News

Wolf Tracking 2012

Tamarack and the Teaching Drum Outdoor School, in partnership with Wilderness Awareness School, are offering a week-long Wolf Tracking Course for February 2012. It includes six days of tracking in the Northwoods with author and tracker Dave Moskowitz, Adrian Wydeven of the Wolf Recovery Project, and the DNR's Ron Schultz. Read more here.

Just Released!

Song of Trusting the Heart: A Classic Zen Poem for Daily Meditation

Classical China was a melting pot for Asia's religious traditions. Shamanism from the north, Buddhism from the west, and regional Taoist practices cross-pollinated and birthed a sacred verse titled Song of Trusting the Heart. Its haunting lyrics express the essence of Eastern philosophy: the Buddhist's peaceful asceticism, the Taoist's poetic sensitivity, and the Shaman's sage wisdom. Tamarack's clear and accurate text restoration, along with Jan Zaremba's engaging classical artwork, makes Song of Trusting the Heart easily accessible to all seekers. Buy it here.

Whispers of the Ancients: Native Tales for Teaching and Healing in Our Time receives accolades.

In May, Tamarack travelled to Minneapolis and New York to be recognized for Whispers of the Ancients, which has received the Nautilus Award, three Midwest Book Awards, and was honored as a special storytelling resource by Storytelling World. Read more about Whispers.

Foreword Review features Whispers of the Ancients:

....beautifully illustrated and designed to appeal to readers “at his or her own level of comprehension and need.” It is a lovely collection of stories, organized by themes and lessons...Moses Amik Beaver’s lush illustrations brighten the pages—a loon cocks its head in one story, and in another, a warrior peeks over a riverbank at a medicine worker standing on the shore. Download the full review.

Blossoming the Child: Native-inspired Ways of Unparenting and Encouraging Childwisdom

Parents: you do not have to buy into the business of parenting. Children are fully capable of raising themselves -- all you have to do is step back and allow it to happen. This book gives a new look at the old way of raising children--one used by our pre-agricultural ancestors and virtually all natural-living people. It is based on the awareness that children are already fully actualized individuals, complete with inner wisdom and a connectedness with their own destinies. Its methods are guidance and support, rather than the now popular steer-and-control. The results can be miraculous: self-fulfilled, happy, and socially conscious individuals.

Blossoming is also geared to a second audience -- adults who have lost touch with their inner child. This includes almost everyone who has been raised by the accepted methods of today's society.

Appearances

Tom Elpel and Tamarack were the keynote speakers at the 8th annual Bioneers in Alaska Conference, held October 14 - 16 at the University of Alaska-Anchorage. Some dynamic people attended, along with great workshops on adapting to a changing planet. Tamarack's presentation was on what it is to be human. See Tamarack's blog and the Bioneers site for reports on the event.

Blog: Mongrel Scratchings

Tamarack's reason for writing has always been to join in dialogue, as though he were sitting together with his readers around a fire. The blog format allows him to do just that, as readers comment and join in on discussion. The blog covers the issues most important to him: the Old Way, natural living, healing, Zen, tracking, dreams, storytelling, culture, childrearing, and more.

Read the latest entries.

Forthcoming Books

With the help of the editing team Tamarack is wrapping up another book, tentatively titled In the Shadow of Wolf: Forgotten Ways of Tracking Animals . Here's a trascript of an interview with Tamarack about how the book came to be.

In the Shadow of Wolf: Forgotten Ways of Tracking Animals

Did you know that you are tracker? Even if you never had training or followed an animal’s trail, you use your tracking skills every day. Whether you’re out navigating your way around town, keeping tabs on a child, or looking for something you misplaced, you’re tracking.

There’s only one thing that keeps you from being a good tracker. No, it’s not that you haven’t taken some special course, or because an expert tracker hasn’t passed his secret knowledge down to you. And no, this book won’t give it to you.

Because you already have it.

Early praise for In the Shadow of Wolf:

Tracking has become a left-brained skill, involving rulers, track analysis, and GPS software to help the tracker know an animal from its tracks. In the Shadow of Wolf offers an intuitive, Zen-like alternative, suggesting that we don’t need to learn to track any more than a Wolf needs to be reminded that he is a hunter. Tracking is in our nature. Whether you are an experienced tracker seeking to improve your tracking ability, or a novice tracker, intimidated by the left-brained science of conventional tracking, In the Shadow of Wolf opens up doorways of new possibilities and exciting opportunities to connect with the story of the land.

—Thomas J. Elpel, author of Botany in a Day and founder of Hollowtop Outdoor Primitive School

Real stories from the real world, simple and complex at the same time, and well worth pondering!

— Bill McKibben, author of the bestsellers The End of Nature and Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet

In the Shadow of Wolf is a marvelous book written by a master storyteller and tracker. Through its powerful and poignant stories, you will feel absorbed in the world and spirit of Nature.

— Joseph Cornell, author of Sharing Nature With Children and John Muir: My Life with Nature