BTS of Chief of War 🌋 is a Perfect Example of Divine Purpose & Nature Alignment

“I remember feeling and thinking that the island has memory. Because we were honoring the story and so it responded.”

— Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, Exec. Producer of Chief of War

Full disclaimer: I have not watched the Apple TV Series, Chief of War…yet. I’ve watched some of the trailers, but this behind-the-scenes video about filming the last episode gave me chills! 

As you watch this video, you’ll notice the drive, determination, and surrender Jason Mamoa has when directing this particular battle. It reminds me of what it feels like to be on a divine assignment.

What do I mean by “divine assignment’? 

When you answer the call of your true purpose, a purpose that comes from a higher power (such as God or your Supreme Being), you act without question—you simply do it. When you answer this call, you might have this (sometimes) overwhelming feeling of going for it, no matter how ridiculous or impossible the task. You feel like you don’t know where the motivation comes from, and you might have this supercharged energy, like you MUST do the impossible. And sometimes to others, that call seems downright crazy! But just as Mamoa pitched the scenes to his producers, his team trusted him, and they followed through! (at timestamp:048)

What’s even more fascinating about this video is that I recognize the response from the land! It’s exactly why I can’t really explain what happens during healing hikes. But watching from timestamps 1:56 - 2:59 about the volcano, Mauna Loa going off right when they needed to film that scene, reminded me that when we walk on the land with prayer and intention, it’s hearing us and it’s responding. We may not be setting off volcanoes, but we definitely experience alignments and synchronicities on our silent walks because we go through an opening ritual, then ask for permission to walk, and remember HOW to communicate with nature. 

Some of you who have done a healing hike had this experience of direct communication with nature. To this day, 10 years of leading healing hikes, and I’m still in awe every time someone receives messages of alignment or ah-ha moments on the trail. Our groups have even had shared alignments and synchronicities that come directly from nature, showing us that collective healing can happen! And the messages that come out of this are always profound and accurate for hikers who receive their message. And anything coming directly from nature is indisputable, in my opinion! 

How are you paying attention to the signs that nature is guiding you towards divine purpose?

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Lead With Spiritual Intuition ✨: Nature-based Ways to Exercise Your Intuitive Listening Muscle

We’re all intuitive. But not all of us are tapped in.

In a video conversation I had with First-Gen Latina Therapist, Claudia Parada way back in 2019, we spoke about communicating intuitively and how we’ve been conditioned to quiet our intuition as a symptom of colonization. 

In the coaching practice, our ability to intuitively connect with our clients is key to facilitating transformation. And listening is a foundational part of tapping into those intuitive muscles. Are you really listening to what this person is saying, meaning, and experiencing in the story share?

As coaches, we’re simultaneously listening to what our clients are saying while intuitively listening to how our mind, body, and spirit are receiving it. Sometimes (most times) we share the same sentiments, maybe even trauma that our clients present. So we self-manage our own emotions so we don’t bring our baggage to the session. We’re listening on multiple levels & dimensions, and that’s actually hard work! 

So how can you strengthen your intuition? Let’s start with listening intuitively. 

Listening is more than just hearing words. True listening requires presence, openness, and trust in our inner knowing. In our fast-paced world, we often forget how to listen—not only to others, but to ourselves. As natural care-givers, people pleasers, and nurturers we often listen to respond to where we can help or fix things for others.

Nature offers us a timeless teacher.

When we step outdoors and listen deeply, we remember how to quiet the noise and receive guidance from both the outer world and our own intuition, i.e., our inner voice.

Here are 3 practices to strengthen your intuitive listening skills the next time you’re in a deep conversation. Remember nature’s lessons to help guide you towards a more impactful conversation.

Listen with More than Your Ears

If you're out in nature, notice the sounds around you—the rustle of leaves, the hum of insects, or the silence between bird calls and start to tap in. Then, expand your listening. Feel how the air touches your skin, sense the stillness of the earth beneath you. Intuitive listening is multisensory; it’s about receiving information with your whole being. Try this when you’re listening to someone share a story - listen with all your senses, even your spiritual/energetic sense like the vibe of the conversation, and name that vibe!

 Listen for the Unspoken

As you sit or walk outdoors, tune into what isn’t immediately obvious. Is there a tension in your body that speaks? A thought that repeats like a refrain? A pull toward a certain place in the conversation? Intuitive listening often comes as whispers, nudges, or sensations rather than loud or even verbal answers. What emotions are leading this conversation?

 Let Silence Speak

Allow yourself a few moments of complete silence—no talking, no rushing, no expectation. Silence in nature can feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s often in those still moments that your intuition surfaces with clarity. When big emotions arise in conversations, try inviting silence rather than responding or making a statement of validation. 

A Gentle Reminder

Intuitive listening is about slowing down enough to hear what is always present—within you and around you. Like a muscle, it grows stronger the more you practice. And nature provides the perfect space to cultivate this skill.

If you want to go into a practice with us, consider the next NATURE-BASED COACHING SKILLS COURSE and sign up for our Intuitive Listening Skills Course.

Sign up for our newsletter to see when the next class is offered!

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I Coach Disruptors ⚠️ Here Are Signs You're One Of Them 🛑

Calm down.
Don’t be so emotional.
You’re overreacting.
You’re too intense.

All of these comments make my blood boil. Because I know internally these comments are meant to silence me, to make me smaller, tone me down, or control me. I’ve been told these things all my life. Growing up as an empathic kid, one who felt emotional overwhelm when someone was mistreated, I tended to speak up or ask questions to understand why the world was the way it was. And not everyone was comfortable with that.

But as I grew into my teenage years and young adulthood, I did what most people do; I molded to the comments and I consciously or subconsciously agreed to the judgments or gaslighting (we didn’t have that term growing up, btw). I think I submitted to keep myself safe from harm or from being ostracized. 

But over time, as my career developed, I realized the choice to be silenced cost me my voice and my agency. Because I was outspoken, it cost me jobs. I literally was pushed out of positions because I was pointing out unethical practices and institutional racism with my higher-ups. This happened twice.

Now that I think about it, as I was building up my leadership, I really didn’t have role models for my rage. Coaching wasn’t a thing offered for professional development, and most of what was out there were diversity programs; aka, failed attempts to have us conform to the status quo, white supremacy culture in the workplace. 

I wish I had the language, rhetoric, and supportive environments that embraced my fiery nature instead of teaching me how to be more likable.

So, how did I end up finding my voice/agency and embracing my natural rage?  TBH, I had to reach outside of my professional career and resources and start working on myself on a personal level. I couldn’t have come to the place I’m in now, fully on my path as a coach, healer, and facilitator, had I not stretched myself to go into spiritual development. 

Now that I’ve blended all parts of my leadership into my coaching style, I realized that I tend to have clients who resemble a lot of who I am and what I’ve gone through in life. I guess you can say it’s the way that my life lessons are now available to share and support others on a similar path! 

To fully accept myself I had to come to terms with my identity as a DISTRUPTOR. Once I did that I felt more whole, more complete in my identity. And I started to notice how my clients tended to be disruptors themselves! Suddenly I can recognize the rage, the frustration, and support them in a way that celebrates and empowers the change agents they are (without them losing their jobs, of coarse)! 

So, over these last 9 years of working with leaders 1:1, I noticed the traits below as the
DISRUPTOR ARCHETYPE.

Are you one of them? How many can you say "yes" to?

• Stands firm on beliefs of justice and truth: They are willing to risk positions of power to advocate for what they believe is right, acting as altruists of truth and universal law.

• Possesses powerful, often unseen accomplishments: Their past successes are not public but serve as a "secret weapon," providing a high moral ground from which they operate.

• Highly aware, empathic, and educated on societal dysfunction: They understand the root causes of problems and are fierce advocates for solutions that align with nature and universal/natural law.

• Needs balance and deep human connection: Despite their fiery nature, they crave validation, human-centered relationships, and deeper connections to prevent burnout.

• Looks to nature for validation and guidance: They believe nature holds the answers for healing and "setting things right," trusting it to guide their approach to change.

If you answered yes to all, let’s flip the script on what it means to be a disruptor and make changes in our organizations without losing a job, having fallouts in relationships, or feeling alone and “too much” of anything. You’re more than enough, you’re meant to do this work!

My private 1:1 spaces are here to accept and witness ALL of you, to nurture and embrace all the rage you've been containing. Despite what your external environment tells you about who you should be, you already know who you are in all the heightened emotions that come up when in the face of injustices. Let's get to the root of your beliefs and how you see the world doing better, being better for the sake of the collective shift towards right relationship with each other. Let's work together to find a more effective way as you contribute on the frontlines!

Let’s find a time on my calendar to talk about ways you can cultivate your leadership THROUGH your rage and characteristic of being a DISRUPTOR!

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Our Rage is Mirrored in Pele's Volcanic Activity

Pele Teaches Us
That Our Rage Is Purposeful

I’ve been noticing a trend in clients reaching out to restart or start coaching sessions with me. There’s an energy of readiness for those who have been sitting on this idea of breaking free from the conditioned mind that limits their ability to fully live in truth and purpose.

