or even justify spending that much money on re-wilding myself. Even on minimum wage, people barely make a little over $15,000 a year.
It's truly disheartening that your course costs so much and is already closed for next year. Even though I know it's not meant to be, it feels to me like it too is a part of our culture's whole 'debt trap', which makes it that much more disheartening.
Is there any way for me to still participate in the 11 month course in 2015 and also get around the cost?
When I say 'course' I do realize you're actually living in the wild the whole 11 months.
Christian L Hi Christian,Thanks for sharing all of this, including your reaction to my tuition prices. That's been a tough one for me. Because I can basically take on only one student a year, that means that I have to provide for a family of four on that single tuition payment. To make this possible for more people, we've downsized our life considerably, getting rid of most of our belongings, selling our house, and living a very simple life. Still, I usually have given people discounts, so that our family has learned to do well on $12,000-$15,000 a year. That was with just one little child, but now that we decided to have two, it's getting tougher to get by on that little, unless I could convince my wife to go live in a wigwam =) This year we're adding group classes, which I hope will allow me to both help support the two assistant teachers I've brought on, and to make our experiences available to more people. Still, I envision having some sort of very low tuition or free option in the future. I was actually offering something like that a few years ago, but that was when I convinced my wife to spend a year living in a yurt, during which we had very little expenses at all. I suppose if I brought on more people, I could charge less, but I like to give as full of attention as possible to everyone I work with, basically devoting most of my life energy to them while I'm working with them. So for me to bring someone on for a year for free would mean that I would be devoting a year to them with no income for my family at all, and I don't think most people would ask that of me. What I've found is that if people truly want an experience like this, they find a way to pay as much tuition as possible, and they do it joyfully. Thus far, none of them have been rich, but people have rallied their family, sold their car, or started Indigogo campaigns in order to raise the money. When they pay the tuition, they understand that they are supporting my family, helping to preserve the land that we hold ReWildU classes on, and paying money to someone who doesn't pay any interest debt to corporations. Some people who have felt the tuition was high also suddenly realized that they were willing to pay $15,000- $20,000 or more for a car, but balked at spending an equal amount on a year-long experience. That can be eye-opening, because at some point we decided as a culture that it's okay to pay money to people who are only out for their own gain, but that those who are doing things from a heart-place shouldn't get paid. It's a strange dynamic. One possibility for you would be to connect with my apprentice, who might be taking on students of her own. But I'd wager that upon reflection, you'd actually want to pay her, because as you began living on this land, you'd recognize that the owners of the land (not me) have to pay taxes on it, and are doing their best to keep the land as a place where people can come to learn. You'd probably feel that you wanted to be contributing with money or labor or some other significant trade in order to help them maintain the land, and to help your teacher/teachers to upkeep their own lives as they strive to give their most to you. I'm glad you shared the story of your week-long adventure. That must be quite a memory! Here's the most important thing I can share. Yes, we do offer courses here, but you don't need them. Nature is by far the best teacher, and all we do here is help people to open up to nature's wisdom. Rewilding is inside you, and I hope to continue to offer free videos, blog posts, and soon a book (that will cost rather less than a course =) that can help people such as yourself in your journey. Stories like yours, where you share that childhood adventure and express your yearing for rewilding, are what keep me devoted to continuing to try to provide as much of this free material as I can. I truly wish that I could take on everyone who wanted to do a year-long experience with me, but at this point I'm just one person, and am doing the best I can to reach out to as many people as possible. =) Kenton
ReWildUniversity And not to confusing things, I realize that I was talking about my old solo pricing of around $20,000 for one person, which has now changed with the new emphasis on groups of 4 instead of solo. The reason the tuition is that much per person is to pay my assistant teachers and to help the people who let us use their land to maintain it's environment. And, as you may have caught on, so that I can build wiggle-room into the tuition for people who can't afford it despite their best efforts =)
