A good friend from the local charter school looked at the flyer for the first Jon Young workshop in February, “They’re holding hands, not sure it’s for me.” I laughed and said no fears, no hand holding necessary. Of course, the workshop ended on a high note with one of the thirty plus participants requesting we join hands. Next some young ones from the kid’s program asked the group to do the wave. And so ended a weekend of knowledge, wisdom, deep experience, and much aloha.
Jon Young will return to the Central Coast on March 6 through 8, again graciously hosted by the folks at Dancing Deer Farms. How do you explain a JY workshop? One participant said, “You are all so passionate about what you do.” Later she related her surprise at how easily she sat for the lecture, how riveting the talks and spoke of the shared enthusiasm. For whether one is learning about cultural mentoring, the ways of the Kalahari Bushmen or core routines to connect more deeply with nature, when Jon speaks, listening is easy. Of course, there is the fact that he is a first rate naturalist who brings the wild in with him, and his passion for finding a way to walk in balance with nature is catching.
Mr. Young speaks with humor and compassion when talking about the excuses people find to avoid nature connection. He said a personal highlight from the workshop occurred when groups worked together to articulate blocks keeping them from nature’s “good medicine,” and as people spoke of these hard places, the room filled with laughter and joy. One of the beauties of growing with Jon Young is that there is a great deal of hope born; as reverence for the earth roots deeper, so do practices not merely sustainable, but indeed, regenerative.
The second workshop is open to both newcomers and returning participant. There will be experiential practices to strengthen nature connection, song, lecture, outstanding storytelling and more. Mr. Young will be giving a public lecture and signing his newest book, Coyote’s Guide to Connecting with Nature, on Friday night. For over thirty years Jon Young has collaborated globally with organizations and individuals to foster deeper community and nature connections through the power of cultural and coyote mentoring principles. This event is a must-attend for those interested in sustainability, health and education. The workshop is presented by Outside Now!/CCVC. For more information contact their organization at 541-9900 or www.theccvc.org.