As someone who makes connections between the human experience and how nature behaves, I know that there’s a metaphor showing up here. As Pele, the Hawaiian volcano aka Kilauea has been showing me, has been erupting for quite a few months with over 30+ episodes viewable on the USGS live stream.

She’s always been a nature deity I rely on to be that mirror for my own emotions as I navigate this world and my spiritual development. She, along with all other volcanoes along The Ring of Fire have been showing us is that our rage here and is valid. And our rage comes with purpose.

IT IS NOW TIME to activate, engage with the ruptures we need to start so we can live in right relationship. Time to clear the canvas, reset our consciousness and begin building the world that is actually aligned with nature, not extracting of it. This is what Tutu Pele does: she comes in and cleanses the land by resetting the landscape and creating new land with the most fertile of all soil types. It its time for our own REBIRTH.

If you’ve been feeling a sense of emotional overwhelm, maybe even rage, just know that this is your nature, your body signaling to you that something isn’t right. What if you were able to run with that big emotion and figure out what enrages you and where does that come from? Chances are you’ll find some values around justice, fairness, maybe even integrity come up.

Whenever I self examine my emotions and reactions I try to look to nature and things that naturally happen to give me clues about how the human experience works.

• How does nature recover from extraction/destruction/imbalance? Perhaps our strategy can be the same for our own bodies.

These connections to nature and ourselves are ancient ways in which we navigated life pre-colonialism. So, reclaiming this practice of reading nature and being in relationship with it are sure ways to sustain ourselves, solve problems within communities, and learn how we, as individuals, can grow and heal by observing how nature does it.

What parts/systems/organisms in nature to you go to help you through your life’s challenges?

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How to Respond, Not React: 🐍 What Snakes Can Teach Us About Leadership

Transform Rage and Reaction to a Profound Response

 In earlier years of my moments of rage that brought out the not-so-pleasant outcomes in certain conversations. Over the years, I've had to learn how to transform that young and passionate energy into one that is more calculated and worthy of my precious energy. It hasn't been easy, but it has been effective in my ability to be heard and protect the (emotional) labor I don't have to exert. 

I have to thank the snakes for the lessons they've taught me through their biology. Knowing this species helps me learn healthy restraint and asking the right reflection questions to myself before responding to a person that brings out the rage in me! 

The snake lessons have come into so many coaching sessions because I tend to work with very passionate leaders who are natural disruptors in their agencies. They have certain heat and fierceness to them because at the core of their values is justice and fairness. I've helped my clients channel in this snake-like approach to their leadership strategies because they're navigating some pretty aggravating environments.  

How do I guide them towards a more strategic approach to heated conversations? Listen to my latest YouTube video below and learn some of the questions you can ask yourself when you pause to really think about a more effective way to respond rather than react. This is the "art of the clap back"!

Some of the main lessons we can take away from knowing the snake include:

• Harnessing Rage as a Tool for Change
  Rage, often seen negatively, is reframed as sacred information. Instead of suppressing it, leaders can acknowledge their anger, understand its roots, and channel it constructively to drive social change and justice. Explore parts of your life experience or upbringing that shaped your tendency to feel rage and what core values are alive with you now?

• Intentional Action Over Reactive Responses
  Snakes strike with purpose and precision. Similarly, leaders should act intentionally, ensuring their responses are measured and aligned with their values, rather than reacting impulsively to challenges. Every hard moment is an opportunity to shift the dynamic in the conversation to center your values. As an example, you can pause to ask yourself, "If I demand an apology, what will that apology do for the benefit of the relationship (if I'm invested in it)?"

• Embracing Stillness and Reflection
  Snakes spend significant time in stillness, conserving energy and observing their environment. Leaders can benefit from moments of reflection, allowing for clarity, strategic thinking, and deeper understanding. Give yourself grace and the honor of coming from a place of inner wisdom and you'll model to others that you're response will be worthy and wise.

• Transformation Through Adversity
  The snake's ability to navigate through tight spaces and challenging terrains serves as a metaphor for resilience. Leaders are reminded that adversity can be a catalyst for transformation and innovation. Remember, you have more capacity today than you did years ago, to see through this challenge because you have been working on yourself.  COLLECT YOUR RECEIPTS! 

If you're ready to take your leadership to the next level and navigate sticky situations with calculated risk and energy conservation, let's talk about what needs to SHIFT IN YOU! Book a consultation call to see if we can work together on your development as a fierce leader who disrupts the status quo! 

And if you know you're ready but not sure if you can afford diving into coaching, no worries! Let's talk about where you are in your journey and what you can invest in today. I'm open and acknowledge that these days are tough times with non-essential spending, so let's take reality into consideration and see what we can work out!

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Recap Of Our 2025 Healing Hikes With Local Organizations

2025 was such a wild year, but what kept us committed to this work of healing in nature were the healing hikes.

Being in community with people who understood the power of nature to feel better, create deeper bonds with each other, and care for the land was all we needed to stay grounded and steadfast throughout a year that was so wildly tragic and magical.

We hope you enjoy this short video recapping all the beautiful people we walked with and all the places we hiked. This work really couldn’t continue without the belief that what we do here at Rino Consulting Solutions is making real change happen in harmony with nature.

We’re so grateful to the support guides, Julie Salzman, Maio Buenafe, and Patrick Brown who assisted our Founder & CEO in this year of growing the work.

It was truly challenging in many ways as we entered into another Trump administration. And we don’t anticipate this year, 2026 being any quieter or less dramatic than 2025. We believe we’re entering into the height of the administration’s attempts to amplify the colonizer’s and white supremacy culture’s agenda. Remember, our work in providing healing hikes began in 2016, the first time the administration came into office. So, this work is connected to those actions and also provide ways to support our collective community by building leadership capacity, self-determination, and a deep sense of belonging and unity.

We also understand that those efforts of the Trump adminstration and its followers are far less powerful in impact and numbers to distract us from our goals to create a more just and equitable world.

So we encourage you to keep staying close to us here as well as staying close to your community of love, equity, and unity as we face more challenges ahead. Continue to go to nature for grounding, supporting any efforts to better your relationships to others and your sense of belonging to your safe communities.

To book your agency or group for a private group healing hike, please fill out our application below to get started on coordinating your experience.

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Slow Down to Lead Better ⏸️: Reflections and A Guide to Cultivate Your Nature-based Leadership

“True, there is much to be seen and understood along this path; but it can’t be forced, any more than you can force someone to appreciate the golden light of the low sun shining over fields of wheat or the moonrise in the mountains. Best not to speak at all in moments such as these. All you can do is be present with the enormity of it yourself and hope others see it in the silence of the moment. Sunsets and moonrises speak for themselves, in their own languages, on their own canvases. Silence at times leaves space for the untamed to speak.”

— Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn

Silence has been such a powerful tool in coaching sessions, especially during our healing hikes. In today’s climate of uncertainty it seems like simple moments of silence are hard to carve out. How do we turn down the noise? How do we shut down the stimuli coming from all directions of our lives?  Slowing down the pace of your day can be the next step closer to a moment of silence. 

Put the phone down, don’t answer the email, just sit, breathe, and close your eyes.

For just a moment, like 5 minutes…tap into your natural state of rest in the chair you’re in right now. Believe it or not, sitting silently can be that transformative moment that unlocks your leadership potential. By creating space for silence by slowing down, we gain clarity, enhance our empathy, and make more thoughtful decisions. It's in these moments of stillness that true insight often emerges.

As socially conscious nature lovers, we often find solace and wisdom in the natural world. Nature offers us profound lessons in patience, resilience, and interconnectedness. It reminds us that growth often happens at a deliberate pace and that observing the subtle rhythms around us can bring invaluable perspective.

This month, we invite you to draw inspiration from nature and incorporate moments of reflection into your leadership practice. Consider these nature-based reflection questions:

• Observe a tree: What can its steady growth and deep roots teach you about long-term vision and stability in your leadership? How does it weather storms, and what does that tell you about resilience in the face of challenges?

• Listen to a flowing stream: How does the water navigate obstacles? What can its constant movement and adaptability teach you about navigating change and finding creative solutions?

• Watch a seed sprout: What does this process tell you about the importance of patience and nurturing potential within your team? What small actions can you take to foster growth in others?

• Consider a flock of birds in flight: How do they move in unison, and what does this illustrate about collaboration and shared purpose within a team? How do individual birds contribute to the collective movement?

• Reflect on a sunset: What does the transition from day to night signify about endings and new beginnings in your leadership journey? What can you learn from letting go and embracing new phases?

Taking even a few moments each day to connect with nature, whether physically or through mindful contemplation, can significantly enhance your ability to lead with intention and impact.

We’ve seen the results of walking with more intention on our hikes. So it’s no surprise that bringing in that same intentionality can only amplify your capacity to be the leader you know you are! 

Take a journey with me to reclaim your agency, remember who you truly are, and trust that the moments of slowing down can be that trailhead to your transformation, IF WE CAN JUST TAKE THAT PAUSE!

 What are some ways we can take a pause together? Whether you’re local to my area or not, it’s possible to tap into our nature-based approach to Self leadership development. Below are some ways you can get started with me!

