9 Insights from my time on Wilderness Solos
For nearly two decades, during my Conscious Leadership apprenticeship and training, I took time off to renew in Nature. Most of these nature retreats were so-called wilderness solos, where participants embarked on an adventure with Mother Earth, the elements, and other living creatures, except humans.
In August 2006, I did one of those solos when I revisited a favourite spot in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above the little town of Crestone in southern Colorado. I completed my first six-day solo with Sacred Passage and John P. Milton on this powerful land in 1997, followed by my Vision Quest the following year. The timing and circumstances felt right for a solo, and John facilitated it graciously for me. I always follow my intuition about when to do a solo and can trust that I know when it comes over me.
As we hear more and more about the detrimental effects of stress and burnout in the workplace and people’s busy lives, I am reminded of my own experience in combating this phenomenon. After admitting that I had become a workaholic at the end of my entrepreneurial career in Iceland, I made a conscious decision to change my approach once I relocated to the USA. Part of that process involved spending time alone in Nature, usually for six to seven days at a time, once or twice a year. I found Nature a most generous teacher, and some of the most important leadership lessons I learned from her.
1. Going For Renewal, Gathering Energy
The reason I created these nature retreats was to renew myself, break through stuck places in my life, and allow creativity to flourish, relax, and ground me. By allowing a fresh and new life force to breathe through me, my health would improve. Joy and gratitude replaced stress, worries, and too much thinking. Who couldn’t do with more of that? Accumulation of tension and stress from daily life takes its toll on everyone. And I was no exception, even though I worked diligently at being proactive by practising energy cultivation, taking nature walks, and meditating. Nothing compares to spending time in Nature to relax and experience deep rest and release while gathering new energy.
2. Setting Intention
Before going out into the wild, I usually had a firm intention to address specific issues that were facing me. Sometimes, though, the issues that come up for us once we get there are entirely different from our original intention. What comes up is what needs to be addressed at the time, and it is wise to accept that. Still, it is good to state a firm intention at the outset. It is as if our issues are taken to some “energy headquarters” and worked on. Then suddenly, when we have managed to unwind and relax, the answers we have been waiting for emerge. Going out on a solo is one of the best problem-solvers there is.
Things simply have a way of working themselves out and giving us the solution we have been looking for, and that comes from a deep place. To reach that point, some work is involved. The work is to relax into Nature and allow her to embrace and heal us physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. There is no stronger force I know that can do that. We just have to show up and let go.
3. Getting Clarity
Apart from deep rest, I always came away from my time in Nature with greater clarity and a more profound sense of my life’s purpose. It feels as though I have tapped into this vast container of life that Nature represents. It humbled me to realise that I was the one with the disadvantage of not being connected at all times, as are all the plants, creatures, and elements that you encounter out there. They are always present in the moment. They are not dwelling on the past nor daydreaming about the future. Many people tend to replace that connectedness with a modern high-tech way of living, and we pay the price of becoming disconnected.
How many people do you know who live a comfortable life, but are still full of anger or resentment, fear, or loneliness? And who hasn’t experienced anxiety, self-deprecation, or self-loathing? Too many people lack the joy of life and numb themselves with antidepressants or other substances to keep going. Why is that? I believe it is a lack of meaning and purpose, a lack of connection to themselves, to others, and to life itself. No fancy cars, impressive portfolios, titles, false power, fame or fortune can replace that basic human need of connecting to and serving life through some higher purpose, in one way or another.
4. Tapping Into Creativity
Another precious gift I’ve often come away with from solos is an increased surge of creativity. This usually happens toward the end of the solo, when I have emptied — then I am open and receptive to new things. Ideas pour in, both for my work and my private life. Many other inspired ideas also came in, especially those related to my work. I was bombarded with new ways of seeing things as the final days drew to a close.
Even though we are not supposed to read or write while out there, we do take a pen and paper for emergency messages. I utilised these instruments and jotted down the keywords for the various ideas that came to mind. I felt like I was standing under a shower of gifts, and I was not fast enough to catch all the pearls that were bestowed on me. Not a bad idea for companies where creativity and innovation are stifled to send their people out into Nature for a while and see what happens — a worthwhile experiment.
5. Gaining Insight
One thing that always amazes me about solos is how much I learn about myself through observation. When I watch how I react to and deal with things that come up, I often get invaluable insights. And when it feels like nothing is happening out there and boredom seeps in, I discover that things are constantly in motion if only you pay attention. Nature becomes your mirror, revealing things about yourself that you never knew or noticed before, if you are looking for them. It unveils hidden areas, it purifies, restores, and opens you up to become more of who you are. Nature is the most amazing teacher.
6. Becoming Present
It is impossible to be out in Nature without being present. Everything around you is alive, and the tapestry of interaction is fascinating. As you don’t have your usual distractions — electronic gadgets such as your computer, phone, or iPad, nor do you have any reading material or a companion to talk with, you are pretty much left to yourself and the other inhabitants of the area. Then, once you get fed up staring at your toes, you start paying attention to things around you.
You become present to what is happening and who is showing up to connect with you. You begin to listen, watch, and even interact. Talking to a bird or a squirrel that comes to visit is not unheard of. Outsmarting bears and encountering soft-eyed deer staring at you is also a possibility (at least that could happen in Crestone). The more present you are, the more connected you become aware of the aliveness of everything around you.
7. Noticing the Elements
You are sure to learn a lot about the elements when out on a solo. You start to be in tune with the sun and the moon, the day and the night, the wind, and the formation of thunder in the distant clouds. Finally, you greet the sunrise with more attention and enthusiasm than you usually do. Maybe the night was cold, and you couldn’t wait to have the warm rays of the sun thaw you. Or you start to be able to read the sky before the rain hits.
Do we usually take the time from our busy days to notice things like that? If it rains, it rains. So what? But on solo, you might start to study the phenomenon. You need to be prepared. Perhaps you’re airing out your sleeping bag in the sun, and you don’t want it to get wet. Staying dry on a solo is essential.
8. Nourishing the Body
People often ask me what I eat when out on a solo. Each person has their way of dealing with food. Usually, I start eating more lightly a few days before, as well as on the first day or two out there. Fruit, nuts, and granola are favourites. Then I fast for a few days to go deeper. Fasting doesn’t mean you don’t nourish the body at all — you replace solid food with liquid, either plain water, drinks with plenty of electrolytes, or the famous Master Cleanse, a fasting formula that John Milton recommends to his soloists. What you learn — with experience — is that we need much less food than we think we do. When out in the wild, Nature’s chi (energy) nourishes us 24/7.
The effect of that is that hunger disappears, and we stop thinking about food… at least I do. Weight loss is a welcome byproduct of going on a solo trip. It just happens. On the last day, I usually open up a tin of sardines and eat a few before offering the rest to the birds. My brain gets a significant boost of energy (sardines are perfect for the brain), and they give the body strength to hike back to civilisation with my gear.
9. Appreciating Life
When coming back from solos, it usually takes me a while to adjust to the fast pace of ordinary life. Allowing yourself a few days for integration after your return is a smart thing to do, if possible. That allows for a full embodiment of relaxation and often a renewed outlook on life. Being full of chi is a rich experience. Savour it. People might comment on your radiance and peacefulness and ask, “What on earth have you been up to???” Optimism, creativity, courage, and inspiration all bring you back to the outer world with excitement and a fuller appreciation for life. To me, the adventure is worth it.
Are you ready for an adventure and a new experience?
