Teaching Drum Outdoor School

"Where Wilderness is the classroom, 
Ancient Voices are the Teachers,
knowing Self and Balance are the quests."

Wild Moons 

Rewilding Immersions in a living primitive camp

The experience ----- what to expect in the wild moons of Mashkodens.

Immersed in the Northwoods, we find ourselves surrounded by a vast wilderness full of an exceptional diversity. One forest type subtly flows into the next, mimicking the ease of one season to the next and how our daily life changes with this flow. Bogs become lakes and streams as ridges meander here and there with the effects of glaciation. Nestled among this lies Mashkodens, the little prairie. Being in this environment where everything is new, the familiar comforts, stresses and concepts fade to memory. From moon to moon this already functioning camp will be moving in various ways, giving you the opportunity to immerse yourself and become a part of the lifeway. Spending more time in this lifeway we begin to realize that everything in this place is all about relationship - relationship within, relationship with community, with food and water, the weather, hygiene, all the natural circles that share this patch of the mother, and endless other examples.

This experience is not of workshops or part-time involvement, it is immersing oneself to learn through example and directly benefit from the clan knowledge of the people who live here throughout the seasons. As social creatures, clan knowledge and the community that comes with this wisdom, makes living in the wilderness realistic and rewarding for indefinite periods of time. As a community we will feel our energy flow together as we share a lodge for sleeping, our meals, our nights dreams, our days summary, and a common water hole to mention a few. The quote "we are only as strong as the weakest link" is a signature of the importance of learning the skills of self so that we can serve our community which will in turn serve ourself and so on. Giving is Receiving!

As a member of the circle at Mashkodens, the examples and encouragement to adopt various awareness and attunement exercises into your daily life will help to teach your body and mind new aspects of the world we strive to be more present in. The combination of being open and being as a question will allow us to find our rootedness in the passion of ourselves and this lifeway experience. With each new step and awareness you will witness first hand the strength of intimacy as our group of individuals moves to a functioning circle. The potential of our aspirations of empowerment and balance doesn't just come from living as a tightly woven wilderness community and practicing simple exercises. The mastery of self, which is the path we begin walking together, comes from the underlining tools and awarenesses that all of our wild relations practice in each moment -- the ability to be a Truthspeaker!!

What is a Truthspeaker? This is someone who is able to take responsibility for their deepest feelings and share them - without worry of judgment or criticism, only acceptance - in the moment. Learning how to listen and feel someone else's truth, and not just hear their words. One may find herself experiencing mental walls as we begin transitioning ourselves to these new environmental elements, routines, and patterns. Truthspeaking is how we help ourselves and one another confidently flow to a place of new beginnings.

As the growing awarenesses and skills of self begin to sink in, you may discover that all those other physical skills naturally unfold. The wealth of clan knowledge feeds and is fed by your passion as you seek all the questions within questions and embrace the limits of your imagination. Depending on what moon you join the circle will determine how the mother provides in her diversity and abundance (such as craft materials, winter pelts, cordage material, all types of wild foods, and the list goes on). This will allow for you to explore you individual interests in the realm of physical skills if you so choose. Baseline skills are a necessity of camp members, as very little from the modern world remains in Mashkodens. So expect to have the options of developing relationships with fire making, lostproofing, hide tanning, lodge construction, basketry, cordage, trapping/snaring, and primitive cooking to name several.

Speaking of primitive cooking, one must not forget to share in the story of food! Our daily meals at Mashkodens are based off the diet of our ancestors. This includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, meat, eggs and fats. On occasion certain grains will be included such as wild rice, but as a general rule the diet does not include dairy, sugar, and grains. Again, your experience will vary depending on when you join us (green season vs. white season), will depend largely on the amount of food and the types of food. The green season may offer a wealth of leafy wild greens with berries thriving everywhere (even growing off the lodge). The white season gifts us with loads of bear and deer fat. Both seasons offer opportunities for trapping and snaring. As we move away from the detachment of the grocery stores and develop our connection to the bounty of the mother we again are realizing how this experience takes the concept of relationship to a new level. And then we take yet another step towards empowerment and relationship as we let go of the pots and frying pans. To some this can be tough, but once embraced plan on being pleasantly surprised at what the combination of our imaginations, food and fire can come up with. Nothing quite like the taste of some fire-roasted veggies smothered in bear fat!!! We look forward to sitting around the hearth with you and sharing in all that may come. Could you pass the bear fat please!

To apply, fill out the Application Packet below, and mail to one of the following:

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