Posts Tagged ‘Solo’
30/07/2012
Mountain Spirit Institute is collaborating with The Natural Dharma Fellowship of Cambridge Mass, and their retreat center in Springfield, New Hampshire (Wonderwell Refuge) to offer Mindfulness in the Mountains, Oct 12th-14th in the Dartmouth Lake Sunapee Region.
Mountains as Mediation – Going Back to Our Roots
Led by a unique team of experienced world-class outdoor adventurers, guides, instructors, and experienced meditators, this weekend will provide room for exploring the layers of self-knowledge possible through adventuring in our natural environment. During the weekend, lovers of nature and those interested in hiking, rock climbing and kayaking will come together to adventure without and within.
To get an idea what see the interview of Lama Willa Miller by R. Richards below:
Read more on the program at our MSI and Wonderwell’s Webpages, and stay tuned for more details posted on this blog.
Tags:contemplation, Dartmouth Lake Sunapee region, instruction, kayaking, Lama Willa Miller, Meditation, Natural Dharma Fellowship, NH, Randy Richards, renewal, Rock Climbing, Solo, Springfield, Sunapee, Wonderwell Refuge
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Asia/Himalaya, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Experiential Education, Focus on MSI People, Health, Holistic Living, Inner Work, MSI News, Power of Place, Spiritual | Leave a Comment »
12/07/2012
Mountain Spirit Institute Offers Upcoming Programs and Special Events
Mountain Spirit Institute of the Dartmouth Lake Sunapee Region and Queenstown New Zealand area, is offering programs this summer and fall in New Hampshire, based on its mission to “help people reconnect with the environment, each other and a deeper connection to one’s self”.
The first program, on July 22nd , is an Adventure Educator’s Sharing Symposium open to teachers, students and outdoor educators who would like to share, learn and apply best practices of group processing and facilitation, especially with a holistic approach. There is no charge, as MSI is offering this as a public service.
Mountain Spirit will also be offering a Reconnection with Nature Hike on July 24th where there will be hiking to a local mountaintop, and participants will have a chance to relax with a short meditation and powerful nature reading. Again, there is no charge, as MSI is offering this as a public service.
On July 28th there will be a one-day Solo retreat starting at eight in the morning with a basic orientation and safety talk. Participants will then be shown their own “solo spot” where they will spend the day with minimal gear and distractions. There is a nominal program fee for this event. There will also be an Overnight Solo on August 24th and 25th where participants spend the night under a tarp in a beautiful local setting. The goal for Solo’s are to reconnect, unplug, contemplate and be present in nature with few distractions with the safety net of experienced facilitators and guides. Solos will also be offered as an on-demand basis.
Lama Miller
Mountain Spirit Institute is collaborating with Lama Willa Miller of the Wonderwell Refuge, in Springfield NH on an outdoor adventure program called Mindfulness in the Mountains. The Natural Dharma Fellowship has a retreat center, where the program will be based for the weekend of Oct 12-14th.
MSI will offer again its MSI Film Series, one of which will be Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead. This remarkable film follows two men, one an Australian and other an American truck driver, on their amazing path to recovering their health through juicing and healthy lifestyle choices . There will be some testimonials and discussion after the film. They do what their website calls a “reboot of your body”.
Rock Climbing will be offered to parent/children pairs, as well as families up to four, on the local crags in the region by appointment.
Mountain Spirit Institute is an insured non-profit educational organization started in 1998. Their first program was a cultural immersion trip to Peru. All of the summer and fall programs will be facilitated and managed by internationally recognized guides and facilitators. For more information on any of these programs or on Mountain Spirit Institute, visit their website at www.mtnspirit.org or call 603-763-2668
Tags:Darthmouth Lake Sunapee Region, Fat Sick and Nearly Dead, Hiking, Kingston, Lama Willa Miller, Meditation, Mountain Spirit Insititute, Mountains, MSI Film Series, Natural Dharma Fellowship, New Zealand, Queenstown, Randy Richards, Rock Climbing, Solo, Sunapee, Tibetan Buddhism, Wonderwell Refuge, Zen
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Experiential Education, Film/DVD, Focus on MSI People, Health, Holistic Living, Indigenous Wisdom, Inner Work, MSI News, Power of Place, Spiritual | Leave a Comment »
06/07/2012
Holistic Outdoor Connections
Since 1998
Although I’ve had a backlog of ideas and material for MSI’s blog, and have even shot some footage for video posts (stay tuned), our family has been busy with a major move of late. Nevertheless, it’s time to start writing again. Plus, we have some upcoming programs that may be of interest!:
- Adventure Educator’s Symposium July 22: Share,learn and apply best practices of processing & facilitation. Open to students, teachers and outdoor educators. No charge.
