I was put onto another online training course, Im currently looking into this and thought Id share.
The Kamana Independent Study program is an experiential four-level home study course that will guide you down a path to becoming a skilled and knowledgeable naturalist. Kamana provides all the tools you need to connect with nature at your own pace, at your own place.
Wilderness Awareness School founder and original Kamana author Jon Young named this self-study course for a word meaning “apprentice” in the language of the Akamba people, natives of Kenya known for their holistic tracking skills and refined cultural mentoring practices. Unlike any other naturalist studies course you’ll find, Kamana is designed to initiate you into a way of seeing into natural mystery, a way of recognizing patterns that will entice you to follow them up into greater mastery. We pull you outdoors and get you to quiet down. We show you how to alert your senses – five and more of them. We show you how to use the field guides so that they act like living mentors as you wander through your studies. We focus your eyes and widen them to mystery at the same time.
The Nature Awareness Trail focuses on developing your awareness in an expansive way. It is about using your eyes and ears and other senses in ways not often challenged in academic training. Specific field exercises are presented and build on each other throughout the four levels of Kamana. If you work on them every day, the result will be new patterns in your awareness, an increase in your “mind’s eye” ability to visualize, a strengthening of your gut feelings, and an ability to be in the right place at the right time. In short, this trail invites you down the rabbit hole of natural mystery.
Learn to move safely and with confidence outdoors
Get to know the flora and fauna of your own backyard
Understand the language of the forest and see more wildlife
Discover the medicinal and edible plants of your area
Develop a deep connection to one place in nature
Gain perspective and find peace in grounding core routines
“Have you ever found yourself wandering, truly lost in the moment, seeing everything as if for the first time? Or coming across a discovery that you never would have found, had you stuck to the beaten track? Wandering, as opposed to destination based walking, is a lost art form in modern culture. Dropping agendas and plans, slowing down, we become like a moving ‘sit spot’, following instincts and curiosity, open to the cues presented by the wild other. Wandering allows us to become porous to the landscape, to enter into a conversation with the land through the weaving path we take, to enquire, to wonder in awe, to discover what’s right there beyond the usual tunnel vision of the modern walker.” Clare Dunn
Last night as I was going to bed I wrote a great article in my head on my experiences of wandering by not actually moving. By dismorning I had forgotten most of it, even the name of the article and I was thinking that no one was going to be interested in reading it anyway and must have started it three times before closing the computer. It wasn’t till I mentioned my idea to the girls on the Wandering and Holistic Tracking course in the break room chat that i decided to give it another go. I don’t usually like writing about myself unless Ive had several pain killers of which I did have last night.
In the early 2000’s my first transplant started to fail and I ended up back on an oxygen bottle with 25% lung capacity and 2 litres of 02. At this point you can still get around and drive etc but everything takes longer and wears you out faster. Theres still the ability to take the dog down to the local park on a mobility scooter for a walk for example. However as you start to decline and end up on 4 litres of oxygen that all stops. You cant risk loosing battery power to the 02 conserver. Even on the lower amount you start shaking with lack of oxygen trying to swap bottles.
On 4 litres it takes all your time to simply walk out the front door and sit on the couch on the decking to look at the garden. Walking 8 meters to the letter box becomes an impossibility.
It was at this time I developed what they’re calling in the above course as a Wandering Mind. When your body declines that much its like loosing one of your senses that another becomes more dominant. Pain and meds make you present in the moment.
I would manage to make a coffee which was a signal to the cat and dog to run outside and I would sit with the cat on one side and the dog on the other and spend the day watching everything in the garden from the smallest bug to birds feeding, to the wind moving the plants. I like the term used in today’s course session of Dynamic Meditation.
I now find myself in a similar situation of being limited in my movements. I found out yesterday that after two months in a leg brace and walking frame that it would be another month before i could even think of removing the brace and the day before that they made a second attempt at removing a chunk of meat the size of my thumb from my shoulder to hopefully get all the cancer this time. I’m now taking lots of pain killers once again.
So I’m back to finding myself wandering without traveling or movement to do so. It has become more of a State of Mind. My wandering this week consists of; I sit with the door of my caravan open and am chastised by a butcher bird sitting in my doorway for not feeding her bread as I wait for the Eastern Rosella Parrots to arrive. It sounds like the inside a hamsters cage with the chattering they make.I sit there with my staffy and we watch and listen to every noise and movement they make.
I’m awake at 630am. I refuse to give up the discipline of an early morning, even though i no longer work.To walk the staffy and try and have a glimpse of the morning light to see what colours Im brought today to try and silhouette them against the tree line.
This is the mentality of what modern society has receded to.Needing warnings on everything. “Dont lick the hot surface”, I thought would be obvious. So to all the Crayon Eaters and Window lickers.
