So, an overview of the people in my life may be in order.

For this, the third year of the Wilderness Guide program, there are ten people, in two different groups.

Ours, in the original Nishnajida camp, is Wabanong, meaning “East,” since it’s on the east side of Lake Woodbury. In my group is Susan, who’s in her thirties, and Neil, a Canadian who’s my age, 22. I really like both of them, and I think our energies complement each other well.

There’s also a man named Paul who’s in his thirties, and who’s deaf. It’s been an unexpected pleasure to learn sign language, which I started picking up the day I met him; I’ve learned a lot of words quickly, which is great because I can communicate with Paul better each day.

Absent at the moment, but arriving in three weeks, is Lety, a woman of mixed ancestry in her fifties; she’s also bringing her 10-year-old daughter, Zinnia, whom I haven’t met yet. Lety was here just for a week, but she has some background in Toltec philosophy, and I got a strong sense of spirituality and positive energy from her, so I’m excited for her to rejoin us so that we can learn more from each other.

The other camp, across the lake, is Niingaabian, meaning “West.” There are four men and one woman over there: Rob and Nichole, a couple; and Matt, Glenn, and Andre. Of course, they’re just names now, but they’re here for future reference, in case I refer to them in the future.

There’s also David Jonas, a person living independently here but working alongside us, and some students from previous years (who appear in the pictures on my website): Jill, Chris, Tim, and Kimberly.

I think of Niingaabian as the builders and Wabanong as, I don’t know, quieter experiencers? Like yang and yin. Which fits me well, as my personality is more yin than yang.

Yesterday we started in earnest on the attunement exercises: shadowing, balancing, breaking mental patterns — all part of the way of the warrior (or Tamarack’s preferred term, the way of the guardian). This is the primary reason I’m here. I’m glad to get going on it.

It’s been pretty busy otherwise — hectic, even. We’ve gone on three different long bike trips in the past week, plus I’ve found the energy to swim half a mile across the lake, which is farther than I’ve ever swum before at a stretch. So I’m thankful for today, which is our day off; we plan to go into Rhinelander for Chinese food and to see The Mummy Returns, haha! So life’s pretty good at the moment.

The only weird thing is this … I just called home, and found out that today happens to be the beginning of the garage sale. As in, stuff being sold at the house, because my parents are moving to Los Angeles. By July or so, they may have sold the house in which I grew up. There’s something sad about that. But I’m thankful to be building a new sense of home and community here in the woods — if not with people with whom I’ll be spending the rest of my life, then at least in a place where my spirit can be nurtured as I walk my path.