Posts by Tess Howell
CA Mirroring the Four Shields of Human Nature: The Art of Storytelling and Listening
Telling one’s own story is an ancient art. Nowadays, we have forgotten how to listen and how to tell. Yet the very survival of our species depends on our ability to communicate with each other in such ways as to be mutually enriched by the telling and the listening. If we cannot tell with expression, our life is mute. If we cannot listen like a mirror, we cannot reflect back the wholeness of the four shields — the body, soul, mind and spirit of the teller.
Read MoreCA Summer Vision Fast
The modern day vision quest is a border crossing practice, an opportunity to reclaim our true place in the natural world. When one steps across the threshold and into the unknown wilderness, boundaries begin to dissolve and our vision begins to expand. The threshold place is a dreamscape, where we can hear, again, the voices…
Read MoreBIPOC Diamond In the Rough (invite only)
Callum “Bear” Bobb
Bear (they/them) is a trans guide who offers a grounded and fierce tenderness in support of the beautiful process of emergence that we call Rites of Passage. As a queer person descending from Ashkenazi Jewish and Scottish lineages, Bear brings insight from a lifetime of navigating liminal spaces and betweenness, and trusts that embracing the…
Read MoreMeiko Xavier
Meiko Xavier (he/him) is dedicated to the Trans and Queer community. Meiko has supported others through education, sharing his personal journey, and offering a communal space where transitions in the Trans community are honored and held as sacred. Meiko is a natural guide with twelve years of experience with rites of passage and field work in therapeutic recovery programs.
Read MorePraveen Mantena
A world traveler and cross-cultural nomad since childhood, Praveen (he/him) comes from an upbringing in Asia and the Middle East before calling America home. A life’s passion for guiding wilderness rites of passage was preceded by wide-ranging and eye-opening stints in the military, academia, the corporate/start-up world, and narrative art photography before the ceremony came calling.
Read MoreRaei Bridges
Raei Bridges (they/them) is a neurodivergent soul on a journey of self-discovery and connection. Raised by the vibrant landscapes of the San Fernando Valley in California, Raei’s roots are deeply intertwined with nature. From childhood days spent playing in the mud, climbing trees, to observing insects with fascination, Raei fostered a profound bond with the natural world in any way that was accessible to them….
Read MoreBIPOC Mirroring Training: Reflecting BIPOC Stories through Nature and Belonging
This program is run by Wild Mountain Retreats and bookable direct on their website This program is open to all who identify as Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC). Many of whom have often expressed not feeling welcome, seen, or a true sense of belonging in nature based programs. Such programs have usually been…
Read MoreCO June Queer Quest 2
The natural world reminds us that being Queer* is both beautiful and something to be celebrated! Showing up as who we are, and with our many gifts, is a celebration of nature’s diversity and honors our deep connection to the natural world. Many earth-based cultures recognize and honor queer community members as gatekeepers to the…
Read MoreThe Great Ballcourt Initiation – Spring Fast
Death is the ultimate agent of transformation—be it a physical death or “the little deaths” encountered throughout life. Indigenous cultures developed rituals to aid and guide people through these stages of change and renewal, utilizing the power of death to enhance and intensify these experiences.
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