 It's early
February and hints of Spring
are already evident. The sun is higher in the
sky and obscured by clouds less often. It melts off the snow in
the sheltered south facing spots and fills the air with the faint scent
of moist soil. The chickadeees and cardinals are already
singing. Even the robins who seemed to disappear for a
month or two can now be heard in the berry thickets and are even
venturing
into the open areas around our homes. In a couple of months
the snow will be a memory and new life will once again saturate the
landscape with vibrant energy and beauty. Our spring and summer programs are just around the corner too. By April, they will bring their own unique explosion of energy and community to our office and program sites. I am hoping you will join us for the excitement of summer camps, to steep in the wisdom of native elders or perhaps even to enroll in our apprenticeship program - the ultimate journey into the art of mentoring. So enjoy our second issue and get outside to experience spring slowly returning to the land! I hope to see you at a workshop soon. Sincerely,  Steve Young, Editor P.S. Help
spread the word! Forward
this newsletter to friends.
Spring
and Summer
Workshops
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Introduction
to the Sacred Fire with Paul Raphael April 21-24 During
this
extended weekend, Paul Raphael, an Odawa of the Raven Dodem
and a Peacemaker of the Grand Traverse Band will share the tradition of
tending a sacred fire.
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| The
Seven Sacred Principles
with Gilbert Walking
Bull
May 14-16
In
this extraordinary
workshop, Lakota Elder Gilbert Walking Bull will
share the Seven Sacred Principles of the Lakota people as they were
handed down to him from his tribal elders.
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Otter
Camp
A Day Campp for Ages 7-11 June 20-24 and June 27-July 1 Otter Camp is the
ultimate adventure into the
mysteries of nature and the art of living close to the earth for
children 7-11 years old.
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| Raccoon Camp a One-Week Overnight Camp July 2-8 Raccoon camp is a
chance
for young people ages 9-12 to discover the
incredible beauty and diversity of life around them, and practice
skills of wilderness living and nature awareness.
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Coyote
Camp a Summer Overnight Camp for Teens July 11-31 At Coyote Camp,
teens experience real-life wilderness survival and group
living challenges which include intense practice of the awareness and
survival skills of the native scouts.
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| The
Art of Mentoring
October 16-22 Immerse yourself in
a culture of awareness and rediscover effective, natural ways to help
people
develop deep connections to nature and their communities.
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The Apprentice
Winter Expedition
by Mark Morey
Program Director
It's late January, and the temperatures
have been pushing -15° at night -- cold even for Northern New
England. What is this telling us? It is time for us to
venture out to test ourselves in the native environment. Our goal
is to gain real time experience living on the land in relationship with
the rigors of Vermont weather. This is what guides us, lifts our
spirits and challenges us to be the best we can be for each other and
the earth.The trip is our winter classroom in outdoor living and nature study. Our basic living tools include snowshoes for travel, tarps for shelter, fire for cooking. As apprenticeship director I had the view of an outside observer. Each day I got reports and witnessed first hand the healing effects of humble nature immersion. The landscape inspired and taught through never-ending mysteries: Moose maple groves with 6-7ft antler rubs, bobcat trails interacting with coyote trails, and weasels tracks of the riverine persuasion leading to holes in the ice. Where are they now ? Who is pairing up to mate ? What and where are they caching their food ? The lessons lead to sub-nivean tunnel worlds and to night-time tree personality ID. Not only was the experience inspiring it was profoundly healing as well. The afternoon sun heated the air to 40°, warming everyone to the bones, several days in a row.
One evening at the fire I told stories of living life to the fullest, of leading children into the spirit of the wilderness through bold adventure and childlike fun. I challenged them: "Tonight will you step out into this glorious place and experience its intimacy with all your senses ?" "Yes !" was the resounding reply. Off went the men, off went the women each in their own way creating magic and touching the mystery. Much later by the fire, stories were told of rolling in the fresh snow of an open meadow, bare skin stinging with aliveness under a million crisp stars. There was laughing, song and bonfires for the women that night. The men had a parallel journey, slipping beneath the jagged ice, busted open with tree sized logs, into a black water oblivion, only to be pulled up by their comrades holding their hand as a lifeline to this world.
When I saw the apprenticeship team at the end of the week there was an unmistakable aura of personal healing and community power. The feeling was timeless, alert and empowered. There was a great desire to express thanksgiving over and over, each person making commitments to honor the changes and growth that they were going home with.
