Salish Wolf

This interview with Taoist (Daoist) Abbot Lao Zhi Chang is so rich and profound, I have decided to separate it into 2 episodes. For best cohesion, I suggest listening to them in order, but regardless, there is abundance to be gleaned separately from each. Lao was orphaned at the age of 6 and ran feral for 2 years before meeting the Buddhist monk that would raise him. This benevolent monk became Lao’s first teacher, and eventually Lao would travel through more than 50 countries acquiring many more teachers of myriad philosophies. Both parts of this interview drip with wisdom, and in the collecting pot of this episode, you will find a comparative analysis of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism; sage, fatherly-like advice from a monk; an exploration of triggers as vehicles for inner inquiry; how life symbols are not what is symbolized; and the journey of forgiveness. Lao’s life has been rife with isolated incidences of horror, including being gang raped as a young boy. Yet through all the trauma, and perhaps because of it, he has found healing, love, and compassion. I could listen to Lao speak for hours and hope to continue fruitful dialogue with him to share with you. His ability to decipher the lessons of the universe and to distill them down into tools for others’ growth is extra-ordinary. His is on one hell of a journey, and our lives are now better because of it. Open up to it, and hang on. Please enjoy this episode of Salish Wolf with Lao Zhi Chang. Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

More than two decades ago, The Tao of Health, Sex, and Longevity by Daniel Reid became a pivotal book in guiding my life journey toward natural medicine and healing philosophies. His prolific writings on Chinese Medicine, Martial Arts, Taoism, Nutrition, and Tea have likely shaped countless other personal journeys. Daniel’s life is replete with rich experiences and cultures. Growing up in East Africa and then studying in California, his early life was influenced by the free-spirited recreational drug culture of the day. While listening to the introductory university lecture in Chinese history that would shape the direction of his life and life’s work, Daniel was tripping on LSD. After earning a Master’s degree in Chinese Language and Civilization, he moved to Taiwan and spent the next 16 years luxuriating in the culture of ancient philosophy, healing, and nightlife. He eventually relocated to Byron Bay, Australia, with his wife, and they now reside in Thailand. Daniel is a scholar of many topics, and we leap into several of them here, including sexual healing arts, Taoism, Qi Gong, and high mountain oolong tea. We also talk about some of the escapades that comprise his two-part memoir, Shots from the Hip. Daniel’s life has been a constant dance with the principles of Taosim, and even today, living in a foreign country and time where his freedoms are restricted, he draws on teachings of sages to find the Way. His candor is refreshing, his humour alluring, and his wisdom well-earned. Please enjoy this episode of Salish Wolf with Daniel Reid. Episode Links: https://www.danreid.org/ Books by Daniel Reid Oolong-tea.org Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

Having an intimate, first-time conversation with someone can be as unpredictable as an open ocean paddle. Fortunately, I chose well as this conversation is with the person who makes the best paddles in the world. David Smart is perhaps not the typical dude you would expect to find carving a niche in surf culture. As much as he loves the water and the thrill of exploring it on a board, he also is passionate about markets and trading. For decades he has enjoyed the intellectual challenge of trying to understand what drives markets, whether it be fundamental, emotional, or technical matters. It was actually David’s trading career that brought him to live in Southeast Asia, then to seek the tranquility of paddling on the Andaman Sea, and then to bail out a beleaguered stand up paddle manufacturer. Now, as the founder of Squamish, BC-based Blackfish Paddles, David is committed to making the best paddles available with the least environmental footprint. Alongside his professional accomplishments, David is also a family man and credits much of his successes to the support of his wife and kids. In the spirit of gritty vulnerability, in this episode David reveals many of the struggles that have shaped his life journey, from an unstable childhood home and the emergence of inner demons to entrepreneurial woes and financial calamity. His belief in the goodness of people, a pact with his sister, and his daily meditation routine have helped him serve himself and others more fully and authentically. Blackfish Paddles may be a success in the SUP industry, but what drives David is his alignment with purpose that is putting people all over the globe on the water to experience the beauty of this blue planet. Purpose. Paddle. Perfect. Please enjoy this episode of Salish Wolf with David Smart. Episode Links: Blackfish Blackfish Videos – including Norm Hann on Howe Sound Meditation App: https://wakingup.com/ Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

