My story

How did I become a "nature shaman"?​

​In truth, I didn't really become as much as discover my inner truth, and I owe it to Covid. As the early days of the enforced lockdowns dragged on from weeks to months, I turned to the outdoors. I bought a kayak. I hit the water where I could breathe freely.

​Something extraordinary happened during those sometimes terrifying and completely transformational years--I found resilience, empowerment, and well-being by immersing my senses in nature.

​What I had unlocked was a way of practicing mindfulness and not only experienced the wisdom of the wild, but I tapped into an intuitive core of intelligence that became my guide.

​I began making what is often called "ephemeral artwork" from natural elements—ephemeral because what I created wasn’t meant to last, but to be consumed back into nature. Almost unconsciously, I leaned towards symbols and shapes which I came to learn are archetypal in meaning. It was as if an inner voice wanted to speak through the images that represented change, growth, and unfolding.

​Mystical/spiritual experiences weren’t unfamiliar to me: I had a ravenous appetite for the odd, the magical, and the inexplicable all my life. I simply wanted more than knowledge: I wanted to feel a knowingness flow through me.

​Over the next four years, I gravitated toward Jung and dreamwork. I explored Celtic and Indigenous traditions that view nature as sacred and wisdom-filled. In the wild, drenched in sounds, smells, and colors with complete openness, I began to receive insights from a place I call my wellspring of inner wisdom.

​I came to understand that practicing mindfulness in nature was more than just a relaxation technique (although it is!). It’s a transformational path for awakening to our most authentic lives; for learning the value of impermanence and cycles to let go of what no longer is useful. For accepting change. For slowing down and adopting the rhythm of the seasons, giving time for growth and productivity as well as rest and preparation.

​I didn’t initially think of myself as a shaman which I had always thought of as one who brings back healing gifts from (sometimes drug-induced) mystical journeys. It was a book called Deep Knowing: Entering the Realm of Non-Ordinary Inteligence by Kim Hermanson that shifted my thinking.

A shaman, Kim writes, is someone who has direct experience of the sacred that often comes about through profound events that activate a physical or spiritual "death." A transformation. Kim, herself, survived a near-fatal car accident. For me, the sudden loss of a 17-year career, followed by the pandemic shook all of my carefully built foundations. There were months in which I felt paralyzed and terrified of the future. Exactly the type of emotional and psychological breakdown that often precedes shamanic transformations.

​I experienced an onslaught of synchronicities. Knew at a gut level the meaning of symbols. Dreamed of journeys and “movement." People and events arrived as guides and teaching moments. I found an exceptional thought leader in the field of intuition and became a certified practitioner. I launched an Instagram community that showcased earth and land artists from around the world. Wrote and indie published two books that detailed my sensory mindfulness practice. (Book two is available for free download! See the Practices page.)

​In 2025, I began to realize that I had built a unique set of tools centered around the concept of reclaiming kinship with nature as a path to well-being. This year became a turning point. It was now time for me to share what I had learned. I created my mission statement, “Living Wild Wisdom,” and began designing activities and workshops. I created pages on Medium and Substack (see links in the footer). Wrote a second book. My dream is to find a traditional publisher and begin the next stage of my life, helping others to unleash their inner wisdom and become “wild warriors.” This is the true work of the shaman: to bring the insights and knowledge they gained back to the world.

​So, now, I embrace the title of "nature shaman" with the assurance that each of us can have direct experience of the mystical and flourish!