My
Journey as an Apprentice
by Tyler
McNamara
2nd year Apprentice
If
you had come to me when I was 18
and told me I was
going to be a teacher. I would have smiled politely and told you that
you were crazy. I was too shy to get up in front of people, too afraid
of the responsibility, and not confident enough with my skills or
myself. I created a barrier for myself with this belief. Up here at Vermont Wilderness School, I’ve reached that self-created barrier countless times, and while I can’t destroy it entirely, each time I walk into it, I can feel the support of my friends and fellow apprentices. With their help, I’ve been confronting each brick and overcoming it, but I’ve discovered a more powerful approach, and the source of this power is the children. Like blowing a tinder bundle into flame, when I carefully blow on the curiosity of a child it begins to glow orange. Eventually it combusts into a burning desire that consumes mysteries, asks questions, and yearns for answers. I love that look of excitement on their faces, their youthful energy and their ability to just be who they are. I love to
envision them as peaceful warriors,
empathic healers, passionate
visionaries, and incredible teachers. Your children make my inner fire
burn like the sun; it gives me so much energy. All I want to do
is
focus it all back at them.Fed by the teachings and wisdom of the aged, and the curiosity and lightheartedness of the young, we will continue walking the path of our ancestors.
Honoring the
Sacred:
My Son's Journey Towards Adulthood
by Jill Wallace
The
morning is crystal clear and freezing - the kind that stops you in your
tracks and makes you take a deep breath. The Oyase Community
School children are gathering into their morning circle, like they do
every week, but this week is different - different for my son Cody and
I, and maybe for everyone who stands in the circle. The circle
starts in the east with the youngest child and makes its way
around until the older children complete the circle, leaving an opening
in the northeast. Cody and his peers tower over the six year olds
that stand so close to them. They are just starting their journey
around this circle that Cody, now 15, is completing. A second
circle forms around the first, a protective ring of adults and
teachers. This circle too starts in the east with the youngest
and works its way round to the oldest in the northeast, leaving an
opening between the two.The fire is lit and the words begin to flow. Smoke rises. The sun glistens on the snow. The sky is royal blue and snowflakes sparkle as they dance on the breeze. The sun shines directly in my eyes warming my face. This morning is perfect. When Cody joined this circle 5 years ago, he was just a boy with a desire to know more. He has run through these woods, built shelters, tracked the animals, learned the bird songs, and listened to stories told around the fire. He has learned so much and grown so much. Today he is ready to leave this safe, protected inner circle. He has chosen this day, and I need to let go just as I have been doing since the day I met him.
He has brought gifts of inspiration for the children. I watch as they cradle them in their arms just as I cradled my babies. He has sincere gifts of appreciation for his teachers and mentors: a bow, an arrow, stories he has written, a favorite photo he has taken. For Max, his mentor, he has a pebble from his sit spot held in a beautiful leather pouch he has made. His sit spot is a place so special to him that he could only share it with someone so dear to his heart as Max. They embrace. I am crying. I am proud. I am filled with joy and overwhelmed with sadness. My tears run down my face and fall upon the frozen ground. They are the only gift I have to give back today.
He gives his last gift, a wood burned
container, to Saul, his friend and
source of inspiration. Saul knows why Cody is leaving today and where
Cody needs to go - Saul has left the inner circle and has now returned
to take his place in the outer one. Cody will return one
day. but for now Cody makes his final walk around the circle,
leaving through the opening in the northeast. He runs without
looking back. Now he is gone. I am his mother.
I am crying. The sun is sparkling off the snow. This day is
alive with beauty.Nature
Detective
Whose tracks are these? Pay attention to trail
pattern and size.steve@VermontWildernessSchool.org.
Include "nature detective #2" in the subject line.
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This
is the first year we have actively seeked donations other than our
winter
fundraising letter. Over the past 7 months, many of you have
responded with generous donations. We offer a heartfelt thank you
to each and every one of you. We know that many of you have already
donated in the past 6 months. Perhaps this is the reason that our
winter letter has not produced as much of a response as we had
hoped. Spread the word!
Please forward this newsletter to your friends who might want to learn more about us.
Subscribe!
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| d Real Life Experience, Real Skills:  Vermont Wilderness School's Apprenticeship Program! Beyond the edge of education: An instructor training path in the art of mentoring, naturalist, awareness and earth skills. Apply now for 2005-2006! The skills you will gain in the areas of wilderness survival, nature awareness, and mentoring will help you craft your intentions and actions to positively affect the lives of future generations. A
Coyote Mentoring
Workshop is Coming to
your Community!
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Last
Month's Nature Detective Answer
This threatened Pine Barrens Tree Frog, Hyla andersonii, was found by our Ndaka students on last spring's Pine Barrens Expedition. The inflated throat pouch gives it away as a singing male. It's voice sounds something like a cross between a mallard duck and a spring peeper! Hear it at enature.com.