Click on each service option below to start your booking

meet me at the beautiful lake merritt in oakland as an accessible way to connect to nature while in session. walking is optional. sometimes presence is the most potent.

this service leans more towards my spiritual connection to nature where guide your meditative journey, remotely so you can find exactly what you need to navigate life, sourcing dimensions beyond the physical world

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Watch A Nature Elemental Meditation on Our YouTube Channel!

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Working with Earth Allies: Crystals & Stones as a Wellness Practice

When I began my practice of connecting to nature I didn’t expect to be drawn so deeply to stones, crystals, and the power they had to support me. So I took my time, privately to understand my attraction and if it really was something I can use for my own healing.

Little did I know that I had (1) an ancestral connection to using crystals and stones and (2) I needed them everyday, in my way. So I want to share with you pieces of my own personal collection as well as offer some reasons why you might consider working with the element of Earth in the form of crystals. These tools are a profound way to exercise your intuition and learn more about yourself.

Chrysocolla, quarts, garnet, & Apophyllite

As someone who is very sensitive to energy in the room and from people, I knew that PROTECTION was going to be standard. That’s where I found my Obsidian palm stone. Then from there I just started experimenting with different stones, learning about their properties, and taking on some of these Earth allies into my toolkit to support me during coaching sessions and especially on healing hikes.

Below is a vlog where I’m really divulging how I use my intuition and special Earth connection to work with each of these pieces. And as a teaser, I also share about my ancestral lineage of healing and its connection to working with crystals!

The Health Benefits of Working with Crystals

If you’re curios about other crystals and what properties they hold for healing, below is a quick list of reasons why you might start tapping into these gems. Generally, there’s a correlation between the color of the stones and the color of certain chakra points. But that’s only one way of relating to crystals and it can be different for you. Because your body is unique to you and your attraction to particular stones may give you insights into what needs healing at the moment. I encourage you to connect with each in your own way. And if even if the properties don’t align with you, then that’s okay! Keep testing, experimenting, learning, and connecting to what collection you’ll have for yourself!

1. Emotional Balance and Stress Relief
Crystals like amethyst, rose quartz, and clear quartz are known for their calming properties. By incorporating these stones into your routine, you can reduce stress, anxiety, and emotional tension, bringing a greater sense of peace and harmony.

2. Mental Clarity and Focus
Crystals such as fluorite and clear quartz are believed to enhance focus and clarity. They may help clear mental clutter and improve decision-making, especially when you’re facing challenging tasks.

3. Physical Healing Support
Though not a substitute for medical care, crystals like citrine, turquoise, and bloodstone are thought to support physical healing. For example, turquoise is believed to boost the immune system, while bloodstone is said to enhance circulation.

4. Improved Sleep
Struggling with sleep? Crystals such as amethyst and lepidolite are often used to reduce insomnia and improve sleep quality. Placing them near your bed can help calm the mind for a more restful night.

5. Energy and Vitality
If you need a boost in energy or motivation, carnelian and red jasper are believed to enhance vitality and creativity. These stones can inspire passion and help you stay connected to your purpose.

6. Chakra Alignment
Crystals are commonly used in energy healing to balance and align the body’s chakras. Placing stones like rose quartz over the heart can promote feelings of love and emotional healing during meditation.

7. Spiritual Growth and Intuition
Stones such as labradorite, selenite, and moonstone are thought to enhance spiritual awareness and intuition. Meditating with these crystals can deepen your connection to your inner self and the world around you.

8. Grounding and Protection
Crystals like black tourmaline, hematite, and obsidian are known for their grounding and protective properties. These stones can shield you from negative energy and help you feel more stable and rooted.

Traditional Insights to Help Guide Your Self-Discovery

As I mentioned earlier, I discovered that working with crystals was actually something my Great Grandfather practiced. Through researching my maternal line, some relatives shared with me that my Great Grandfather, Thomas was an Espiritista (Spiritualist) in the Philippines. And in their beliefs they knew that all things on Earth had a spirit, even stones. When I heard this I felt this embodied sense of relief and overwhelm. It was like the puzzle piece to that question, that void that left me wondering why I was attracted to crystals. I believe I received my answer then!

And looking further into my cultural lineage, I found specific stones that have been used by traditional healers in the Philippines. In one of the most influential books to my journey, author and practitioner, Virgil Apostol writes,

““Kalinga healers placed carnelian beads besides the sick and recited incantations over them.10 If an individual is afflicted with sagom, a form of hysteria, the ailment is usually attributed to the eating of meat from the water buffalo, deer, and a certain fish, to which the spirit companion is allergic. In such cases, an aruba (small spherical carnelian bead) is tied around the wrist of the person to indicate that he or she is not allowed to eat the foods causing the attacks.”

”

— Way of the Ancient Healer, by V.M.Apostol

Continuing my exploration of crystals I also came to understand that one of the most helpful ways to use crystals when healing and soul searching is to look for the crystals that are found on your own ancestral lands. Even if you’ve never physically been there before, your lineage has deep connection and relationship to those lands. You just so happen to be a descendant that has traveled away from there. But deep in your DNA are components of that land when your ancestors lived in harmony with it. So, do some research about what natural stones are found in those areas and if they’ve traditionally been used for healing, ritual, or belief systems. These gems are probably more attuned to your body than other stones found elsewhere.

I hope this information helps you in your quest to connect to the elements of Earth. If you’re into crystals, please share your relationship to your crystals, stones, and sentimental objects from Earth! I’d love to hear how you use them and what they’ve done for your health and wellness!

The Bigger Picture View Brings Healing & Mental Wellness

One of the things I’m interested in is the way hierarchies and systems of supremacies cut individuals off from the wider human body, so they’re not able to emphathize, or feel the pain of another. I once heard Jeannette Armstrong describe our Okanagan definitions of insanity, and one of them is ‘cut off from your whole earth part.’

- excerpt from, Turn This World Inside Out by, Nor Samara

Confession: one of my self soothing and decompression activities is to watch nature documentaries. Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Nature, you name it…I can get lost in it when my physical and mental being need a break from this daily life. Growing up as a latch-key kid in San Jose, the TV was where I turned to for my nature fix because it brought me the mystery and curiosity of the natural world. And it’s what that kept me close to a place that wasn’t “here”.

And after what seems like a lifetime of cultivating this love I have for nature, I recently found about this term that Astronauts know of as, “The Overview Effect”(watch the 15 min video with astronauts). When they’re there out in space, the view of Earth somehow changes the way you see your place on the planet. So when I learned about it, I felt like I finally had a word for that feeling I have when I get lost in the drama of nature and start to feel just a bit smaller as a human being. It brings back a sense of humility, of being connected to something bigger than myself, and essentially my multidimensionality. I realized this is what continues to nurture me and my mental health as my external environment seems to be imploding in on itself. 

Now, if you’ve been to any of my talks, workshops, or trainings you know that this is the central message I give to manage the deep work many of us are doing in social justice and community organizing: our wholeness IS our wellness. And even if you’re not in social impact work, the lines between corporate and community-based are quickly fading. 

So, if you’re curious about understanding the power of this nature-based approach to your work and everyday navigation through life, I offer my unique, nature-based way to engage with this material and begin your journey towards more self-awareness and intentional impact potential to your work.

You can start easily by reading more about my Radical Nature Framework and how this shapes the work of engaging with nature’s systems to heal our relationships with each other. Sharing this framework has been a profound exercise helping folks understand DEI, cultivate a social justice lens, explore spiritual guidance, and bring conscious land-based work forward. All this, guided by looking towards the natural world. Check out Our Approach and reflect on what comes up for you when you read about this framework. 

Find that moment to tap into that Overview Effect by taking a walk in nature, visiting a local botanical garden, or zoning out on the next episode of a nature documentary! And share with me:

What views and experiences in nature bring you back to 
a sense of wholeness and interconnectedness? 

Four Critical Parts for Curating Healing Hikes

Healing hikes are deeply intentional and call for careful crafting. Here are four parts of my planning process that make for a unique and magical experience.

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And if you want to read about an accurate account of a group healing hike, read my featured article on Outside Magazine Online, Nature Therapy for People of Color in Traumatic Jobs

It’s all about INTENTION.

Intention is often a hard concept to explain. So I want to ask, what comes to mind when you think about an intention? Maybe a “goal” or “outcome”? Landing a clear intention is often harder than you think.

When I think about intention, I want to know that you have a purpose for doing a thing; what do you want out of it? I want to hear your participation in a hike has a reason that is connected to something you want for yourself and will carry you to something different.

When participation isn’t anchored with an intention, the result is often vague. Sure it was nice to get outside to feel better, and there’s also opportunity to receive something specific if you ask for something specific. Sometimes tell hikers, If you say, “I want to be in nature for fresh air and to be with the trees” you’ll surely receive that and check it off of your list. BUT, consider this possibility: if you say, “I want to know if I should stay or leave my current job”, you can also receive answers to that. I’ll get to how this happens later in the post, but for now, which type of question could give you more on your hike?

Read more about intention here

So, to prepare for a healing hike I often prompt hikers with questions like:

• What challenges do you want to work through today?

• If you can have anything from nature, what would you want to give yourself today?

• What questions about life/work/relationships are most alive for you right now?

• After doing the hike, what parts of YOU do you want to be different?

