WHO KNEW DOING SIMPLE CHORES BRINGS PEACE OF MIND…?!
The place I moved from last June, was affectionately known as “The Magic Box,” as it was literally a giant metal rectangular building with a huge roll top door. It was a lovely and [...]
CONCERNED ABOUT NOROVIRUS? WASH YOUR HANDS!
CONCERNED ABOUT NOROVIRUS ON TRAIL? WASH YOUR HANDS! I am not going to lie… We hikers are typically dirty, smelly, and gross out on the trail. Maintaining hygiene on the trail is challenging at the [...]
SOMETIMES ALL WE NEED IS A LITTLE SUPPORT! 👣
One beautiful winter’s day in 2010, I was day-hiking with a dear friend just a few weeks before leaving for my thru-hike on the Appalachian Trail. Her former career had been as a successful surgeon [...]
HEADED TO THE BACKCOUNTRY IN COLD CONDITIONS? STAY WARM AND DRY!
After a long day hiking in the rain, I passed the side trail to “Charlies Bunion,” a scenic rocky overlook that attracts many view-seeking hikers. Typically, many day-hikers are headed up to this iconic and [...]
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY CAN MAKE!
I have to be honest. My first two “hitches” (each 4-day stretch on the trail is called a hitch) have been relatively intense. I knew the weather could potentially be brutal in the Smokies… [...]
GOT STRESS? WALK IT OFF!
GOT STRESS? WALK IT OFF! Amidst the common stress and overwhelming pressure that define our nonstop busy lives, many struggle to find the balance within. The accumulation of worry, anxiety, and mental clutter can weigh [...]
STAY SAFE AND WARM WHILE WALKING IN A WINTER WONDERLAND❄️
Walking in the depths of winter is to experience life in a cycle of quiet, peaceful slumber. The gilded glow of the winter sun streams dimly through windswept trees. The air is crisp and still… As we [...]
HERE IS YOUR POST-HOLIDAY HUMDRUMNESS CURE
The calendar may have flipped over to January 2024, but I am still savoring the absolute fullness of this past year. I am not quite ready to jump head-first into the newness of all that [...]
2023 WAS A TREMENDOUS YEAR!
Do you feel like you give yourself enough recognition and praise for the things you set out to do and accomplish? I know I don't. And I know I am not alone. This post is [...]
WHY BECOMING DEATHLY ILL IN INDIA CAN BE A PROFOUND BLESSING… [PART 1]
The reality didn’t hit me fully until I was brushing my teeth after arriving home in an emergency 4-flight, 38-hour travel marathon. As I washed my face, rinsed my mouth out, and took a sip [...]
LONG-DISTANCE HIKING
Are you considering hiking a long trail? There are numerous benefits to committing to such an undertaking. Here is an (unedited) section of my soon-to-be-published book about Backpacking as a Sacred Practice that gives a [...]
10+ REASONS TO FALL IN LOVE WITH WALKING!
Incorporating walking as a daily practice brings boundless benefits, contributing to a happier, healthier, and more balanced life. Whether you are taking a leisurely stroll or a brisk power walk, the simplicity of walking reveals [...]
WHEN THE WILD WOMAN ROAMED FREE IN THE FOREST…
When the Wild Woman roamed free in the forest without fear… bold and in her power, she was at peace in her mind and with the outer world. Her sacred rituals kept her centered, [...]
MAGIC ON THE FOOTHILLS TRAIL… Walking as a Sacred Path
I held the intention to walk the length of the Foothills Trail, present, and intuitively… choosing a place to camp each night based on how I felt and where I wanted to travel… feeling fully [...]
MY FAVORITE PRACTICAL TIPS TO BEGIN WALKING AS A SACRED PRACTICE
MY FAVORITE PRACTICAL TIPS TO BEGIN WALKING AS A SACRED PRACTICE Set an intention for yourself. It all begins with a purpose. Have realistic goals that are conceivable and achievable for you. Prepare for [...]
DRIVING AS A SACRED PRACTICE
Have you ever slowly approached another vehicle on an interstate because they were driving slower than you, and when you began to pass them, they sped up? Now, you find yourself going uncomfortably fast to [...]
DO YOU GET ATTACHED TO YOUR FAVORITE HIKING BOOTS?
Do you get attached to your shoes? I know I do… and like most of my other trusted loved-to-death hiking gear, it can be hard to let go of things that accompanied me on so [...]
DO YOU REGULARLY GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO RELAX?
Are you willing to give yourself permission to relax? The concept of “relaxation,” in these modern productivity-oriented times, has almost come to signify laziness, apathy, or lethargy to some. And although relaxation often implies the [...]
CAN YOU FEEL IT IN YOUR BODY WHEN WEATHER IS APPROACHING?
Can you tell in your joints when the weather changes? Do you get achy knees or shoulders when storms are approaching? This is due to rapid atmospheric pressure changes, which affect the body’s internal air [...]
INTRODUCING THE AWAKEN YOUR MAGIC PLAYSHOP!
WildWood Magic presents: The Awaken Your Magic Playshop Are you ready to embrace your highest and best Self in this new year? Are you willing to Awaken Your Magic and live the enchanted [...]
ARE YOU MAKING NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS?
New Year’s Eve, 2022… I have always been a sucker for New Year’s Resolutions. In years past, I would set my sights on a brand-spanking new… ideal me… eager to give up this and [...]
THE MAGICAL CURE FOR SEASONAL “MULLIGRUBS!”
Do you ever get the “mulligrubs” on the gray, dismal days of late fall and winter? This was a word my grandmother used to say. Even without defining it, I think the word mulligrubs perfectly expresses [...]
THIS KIND OF STUFF JUST DOESN’T HAPPEN TO ME! (HAHA)
This kind of stuff just doesn't happen to me! I always have snafu-free adventures. I meet interesting people and have nothing but magically synchronistic encounters and experiences when I travel. I have met some of [...]
DO YOU CARRY RAIN PANTS IN YOUR BACKPACK?
Do you carry rain pants in your backpack? I know many people who never carry rain pants, and a genuine “Yay!” for lessening pack weight by several ounces. Me? I never leave home without [...]
#HIKERTRASH? …or #HIKERGODDESS???
This post is inspired by the intuitive feeling of resistance and negativity I feel when I see hikers identify with the word “hikertrash.” I have a lot of friends in the hiking community. And [...]
MAKING SMALL CHANGES THAT BRING BIG RESULTS: HABITS
[MAKING SMALL CHANGES THAT BRING BIG RESULTS: OUR HABITS! PART 1:] For many years it was my practice to get up early in the morning, perform my sacred rituals, meditations, and go on [...]
YAY! I AM OFFICIALLY A LEAVE NO TRACE MASTER EDUCATOR!
I am delighted to announce the completion of my Leave No Trace Master Educator Course! Since finishing my trainer course several years ago, I have contemplated furthering my Leave No Trace (LNT) education, and I [...]
LEAVE NO TRACE MASTER EDUCATOR COURSE!
Guess who is beginning her Leave No Trace Master Educator course this weekend!?! Yes, that would be me… and if you know me well, you know I absolutely LOVE talking about Leave No Trace. In [...]
HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK ABOUT HOW YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH?
How often do you think about how you brush your teeth? I don’t mean what kind of toothpaste you use or whether or not you use a toothbrush made of recycled yogurt containers. I mean [...]
TICKS: AWARENESS & PREVENTION IS THE BEST REMEDY
Life will always be full of legitimate hazards. The only thing we can truly control is how we prepare for and respond to the myriad of everyday perils. When we practice growing our sense of [...]