Michael Cobb is not your average real estate developer. He creates communities and lifestyle opportunities, and he does both with complete presence in the now and reverence for mother nature. Michael has a deep connection to spirit, which has helped him align with his greater purpose. When sudden illness threatened to take his life less than a decade ago, Michael was not faced with regret, anger, or even a crossroads. If anything, the illness served to reaffirm his confidence in the path that he had always walked. Michael seems to know no other way of living than that of radical authenticity. Michael is the founder of ECI Development, a multi-country developer with projects in Central America. He speaks regularly at international conferences about offshore real estate financing and development and creates unique opportunities for people to gain a second country of residence – an empowering option in what has become a very uncertain world. We have a great time in this episode sifting through the grains of Michael’s life journey, which, like mine, includes influences of West Virginia farm life. We talk about how he taps into his inner voice of knowing, his connection to the infinite, the value of family, his gift to fill the moment with only the moment, and his professional accomplishments that include environmentally-progressive developments. We even explore the roots of his sustainable teak forestry project and find balance in his passion for slacklining. Michael does not lead and inspire by coaching, writing, or performing. He does so through his permanent connection to his inner spirit, which allows him to serve others from an authentically heart-filled place of knowing. His actions help to create connections: to community, to earth, to self. Please enjoy this episode of Salish Wolf with Michael Cobb. Episode Links: ECI Development Free Global Property Resource Kit Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

Barefoot Ted McDonald sprinted into the spotlight with the publication of the bestselling book Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. Barefoot Ted is one of the crazy, larger-than-life characters that springs off the pages of McDougall’s recount of their epic adventure to run a 50-mile race in the deadly Copper Canyons of Mexico with the legendary Tarahumara Indians. Growing up as a rebellious skater and surfer in sunny California, Ted was not lacking in athletic skill. But in his mid-30s, he almost gave up on the idea of ever running seriously. Despite his various endeavours to run pain free, nothing seemed to work over the long distance. Until, that is, Ted returned to his beach-based lifestyle and kicked off his running shoes for good. Only then did he really start running. And now, many, many marathons and ultramarathons later, he is not slowing down. Barefoot Ted and I explore many facets of his fascinating journey, including his love of riding penny-farthing bicycles, his ongoing adventures with the Tarahumara Indians – perhaps the greatest long distance runners on the planet, and acting as ‘El Presidente’ of Luna Sandals – an adventure and lifestyle sandal company. Barefoot Ted’s path in life is to seek and share insights that help people to come alive. His enthusiasm is infectious and his passion palpable. And through all of his seeking, some things about Ted are likely to never change: he’ll continue to surf, continue to run, and continue to follow his truth through whatever parts of himself it leads. Be sure to stay tuned in right to the end of this fascinating discussion to receive a special listener discount code for your next purchase of Luna Sandals. Please enjoy this episode of Salish Wolf with Barefoot Ted McDonald. Episode Links: barefootted.com lunasandals.com Born to Run by Christopher McDougall Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

Jon Turk has lived an incredible life filled with enough adventures to incapacitate most, and enough hardship to extinguish the wildest passion. But Jon is no ordinary individual; he is an extraordinary human that even today, at 75-years-old, continues to live life on his terms and at the edge that only he defines. Fifty years ago, Jon earned a Ph.D. in organic chemistry, wrote the first environmental science textbook in the United States, and began wandering the globe. He has since written more than 30 textbooks and has completed some of the most grueling expeditions, including kayaking across the North Pacific, circumnavigating Ellesmere Island, mountain biking through the Gobi Desert, and world’s first climbing ascents and skiing descents. He has gained much wisdom along the way, including awareness of living in the moment, never closing his heart to love, and always reaching out to catch the magic of life. Jon and I have a profound conversation that takes us deep into his experiences with Siberian spirituality and shamanism, which he so beautifully recounts in his book The Raven’s Gift; explores the life-altering impacts of avalanches; and follows the punishing and magical courses of many of his expeditions. There is not a dull moment in this episode, nor superfluous advice. If you are interested in defining the terms by which you live your life and finding contentment and purpose in each moment, you will not be disappointed in this episode of Salish Wolf with Jon Turk. Episode Links: www.jonturk.net Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

In this episode, drug policy researcher Alan Cassels and I take a deep look into some less than desirable tactics of the pharmaceutical and health care industries. Alan has been investigating and reporting on nefarious industry strategies for more than 2 decades, and his books Selling Sickness and Seeking Sickness expose the dirty underbelly that some corporations and leaders would rather you did not know about. If you have been satisfied with the mainstream Covid-19 narrative, this episode might be a bit disruptive. If you have been questioning it, then you might find some answers here, as well as more questions. We discuss the limitations of PCR testing, the predominant testing model for determining Covid cases; the new Pfizer vaccine and the misleading propaganda related to it; Covid case numbers; and so-called protective measures. I have also published this episode on Pacific Rim College Radio, but I have included my special post-interview perspective at the end of this conversation? Going beyond Covid-19, Alan and I also explore questionable pharmaceutical selling strategies; conditions such as high cholesterol, osteoporosis, and hypertension; the industry of influenza; and drug safety advisories. If episode 28 with holistic pharmacist RoseMarie Pierce opened up a few uncertainties for you about the motivations of the pharmaceutical industry, this episode is going to rip the lid right off. I hope you are stirred by this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Alan Cassels. Episode Links: Selling Sickness by Alan Cassels Seeking Sicknessby Alan Cassels Twitter @akecassels Pfizer CEO sells stock Article on PCR Test British Columbia Covid-19 Dashboard Order of Provincial Health Officer in BC Hospitals in BC Journal of Clinical Virology article on PCR test amplification in Canada Eurosurveillance journal article on PCR test amplification Article on infectiousness and Ct values in European Journal of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