I think about intentions for the entire group and for each individual. It helps anchor me with the community and gives me insights about where and how I’m to hold space for them. The group’s intention allows me to attune to the dynamics so I can identify what parts of nature can be the most supportive. Like, if a group is showing up with a lot of grief to process, I may think about a site with Redwood groves because these ancient beings can hold or take our grief.

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LOCATION is key, but honoring the process is critical.

Finding the right location means we only hike in specific parks. I carve out time to find  the location and connect with it first, spiritually. Connection allows me to support this as a healing process rather than a casual group recreational activity. Walking in silence as a group means that connection and reflection time as you walk is centered in the experience.

Before any hike, I look for the trails and ask myself:

• What area of this park calls me to gather this group or person based on their intention?

• What's happening around me that gives me insights into how I can hold this sacred process for someone?

• Are there sacred (legally designated or not) places within the park?

• Do I know anyone who is ancestrally connected to this land? If not, how can I tap into the ancestors of this land, spiritually (in meditation/channeling) to see if I can feel or sense if this location is available for this work?

When I scout a site, I do the same meditative walk so I can COMMUNICATE WITH THE LOCATION directly, no distractions. If I have a team or support staff scheduled to do the group hike with me, allowing them to form their own connection and communication is just as important in shaping the experience.

Connecting to the location is also an important step in receiving “permission” to do this work on the land. Permission can show up as many different signs, like getting a general “good feeling” or “welcoming sense” from the visit or the park is yes. Visits from wildlife or rare sightings of species can also be a sign or good omen. Checking in with the native community of that land is also key. We can’t go home with icky feelings or more questions than confirmations. If it’s a no-go, we scout another location. ***

And of course connecting with the Native communities in which these are their ancestral lands is a critical step in including the practice and solidarity of the #landback movement. Making sure land acknowledgments and an honoring of the ancestors of the land are part of your process is key to our intentions for our collective healing. Because if the ultimate goal here is to reclaim who we are as a people, then contributions to the Native community’s efforts to be recognized, centered, and supported in efforts to bring back their land sovereignty is something we all as settlers can include in our process. All this to say, this topic of ways of building solidarity with the Native community can use it’s own blog post, in the least.

Connecting the LANDSCAPE to the healing process.

My favorite parts of the process is where I get to use my unique approach of blending academic ecological knowledge and training I have with the my Radical Nature Framework. 

coyote hills regional park wetlands in fremont, ca

As an example, if I pick a park with wetlands, ecologically they function as buffer or "filtering" zones. These special zones collect and filter out sediments and toxins in the freshwater that travel from the mountains through cities and neighborhoods before going out into the ocean. 

Metaphorically we can stand in the wetland and think about what in our lives do we need to "filter"? Or we can prompt the question, “What’s stuck for you or muddy right now and how would you like to flow again based on your intention for this hike?”

When I prepare for a group’s hike, part of the consultation call is to determine the location as it connects to the group’s healing needs. And in order to connect the landscapes or park trails with the group’s needs, I ask these guiding questions:

• What are the self-care and wellness needs of the group and are there ecosystems in the area that metaphorically connect to their personal growth and healing needs?

• Are there any parts of the trails ideal for deeper reflection time? Because people benefit by immersing themselves in the moments of simply sitting on the trail to reflect.

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PERMISSION and walking with GRATITUDE 

Probably the most important part of the planning process, but is often the part that we take for granted. And I too am still guilty of coming onto a site without the proper ritual of GIVING THANKS and ASKING PERMISSION. But it's a very important piece that honors the natural cycle of giving and receiving (the circle of life). 

The opening circle is a time for each to ask for permission in their own way. Then I ask the group to feel or sense the permission to keep going. The “yes” that happens is something you just have to experience IRL, but in general it’s that good feeling to keep going.

Finally, gratitude is also the language of nature. Sharing out what we’re grateful for is a sacred ritual done to honor our time together, the ancestors who have cared for and nurtured the land since time immemorial. It is also a sacred ritual you can do EACH TIME you are out in nature. 

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I hope this glimpse into the prep work of healing hikes gives you the sense of just how special and intentional these experiences are. They’ve been such an integral part of my life and healing journey and I hope you get inspired to take these same intentional steps before your next outing. 

If you’re feeling called to be on a healing hike with me, below you’ll find ways to sign up for different options or apply for your group to have this unique experience together!

Coach, Therapist, or Both? 3 Questions to Help You Find A Practitioner

Ultimately, it’s about finding a match in chemistry with someone who’ll hold you through vulnerable and tender moments. 

As the need for mental wellness increases in these times of social unrest, the amount of services and resources available for support has also increased. With online companies that provide easy access and almost on-demand support like BetterHelp or TalkSpace, beginning the search for the right practitioner can be overwhelming. Taking intentional time to trully reflect on what your self-development needs are can clear up some fog and help you see precisely who you’re looking for and where to find them.  

Ultimately, the decision and investment to work with someone who is there to hold some of the most intimate moments and tender parts of you depends so much on the chemistry and overall vibe you receive when interviewing them for their services. So, before you start the “matching” game for your support person, let’s get clear on what kind of support might be more aligned with your needs and preferences for self-development and healing.  

In this post, I wanted to share the specific distinctions between a coach and a therapist because I often get asked what the differences are by prospective clients, especially those who haven’t worked with a  coach before or only worked with one for a very specific and short-term purpose related to the workplace. I want to offer some key questions to reflect on so you can get clear on who the right practitioner may be for you, and then begin your search. 

I’ve never been a therapist, but I have had therapists before. So I can’t speak to that skill set or its requirements to be in practice. I can only let you know how I see coaching as different from therapy based on my perspective as a coach.

Image from nature-based coaching essentials workbooks. Rinoconsultingsolutions©️

First, coaching is often viewed as focused on a person’s career path and navigation toward higher leadership or productivity. No doubt, coaching is not as well known as therapy as a form of private support because the industry really began in corporate America. If you ask people what coaching is, more often than not, you’ll get vague answers or something to the effect of being a counselor or mentor to be a better worker/leader., I won’t get into the weeds of the differences between the roles of counselor or mentor, but they are different. 

First, I’ll name what each practice is

Coaching often centers on a specific profession or industry for a certain period of time, or until you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve; a higher position, create a new business, etc. You can have coaches specific to building a business, developing speaking skills, helping you write a book, or like me supporting you in cultivating healing-centered empowered leadership. The industry of coaching isn’t highly regulated and most coaches don’t have to be certified to call themselves a coach. Doing your research and interviewing each one is highly advised.

Therapists are clinicians and often have to comply as such, like only providing service to the state they live in. So going through specific training/licensure and rigorous levels of certification and regulation are required because these clinicians are tied to the Western medical and clinical lens of addressing disease, disorders, or rehabilitation and such. They treat patients and can prescribe medications or identify diagnoses. 

I believe both practices are beneficial in their own ways, based on what support a person needs. What I appreciate about being a coach is that I get to blend different modalities and frameworks of healing without the restrictions of licensure. I blend my life experiences, ecology and science education, and leadership development with my spiritual connection to nature. A therapist might have the flexibility to create a particular niche of therapy, but they are also required to avoid the risk of non-compliance. One simple example of a licensure limit is that depending on the state, a psychotherapist cannot provide services to clients living outside of the state they are licensed. 

As a coach location doesn’t matter and I can also include things like dream interpretation, ancestral healing, or other psychotherapy frameworks and approaches. I have more flexibility and autonomy to blend, shapeshift,  or adapt to my client's needs for healing. And because my journey to becoming a coach was heavily influenced by my identity and needing to find effective ways to support diverse leaders, I created my own framework of healing! My Radical Nature Framework grounds my practice in core principles of nature.

Now, I’m not here to sway you in one direction or another. I believe the right kind of support should go to the person based on their specific needs. So, personally an ideal situation for my mental and spiritual wellness needs would be hafing  both a coach and a therapist.

So let’s start parsing out the types of support and what some main differences I can share so you can better discern what kind of support will be the most beneficial on your healing journey:

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Here are three prompts you can reflect on: 

What motivates you?

Thinking about what your wellness needs mean by thinking about how you want things to be different and who you want to be by the time you finish receiving support. As a coach, I need to hear goals or aspirations so that I know where I’ll be guiding you towards. A therapist may not ask you what the future of your time together can look like because the focus is on what you present each session and healing from the past, primarily.
 

 Is accountability important to you?

Designing action steps and providing accountability for your growth and development is central to the coaching practice. I’m thinking about the shifts you want to make, what’s in the way of achieving that, and cheering you on as you approach those milestones. In my experience, a therapist isn’t so much tied to the outcomes but rather can be that supportive practitioner to help you see and name the things that may be coming up in your thought processes and behaviors. I think both can include accountability, but in coaching it’s essential. In therapy, it may be optional.
 

 Where are you starting? Where’s your trailhead?  

This is an important one to be able to speak on. As I mentioned, coaches aren’t regulated and therapists are clinicians. Because my industry isn’t regulated I need to be on my toes about the ethics of coaching. That’s why I went through (recommended) certification. If you feel that your mental health needs may exceed professional support and you’re not sure if there may be a clinical diagnosis to consider, start by talking to a therapist. If you feel ready to put some action behind your self-discovery and healing journey, you may be primed for working with a coach who can stretch or challenge you to do things outside of your comfort zone. Are you starting this work feeling extremely raw or tender? Consider a therapist. Or are you raw and tender and feel a burning desire to get proactive about changing how things are right now? You may be ready for coaching. 