ReWildUniversity Thank you very much, for replying back to me about this. I actually didn't mean to sound like I wanted to do the course completely for free. I just meant I never had $20,000 to spend even when I had a job. And yes, I would most definitely be willing to pay what I could, and I even definitely would very much be willing and even be very grateful to work to help maintain the property that the classes are held on. I used to do trail maintenance, tree stand improvement, and build trail bridges out of railroad ties during the summers when I was a teenager, and for 7 years I was also the supervisor for a 1000 acre nature recreational park in South Carolina. Which was partly woods, creeks and a pond, and brackish marshlands. I was like Steve Irwin before he was on tv. Except, with gators instead of crocs, but I also dealt with poisonous snakes like he did. LOL
We didn't do any living off the land at that park though, and I barely remember any of the eatable plants that I learned from my Scout Master as a 12 year old in Vermont. I remember the roots of cattails, basically. LOL
Anyway, I didn't want to re-learn by trial and error and I didn't want to go out into the woods and end up becoming a hermit for the rest of my life, either. I wanted to regain knowledge and abilities that I've forgotten, learn new things, and grow as a person, who can truly exit and move forward in this world by learning from a teacher and mentor about true wilderness self-sufficiency, and maybe eventually ending up getting a job working in the wilderness again somewhere and maybe even ending up being able to train others myself.
But, I definitely wouldn't want in any way to compromise your families' only means of livelihood by asking that you take less of the money that you truly need to live a proper existence of any sort. Especially, in our culture. Thank you again, for taking the time to explain your situation to me. You and your family take care! :)
Christian L Thank you so much for this conversation, Christian. Let's keep in touch -- perhaps in 2016 I could talk with the farm folks and we could find a way to make something happen. I loved hearing about all the adventures you've had! And I do have a secret plan hatching to create a rewilding opportunity for people that would not involve tuition or trade . . . but there is still a lot of hatching to be done =)
ReWildUniversity Yes, I would definitely like to keep in touch and would like to hear more after the 'hatching' is done. Thank you, as well. :)
That was inspiring. I need to make big changes in my lifestyle. I always talk about it, but never take action. My physical and mental health are both terrible, so it's time I get my $h!t together and do what I need to do. Thanks for making videos!
Jerry Brown You're welcome, Jerry. And I'm super excited that you are going to be taking back your mental and physical health. To be in the midst of it and decide to pull yourself out . . . bravo!!!=) Kenton
We're having an emotional debt. That's an excellent point. I never had money as a youth so I grew up to become very frugal. I would buy second hand clothes and save for months to buy shoes. It worked fine but I always had that emotional debt that in case I'd get those really expensive sneakers or branded jeans I would feel better, I'd become cooler and people would accept and like me.
Guess what, I saved even harder, found places where I could get that stuff cheaper and soon I was the best dressed guy in our school. When I finally bought that unique pair of sneakers nobody else had for like 300$ and nothing happened, nobody fell in love with me for that I gave up and returned to normal. I started buying moderately priced goods again. I've found out about child labor in Nike and Adidas factories in Asia and so on.
When I finally got into financial debt it was for health and business reasons so in a way I had no choice.
I don't have an emotional debt. I don't own a steel cage (car) or electronic leash (smartphone). I don't need cosmic ray travels (flights) as I prefer to discover my country by train. I'm healthier, look and feel better than all those people trapped in their materialistic lifestyles.
onreact Thank you for sharing this. You've been "there and back again", having recognized the emotional debt, attempted to feed it, and found it to be empty. Now you're living very, very consciously, and that is an inspiration for all of us. I really appreciate you taking the time to share this with readers. =) Kenton
Wow your so right my B-day is tomarrow and i want to say thx soo much for sharing and for taking the time to teach us all your amazing!
Taylor Hopkins Thanks Taylor, and Happy 14th!!=) Kenton
good video--good reaction from other viewers.
