Tracking Connections

“How am I connecting? And not just about projects but really about how is my connection journey with nature, with other people, with myself?” Julia Talk is a pioneer, facilitator and mentor for a life and business in harmony with our inner nature, oriented towards love, vitality and joy. In this episode, Julia joins us to discuss how 8 Shields principles can be impactful in the world of business b...

"Gravity is not just a force of physics. It is a living force, a force in the world that shapes us. And in that way, we can think of it as an old god, or a fierce god, or a wild god. It’s something very deep that literally shapes the alignment of everything in the universe. That’s a powerful thing. And yet is an everyday and mundane thing." In this episode, Jon is joined by Dr. Bill Sutherland as...

We're taking a little break this week to enjoy the summer, and we invite you to do the same. Take the time you might have spent listening to this podcast and find a quiet place to sit and listen. Move slowly on your way to and from that place. Open your senses and tune into to what you notice around you. Take a few minutes afterwards with a journal and reflect: what role does pausing play in your...

"Get down to the height of the fox and see through the fox’s eyes and I bet you’ll be able to find the next track." This is the second episode in our series on the Core Routines, which Jon first wrote about in Coyote's Guide , all about Animal Forms and imitation. We share stories about how animal forms show up in the San culture and other indigenous cultures, how imitation is a natural part of hu...

"Tracking is like dancing because your body is happy. You can feel it in the dance. It tells you the hunt will be good." _ “You want that part of you that can feel the dance to be in the driver’s seat, and the thinking mind in the passenger seat.” This is the first episode in our series dedicated to discussing the Attributes of Connection. We look at the Quiet Mind. What do we mean by having a qui...

"Start to become aware of the need to be aware" This is the first of several episodes where we will explore the Core Routines for Connection. Today, we look at the sit spot routine, which may be the most important routine of all. Jon, Sarah, and Aidan reflect on their own experiences of going to their sit spot, the challenges they faced, the lessons they learned, and what they have taken with them...

“We need to build a bridge between where we are and where our future generations need us to be.” In this episode, Shore Charnoe shares how growing up in connection with nature led to her developing the attributes of connection, and how she supports others to develop them as well. She tells us the four core practices that she believes lead to the most connection over time, practices that each of us...

"Inner tracking, to me, is that interface of how we meet the world -how we meet ourselves- and how we say yes to choosing a path of the most peace, the most passion and purpose in bringing that forward." In this episode, we are joined by Josh Lane, a long-time mentor and expert in nature connection and inner tracking. We discuss Josh's work in bridging the gap between mindfulness/meditation and de...

"We feel pulled to reuniting the wild family again. We want to reconnect with all our wild kin, but we want to connect with our wild human relations as well and be able to speak that old language." In this episode, we are joined by award winning documentary filmmaker and author Craig Foster. We discuss Craig's connection to Jon through tracking, including the impact that watching the Great Dance h...

"When there’s a pull, or a need, or a deep question, or a sincere curiosity coming from an innocent core part of ourselves, the answers often come in ways that you just can’t explain." In this episode, Nate, Sarah, and Jon share their experiences of following intuition to answer questions that were previously unanswered or find something in a time of need. They reflect on the routines and practice...

"There's a moment, as a mentor, where you have to recognize, 'I'm more interested in this than they are. And in that moment, if you push, you can actually push them in the opposite direction.'" In this conversation, Jon, Sarah, and Aidan reflect on what it means to be "tracking connections." They share about what connection feels like in different situations, how to notice it in others, and the be...

In this conversation, Brian Knittel shares stories and design principles learned from his ten years at the Bay Area Tracking Club. Brian shares what it was like to experience the 8 Shields principles at work from the student perspective in the beginning, and then his observations as he grew to be a station guide and then leader of the club. We hear from Brian and Jon about the finer points of usin...

Learn more about what Joël is up to: Connect with Joël by email: jdubois@csus.edu "Acorn Assembly" Backyard Naturalists https://acornassembly.wordpress.com/ This is the very simple wordpress site we use to inform people about our local “Backyard Naturalists” meetings, mentioned in the podcast, which also has a way for people to contact me. (FYI, the name “Acorn Assembly” was proposed by a group me...

“The coyote’s on the edge of your awareness. Where’s your edge? Where is your student's edge? That’s what you’re trying to find and push gently out.” In this episode Jon, Sarah, and Aidan are joined by Rick Berry from 4 Elements Earth Education. Rick shares his story of nature connection and how that has led to mentoring others over the past 30 years. He shares about how land and place influence o...

“You can’t rehabilitate someone that hasn’t been habilitated in the first place.” In this conversation with Jon and Aidan, Kathleen shares her journey to becoming an occupational therapist, the role nature played in raising her own children, and how nature connection principles facilitate healthy sensory development. We also discuss the science behind story catching and the role it plays in helpin...

“I'd been working for an organization trying to connect people to nature, who were walking past everything. And it made me kind of slow down and notice the tiny things.” In this wide ranging conversation, Ciara shares about the challenges of working in an organization that lacks a connected culture and leadership, and finding that culture through nature connection. Jon, Aidan, and Ciara reflect on...

Connecting to nature and following natural cycles has a profound positive impact... In this episode, we’re joined by Sky Maria Buitenhuis from the west of Ireland and Peter Cow from Dartmoor, UK. They share about the programs they have designed around the 8 Shields and their impact on individuals and communities. We learn about the effects of designing in alignment with the lunar cycles, and what...

In this episode, Sarah and Jon host their friend and colleague at Living Connection 1st , Nate Summers. Jon begins by sharing stories of when Nate and Jon first met in Washington State in 1996 right when the Designing with Natural Cycles model shift from 6 Shields to 8 Shields. The conversation explores the Profile Journey and Natural Learning Cycle through a variety of examples including an indiv...

Ancient cultures prioritized connecting children to nature for survival and well-being. In this wide-ranging and personal Episode, Jon Young has a conversation with Arnaud Gagné about deep nature connection and cultural norms. Arnaud is a graduate of the Kamana Naturalist Training Program, an experienced mentor and leader in the Art of Mentoring and a passionate holistic tracker and mentor who has...

Connection 1st principles can be applied to wedding planning, and other community events, with each archetype contributing in a valued way. In this episode, Deborah and Root share their origin stories, Village Building experiences, and how they used 8 shields principles with help from their community, to design an unforgettable wedding. Jon reflects on where Village Building comes from and how it...

Sarah shares how the 8 Shields Design Principles can be seen as a map to our our original design of interconnectedness, and as Jon Young often says, to our ‘ancient nervous system’. First through the lens of the senses, Sarah explains how we process information from our environment, and presences the drastic shift in what our senses experience in modern times versus the purity of Nature that we ev...

Aidan is Jon's oldest son and was born into a community based on Designing with Natural Cycles and spent the first decades of his life immersed in deep nature connection, mentoring and music. Aidan expresses a vision to help people fall in love with music. He found many music students stuck in a place where "music felt like more homework". Aidan used the Natural Learning Cycle to revitalize inspir...

Sarah and Aidan offer Jon an audience as he shares the origins and mission of the Tracking Connections Podcast to lift up and honor the amazing projects of so many people around the world. Jon shares the story of how his research began from reflecting on his teen years and the values and ethics that he shared with his friends who were also mentored by Tom Brown, Jr. in the 1970's. Though Tom never...