Other expectations:

These are a given, but are worth mentioning.

Unfortunately in our society, individual support services are expensive and often NOT subsidized by the government or your employer. So, many people go underserved and our society’s mental health needs progress slower than a snail’s pace. But I’m someone who lives my life with the value of self-determination. So, I believe we all can get free and those of us privileged to know how to do that can to share that!

Here are some other tips for making this important work of self-development arrive in your life:

• Get serious about your wellness in the form of financial wellness because our money wealth is a mirror of our sense of self-worth and value. So start building that personal wellness fund and work out installment plans or barter with practitioners who are in the position to. Don’t be afraid to ask your community to pitch in. We need you at your best!

• Believe there are those out there who can truly love and support you and won’t hurt or abandon you during your process. That’s why interviews and referrals are key in deciding who to work with. And always, always check the vibe (in your gut) and trust that! Let practitioners know that you’ve been hurt before and/or what’s not going to work for you when you’re in a sacred space with them. If you’ve given them notice up front, you’ve already won by advocating for yourself!

If you’re ready to step into a program with me, don’t hesitate to book a quick consultation with me to see if we’re a good match!

You can also find out more about organizations I’ve coached for or which community-based directories I’m on!

Therapinay listing

Therapinay Blog

Windcall Institute

Leader Spring Center

LEAP (Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics)

3 Things Bruce Lee Taught Me About Water

“But a relationship is also a clear reflecting pool in which we can see ourselves most astutely if we dare to really look.”

- Shannon Lee, Be Water, My Friend. The True Teachings of Bruce Lee

Being a fire sign (Aries), water was one of the most difficult elements for me to connect to. But in my healing journey, I was being called to be in a deeper relationship with this element to create more balance in my life. Fire had been the dominant element I needed to accept my true nature of being an Aries with a fiery determination for life, ambition, and determination to accomplish my goals. But I was burning out, fanning my flames with resentment and anger from the hurts and intense impacts of previous relationships. 

I really believe that water was one of the most difficult elements for me to connect to because it’s the element that makes you take a deep look at yourself. And that’s not easy to do. I also realized, water is the only place in nature where you can see your reflection! Mind-blown

So I prayed for some guidance to help me get started on this journey to understand water. Then, I found Bruce Lee’s teachings through his daughter Shannon Lee. Be Water, My Friend was everything I needed! It was meant to be that I pick up Shannon Lee’s first book sharing her father’s teachings, starting with water. And I can’t wait for more from her! 

Of course, Bruce Lee’s teachings have always been powerful and priceless in philosophy and martial arts, but to hear about Shannon’s life growing up as his daughter and how it impacted her was pure evidence of what ancestral healing can do: guide you toward your purpose to continue a family legacy of helping people navigate their lives with deep meaning. 

What struck me most about Shannon’s story is that although her father passed away when she was just four years old, discovering his journals and teachings about water allowed her to be in relationship with her father so much more than when he was alive. Isn’t that amazing what ancestral healing can do for us?!

I highly recommend you pick this one up if you’re into Bruce Lee. And if you haven’t checked out the latest Bruce Lee projects, check out the amazing HBO Series “Warrior” (Exec. Produced by Shannon Lee) and SF’s Chinese Historical Society of America’s Bruce Lee Exhibit. 

So let’s get on with the lessons I received from this book:

Lesson 1 -  It’s more than flowing like water, it’s about BEING THE water.

An ancient way of connecting to nature is to watch how its elements and organisms behave and relate those observations to your behavior. When I facilitate groups, sometimes I open with the question, “What element do you feel most like right now?” And some participants might say they feel “floaty” like air or wind, not tethered to the meeting or the present moment. Or someone could say “fiery” because they just heard something enraging. 

When Bruce Lee talks about being like water, its shape and movement are in response to the environment it’s in. In the book, Shannon Lee writes about the movement of water when it’s blocked by structures or obstructions it will change shape or move in response to those interruptions of flow. She affirms, “Water is responsive and alive.” This quality is much like our emotions. 

This was a lesson in bringing attention to my response and my capacity to control my responses to the environment around me.

Lesson 2 - This is clearly ancestral healing.

I’m deeply appreciative of Shannon opening up about her own life and how processing her traumas clarified her purpose. Moreover, her purpose then involved a deeper relationship with her father whom she lost at just four years old. To me, this was evidence that ancestral healing is real and that can happen in so many different ways to everyone! 

As someone who has had to redefine “family” after estrangement, this was a valuable piece of the story for me. Most of my spiritual development relied on this belief that my ancient ancestors were communicating with me, guiding me toward my true purpose and inherited gifts. I would have intense and lucid dreams filled with emotion and messages. I would feel them around me when on a personal hike and when leading groups on healing hikes. I started to notice insights and intuition guiding me on decisions I would have otherwise never make on my own. This can sound fairly witchy and esoteric to those conditioned with Western views on spirituality, but this book proved that ancestral connection and healing are so powerful. I gained a contemporary voice in Shannon Lee validating the power of ancestral healing for our journey back into ourselves. 

Lesson 3 - You must be both fluid and structured, in your own way.

Although we think of water as fluid and freely moving, our practical life still requires us to some level of containment and control of it. This is the power of this element. Because no matter what we build to redirect it or anticipate its flow, it will end up going where it needs to go. 

Much like navigating our own lives, we must strike a balance between flowing naturally and having control of where we want to go or who we want to be. It’s easier to let go of the need to control water and simply surrender to the element’s power by “leaving it up to the water to take you somewhere.” But giving full surrender to any element can either stifle someone from embracing their own desires or completely bypass the effort required to get to a specific place in life. Water will be on its own merry way without you if no specific container is created for it. 

Exhibit on the elements at the chinese historical society of america in SF

Finding your own way or moving like water in the container that is YOU has always been the central message from Bruce Lee.

His magic and medicine was in his unapologetic way of being himself. Working towards the mastery of himself in both spiritual and physical senses showed up as an actor and a martial art practitioner. If you ever want to know what his workout regimen was, it’s in this book, and it’s pretty gnarly! 

So, we can BE water AND water will form into exactly what it needs to be, based on its environment. Our adaptability to our environment while remaining integral to who we are is truly an art form. 

It was a significant lesson for me to be disciplined in this pursuit to understand myself in my fullness and wholeness as my power in an ever-changing and sometimes hostile environment. 

” When we train to know ourselves, then we gain assuredness and confidence. In becoming our quintessential selves, we reach our fourth stage of cultivation, which feels phenomenal. Perhaps it even feels like nirvana.”

- Shannon Lee

Sometimes I feel like this after and good healing hike!

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Attuning to Nature’s Rhythm by Mapping Out Workload Overwhelm

Attuning to nature’s rhythm can be challenging in a world…

that is structured around production and the engine of capitalism. Our bodies aren’t naturally designed to physically work through stress or times of the year, like wintertime. But how do we strike a balance of being in this word and in our human bodies? Here’s a tool I’ve found used across many industries from leadership development to corporate wellness so that leaders can avoid negative impacts such as burnout or exhaustion. If an abundant workload is most present for you, I've got you covered with this simple diagram to help you chip away at that heaping pile of things to do so you can ease into a moment of pause or spaciousness.

No doubt, you can use the graph below to manage your task list, which in turn manages your time, energy, and ultimately managing your emotional well-being so you can more effectively sustain the change in this world you’re working towards.

So, I'll be truthful to you, the graph below isn't the entire answer to your busy-ness and overwhelm, but it gives you a good start in thinking more critically about your time and what you're placing value on. It's a good "workload" reset with respect to what you think is important versus urgent. And yes, “important” and “urgent” are not the same thing!

So, let's get to sorting your mess out. According to your goals for the week, take your huge list and split tasks into either "URGENT" or "IMPORTANT". Don't think too hard about this and go with what your gut reaction. Now, we examine what kind of urgent and what kind of important is it?

Take a look at the graph I created below. The more urgent a task is, the more of a time suck it is and will get you caught up in a storm. The more important the task is for you, the more likely you'll make time for it and put it in your schedule.

 

So, let me break it down even more for you…

TORNADO - This is the danger zone. When a task is too urgent it tends to take up and drain us of our energy and attention, leaving you at risk of getting swept up in the chaos. Do you have a task that’s sweeping you away from your goals like a storm?

BOXING GLOVE - These tasks are both important and urgent, so these you want to just knock out. Get them done, that’s just what needs to happen. It’s like, LUNCH at noon!

TRASH -  These tasks are neither urgent or important. Somehow they made their way onto your list, but the consequences are minimal and just get in the way. Toss it!

CALENDAR - I always say, what’s important to you will be what you make time for. So, if you regard a particular task as more important than urgent, leap into your planner and block off an empty slot for it!

NOW, let’s do a quick recap on the steps:

1. Gather or set some clear goals for your week.

2. According to those goals, list out all the tasks involved in meeting that goal or project.

3. For each goal, mark them on the graph in its respective place, or quadrant.

4. Take a step back and see if your graph feels reasonable to you, holding your GOALS as the anchor.

• Are tasks in their proper places to meet your goals?