Jeff Thompson Hi Jeff,Thanks so much -- I am continually impressed by the comments on these videos -- it reaffirms my faith in human nature to see people displaying so much intelligence, thoughtfulness, and sharing. I feel very fortunate for this UA-cam community!=) Kenton
Thankyou for your mentor-like encouragement to live my life in line with my heart and true desires. I'm currently making a big choice to move into the woods. I don't know how it will go. I'm a bit scared that I'm leaving good friends behind and lose the support of my urban tribe, that I won't be able to sustain myself, that my health will become worse rather than better. Though it is creating a focus in me that I have never felt before, I can feel it now. I think I have to make the leap.
+snarewrek What a powerful thing you are doing, my friend. I can understand the fear, and also the excitement and sense of "rightness" I imagine you must feel. If you come in to get access to civilization once in a while, I would love to hear about your adventures!
=) Kenton
Wishing you the greatest encouragement and support.
Hey ,Kenton I've done the barefoot training like I said I would and I have to say...I feel a lot more connected to nature and I feel able not to have to have shoes on all the time to be comfortable. I enjoyed this video you have done and I believe I understand what you are saying. Thanks for taking the time to release(and make) this video, and I look forward to seeing more like it:)-Austin.
Austin Steiner Thanks so much Austin, I'll definitely keep them coming =)
Be thankful that you live in a place and time where you are free to choose You are not free from the consequences of those choices. YOU LIVE WITH THE CHOICES YOU MAKE. LIVE YOUR LIFE. CARPE DIEM
What a wonderful video. Thank you for sharing with me.
As I stated before. I am about to lose my home that I have been in for 21 years and will become homeless for the first time, very soon. I only had about 9 years of payments and the house would have been mine. Although I have paid way more to the bank than what I borrowed '53,000', I still owe 30,000. HMMM!
Anyway! To my main point about 'things' and the power we give them. As I was putting my most cherished things into storage today in 96 degree temperature. I broke the most precious and valuable thing I own. Instantly, my joy was gone. Anger took over and Self Condemation seemed more than a worthy sense of punishment. I lost it for over an hour. Anger set in as the streams of sweat dripped from my body. I was simply moving this item of great value a few inches and I took its value from thousands of dollars, to maybe a hundred. I had diminished it, and in doing so, I unjustly diminished myself. The latter was the real damage. But I reflected, gathered myself and in no time, I was lifting my hands and thanking God for the New breeze that was sent to cool my body in order to complete my scheduled tasks. Which I DID.
A wonderful story of transformation, Jim. That anger can "own" us, coloring our entire perspective on life. Yet in transforming it, you found gratitude for the simplest of things. Beautiful!
=) Kenton
So true, as a paramedic I see every day how people become victims of our satisfaction reward system, I.e. Thru food, drugs, debt, and generalized self destructive behavior. The list of the self destructive things people do to themselves or to their family/loved ones is just way too long and depressing. It' sometimes feels like our nature to destroy ourselves and everything around us. :/
TAVOR VICEROY VALDOR I know what you mean. For a long while I was very down on humanity, thinking we were basically a cancer that thrived on self-destruction and destroying everything around us while we were at it. At some moment I decided I might as well be optimistic, and I suppose I've now taken it just as far in the other direction, believing that everyone has the potential to make powerful shifts, if only they can be shown a way out of our culture's traps. I know it's probably idealistic, but . . .
=) Kenton
It is a great outlook on life, I stopped watching dramas 20 years ago only comedy for me and now I never watch tv or even the news because you get your choice between bad news gorse news or catastrophic news with the buy the new iPhone 73.45 right Now! Also I no longer see my old friends anymore because they still drink smoke and create drama all the time, life is to short to waste it on bad emotions and depression.
TAVOR VICEROY VALDOR
Way to go on making such positive choices. Cutting out the TV and "news", ads, and people who don't inspire you . . .
