Got Wild – from a Bedouin tent to a Sami Kota

Two weeks ago I went to Sweden for a Nature Quest training in Valadalen Nature Reserve.
An annual training initiated by Martin Cadee, co-founder of KaosPilots Netherlands. Inspired by the vision quests of the native American tribes, by the Australian Aboriginals, by the Nordic Sami’s, and by the South American Mayan tribes, all who have a certain rite of passage for transformation into adulthood. Something we lack in western society, especially for men to celebrate, honour and mark the transition to becoming an adult.
Martin is a firm believer of the fact that the source of many of our societies current problems are due to the fact mankind has lost its connection with nature. After reading the book “Presence” and joining a Vision Quest facilitated by John Milton, he invited John Milton to organise something similar in our own Scandinavian backyard together with Göran Gennvi.
So this year was the second time around that Martin and Göran organised their GetWild nature training, this time with the help of KaosPilots Rowan Simonsen and Henrique Vedana.
Being completely full with all the impressions from a three month trip in the Middle-East, and closing down another year as a KaosPilot student I had a lot to process, and this seemed like the ultimate way to do so.
I’ve spent a 72 hours “solo” on the top of a Swedish mountain with nothing but my tent, my wet clothes and one package of rice crackers. So no telephone, no Ipod, no books, nothing but me, myself, and I.
Where last year people got their ass skin burned by the vast amount of sunshine and good weather, we found ourselves stuck in an ice cold storm, that even sent some people back down again.
Part of the training entails vasting, a.k.a. deliberate temporary starvation. And leading up to the training I put myself on a cleansing diet which I’m currently still continuing. So for a total of six weeks it’s for Bert:

• no meat
• no fish
• no cigarettes (permanent)
• no alcohol
• no recreational drugs
• no prescribed medications
• no sugar
• no caffeïne