~ 2025 Dates & Themes Coming Soon! ~
Ways of the Wild Guild
An Immersive Experience for:
Adults Looking to Live a Land-Based Life, Deeply Connected to Nature
The Ways of the Wild Guild is about so much more than skill development or learning the names and uses of plants.
It's about taking a step away from the busyness of the modern world for your personal growth.
It's about making time to learn about, connect with, listen to, and be informed by nature and all the amazing species and elements that make up this planet.
It's about connecting with ancestral and modern skills that are innately human, such as food from the land, water, fire, reading the landscape and weather, bird langauge, survival, preparedness, navigation, and so much more.
These ways come together to empower every aspect of our lives and make us more resilient and adaptable in a quickly changing world and climate.
All this while enjoying the company of like-minded individuals and having a ton of fun outdoors!
The Guild meets in person monthly to practice hands-on skills, spend time on the land, and cultivate a deeper awareness and knowledge of nature. There is ongoing mentoring between sessions through videos and a community chat app. (See details below)
Read what past participants said about their experience and check out some photos from this past spring's Guild below.
Consider joining us this fall and carve out some time for your personal growth!
Logistics:
Cost: TBA
Dates & Locations:
2025 Dates will be announced soon.
In-person sessions are 2-days a month in Muskoka
Weekend Themes: See below
To Register: See "Important Enrollment Details" section (to right on lap top, below on mobile).
Does not include accommodations. Email me for options.
Important Enrollment Details:
This is an intimate and focused small group experience.
Interested folks must apply as each group is unique and it is important to me that we have people that will best compliment each other in experience levels and personalities.
Previous outdoors experience is not required, but you should be physically able to spend entire days outdoors in all weather conditions and can hike up hills and off the trail.
If you are interested, please fill out the short application below and email me a little bit about why you want to join at: chris at chrisoutdoors dot ca
I will be taking a limited number of participants for the fall Guild.
They Say
What Past Guild Members Say
I found a special healing deep inside of myself by being humbled while in the woods....
Ways of Wild, far exceeded my expectations. Frankly, I never thought to have gained the incredible amount of knowledge I managed to come away with. I am more aware of everything. Sounds, smells, sights, and how I walk in general. Not only did I gain incredible mountains of knowledge, I made awesome new friendships with like minded people, and I found a special healing deep inside of myself by being humbled while in the woods. When I stop to listen, I hear everything I need to hear. Learning every new day, while using my new skills and knowing I have the confidence to make survival camps. -
Denise Tompkins
Certified Thermalist®
Owner/ Creator
Element Outdoor Sauna
“
"Chris was an incredible mentor who truly believes in practicing what you preach. As a newbie in the world of nature connection, there were so many ideas that felt overwhelming and too big to conquer but Chris was able to break them down into manageable pieces. I'm so thankful for Chris and his program; they changed the way that I think about and interact with the natural world"
Ana kiiskinen - Past participant
“
I joined because my mental health is greatly improved by spending time in nature, developing skills that are central to the human experience. I was hoping to get further practice with bushcraft skills I’ve tried before, as well as learn some new skills. The most valuable part of the experience was making connections; to the land and to other like-minded people.
MEGAN KENZIE - SPRING 2024 GUILD MEMBER
Photo's From Past Guilds
(Click arrows to scroll)
Fall 2024 ~ Dates & Themes
The Fall Theme is Food from the Land.
Sept 29th/30th (Sun/Mon) ~ 9:30am - 5pm
Traditional Manoomin (Wild Rice) Processing with Caleb Musgrave at Hiawatha First Nation
Specific weekend details coming soon...
Oct 20th/21st (Sun/Mon) ~ 9:30am - 5pm
Late Fall Foraging, Acorn Processing & Survival Hunting in Dwight, ON.
Nov 24th/25th (Sun/Mon) ~ 9:30am - 5pm
Winter Medicine Making & Advanced Bush Craft & Outdoor Skills in Dwight, ON.
Weekly
Community Communication & Learning Prompts
Through a phone app, you can connect with the other participants to keep each other inspired and share your stories and questions. I will also be sending out short weekly prompts and mini lessons to keep the motivation and learning going in between sessions.
