Over the years, we have immersed ourselves in a range of ancient teachings as well as modern concepts, models and theories which we have found extremely helpful in our work with personal growth retreats. Like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle, one idea after another fell into place, gradually revealing more and more details of the bigger picture. These sources have greatly inspired and shaped our work, and they light up in everything we do at change wild . Get to know those bearers of ancient traditions and visionary pioneers:
Our sources
Jon Young
Ecologist and cultural anthropologist. He was the first to make me realise what I had only felt before: how valuable connection with nature is to our lives and how we can pass it on to others.
His multi-layered 8 Shields Model is based on decades of work, half science, half an art form of cultural bricolage. In the model, he puts together the findings from his exchanges with Native cultures from all five continents in a creative way.
For me, the model continues to be a key tool for understanding and designing personal development processes and the cultural space in which they take place.
John P. Milton
Ecologist, pioneering conservationist and high-ranking political advisor in his younger years. At an early age he was introduced to the power of Vision Quest, originally an indigenous rite of passage to find one’s purpose. Over the course of his long life, he brought it to the Western world through his organisation, ‘Way of Nature’. He is also trained in the spiritual practices of Eastern traditions.
For me, he is a bridge between the ancient cultures of the East and the West and the modern age. He showed me the ways and means of finding one’s true self through a profound search of both the outer nature and one’s inner life.
Bill Plotkin
Psychologist and wilderness guide. Using modern approaches, he has developed an independent model of developmental psychology that can help us to overcome the shortcomings of our Western way of individuation and socialisation.
His map of the inner wilderness points the way out of self-centredness and in to relating to the world. It is an important guideline for me to facilitate people on their personal journey to find purpose in life.
It further helped us refocus the work we do today, to reach beyond the individual self and include the common good.
Joanna Macy
A leading woman in the environmental and civil rights movements since their beginnings. She recognised early on that the crises of modernity can only be resolved if we actively tend our relationship with the world.
Her work that reconnects is bridging the gap between felt powerlessness and potential (self-)efficacy, and this work is key to the success of transformation processes. Thus, it has become an integral part of my repertoire.
Hartmut Rosa
Sociologist in the tradition of the Frankfurt School, who developed its critical theory to a new stage. His sober and dialectically trained view is an important corrective for me and a safeguard against any kind of idealisation.
Rosa bases his critique of modernity on the concept of resonance as a measure of our relationship to the world, which he contrasts with alienation. He makes clear how important rejection and contradiction are for our development, so that we can overcome them and continue our journey.
Otto Scharmer
Economist and founder of theory U. Following Einstein’s statement that ‘we cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that caused it’, his model is about welcoming an unknown new by intentionally leaving behind the usual.
Scharmer has given me a new understanding of the time flow, and that we can flip around our perspective on it: Filling the void of the present from the future, rather than from the past, has become an effective way for me to lead transformation processes to success.
Nils Fårlund
Professor of friluftsliv, founder of the Norwegian High Mountain School and mountaineering partner of the Norwegian philosopher and co-founder of deep ecology, Arne Næss.
Nils has taught me many things: how to live in the Nordic nature, how to discuss philosophy over a camp fire how to do all this with a sense of wonder and, last but not least, how to integrate this mindset into daily life.
More about us
About us
At change wild , we create and facilitate nature retreats and wilderness camps that help people reconnect.
Learn what makes our courses stand out:
The people
change wild started out with just one founder, and over time it evolved step by step to engage more people. Read about the founder, see who co-guides our clients, and who is working behind the scenes:
Our story
change wild started out with just one founder, and over time it evolved step by step to engage more people. See who co-guides our clients, and who is working behind the scenes:
Media
We have published a collection of videos, audio recordings and written works, and we continue to publish more. Each one offers a different perspective on our work. Watch, listen or read here:
Join us live
Join us on one of our nature retreats. Spend a full week in the Norwegian wilderness – not alone, but deeply connected. With yourself, with others – and with something greater. Guided by wise mentors and the rhythm of nature, you will remember who you are and why you are here.
© change wild!
