Education
Last season we started a tradition of talking about five books from our shelves and how they've influenced us. This season, we keep the tradition alive! Come with us for an adventure into nature poetry, magic, science, and a bit of intergalactic fun! Here are this episodes' Action Points: Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver-- Spend some time sitting quietly in nature, just observing. It can be 10 minutes or a whole afternoon. Then, try writing a poem, just to honor one of your observations. The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben-- Go try to find some fungi! Specifically, the tiny filaments in soil or rotten trees that are the fungi's real "body" (the mushrooms are just the "fruit" of the fungus). Sit with or touch these filaments, and recognize that you're coming in contact with a being that few of us ever see in our lives. The Tarantula Scientist by Sy Montgomery-- Explore an element of nature that you're unfamiliar with, especially with children or especially if you are fearful of the thing. Spiders are a great example. What can you learn about this element? Explore online or at your library, and you'll learn a ton! Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs by Scott Cunningham-- Delve deep with one plant in your yard. Research it online. Can it be used medicinally? Is it edible? Does it have utilitarian uses? And what traditions saw the plant as sacred? There are many stories waiting with every plant. The More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams-- Play a fun mind game by pretending you're an alien who just landed on Earth. What do the inhabitants look like? What are they up to? Observe the world through the eyes of humor, and you might just find that much of our human endeavor looks rather ridiculous! Send us an email or visit rewildu.com and let us know what you thought of this episode! These podcasts are 100% supported by people like you! Keep them coming by becoming a patron through Paypal or Patreon at rewildu.com. Love to you all!