• What needs to be switched around so that you are successful in meeting achievable goals?

• Now take a deep breath! I mentioned before, this isn’t the answer to end all  overwhelm with your busy and your impactful life, but rather it’s a worthy step forward in the direction of really understanding where your time is spent and how you value the limited amount of time we have in a day.

TIME MANAGEMENT IS A PRACTICE AND REQUIRES OPPORTUNITIES TO GROW FROM LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW YOU FUNCTION

This activity can also reveal more clarity about how you hold boundaries. If you’re a people pleaser you might find that most of your tasks are in the “tornado” because you’re meeting other people’s needs. Or you might find the trash bin quadrant empty. Challenge that by really examining if tasks are really important or urgent; you might be “catastrophizing” the circumstances around tossing that task out.

The last thing I want to mention here is about your organization tools how they can be helpful for the follow through of your workload. I find these tools are often used by high functioning, leaders in high demand as a game changer that can tame the madness. For me, I looked into different journaling strategies (bullet journal, best self journal, etc...) to stay organized and have collected my own combination of reflection and planning sections. I made it work for me. And I would say I have my own customized diary-like planner/journal that I populate every Sunday night to get my week started.

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3 of Nature's Boundaries That Help You Cultivate Your Own

For empaths, caregivers, and nurturers like me, cultivating healthy boundaries can be one of the most challenging things to develop. Giving is natural and often gives us meaning and purpose. The downside of giving is that when left unchecked we can find ourselves exhausted and resentful; telltale signs that we’re on a clear road to burnout. The deeper impact is the feeling that we’ve lost ourselves to other people’s needs.

When I started getting serious about pulling out of burnout, I didn’t expect boundaries to be the thing to figure out. I thought it was everything else outside of me that needed to change, like my work culture, other people’s expectations of me, or my guilt when saying no. Which, all of those are real things to work on, but ultimately taking ownership of my lack of boundaries is where the transformation happened. That meant I had to be honest about how I handled saying no and how much I defaulted to betraying myself and my own needs before others. 

Over the years I’ve learned effective strategies and dove deeper into setting serious boundaries. Certain tools were super helpful and I still use them today. Like legit - I use my Passion Planner religiously and schedule Sundays to schedule my week, making sure I block out self-care time first. I’ve shaved off so many projects with collaborators. I’ve processed the cost/benefits of committing to things and making big decisions around my business which is also my only source of income. With personal and professional relationships I’ve taken stock of how they unfold over time and have actively practiced ending relationships that start showing up misaligned. This is some grown-up stuff I’ve evolved into and it is absolutely challenging!

When I’m faced with enforcing my boundaries I always think about how boundaries naturally exist in nature. I often think about how these boundaries validate why I choose to shape the boundaries I have today. I truly believe that nature mirrors our own capacity to sustain, so I lean on the lessons nature has to teach us so we can better navigate this life. After all, since WE ARE nature, we’ll probably survive and thrive the same way nature does, right?

Blending what I know as an Ecologist and professional leadership coach, I’m sharing with you the three boundaries found in nature and how they function to preserve the cycle of life as well as our own capacity to move through adversities. 

Edges

From an Ecological perspective, edges are the spaces between one habitat and another. Think about a trail in the forest. This trail cuts through the forest, and what’s deep in the forest differs from the areas adjacent to the trail. The buffer zone, or edge is the 2-3 feet of space between the trail and the deep forest. Animals are more aware of these edges because it’s the space between their safety and exposure to danger (like humans on the trail).  

Thinking about edges metaphorically, we reach our edges when we have to navigate a situation or conversation that can potentially be unsafe or uncomfortable for us. We negotiate “Is this a safe conversation to continue or do I need to disengage?” (into the depths of the forest) to protect myself? Knowing your edges can be a critical piece of self-awareness for you!

What are my edges of safety or comfort?

Shorelines

Beaches are the best places for contemplation, don’t you think? A powerful place to experience the power of the shoreline locally is at Lands End and Mile Rock Beach. Hearing the pounding of the crashing waves and seeing the sprays of seawater into the air is a display of an intense event. I think about the energy of the waves and how the shoreline is there to absorb all of that intense energy. Once absorbed, the water then softens and rushes back to the ocean as if carrying away anything that needs to leave or be cleansed. 

When I think about being overwhelmed with big emotions I remember the shoreline. I think about having my own shoreline, or space in my mind or body where I can allow these intense emotions to land, absorb, and only hang onto the lesson I needed in that moment. I visualize the waves as those big emotions. The bigger the emotion, the bigger the wave.

Is my shoreline shaped to withstand these impacts?

I take a deep breath and visualize that wave being absorbed into my body as a form of acceptance, then see that thoughts or feelings that don’t belong to me wash away back into the depths of the ocean. Having your own mental shoreline can be that safe landing site for big and intense emotions.

Wetlands

Being in the Bay Area, wetlands are an important part of our natural ecosystem. At one point The San Francisco coastline only had 3% of its original wetland habitats remaining. Today, reclamation efforts have brought that number up, but more importantly, they need to exist because they serve a specific purpose for a healthy watershed system providing rich habitat and clean water from The Sierras to The Pacific Ocean.

Wetlands are that critical and unique boundary where fresh and saltwater mix. Specific plants and habitats soak up and detoxify water as it flows in and out with the tides. This boundary is a reminder that our bodies need regular detoxing and filtering amidst the daily physical and psychological pollution we’re exposed to. From chemicals in our food to the consumption of negative language or media, metaphorically “wetlands” are those places where these impurities can be processed with affirmations, guidance from wise teachers, or literally a cleanse of our gut! 

Whether it’s certain toxic people, negative language, bad vibes/energy, or food, cultivating a boundary where you can transition, filter, or cleanse these areas of your life nurtures this boundary allowing you to manage the ebbs and flows of all that life has to offer.

How do I create structures in my life that can discern what is not working for me?

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Reflect on the questions below as an alternative way to think about boundaries. Instead of thinking about how to “build up” boundaries and enforce them, try thinking about them more as an area of your mental and emotional wellness that functions to help you navigate life situations. 

What “edges” do I have and what is on either side of those edges?

Ex. What brings me towards my limits of comfort or safety? Acceptable/unacceptable behavior or others or myself, etc…

What kind of “shoreline” do I have that can withstand the intensity of emotions that I experience?

Ex. What is my capacity to experience big feelings and emotions? Do I need to increase my capacity to withstand the pressures or impacts I’m experiencing?

How dynamic is my “wetland”?

Ex. Do I have different ways in which I can filter through the information and take what lessons can bring me back to myself or my wholeness?

Comment below and share with me how this post lands for you. Share as much or as little of your reflections. I’d love to know how you’re navigating your life!

Crafting Your Sacred Space: Nurturing Ancestral Connection and Renewal at Home

For the past ten years, I have focused more of my energy – being intentional about my living/home space and providing my clients with the same tips. Your sacred space is unapologetic, it is a specific location in your home that fosters a practice connecting to your inner wisdom for guidance. A long standing tradition in all cultures, a sacred space like an altar is a symbol of your belief and connection to something greater than oneself.

Let us embark on a profound journey to support crafting your own sacred space where intention, nature, and ancestral connection intertwine in harmonious resonance. I like to think about it like a special place somewhere in your living area where you can “dial in” and connect to the multiple dimensions that make up your wholeness. An altar is just one way to make the abstract thoughts, feelings, and desires manifest into tangible objects and symbols so that we’re reminded that it’s not only us, in our human bodies, that can make our world the way we want this world to be.

The following are a few basic steps to consider to deepen your connection and communication with other realms of consciousness.

Amplify With Nature's Embrace

Intentionality - it all starts here

Begin this sacred journey with a whispered intention. If you could pick up the phone and call on your support team in other realms of existence, what would you ask them? What do you want them to know about you? Imagine your heart's deepest yearning—your sacred space is a sanctuary for reflection, a tapestry for creativity,  an altar for gratitude. Your intention will breathe life into your sacred space, infusing it with purpose and meaning. And having an intention can help design the feeling of this space.

You become the architect of your sacred haven by planting this, a seed in your home- as an act of creation that sets the stage for all that follows.

Amplify With Nature's Embrace

Now, invite nature's elements in, as the language within your sacred sanctuary and tune into your inner wisdom. Because all the wisdom that exists in other dimensions of our awareness communicates as energy. Your sacred space can harness that energy through the elements.

Do you ever wonder what happens to our loved ones when they transition? They become energy. Just like the energy needed to grow a plant or to let that butterfly travel thousands of miles, our ancestors and guides now live as energy found in all parts of nature. You can bring them into your sacred space with the intention that you’ll be able to hear a more clear message.

For example, plants bring the earth's vitality, stones and crystals ground your spirit in the present moment, and a gentle fountain embodies the fluidity of existence. In these elements, you harness the profound energies of earth, air, fire, and water which can serve as metaphors for translating your intention to the deep wisdom nature has to offer.