All statements made on my blog, or any other medium, represents only my personal opinion on the particular issue, unless I specify a different source. I assumed that this would be obvious considering that this is just my personal blog, but I guess in this day and age even the obvious has to be stated.
I am not an expert on any issue concerning bushcraft, survival, camping, or any other outdoor pursuit. This is a hobby for me. Again, I have assumed that would be obvious. Ive done a lot of training courses and wanted to share some of what I have learnt.
I do not make any income in any way from anything related to my blog, or anything else related to bushcraft or other outdoor activities. I sell off a few of my own blades Ive collected, or th odd item I make. survival Supplies Australia has given me a affiliate link which I have stated previously. I dont have a large enough reader base to make any money.
If you decide to do anything that I show you, do it at our own risk. Again, something that should be obvious.
This was my first course with Claire Dunn from Natures Apprentice and Jon Young. I didn’t actually read the description of the course correctly. I thought it was more about a physical tracking course.. Being stuck in a caravan for two months with a leg injury and heavy pain meds I really needed something to do. I was starting to go stir crazy. However I’m glad I participated.
I learned a lot about myself. What Ive been doing naturally for many years had been put into words. After doing a lot of mind-fullness training in martial arts and becoming aware of the environment around you from numerous security courses in situational awareness it all combined eventually into what Claire was describing as a wandering mind.. A wandering mind is being taught to have presence in the moment and to pay attention to the relationships that occur around you.
Although I’m not sure if I like that description as it sounds like your not paying attention but its exactly the opposite. If I understand correctly its applying the theory of mind-fullness from martial arts to being outside the dojo. In the moment and engaging with the landscape.
Jon said something interesting that Ill be working on for the next week until the second session.
“What senses am I using and what question am I working on” in other words am I using all of my senses to work on the question/problem im facing in front of me. Bringing in a wider awareness and expanded mindset and applying this to relationships in nature. Point A to pint B exercise. Instead of going directly from point A to point B. Go towards point B.
I spent 12 years of my life connected to a 9 meter oxygen hose. It took all my time and effort to make it outside onto a lounge to sit there with my cat on one side and dog on the other. Being in the moment. Absorbing everything around me, aware of every little movement. Almost like meditation. I have that same feeling every-time I’m in the bush taking photographs and looking at different angles and being aware of the lighting and shadows around me.
Looks like were being ruled by puppets, all owned by Klaus Schwab after seeing the same retoric by Prime Ministers in New Zealand the Nederlands, Canada Im waiting for the same to happen here with albo.
I had a conversation with someone that said they were no longer sheep because they have started paying attention.My response was. They were still sheep they just didnt have the glazed look in their eyes anymore.
People say that things have changed . Well no they havent its always been the same its just that people are paying attention now.
Freedom is slowly being replaced with something else. Many people will willingly give up their freedom for the feeling of safety, but that feeling is an illusion.
Try paying attention People.
Reporters without borders ranks the US press as being the 53rd freest press along with Botswanna and Crotia.
Terrorism is being used to break the economy.
“Governments – Create fear to remain docile”
Signs of a restrictive regime
Sealed Borders
Banned Press
Forbidding off shore accounts
Restrictions on gun laws
Restrictions on passports
Bank seizures of personal funds
Nothing has Changed its much easier to find laws in the US than whats going on in Australia but this shows that the same BS has been going on for three hundred years not many people pay attention.
Which allows the US Government to declare citizens as enemy combatants and imprison them without trial
John Warner Defense Authorization Act
Which declares the president with the power to declare a public emergency and station troops in any city within America without permission from local government
Swiss banks wont deal with US citizens
Banks have to designate the US government as a intermediary which which means they have to report information on US clients and withhold a percentage of interest, file tax forms with the IRS, register with secuties exchange commission.
California planning on taking DNA samples of everyone arrested within its borders
Customs have the authority to confiscate, copy, analyze any laptop or data storage device brought across the border
Ahead of Schedule collapse of society
Canada Travel Bans
Do they really think were not watching
World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab
Nederlands dictatorship
Noam Chomsky Crimes of US presidents
Social Engineering to remove vehicle ownership
Banks to seize funds in the event of a collapse
Who really made money in the Afghanistan War
Canadians Fleeing
Everything that has happened in the last three years and Id say much longer than that has been nothing more than an exercise in Social Engineering to gain control. This is whats going on around us. I like studying history and the more I look back on pivitel events in the last 30 years in Australian history the more Ive come to believe they have been false flag events leading up to what has happened and what will be happening in the near future. I have always wondered why the Jews didnt leave Nazi Germany when they had the chance. I now have the answer to that question. The big question is now even if you could leave where would you go. Every single western country that was once believed to be safe are now WHAT EXACTLY? Boil little frogs boil.
