Paradise Valley Conservation Area & Chinook Bend with camping planned for Tolt Macdonald.

• This will be our introduction weekend where we'll talk about what to expect over the next 9 months of this course along with Raven's Roots basics and rules / regs.  

• Introduction of students in opening circle, intro to Animism, slowing down, attention and the art of questioning (curiosity).

• Sensory meditation to bring our minds together / reading of 'Sometimes a Wild God' poem with later fireside chat.

• Introduce landscapes and Indigenous use / history / presence

• Practice theme of asking permission

• Introduction to wildlife tracking / animal behavior / relationality & kinship / storytelling

• Introduction to Forest Therapy and session

• Explore Paradise Valley Conservation Area with focus on Bear sign & ancestral stomp trail, Salmonberry & Salmonberry Bird

• Explore sand and gravel bars at Chinook Bend, Deer vs Elk tracks, Dog vs Coyote tracks

• Optional fireside chats both Friday and Saturday evenings - Topics of Animism and Animal Perception / Umvelt concept

• Introduce book reading - Braiding Sweetgrass