Nature, being ancient and wise can now become your co-creator in this sacred conversation. Cultivating this partnership between the dimensions and your physical awareness deepens your connection to the world around you, giving you more clarity and a path to understand  the very essence of who you are.

Ancestral Connection

As your sacred space takes shape, consider the presence of your specific benevolent ancestors—the guardians of wisdom that reside in your lineage and your environment. They are the echoes of time, offering guidance, protection, and a bridge to your roots. What do they know about you that you don’t know? We can ask them by going to the altar with specific questions. 

In your daily devotion, let meditation, journaling, or simple presence be part of your rituals. As you immerse yourself in these practices, remember to invite your ancestors into the space. Pictures of your ancestors, plants traditional to your heritage, or even dry foods in the space can foster a deeper connection. They are your silent companions, offering insights into your history and the path forward. Listen to what they say to you as you recall memories or qualities about them when they were in human form. The conversation can happen in infinite ways, giving you insight as you move about your day.  

In crafting your sacred space, you’re employing a spiritual conversation between you, nature, and ancestral wisdom. It becomes a sanctuary where your ordinary thoughts can transform into extraordinary awareness, maybe even opportunities in real life!

And as you conclude each visit with this space, whisper words of gratitude. Thank your sanctuary for holding you, the land for its embrace of this portal, and your ancestors for their guidance. This act of gratitude is not only that cue to “hang up the phone”, but also deepens the sacred connection by filling  your heart with a sense of groundedness and renewed purpose.

For more guidance like these altar tips, sign up for my newsletter. You’ll get more guidance and intimate stories of my journey, along with VIP access to upcoming training, events, and healing hikes!

Your Nature-based Coach, 
Raynelle

Unlocking Team Performance: 4 Benefits of Guided Nature Experiences for Your Organization

The nature of corporate culture can sometimes leave us in the depths of overwhelm, gasping for a moment to surface for some air. But what if we told you that an intentional breath of fresh air, quite literally, could be the game-changer for your workplace wellness needs? Rino Consulting Solutions offers nature-based coaching – a journey that taps into the wisdom of the nature experience and connection to the elements to invigorate you and your team, fueling creativity, and sowing the seeds of success. In other words, nature is a profound way to increase your team’s capacity and amplify that road to success. Here are four key takeaways organizations get from our nature immersive workshops and healing hikes.

Revitalization Through the Elemental Embrace

Reefliction time during a healing hike with wellness in action, a project of the center for empowering refugees and immigrants (CERI), Tilden Park, Berkeley, CA

Sometimes the simplicity of going back to the basics of nature is all that’s needed to amplify your performance. As a nature-based coach I like to lead teams back to the basics of the elements; Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water as a tool to support a transformative experience.–. Because we come from nature, the experience of being surrounded by the elements allows you to access the tranquility of open skies, lush greenery, and the soothing sounds of running water. The wisdom of these elemental forces can teach us something deeper about who we are and the capacity we have to find our way through challenges. And when we’re given that permission to be present and embraced by these elements we are much more open to pausing, breathing, and immersing ourselves in a more spacious atmosphere. When experienced together as a community, the benefits are manifold – rejuvenated minds, rekindled creativity, and a profound sense of renewal that infuses your team with newfound energy.

My studies, as captured in this article from  Yale Environment 360 show the benefits of exposure to nature for our mental health and cognitive functioning. 

Fostering Authentic Bonds and Collaboration

An immersive experience in nature is more than a change of scenery; it's a canvas for forging deeper connections and fostering collaboration. Nature's serene backdrop and the guiding hand of my nature-based coaching work creates a unique environment that transcends the boardroom. Imagine your team navigating through  nature and seeing the powerful resilience in the landscape and the wonder of how it sustains itself on its own. – A shared experience within the majesty of nature can  build trust, camaraderie, and unity as the deeper lessons of life and our capacity to mirror nature’s power are shared amongst each other. Our coaching programs, enriched by the elemental essence, amplifies these connections, fostering an authentic rapport that resonates even after the nature experience concludes. Check out this article in Outside Magazine describing in detail how transformative my healing hikes can be for a community.

Heightening Clarity and Purpose

Stepping away from the daily hustle gives your team the opportunity to gain perspective and clarity, especially when faced with a complex idea that you and your team can not seem to move forward on. With a nature-based coach by your side, this clarity can come with  intentional exercises and reflection amidst the  powers of the outdoors. With my special guidance your team can gain a renewed understanding of their individual purpose while a collective vision emerges and propels your organization forward. This heightened clarity then becomes a beacon, guided not only by insight but by the lessons coming from the elements. Often times this opening up from a shared nature experience can influence the readiness your team needs to dive deeper into other ways nature can improve team dynamics such as better listening skills, conscious relationship building, and integrating empowering language. To check out some of the nature-based opportunities some teams have experienced with us.

Our transformative experience with the staff and board of the berkeley art center, sibley volcanic regional preserve, Oakland, CA

Hear what an Executive leader of a local organization shared about her experience, “Our experience was powerful, full of wisdom, and very accessible for our group. Their team took a lot of care in their planning and preparation for us, which brought so much ease for us in the process. I am still processing the learnings I gained during our time, but our organization gained so much more than team building. We were able to deeply hold sacred the experiences we are all individually going through, while holding space for each other.” - Kim Arcebo Arteche 

Renewing Focus on Well-being

You can also read our feature in Outside Magazine Online, “Nature Therapy for People of Color in Traumatic Jobs” for an accurate account of what happens on a healing hike”

Amidst the lush landscapes, we lead your team on a journey that prioritizes well-being. Mindful practices include intentional meditation while immersed in direct exposure to nature, coupled with the lessons of reconnecting to the element. This design promotes a reconnection to the self, or a sort of coming back into oneself. I believe the intentional design of our experiences IS our secret sauce for stress reduction, mental clarity, and holistic well-being. This renewed focus on self-care and balance strengthens your team's resilience, ensuring that they return to work with a sense of vigor and a renewed commitment to excellence.

Your team's success story is waiting to be written, with every chapter enriched by the touch of nature's magic. Embrace the transformation, and let the journey begin.

Your Nature-Based Coach,

Raynelle

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Feeling like your team could use an intentional time-out in nature to amplify team performance? Apply for a Private Group Hike below!

Nurturing a Soulful Connection: 3 Ways Nature Is Communicating With You

“I honor the many thousands of years of relationship and cultivation of the health and wellness of this land by its ancestors and living descendants. More importantly I honor the stories and struggles of its people from the beginnings of Spanish colonization and genocide for the establishment of a mission state, to western expansion, and now the industrialization of this land that contributes to today’s climate crisis. Our collective efforts to heal this land and ourselves is done by engaging in conscious efforts to re-establish relationships to ourselves and the land while creating meaningful ways to contribute action to the practice of solidarity towards land sovereignty.”
For the full version of my land acknowledgement, please visit us here

Land holds a unique power that makes us feel at home and connected, reminding us that we are an integral part of the natural world. The greenery around us and the healing sensation of being in nature are gentle reminders that we belong to the Earth. Throughout my life, I've been captivated by how the Earth works and how it makes me feel at home. This fascination led me to focus my career on studying the Earth's plants, animals, and systems. Little did I know that this journey would reveal a deeper spiritual and empathetic connection with the elements Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

Nature's whispering language communicates with us in subtle yet profound ways, offering valuable guidance and support on our healing journey. Let's explore three captivating pathways through which the sacred language of nature speaks to our souls, guiding us towards emotional and spiritual harmony.

Memories and Synchronicities

Nature triggers profound memories, reminding us of our foundations, the significant lessons and people in our lives. A location or element in nature might evoke nostalgia and provide valuable insights into our past experiences. Sometimes this can show up as a scent of a particular plant triggering a memory of a loved one. Simultaneously, nature orchestrates synchronicities, guiding us to places and experiences we were meant to encounter. A feeling of being in the right place at the right time or unexpectedly arriving at a specific location can lead to aligned healing and support. Fascinating as it may seem, sometimes our ancestors are orchestrating our arrival to a certain place in hopes that we’ll find more answers or guidance to help us along our way. Our ancestors are, after all, existing as nature now that they’re on the other side! This leads me to describe the next way nature communicates…

Animism

According to the Oxford dictionary, animism is “the attribution of the soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.” So, when you get that sense that a material object in nature, like an animal, IS your actual relative manifested as that object, that’s animism.

During hikes, we may sense the presence of past loved ones, manifesting as animals or plants that remind us of them. This connection extends to all living things, allowing us to access our ancestors as energy and receive their guidance. Consider building an ancestral altar to help bridge the connection that is coming up. It’s also a good way to let your ancestors know you notice them.

Post-hike Clarity

Immersing ourselves in the natural world provides space for introspection and self-discovery, granting us the opportunity to gain clarity and insight on previously foggy thoughts and emotions. This is the ideal time for you to express gratitude to the land and take some additional deep breaths before journaling what came up during your time in nature.

In its beauty and wisdom, land offers us an opportunity to connect with our inner selves and the Earth- to which we belong. Nature communicates with us through memories, triggers, synchronicities, animism, and post-hike clarity…. providing valuable insights and guidance. As we deepen our intentional relationship with Mother Earth, we heal ourselves and pave the way for a harmonious and sustainable future.

