Stories

We’re gathering for honest conversations about healing—how colonialism has shaped what we call “wellness,” and how we can do better together. Who we are. Hi, I’m Shana . I’m Luisray . I’m Summer . and I'm Lourdes. We come from different identities and experiences—many touched directly or indirectly by colonialism. We’ve been reading, discussing, unpacking, and practicing together. This series translates those conversations into a more accessible language for nature and wellne

The Wound Is Where the Light Enters “I said: what about my eyes? He said: Keep them on the road. I said: What about my passion? He said: Keep it burning. I said: What about my heart? He said: Tell me what you hold inside it? I said: Pain and sorrow. He said: Stay with it. The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”— Rumi Rumi's poem again recently, standing beneath the forest canopy, and it felt like the forest whispered it back to me. Working with the land—clearing,

🍂 ReRooting in Rhythm — Fall at The Wild Cypress 🌿 After a long and meaningful pause, we’re writing with full hearts and renewed clarity. This past season, we took time to listen deeply —to our land, our bodies, and to the wisdom we received from Indigenous elders and communities across the country. We unplugged. We traveled. We grieved. We dreamed. We returned. And in the stillness of our Wildflowers Homestead, we remembered why we do this work. Now, we’re back—with roots

🌿 I’m thrilled to share that my story is featured in the newly released book, All Humans Outside: Stories of Belonging in Nature—an inspiring collection of voices from diverse communities redefining what it means to belong  outdoors. 🧏🏽‍♀️🌎✨ Published by MountaineersBooks, this anthology highlights real experiences of people who connect with nature in deeply personal and transformative ways. As a Deaf nature guide and storyteller, I’m honored to represent the Deaf and Dis

Having Honest Conversations about Settler Colonialism, Healing, and the Wellness Industry I am a settler: What is Settler Colonialism?...

More and more of us are becoming educated on the painful history of Thanksgiving and having conversations about cultural appropriation* and Halloween costumes, we are also unpacking and unlearning a lot of important revelations through the process of decolonization. There is a large body of traditional “healing” practices and outdoor programs that have borrowed from indigenous cultures. Forest and Nature Therapy is one of them. I will be elaborating on that in a different ar

Sharing a message from Basil Braveheart, Lakota Spiritual leader, that "we all are connected"

“The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature.”- Joseph Campbell I had the honor of participating in a sacred Pipe Blessing* that was performed inside a traditional Lakota Sweat Lodge (Inipi) to support the spiritual grounding for John Cypress Eagle, a local Native artist with Choctaw heritage. I have received permission from the participants to share my experience of this special, sacred event. Names have been ch