=) Kenton
Hi Janie,
Your comment didn't allow replies, so I hope you see this =)
How true! A lot of encouragement to go into debt, isn't there? And good credit is so sanctified in our culture that it seems ridiculous to question it. Yet if you're not going to go into debt anyway, there is no reason at all to have good credit. Quite a system, isn't it? =) Way to go on consciously freeing yourself of it!
=) Kenton
You are one smart dude, bro.
GettingSquaredAway I appreciate the compliment!=) Kenton
I enjoy your Christ type/Thoreau type philosophy on life. And Dave Ramsey thoughts on cash rather than debt. And your view on treating the heath causes instead of just the symptoms. Insightful and wise, in my humble opinion. Thanks as always.
+Luther George Thank you so much. It means a lot to hear when these videos inspire!
=) Kenton
"There are people who don't use money at all"
Money is only for things we want or have been coerced into wanting. Everything we need, we can get without money.
Nice =)
Did i read or here you say that you are righting a book on rewilding ? would love to meat you someday, would be so great to sit around a camp fire with like minded people talking about mindfulness and living with nature and such. i love nature and spend all my off time outside walking on trails. i often dream of working/living at an eco village of sorts. all my best
larz hillbot I am indeed writing a book with Rebecca, that we hope to have ready by winter's end. And you've also hit on another idea that's been on my mind, which is to host a get-together where people could come from all over and share ideas, skills, and inspiration. Finally, you've hit on a third idea that has been percolating, which is to create a place where people could come and live rewilded for anywhere from a month to years . . . where they wouldn't have to pay money or even trade for the right to be there, but could explore living in a rewilded community. There are a lot of things that have to come together for that vision to become a reality, but I don't think it's that far off . . .=) Kenton
Hi Kenton, thanks once again for these invaluable lessons! I sometimes envy you for the way you talk. The way you manage to calmly and aptly formulate your thoughts. If I recall correctly, you mentioned in some videos that you were a very anxious person in the past. I would be really interested to hear how in particular you have acquired such an amazing "presentation style". Did you do something to practice this in particular, or is it more like a consequence of mindfulness, general calmness, gratitude, and your whole lifestyle and such? Or were you always like this? Would love to hear your thoughts on this! Or is there a video where you address this, which I haven't watched yet? Hope I'm not the 647586th person to ask about this… 😄 Lots of love!
Okay, just found your video "Transforming Performance Pressure". 😊
Hi my friend!!! Oh goodness, I appreciate your words! I was always terrified of doing anything that could be construed as public presentation. The video you found was one tool I used, but a lot of it was just continuing to cultivate mindfulness and gratitude, and especially curiosity. Here's a video on that: ua-cam.com/video/w6lDrujuWmE/v-deo.html
Switching to curiosity helped me start to laugh at myself. I remember the first public speech I gave, and I was so nervous, and then I said to myself, "well, I'm just going to go up there, pee my pants, point to my crotch, and laugh at myself out loud." That sort of took my fears, brought them out in the open, and made me actually curious about what people would do if I did that. It would certainly give people something to talk about!!! =) That sort of evaporated my fear, and the talk went pretty well. I think that ability to not take ourselves seriously can go a long way toward helping us get over these anxieties.
Love to you!!
Kenton =)
4:40..there are people doing things very very creatively....some don't own cars, some pay cash for everything, some don't even use money,...
Hi Kenton :) I was wondering how you felt about vaccines? Do you think that they are important or that they are harmful, and why? Thank you!!
Hi Jasper. We've done so much research on this, and we're still on the fence. At this point we're going ahead with most vaccines, but not all. "The Vaccine Controversy" by Kurt Link was a good one that was balanced, it seemed.
=) Kenton
im going to 14 tomarrow!
Hi Kenton. Thank you for being you. How can I best begin to learn to develop life/survival skills while still living in the suburbs?