- Reconnecting with Nature Hike July 24: Hike to a mountain-top, relax with a short meditation and a powerful reading.
- Getting Outside! Nature Deficit Disorder July 25, 7pm: How do you view nature? Do you find it hard to get nature time? Technology got ya?
- Solo July 28: 1 day retreat in a beautiful setting to unplug.
- Solo Overnight Aug 25/6: Saturday morning head out to a private spot, supervised retreat, minimal gear.
- Mindfulness in the Mountains Oct 13/14: Co-sponsored with Natural Dharma Fellowship, come explore the adventure within through Rock Climbing / Hike / Kayak.
- Rock Climbing as Metaphor for Life: By appt. For families up to four.
Stay tuned for more info or to contact us, and please visit us at mtnspirit.org
Cheers,
R. Richards
Tags:Adventure Edcuator's Symposium, Mountain Spirit, Nature Deficit disorder, New Hampshire, Programs, Rock Climbing, Solo, Sunapee, Willa Miller, Wonderwell Refuge
Posted in Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Experiential Education, Focus on MSI People, MSI News | Leave a Comment »
06/02/2012
Rachael Umbriano is Taking a Big Bite Out of Life
I met Rachael at a recent wilderness emergency medicine refresher course in North Conway, NH where we were both participants. Rachael just finished a year-long stint studying in Italy and traveling to 40 countries in her spare time while in Europe. A rock climber and go-getter, Rachael has some cool ambitions – see her vid below.
Learn how getting out of the U.S. for an extended period can shift your perspective. The Aussie’s and Kiwi’s call it an O.E. (overseas expedition). Most Americans, due to our work and study schedules, plus our limited work reciprocity with other countries only take short visits abroad. Rachael doesn’t fit that stereotype.
Tags:education, Europe, experienital learning, Italy, North Conway, OE, Overseas Expedition, Product Design Mountain Spirit Institute, Solo, traveling
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Experiential Education, Service, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
04/02/2012
Helping to keep Climbers, Skiers and Hikers Safer on Mt. Washington, NH, USA
Chris Josen of the US Forest Service is one of a small group of avalanche forecasters and safety personnel on Mount Washington’s east side, where Tuckerman’s Ravine sees thousands of backcountry skiers per season. Not all come well equipped or knowledgeable about how to safely travel in the winter snow-scape. Learn more about what Chris does on Mt. Washington, the highs and lows, and what motivates him.
Tags:Avalanches, Chris Josen, Conway, forecasing, Frank Hubbell, Mounntain Spirit Institute, Mt. Washington, North Conway, Pinkham Notch, SAR, Search and Rescue, Skiing, Snow Safety, Solo, Tuckerman's Ravine, US Forest Service, USFS
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Mountain People | 2 Comments »
03/02/2012
Dr. Frank Hubbell started SOLO, (Stonehearth Open Learning Opportunities) in the mid-’70’s and is still going strong. I was recently at SOLO’s base in New Hampshire, renewing my Wilderness Emergency Medical Technician qualifications and thought I’d share some footage of the place that many outdoor professionals know so well. SOLO offers a wide variety of programs. I met some interesting folks attending this re-cert, and will post an interview or two here in the coming days.
From their website: SOLO took root in the early 1970s and grew out of the vision of its founders Frank Hubbell and Lee Frizzell (husband and wife). As Frank recalls, pre-hospital care 
was in its infancy, and an organized EMS system didn’t exist yet in New Hampshire. The concept of providing emergency care to the sick and injured revolved around what is today referred to as the “Golden Hour.” “As skiers, climbers, and EMTs in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, we would respond to the call for injured hikers and climbers,” Frank remembers. “It very quickly became apparent that the skills that we had learned as “street EMTs” did not work in the wilderness environment. We had to learn how to provide care outside the golden hour. But, that information was not available—we had to learn it through experience.” Frank’s frustration with the lack of an appropriate “wilderness” standard led to the creation of one of the first, if not the first, wilderness emergency medicine courses in the country. By 1975, a basic “Mountain/Woods First Aid” course was taken on the road by Frank, and taught to the few folks who could see its value.. Read more..
