This past spring, we focused on the skill of fire by friction. At the end of the day, after a lot of time and effort dedicated to making fire, we asked the question, where did the fire that is in the wood come from? In writing this outing report, this question again comes to mind. It is a fascinating question that, in many ways, captures the spirit of exploration. One could track it to the energy in the cells, to the sun itself, move outward to ask where the fire from the sun comes from. A good question like this one can act as a lens, focusing and magnifying the attention, drawing out, almost magically, more attentive energy than it seemed was there before. A good question like this one can lead one to a perpetual learning state of curiosity, can reveal the endless web of connection of all things, can thus inspire appreciation and love for this great web of being… which inevitably matures into life as service.
This summer, the newly named Firestalkers gathered for a week of fully engaging, tracking, and playing with life. Beginning with a day at the 100 Aker Woods, we balanced hard skills of carving and the Earth Skills journey with the softer skills of hiding and sneaking, of stillness, awareness, and knowledge. From the onset, this group guided itself. They marked themselves as fundamentally different from the other groups in Explorers’ Club through where they focused their attention and through their abilities to learn and incorporate knowledge and skill. At the very beginning, knives were out and carving time was focused on making chopsticks to use at the campout. We played games of increasing challenge and discussed more of the underlying structure of
the games, handing over the design power to the Firestalkers. We experienced the results of changing rules and adding variations. We also considered internal work, touching on the deeper skill (one that we will have to engage more deeply as time moves on) of tuning one’s state of mind and noticing how this affects the outside world. There were learning moments, funny moments, group process work, and tons of flat out exploration.
the games, handing over the design power to the Firestalkers. We experienced the results of changing rules and adding variations. We also considered internal work, touching on the deeper skill (one that we will have to engage more deeply as time moves on) of tuning one’s state of mind and noticing how this affects the outside world. There were learning moments, funny moments, group process work, and tons of flat out exploration.
It has been this Explorer’s experience that attempting to encapsulate all of the experiences of each day would yield an outing report of such length that we might have to begin awarding literature credits to parents and participants who dare to read such chronicles in their entirety. But don’t worry. Niether do you have the time nor I the resolve to make this happen. So, you’ll get a pointillist overview of the week. Here it goes:
Carving chopsticks, the unveiling of the Earth Skill Journey with the Hide Challenge, trying to stalk smell with blindfolds and incense (this might take a little more work), learning more about nettles, considering the hazards of our ecological neighborhood, epic games of Spider’s Web with elaborate variations, Ripple through the Forest, learning more
about concentric rings, Life and Death in the Forest, reading the ecological landscape, considering the impact of small spaces on our ecology, tons of Hide and lots of adventure, a long swim include the great log balance, wonderful weather, laughter, deeper skills of relating to one another and working as a pack, eating our weights in wild edible berries, an unexpected big talk and consideration around a dead squirrel, burying said squirrel, building many different kinds of earth shelters, the art of harvesting wood, more Hide!, dealing with mosquitoes, sit spots, the Pine and Cedar Lake ascent, navigating the trail as a group, identifying trees, plants, and more, the great silent walk and all that it unveiled, frogs, finding an amazing campsite on an island, the ethics of fire, swimming, discovering a homemade raft, carnivorous plants, the art and skill of setting up camp, safe gathering and use of potable water, tarp craft, food ethics and safety in wild bear-full places, fire by friction, talking by the fire, the big night game of stalking past the Pine Lake Devils, a morning swim, a very long sit spot around the lake, plenty of interesting wilderness 
first aid tutorials, Leave No Trace ethics, the adventure back down, and a great culminating thanks.
about concentric rings, Life and Death in the Forest, reading the ecological landscape, considering the impact of small spaces on our ecology, tons of Hide and lots of adventure, a long swim include the great log balance, wonderful weather, laughter, deeper skills of relating to one another and working as a pack, eating our weights in wild edible berries, an unexpected big talk and consideration around a dead squirrel, burying said squirrel, building many different kinds of earth shelters, the art of harvesting wood, more Hide!, dealing with mosquitoes, sit spots, the Pine and Cedar Lake ascent, navigating the trail as a group, identifying trees, plants, and more, the great silent walk and all that it unveiled, frogs, finding an amazing campsite on an island, the ethics of fire, swimming, discovering a homemade raft, carnivorous plants, the art and skill of setting up camp, safe gathering and use of potable water, tarp craft, food ethics and safety in wild bear-full places, fire by friction, talking by the fire, the big night game of stalking past the Pine Lake Devils, a morning swim, a very long sit spot around the lake, plenty of interesting wilderness first aid tutorials, Leave No Trace ethics, the adventure back down, and a great culminating thanks.
What a week! It is important to honor that our first member achieved making fire from a bow drill. Great work! If you haven’t already, please read the write-up of the 4 Shields Program on our website, as this was all inspired from the Firestalkers’ journey of the Spring and Summer. Thanks so much to all of you for a great season. Thanks so much to all of the parents for your enduring support. We’re looking forward to this Fall!
Be sure to check out pics from the summer in our photo gallery.
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