At Your Own Pace/On Your Time ~ Optional
Reading Nature's Language Online Course
A video based course on wildlife tracking and bird language. See course details here.
Take the Next Step on YOUR WILD Journey...
Meet Your Guides...
Chris Gilmour
Lead Mentor at ChrisOutdoors.ca
I've always loved the outdoors, but it wasn't until my early twenties that I realized how little of nature's language I was aware of.
After meeting a few mentors, I realized I enjoyed nature more as a spectator and tourist than an active and aware participant in nature's story.
I wanted to build deep relationships with all the amazing species we share this planet with, to know them like friends and family.
This sent me on a 20+ year (and counting) journey of rediscovery. I traveled North America studying wilderness survival, tracking, bird language, foraging and more from dozens of teachers.
I learned to read and interpret the tracks, trees, bird calls and other signs like words in a storybook. A story full of wonder that is all around us. And a story that many (myself included earlier in life) did not even know existed.
This new way of relating to the natural world completely changed my life. One of my biggest passions is sharing this with others, which I have been doing for the past two decades through Chris Outdoors and other organizations
And Special Guest Guides...
Laura Gilmour
Forager & Herbalist from Wild Muskoka Botanials
Laura will likely pop in a few days to share her gifts and knowledge with us.
Laura is a homesteader, forager, herbalist, naturalist & Tracker. Her feral rural upbringing allowed her to develop a natural curiosity and passion for nature from a young age. Laura formally studied ecology, and later went on to pursue sustainable living by working on several Permaculture farms and with herbalists on the west coast. Laura has a passion for traditional living skills and has spent years learning ancestral arts such as basket making, traditional hide tanning, and friction fire making. She is also a strong naturalist with several years’ experience as an ecological consultant. For over 15 years she has been learning how to prepare wild foods, make her own medicines and learning how to share this with others to empower them in living more sustainable lives.
Caleb Musgrave
Lead Mentor at Canadian Bushcraft
Caleb is a Mississauga Anishinaabe Woodsman, Hunter & Trapper. He is a generational "food getter" who grew up learning his techniques and mindset from his father, uncle and grandparents.
With a background in ecology as well as archaeology, Caleb has a deep understanding of humankind and food.
From tracking, to traditional camouflage and scent covering tactics, to ways to make the most use of the kill, Caleb is an experienced instructor with a mental toolkit that covers a little about everything.
The Ways of the Wild is for YOU if:
- You love the outdoors and crave spending more time on the land, learning and connecting.
- You see the value and benefit of being highly skilled in the outdoors, from survival to navigation to wilderness travel.
- You are fascinated by ecology and want to deepen your naturalist knowledge and expand your awareness.
- You have concerns about the direction the world is heading, and know that building your skills and knowledge is a proactive way to prepare for the unknown.
- You want to be part of a friendly and inclusive community open to ALL genders, ethnicities and religions.
Ways of the Wild Foundations:
Nature Awareness &
Personal Growth
Outdoor/Survival Skills & Self-Reliance in a Quickly Changing World
Naturalist Knowledge
& Land Stewardship
IMPORTANT - PLEASE READ BELOW BEFORE APPLYING
Ethics, Values & Code of Conduct:
We strive to create a safe and welcoming space for people of all experience levels, genders, nationalities and spiritual/religious backgrounds. To us, interacting with and tending the wild is a sacred relationship with the land. We also believe strongly in Indigenous sovereignty and rights here on Turtle Island.
To maintain this safe and welcoming environment we keep politics out of programs. We recognize politics are important and part of the world, but these classes are about connection with the land, ourselves, each other and skill development.
We ask that all participants be open-minded and non-judgemental towards other participants and agree to the following values:
~ Respect for ALL other participants regardless of their religion, gender, nationality or political orientation.
~ Being good stewards and caretakers of the earth and forest and holding reverence for the other species and kin we share this planet with.
If you have any questions about these values, please email me before registering to discuss them.
If you disagree or have issues with these values, this class is probably NOT the right class for you.
.