In addition to SOLO, there are also a number of organizations offering Wilderness First Responder and EMT trainings. I’ll probably cover a few of them in this blog at some point
Tags:Basecamp, Conway, EMS, EMT, Frank Hubbell, history, Mountain Spirit, New Hampshire, NH, Solo, WFR, Wilderness First Responder, Wilderness Medicine
Posted in 1- Video Posts, MSI News | 2 Comments »
11/01/2012
A New Zealand Farmer Does Good by Following His Passion
Tom O'Brien of High Country Walks
Tom O’Brien, owner of Blackmore Farm and founder of High Country Walks has followed his passion by offering up a little hut on the back side of his 5000 acre farm. Called the Chinaman’s Hut, it was restored some years ago, by local volunteers, Tom and his father. The hut is situated on the rolling mountains of the Slate Range, just south of the Remarkables Mountains, on the border of Otago and Southland. Tom took the afternoon to show me his farm, the backcountry and the Chinaman’s Hut. below is a short piece on the hut, and a chat with Tom about his philosophy and passion of sharing this part of the world with others.We’re in hopes, here at Mountain Spirit Institute of collaborating with Tom by running some programs on the Slate Range and Blackmore Farm. We chatted about providing Solo’s and other types of programs.
Thanks for the time you took to show me around Tom!
Note: I’ve met one of the volunteers who helped restore the Chinaman’s Hut, a neighbor of ours here in Kingston named Dusty, who I’ll see if I can get on tape in the next few days. He has an interesting story to tell of not only this restoration project by many others.
Tags:Blackmore Farm, Chinaman's Hut, Garston, Gold Rush, High Country Walks, history, huts, Kingston, Leadership, Otago, private land use, Race, Remarkables, Slate Range, Sluce, Solo, Southland, Tom O'brien, transport, Water issues, Wilderness
Posted in 1- Video Posts, Conservation, Holistic Living, Inspirational People, Mountain People, MSI News, New Zealand, Power of Place, Spiritual, Sustainable Travel, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
29/03/2011
A book for the ages
Hanging out at the Telemark Inn and Llama Farm (Newry, Maine) years ago, when I was a ranch hand, and pack guide, I came across a little book on Steve Crone’s bookshelf called “Nature’s Seven Doctors” by Kirschner and White. This little volume espoused the basics of how simple living and paying attention the basics keeps one healthy.
After the Christchurch Earthquake and all, I guess the readjustment and stress of an unplanned move had me melancholy the last few days. I went with the flow, in line with Tolle, was in accepting and allowing my state to be, I just didn’t feel at the top of my game. Even though we’ve found ourselves in a beautiful place, 7 hours south of the quake zone, it’s still been an adjustment of sorts.
Today I got it together and climbed to the top of the cliff outside our new rental home, sat for a short meditatino, and ran back down the trail, and on my way back to the house, jumped in Lake Wikatipu on lake’s southern beach. The run and dip did me good, and I’ve been reminded all day of Kirschner and White’s book. I’ve been feeling like new person all day.
The Seven Doctors are: (I usually can do this from memory, let’s see..) Fresh air, fresh water, fresh food, rest, mental/spiritual development, adequate exercise and adequate sleep. Nothing to remember really, it’s common sense.
A view of Kingston, NZ from the top of Shirttail Cliffs
Tags:Christchurch Earthquake, Dexter Richards, Eckhart Tolle, Kingston, Kirschner and White, Lake Wikatipu, Mountain Spirit, Nature's Seven Doctors, New Zealand, Newry Maine, Queenstown, Randy Richards, Rock Climbing, Shirttail Rock, Solitude, Solo, Steve Crone, stress, Telemark Inn and Llama Farm
Posted in Books, Climb/Ski/Mntneering, Health, Holistic Living, New Zealand, Power of Place, Spiritual | 1 Comment »
18/04/2009
Governor's Bay, Picton, NZ
Early Bird Catches the Shot
We were to catch the ferry from New Zealand’s South Island to the North island. The Ferry first weaves its way from Picton Harbor, through a long sound, before opening out into the open water between north and south islands. The passage is seen in the image at right. The crossing takes about 3.5 hours, which departed at 8am. We encamped on the Queen Charlotte Drive just west of Picton, and this early morning sunrise of the sound started our day.
Tags:adventure travel, Dexter R. Richards, ecospiritual psychology, Experiential Education, Governor's Bay, Holistic Living, Meditation, Mountain Spirit, mtnspirit.co.nz, mtnspirit.org, New Hampshire, New Zealand, Peru, Picton, Randy Richards, Solo, Spiritual, Sunapee, Sustainability, USA, Utah, wilderness yoga
Posted in New Zealand, Power of Place, Traveling | Leave a Comment »
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