Hey, thanks!!! You can definitely start with some of the skills, like learning friction fire: ua-cam.com/video/ScmQxuRrFww/v-deo.html
UA-cam is full of skill tutorials -- learn fire, see what edible wild plant are in your area. But the most important thing you can do? Well, the most powerful survival skill you can develop is YOU, and your mental/physical abilities. Find something fitnessy you like, such as parkour, swordfighting, martial arts, gymnastics, calisthenics . . . and start to get addicted to increasing your strength, agility, balance, etc. Then, start developing your mental/emotional resilience (this is the fun part). Notice when you get angry/anxious/nervous/etc., and learn to transform those emotions (I have some videos on that on my channel). When it's raining, take off your shirt and go for a walk in the rain. Practice sleeping out at night with only a blanket. Meditate. If you get snow, roll in it in your underwear. Take cold showers. Look up my "bowl of challenges" video and make one up. In other words, just challenge yourself every day, learn to love adventure, and your body and mind will continually get stronger and more resilient. The biggest survival challenge is keeping a good attitude when everything is falling apart -- and if you develop mental, emotional, and physical strength, you'll have the most powerful survival skill out there.
Hope this helps!
=) Kenton
Kenton, Indeed, that definitely helps. Thank you for your detailed advice, it is priceless and will help several others as well. I'll be taking your advice to work on "myself", I intend to improve myself slightly everyday and let the changes build up over time.
Awesome, Scott! That's my own path -- constantly challenging myself in fun ways so that I continue to grow. It's fun! Keep me updated!
Keep your life free from love of money (stuff), and be content with what you have, for he said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Jacob Zamira A message well worth heeding, Jacob. Whether we prefer to say God or nature or the universe or whatever, there is truly great wealth that has nothing at all to do with chasing dollars, and I think it only comes to us when we cease that chasing . . .=) Kenton
Tis the season to shop blindly, Fa La La La La, La La La La. Add to your debt load unwisely, Fa La La La La, La La La La.
ANXIETOR Very interesting what our holidays have become, isn't it? =) And the Black Friday phenomenon . . . it makes it pretty clear the sort of addiction that is being instilled in us. Time to break free!=) Kenton
ReWildUniversity it's black Thursday now. What have we become when thanksgiving day means shopping?
Very nicely spoken speech my friend
P.S. I am curious as to what you're decision on hunting is, whether it is a good/bad, necessary/unnecessary, natural/unnatural, hobby to be involved in. =)
SoccerToBePro Thank you! On hunting, I used to be completely anti-hunting, feeling that if we chose to eat meat, we could get plenty from roadkill =) Then I read a book called "Where the Wild Things Were" by William Stolzenburg, and it really changed my perspective. Because my family does eat meat, and because I realize that I play an active role in my local ecosystem, I took up traditional archery. It's been a great journey, but has allowed me to take many of the skills I learned long ago and apply them to hunting. I have to say that hunting makes me feel closer to nature. One place I'm still definitely against hunting is in the hunting of predators. I think the world is a richer, more adventurous place when it is populated by wolves, bears, coyotes, and cougars, and we don't have nearly enough of them to create a balanced ecosystem (again, this is info I learned from that book, which cited numerous studies showing the positive impact of wolves and other apex predators on ecosystem health). The science is clear, but money and fear still dictate that we have WAY fewer predators than we need. As for making hunting tougher -- bring it on! If the wolves make the deer more scarce, then I just have to ramp up my skills in order to get a deer myself, and that, I think, is what makes hunting so amazing. I do the stalking method -- no tree stands -- so it's very difficult to get a deer. But that just means I get a lot of quiet time in the woods . . .=) Kenton
Interesting points you bring up Kenton :) I do agree with you on most of it, too. Predators in the wild make our lifestyle a lot more fun for sure haha! I did a speech not too long ago about hunting and I brought up two of the ideas you mentioned: Not killing as many apex predators (for the same reason of ecosystem balancing), and also various methods of hunting and styles of hunting, which included the no tree stands method like you said - along with taking about every "weapon" hunting as for people to choose. By the way, my friend has gotten me into archery also and after learning a bit with a compound bow I would definitely like to make and own a traditional longbow and learn that way, too. :)
Where the Wild Things Were is an amazing book! -Luke
SoccerToBePro
It sounds like you've read it! And I'm excited to hear that you're giving traditional archery a try. I've been very inspired by this man's self bows -- bisonbows.com. I'm hoping to have him up to teach me how to make one. I'm still using an old vintage Bear recurve. It's a great bow, older than me, but to have one of real wood instead of wood/fiberglass composite . . .