The boiling frog is an apologue describing a frog being slowly boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is put suddenly into boiling water, it will jump out, but if the frog is put in tepid water which is then brought to a boil slowly, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death. The story is often used as a metaphor for the inability or unwillingness of people to react to or be aware of sinister threats that arise gradually rather than suddenly.
Other than going to doctors appointments, between bad weather and the leg brace Ive been stuck in my caravan. I wake up first thing. Take the dog for a walk (or should I say hobble)and see how many caravan sites I can make it around. Then start on doing push ups off the counter top, dips and leg raise.. Building up reps every day.No way Id make it back up off the ground. Ive lost 12 kilo. I phoned my Systema instructor for some advice of exercises and breathing. I hadnt realized I had never told him I was still using a walking frame when I had first started training with him. I was feeling like i had gone back to square one. He said I was the most resilient person he had ever met. I think I needed to hear something like that. Pushing myself more today after that conversation.
Going to make a point of watching the sunrise every morning. Ive been neglecting this.
There was loud music cranked up till 9pm I drifted off to sleep shortly afterword. Found the below youtube clip just before nodding off. I was determined to watch it dis-morning. Im glad I returned to watching it. When your stuck inside all day, something like this reminds you what your missing and stops you from thinking about the pain and the meds. Hope it does the same for someone else.
Had a few new products arrive to test out for my get home Bag. A MSR Pocket Rocket Stove, A Helikon Tex Taigaia Green Poncho and a All Weather Survival Blanket.Im sitting here in my old caravan after being let out of hospital hobbling around with a leg brace for the next 4 weeks doped up on endone. So I dont know how much posting Ill be doing. Maybe ushering people over to the van to test out the poncho with the wet weather ? Id like to say thx to Bazza for helping me set up the van and looking after my staffy for the last two weeks. Without his help I would be in a lot worse situation. Looks like the throat biopsy is benign but still waiting on results but they said it didnt look bad!Still have another chunk of meat to be removed from my shoulder so that will make life on a waking frame that much more interesting.Will be grabbing some gorilla tape to try out Dave Canterburys reinforcing video for a project to do. Concentration isnt the best and not eating well from the pain in the throat. Just had a handfull of pills so off to sleepy bo bo’s. Goodies reference.
Well if a person with a fuked back and two double lung transplants can get off their arse and build a bus , travel around Australia doing bushcraft courses. Think of what a healthy person can do. Hope you enjoy the pictures. I may not be able to remember the names to all he places. These are bringing back a lot of memories that I havent been able to look at for some time. This post started by me looking for a partial tattoo design I wanted to start. There will be lots of cat and dog photos, camp grounds and landscapes.
my set up as I first started offwhat my back may look like but with ribs off one side and latin saying “today is a good day to die”.my co pilotcat and dog enjoyed the triphalf way across the hay plainBrisbaneinseperableSE QLDwhy are you disturbing menorthern NSWwalkies?lismoresunny spotmother tree gosfordviking ruinsthey were never apart the dog took it hard when the cat passedmid nsw kangaroos near campspottednot even a growlthey never left my sidethe bosslook at the chest 30 kilo female tooalways has to touchalwaysthe first obsidian arrowhead I madeshe thought she was a doghalfway homeriverlandsteamboatmillicent SAwhat are you doingthey made an entire park of dead red gums looks magnificenta lot of health issues lately been thinking too muchfirst camp barrossa valleymay have taken this too farbarrossa landscapeI ended up living under this tree for 18 months during lockdownthe size of the red gumswhere I did my 4wd coursefirst theresun set near campalways on mewhat my bus used to look like
Ive had an exceptional few weeks of medical problems that is. I guess I shouldn’t complain, Ive had a good run for the last four years with little hospital intervention. Friday night I had a fall on a muddy pathway and it felt like I kicked something with my knee on the way down. Lay in the mud for a while waiting on an ambulance. A mate helped me up into an old wheelchair and I managed to make to the shed , out of the weather until pain relief arrived.
75mg of fentonol and 5mg of morphine to get me into the ambulance. After xrays I was released with swelling. No fractures, on crutches. By the morning the pain killers had worn off and I had a pill they had released me with and spent the next few hours trying not to vomit. I hate morphine.
Once again back to the hospital. Thats when the last 5 days of fun began. Funny thing is its taken then CT scans and an ultra sound to diagnose the tear but while I was waiting in the shed after a self examination I told them it was a tear. Not a break I could move everything and too much pain for a bruise and the knee hurt when moved in one direction only.