We should all strive to better embrace the wonders of nature, for it is here that we find solace and understanding. Let us cherish and protect Mother Earth, recognizing that our well-being is intrinsically connected to hers. 

Your nature-based coach,

Raynelle

Navigating The Depths of Grief

Grief is often associated with negative emotions and the hardships in life that we desperately hope never to revisit. However, as I delved deeper into the process of grieving, my perspective on it began to shift. Since embarking on an intentional healing journey in 2013, I've confronted the realities of my grief head-on. Like all emotions we experience as human beings, grief holds immense significance and serves as a crucial process if we seek to live authentically.

Fortunately, nature provided a sanctuary where I could truly feel and embrace my authentic self. I began searching for ways to access my grief through the embrace of the natural world. Through these experiences, I have gleaned invaluable lessons about the profound emotion of grief. I share them with you now, in the hopes that they will help you reimagine your own relationship with grief and serve as a testament to nature's unwavering support throughout your healing journey.

Grief Feels Like….

ocean waves of sadness and joy rise to the surface at their own accord, on their own time. The ebbs and flows of grief are most manageable when we surrender to the process, but of course, that's easier said than done. 

The Elements….

have become an integral part of my healing work. Water, in particular, held immense significance when I was still navigating the early stages of self-discovery, trying to understand my essence and origins. Studying its properties, observing its behaviors, and witnessing how it interacts with other elements, water became a representation of movement, action, and the reflection of my soul. Just like dreams of traversing through water, I learned that our emotions of grief and loss flow through our beings and find release through our tears. Embracing the act of shedding tears became a pivotal step in my healing process. It was cathartic, even though it didn't change the circumstances or situations that initially gave birth to the grieving process.

The Heaviness…..

used to weigh heavily on me, feeling born out of the uncertainty and the void it created. It pressed upon my soul, burdening me with its weight, because even though I knew what needed to be done, I felt constrained from speaking openly, free from judgment from the external world. Until...

Receiving my batok (traditional Filipino tattoo)….

it was then that I discovered the vantage point from which my ancestors once traversed the waters. The ocean became a symbol of processing grief because from their eyes, traveling on the open ocean was like seeing the unearthing of new worlds, new lands, as they emerged from the horizon, as if coming from the underworld. In our cultural beliefs, it is said that we journey back to the stars on a bangka (canoe), as we transition from physical beings back to spirits. 

What Feels Lighter Now....

is my presence with grief. The weight has lifted as I embarked on a journey of reconnection, delving into the teachings and traditions that have recently revealed themselves to me. I began by comprehending the significance of water and how it plays a vital role in the process of grief. The fragments of knowledge shared by storytellers, the custodians of culture, and active practitioners have guided me on this plane, as I yearn to understand the essence of who I am and where I come from; this is what I call– Ancestral Healing.

Continued Gratitude….

to all that have been and will be. I cannot pinpoint exactly where my journey of grief commenced, whether it began on this plane or another. Nor can I predict its ultimate destination. However, what I can share with you is the realization that I belong to multiple dimensions, and it is through these dimensions that I become whole, standing firmly in my power. 

Grief has no definitive endpoint; it transforms into other emotions such as passion or, my personal favorite, praise (learned from Martin Prectel’s, The Smell of Rain on Dust). Grief does not exist in isolation, and neither do you. Stay tuned for part two of this series, "Grief: Death and Transformation," where we'll delve further into this profound journey. Don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to stay connected.

Your Nature-Based Coach,

Raynelle

Intentional Meditation: 3 Ways to Amplify Your Healing Journey

Amplifying Your Healing Journey

If we can not touch our thoughts, then how do we connect with them so that they benefit us on this healing journey?

Intentional meditation is an opportunity to connect in silence so that your mind, body and spirit catch up to one another. Having a clear idea about what you're actually needing during meditation allows space for you to focus on an aspect of your life more deeply, bringing priority to your healing journey. The more clear and direct you can craft your question or intention, the more clear and direct the messages will come through in your meditation. Think of intentional meditation like a software update on your phone- disconnect to give it time to reboot and download the latest version of yourself!

Before diving into these three ways to practice intentional meditation, don’t forget to grab your Meditation in Progress tank top to reinforce your sacred time.

1. Have a Conversation with Nature

Being intentional about connecting in nature puts you in a profound practice that is both ancient and natural. When we pause to think about a specific reason or need we want to fulfill, we make our experience in nature that much more meaningful and useful in the exploration of our well-being.

Each area of land holds its history while bringing power to support and replenish our needs. The trees, the water, the air and the fires are all languages of nature that say more than want meets the eye. Check out our 3 Ways Nature Helps You Process Emotions to learn more about how to strengthen your relationship with it and the various elements.

2. Work in Different Dimensions

When we sit in that intentional silence and surrender to our thoughts, it allows us to live in the present moment within the intangible dimensions above the Global Dimension.

Acknowledging that we are more than our human experience allows you to reach different dimensions of resources and a deeper sense of belonging to something. Seeing ourselves as whole people means that we belong to – and can identify with – all these different dimensions that go beyond our physical existence. Which dimension do you feel most connected and “belonged” to and why?

3. Communicate With Your Ancestors

Opening the door to connect to your ancestors supports your understanding of the root causes of patterns you may be experiencing in your life. After all, our ancestors are always watching over us, making sure we’re on the right path. The path that we were on sometimes shows up in the patterns of our behaviors and types of relationships we have with others, for better or for worse. We are multidimensional beings… Our ancestors live within these non-physical dimensions and so does our history, which started long before we were born and reaches further than just who we are today in this current, human form. Since our ancestors live in these liminal, intangible spaces between the seen and unseen, we can experience them as energy, like when we have big emotions as we walk the land during healing hikes. Sometimes they appear to us in the form of spirit guides that reveal themselves through animals and plants, or what’s called animism.

Intentional connection to your ancestors prior to meditation can look like… calling them to help guide you as you connect in silence. Your ancestors were also human at some point so do not forget your offerings of ancestral foods or things that were was once their favorites. This amplifies that energy of welcoming them into your space. You can also create an altar which is like installing the ancestral “phone line”; this can be an area where they traverse the unseen dimension and come into our world, ready to interact with you in whatever way feels right. When working with your ancestors be clear on what you are seeking while showing them your gratitude for support through food offerings as that display of reciprocity.

“Healing is an art. It takes time, it takes practice. It takes love.”

— Maza Dohta

As you meditate with a more clear intention, take note of which images, thoughts, and feelings come up. Metaphorically, how do the elements of air, fire, water, Earth show up during an intentional meditation? In the coming days after meditation, your dreams may become rather vivid, so make sure to journal for the first few minutes after bed.

As always, we are here to support your journey. Sign up to get the latest on upcoming programs and events to tap into the power of nature as a tool for healing.

Your Nature-Based Coach,
Raynelle

3 Ways Nature Helps You Process Emotions

The word trauma carries a lot of energy on its own, creating barriers to your healing. So in order to work with our trauma more effectively, let us think of how it moves as emotions that need to be processed. One of the most common questions I get from people that are first diving into using nature for their emotional and mental healing is, what do I need to get started? I call this getting to your “trailhead”.

For those who may not know me yet, welcome! I am Raynelle– an experienced nature based coach + consultant from the San Francisco Bay Area who leads healing hikes. I have had the pleasure of supporting clients, businesses and most importantly myself through nature-based coaching! I am so excited to share with you the top 3 ways I use nature to support my emotional processing while your out in the elements on an actual hike or a virtual one.

Connecting in Silence

With all the noise during our day to day, our mind, body and spirit crave silence to be able to heal and feel clearly. I start my time in nature with a deep breath and asking for permission as I set my intention for this time. I try to keep my intentions simple such as– I need to re-ground after a busy and stressful week. 

Remembering Who the F*** I Am

Everything is energy. Energy is not created or destroyed, instead it flows and is transmuted to something else. While in nature, I make a conscious effort to focus on prioritizing the movement of my energy through my body, in and out as needed. Just because it is energy, does not mean that it is serving you from a higher source so pay attention to how you feel and if any plants or animals stand out for you during the journey. 

I believe that the language of healing is accessible metaphorically in the four elements. As you are looking for where to spend time in nature, consider which element may be playing a bigger role in your present moment.

Earth: your physical body, your needs, your space

Fire: your energy, passion, action and movement

Air: your chi or life-force, your beliefs, your breath, your mindset

Water: your creativity, your emotions (especially grief), what brings you meaning

“People can only meet you, as deeply as they've met themselves.” -Matt K.

Releasing

Receiving the support of nature is one of the most important gifts we have in this realm. As you wrap up your intentional time, remember to make an effort to release what no longer serves you. This can look like washing your hands in a nearby water source while setting an intention of releasing a specific emotion that is weighing you down as you heal. For me, it can sometimes look like having to let out a good yell in the middle of the Redwoods as I am processing my feelings of overwhelm. Don’t forget to give thanks to the land, your ancestors and guides as you close your time.

There are so many ways to use nature based coaching for your mental and emotional healing. For those near to me in the San Francisco Bay Area or interested in our virtual options sign up for my newsletter to get the VIP invitation to the next in-person or virtual journey. So proud of you and wishing you all the best.