Those are some pretty neat bows! I like all of those patterns and styles of curves, too. I would have to say that I like the wooden bows
SoccerToBePro
Beautiful, aren't they?
I think a lot of SADness is brought to us by cult ure.... Standard American Dream...Standard American Diet ... Life is such a fine line...Living in the present should be living in bliss...understanding that every choice outside this is choice of direction..... good/bad, creator/consumer, slave/free, educated/ignorance, love/hate. This section is kind of long but shares a rebuttal to the standard american life that a fellow youtuber was kind enough to share.
It is long but worth the read to see different view points that are made by persons led by cult ure.....Joe the Conservative....Joe gets up at 6:00 am to prepare his morning coffee. He fills his pot full of good clean drinking water because some liberal fought for minimum water quality standards. He takes his daily medication with his first swallow of coffee. His medications are safe to take because some liberal fought to insure they are safe and work as advertised. All but $10.00 of his medications are paid for by his employers medical plan because some liberal union workers fought their employers for paid medical insurance, now Joe gets it too. He prepares his morning breakfast, bacon and eggs this day. Joe's bacon is safe to eat because some liberal fought for laws to regulate the meat packing industry.Joe takes his morning shower reaching for his shampoo; His bottle is properly labeled with every ingredient and the amount of its contents because some liberal fought for his right to know what he was putting on his body and how much it contained. Joe dresses, walks outside and takes a deep breath. The air he breathes is clean because some tree hugging liberal fought for laws to stop industries from polluting our air.Joe walks to the subway station for his government subsidized ride to work; it saves him considerable money in parking and transportation fees. You see, some liberal fought for affordable public transportation, which gives everyone the opportunity to be a contributor. Joe begins his work day; he has a good job with excellent pay, medical benefits, retirement, paid holidays and vacation days because some liberal union members fought and died for these working standards. Joe's employer pays these standards because Joe's employer doesn't want his employees to call the union. If Joe is hurt on the job or becomes unemployed he'll get a worker compensation or unemployment check because some liberal didn't think he should loose his home because of his temporary misfortune. It's noon time, Joe needs to make a bank deposit so he can pay some bills. Joe's deposits are federally insured by the FSLIC because some liberal wanted to protect Joe's money from unscrupulous bankers who ruined the banking system before the Depression.Joe has to pay his Fannie Mae underwritten mortgage and his below market federal student loan because some stupid liberal decided that Joe and the government would be better off if he was educated and earned more money over his life-time. Joe is home from work, he plans to visit his father this evening at his farm home in the country. He gets in his car for the drive to dads; his car is among the safest in the world because some liberal fought for car safety standards.Joe arrives at his boyhood home. He was the third generation to live in the house financed by Farmers Home Administration because bankers didn't want to make rural loans. The house didn't have electric until some big government liberal stuck his nose where it didn't belong and demanded rural electrification. (Those rural Republican's would still be sitting in the dark). Joe is happy to see his dad who is now retired. His dad lives on Social Security and his union pension because some liberal made sure he could take care of himself so Joe wouldn't have to. After his visit with dad he gets back in his car for the ride home. Joe turns on a radio talk show, the host's keeps saying that liberals are bad and conservatives are good. (He doesn't tell Joe that his beloved Republicans have fought against every protection and benefit Joe enjoys throughout his day) Joe agrees, "We don't need those big government liberals ruining our lives; after all, I'm a self made man who believes everyone should take care of themselves, just like I have"
MY RESPONSE
Very Interesting read...thank you for the entertainment... Forgive any mistakes...I did not have the fortunate ability of cut and past here.... this is from the hip due to my mild interest in this battle of logic.