So back to where we started. Two hours in emergency with no ID bracelet or pain relief Saturday morning. When the doctor finally turned up she didn’t even examine the injury. So to my arguing of saying no to morphine. They just replied it’ll be find. Not to put a canulare in my right wrist because that was the only side I could put any weight on. Itll be fine. Then no the the anti nausea meds because they were using ones that didnt work on me. Pumped it all into me anyway.
Spent two hours vomiting with no nurse buzzer. Throwing things out the cubicle doorway trying to get someones attention. I was disgusted.
Was moved to the ward and spent several days fasting for the tendon on the quad to be reattached. I now have several screws in my knee cap and a very long scar. Another to add to the collection.
One meal a day for three days. Great for a diabetic. Im still being served heavy sugar diet for breakfast.
The third day I cracked the shits and tried to leave the hospital and be transfered to another. The ambulance would not pick me up from my room and they insisted that I sign a wavier against leaving under medical advice. Which I refused to sign until I was in an ambulance.That day I remarkably was slotted in for surgery.
There was some argument about how to put me under and they decided to do an epidural into my spine rather than risk damage to my lungs.
Its now been six days and they still have got my meds chart correct, even after talking to the Pharmacist. Funnily enough they are now talking about transferring me due to the specialist at the hospital that was doing the biopsy is rope-able about me not being taken there in the first place. To commence the two bookings I had made for the shoulder and throat. The second hospital has a larger rehab facility and social work section. Im trying to arrange emergency accommodation, as theres no way I can make it back onto the property where I was staying. Id end up doing the other leg.Lots of endone and targin over the next few weeks. The medical system here is 30 years behind the rest of the country from what I can tell.
For instance. Theres a complaint from a male nurse that Im using my own medications. So the ward manager says I can no longer self dispense. The next morning Im told the hospital doesnt have any of my anti rejection medications and that Ill have to use my own and that it’ll be two days to order them in. As soon as they appear its back to YOU cant do it yourself and yet they are still not supplying the medications required. Its a joke.
The Attitude; I dont know if its just in this hospital or country hospitals or the whole state. For example I asked a nurse to move the food tray so I could use my computer. The response. There will be someone along later to do that.
I get so much grief from mates when they ask about an experience Ive had and I talk about how nice the people are. Thats because there are so few nice people out there now. They just stand out when you meet them.
2nd/June
Seems nurses have been getting trained by the police. If they ignore or I should say not acknowledge you they dont have to do anything. I waited 30 minutes for a nurse for assistance to get to the bathroom and couldn’t wait any longer. They arrived as I had managed to hobble back on the frame as I asked for help getting out my toothbrush etc they walked away.
Later I had asked for endone as the leg ached and had started to bleed. The reply lunch is coming and no acknowledgment to the question and they walked away.
Bed sheets have still not been changed in 7 days. Is this what its like every where. Let me know. Average reaction time to a nurses call buzzer. Depending on shift 20 for night shift 30 to 40 minutes for all other shifts. They must like cleaning up soiled bedding.
No emergency accommodation in the area. Waiting on a transfer to another hospital for the surgical bookings that were a priority before the knee namely the throat biopsy and the meat getting cut out of shoulder that was meant to be done within two weeks and now cant be fitted in till the end of the month. Will have to pick up my old caravan from consignment, take the wheels off to lower it and make a ramp to get in on a walker.
3rd June
Looks like Im being released into an aged care facility. Finding out more later today. Thats the best they can do where food is included and I can have my dog.
Social Workers. I love their attitude. Q how much do you get on the pension. A about a grand a fortnight. OHHH you can afford the $415 per week. Didnt bother to ask how much I had in my bank account. Boarding houses was an option. I said I have a low immune system I cant be around groups of people, I shouldnt even be sharing a hospital room with four other people. Response. Thats ridicules how are you supposed to live and walked out of the room.
This is our medical system, well at least the Victorian medical system. Shocking.
Latest update. Was talking to a specialist at the larger city hospital I was meant to be transferred to and they had been trying to get me there and this hospital has said thats not our plan hes being released into a boarding house with multiple occupants. Crazy. Plotting my escape now and a possible law suit at this stage.
“Law suits and government departments are useless been there done that the paperwork will change to suit the environment.”
4th june
I dont think Ive seen a floor cleaner yet, just did a big clean up of my area of rubbish. some nurses pick up some dont. I had a pile of used towels, sheets, gowns etx and hanged them over my walker to get them out of the chair and made it to the door and asked isnt this stuff picked up or do you have a linen bin. The answer was “its usually dumped on the bathroom floor and picked up from there” . There seems to be no proper procedures in place.
So in ending Im still confused why they just didnt transfer me at the start to a city hospital that could have done the leg, shoulder and throat all at once. Yourd think that cancer in the shoulder and possible throat cancer would have been a larger concern. My surgeons for those procedures are now booked up till the end of the month in this area.