Here is how I see a smart person spending their day....
0530 awakening to the morning sun penetrating your windows in your tiny home that is powered by solar and human energy, warmed by a rocket stove that burns cleanly and efficiently and only consuming a footprint of approximately Joe s garage......not to a screaming alarm like Joe that is his morning bell for the self imposed debt slavery/mass consumption cycle that Joe has gotten himself into. 8:00 Then after a morning yoga stretching and strengthening exercise, Joe should have consumed a large amount of distilled water because coffee is a toxin intended to get a biological response when taken... exercise is better for the heart than the heroin type addiction that rots and discolors your teeth and if made with city water is weakening your skeletal structure. A few pieces of fresh fruit from the aquaponic garden is a much better start for the day than consuming dead animal matter and unfertilized chicken fetus. Joe shouldn't be taking medication...but since he lives the life he does we will hope that he isn't one of the 270,000 people last year that died due to medical error or one of the 13,000 people who overdosed on prescription medication last year Now because that Joe isn't healthy and living correctly he has to forfeit some of his slave earning to his employer because Joe doesn't believe he is capable of saving money for himself in case he has a personal monetary expense. Joe does not feel that he owns himself and the products of his labor and feels he must depend upon a corporation to take care of him. Joe isn't very independent at all is he? Our only dependence upon others should be through the way of cooperation. 08:30 Joe is now showering with many chemicals that are known to cause hair loss and have a much larger carbon footprint than some of the natural methods someone with a higher IQ might choose. Besides...using the gray water from a shower is beneficial to a garden...as long as your not dumping a bunch of chemicals down your drains...Joe's alter ego lives and works on his permaculture farm in the country where the air is clean....Unlike the Joe who doesn't believe he owns himself and the products of labor and only receives a portion of what his energy creates as a wage, at least he is greatly increasing the lobbying potential of corporations to enact laws that imprison many non violent people so that Joe doesn't have to work the midnight shift at his factory...that is the time slot for the correctional facility slaves that make even less than Joe..which by the way is never paid as reparations to the victim of their crimes necessitating their incarceration. At noon in Joe s alternate reality as a creator vs his old as a gross consumer...Joe has no bills because he realized his wants were toward gluttony and greed and so he chose a different path.. involving stewardship to the earth and chose to live within his needs. He doesn't believe in placing his money into a bank where fractional reserve lending has bankers making money on money they don't even have which is now quite concerning to him as to their true intentions and moral character. Joe the conservative only pays a mortgage because he has believed the American dream taught to you by Cult ure... he hasn't noticed that there is a lot of space in his Standard American Dream house...that SADly he must put off living his life so he can make a living to purchase, maintain, heat, cool, furnish and keep clean this SAD reality. Instead he has spent his time today in nature tending to his animals and food crops and possibly tinkering on some free energy solutions in his tool shed and enjoying an afternoon nap just because it is good for the soul....He wakes up and listens to the radio for a little bit while he has a small snack of organic food that was harvested hours ago not months ago like his City la la dependent version of himself....Good thing in Joes new reality his dad will be enjoying a nightly dinner with him (without the consumption of fossil fuels and the risk of becoming one of the vehicular accident statistics that will undoubtedly proove his mortality) because Joe s dad lives in a tiny house next to him where a multi-generational farm and lifestyle has proven to benefit all age ranges. Joe might even be able to extract more wisdom from his fathers experiences that they have the time to talk about. Shorltly after sunset and conversations by the open fire they retire to a blissful night of sleep...... I think the moral of this story is to realize that red vs blue or me vs you isn't working .Humans not living within their FREE WILL have been constrained to believe their choices are only what is been placed in front of them and never to look for an alternative that might be living closer to the earth not demanding so much of other people for their existence while wondering why they are the only animal on the planet that pays to exist....Our current society has allowed this chain of destruction to continue and without Justice and Accountability in our Government you will eventually run out of people to extract their energy from.
Hope you enjoyed.
UA-cam University of Hawkshaven Long indeed, but WELL worth the read. Well done! I'll be showing this one to some people . . .=) Kenton
luckily I utilized cut and paste to comment here. lol... I hope your winter has been rejuvinating and enjoyable.
UA-cam University of Hawkshaven
Thanks! It's been an awesome winter so far =)
Banks: You should give your "time" to us right now.
Us: Yes but in the future my "time" is less valuable?
Banks: This is the system, you pay now, or pay double later. It is all about competition. Give us quickly so we can finish first.
Us: But, time is symmetric, my time is the same, my 1 hour is always my 1 hour.
Banks: No, if you give us beforehand, "we" can invest and finish first in the race.
Us (should say, if clever enough): Wait a minute... My time should worth more in the future with all those technological advances, because I can do more in 1 hour with all those technology. Why are we racing with each other again? (Answer: to make rich richer)
Banks: Oh shit, they started to think...
:) I hate sometimes why people are so stupid, but then I recognize they raised to be. If you are reading this, please start to think. This is what is going on. And everyone who is worried about future should consider this point.
What an interesting dialog. You're seeing behind the "Matrix", aren't you? =)
Roots,
Kenton
ReWildUniversity I hope I didn't see because it makes me upset..
semih oguzcan
Yet when you see it, you are no longer bound by it, and have the opportunity to change it, or at least your relationship with it.
ReWildUniversity Definitely agreed :)
ReWildUniversity What keeps me away from living in the wild is mosquitoes, still only this :)
The part about illness is mostly nonsense. I suffer from depression and it's not, "lifestyle induced." So very many health problems are not, "lifestyle induced." That's so offensive. A friend of had her thyroid removed after she got thyroid cancer, and it saved her life. It wasn't, "lifestyle induced." In fact, I have so very many examples of people who suffer from chronic illnesses and take medication, to their benefit, and there was no poor lifestyle choice. This is a pleasant fiction. It's nice to think that expensive medication, with potentially awful side effects, are very rarely necessary. The problem is, it's not true. I'm a socialist, and I loath Big-Pharma, but the problem is that they do produce a lot of amazing meds that change so many lives for the better. And so many people who need those meds don't need them because of poor lifestyle choices. That's just something you want to believe is true. That our fate is always in our hands, we just have to make the right choices. Baloney. I undergo electro-convulsive therapy for depression ("shock therapy") and it helps immensely. Mental illness runs in my family, in the form of schizophrenia and bipolar depression and depression. I also lost my testes to cancer, and now use testosterone transdermal gel to maintain normal sexual function. My thyroid doesn't work at all, either. I need to take levoxyl. Low thyroid levels make the depression so much worse. I didn't do anything wrong to deserve any of this, and the meds I take, and the treatments I undergo, help so much. Sorry to burst your bubble on this.
Sorry that you found this offensive. The point is not to imply that all illnesses are lifestyle induced, but that we have MUCH more power over our health than we've been told. Daily movement, a clean diet, meditation, and other lifestyle choices can have strong positive effects on our health. If you read "The Mindful Way Through Depression", you'll find one example of where a non-drug therapy is highly effective in treating severe depression. Here's a pilot study, and you can find more info if you search: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2866254/
I think in the end we often see what we want to see. You've seen many people who take medications to great benefit, while I've seen many people reverse ill health through lifestyle changes. I'm sure that there is truth in both, and I'd like to think that we're only scratching the surface of a greater truth about our relationship with illness.
=) Kenton