Michael Schiesser has been a powerful force in my life, helping me to grow in ways where I was not looking for growth. This in part is due to the curriculum he has created through the Inner Journey Institute that operates trainings in both the USA and Canada, and to his passion for serving others on their journeys. German born, Michael was raised under the influence and aftermath of World War II, with a father who served in the German Army. Michael spent 5 years with the Bavarian Police Force before feeling pulled into the realms of psychology and spirituality, where he has been rooted for more than 3 decades. After becoming a father to a son with congenital brain underdevelopment, and suffering a sudden separation from his wife, Michael found himself entrenched in the hardest period of his life, one during which he completed deep personal inquiry. Through that inquiry and the adoption of total personal accountability, Michael found space to heal and went on to create a loving friendship and business partnership with his ex-wife. Their book, Divorcing with Love, is a memoir of their healing journey and a guidebook for anyone experiencing separation from an intimate partner. As a facilitator of Family Constellations, Michael is highly skilled in helping people to reconnect with disconnected parts of the familial psyche to allow for healing. In this episode, we talk about his Family Constellation work, his year at Osho’s “ranch” in Oregon in the early 80s, and the lessons he has been gifted by both his son and ex-wife. This is a heart-warming journey full of advice for anyone braving challenging times. Please enjoy this episode of Salish Wolf with Michael Schiesser. Episode Links: Divorced with Love by Michael Schiesser and Neelama Eyres Inner Journey Institute The Diamond Approachby A. H. Almaas Email Michael – michaelijs@gmail.com Anchor Point Links: Men’s Retreats at Anchor Point Expeditions

This episode, like many others, is about the power and beauty of the human spirit. Yet this episode is not like any other. Joan Morris is an elder of the Songhees Nation of the Lekwungen People on Vancouver Island in British Columbia . As with many of her people, she has suffered greatly in the name of colonialization, and now she advocates for survivors of the draconian system that included residential schools and Indian hospitals. Joan is the last surviving person to have lived on T’ches Island, known in English as Chatham Island, part of a small archipelago located a few kilometres off the southern coast of Vancouver Island, near Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. This is the same archipelago where the namesake of this podcast, the Salish Wolf, known as Stakaya to Joan’s people, lived and thrived. This conversation with Joan is a low velocity, high intensity journey through some of the severe hardships indigenous people of Canada, and certainly other places, have faced due to European migration. This is undoubtedly the hardest episode I have recorded and will likely be challenging for you, the listener. And yet the facts are simply too brutal and omnipresent, even today, for us to simply turn a blind eye or a deaf ear. For healing, there must be forgiveness and compassion; for compassion to be widespread, so too must the stories of incomprehensible suffering. This episode contains graphic material and may not be suitable for young children. But I urge you to listen. Our collective path forward will be built on the knowledge of where we have come. Thanks for listening to this conversation with Joan Morris on Salish Wolf. Episode Links: Medicine Unbundled by Gary Geddes Nancy Turner Plants, People, and Places by Nancy Turner

My guest in this episode is crazy, and that is just one of his many strengths. Bruce Kirkby does not take life sitting down, unless he is exploring remote coasts and waterways in a canoe or kayak. His idea of a hike is not a loop in a nearby forest but instead a trek across jungles and deserts and entire landmasses. He plans 6-month rustic, transcontinental excursions with less stress than most people plan a plush weekend getaway. I devoured Bruce’s recently-released book, Blue Sky Kingdom, which details his family’s ambitious and arduous overland and oversea journey from their home in British Columbia, all the way to a remote Buddhist village in Northern India nestled in the Himalayas between the borders of Pakistan and Tibet. Here his family lived in a monastery and slept in a room the size of a closet for many months. With journeys spanning more than 80 countries and 2000 days, Bruce’s accomplishments include the first modern crossing of Arabia’s Empty Quarter by camel, a raft descent of Ethiopia’s Blue Nile Gorge, a sea kayak traverse of Borneo’s northern coast, and a coast-to-coast Icelandic trek. Bruce is a prolific writer and photographer and is incredibly likable. His rich storytelling is valuable as both mental fodder and soul medicine. He guides us along many inspirational and shocking stories in this episode. He also vulnerably shares personal struggles and triumphs in his life, including an unhealthy relationship with his phone, a life dedicated to purpose, and fathering a son on the autism spectrum. This episode is itself a journey of many lessons of life, with wonders around every mountain switchback. Please enjoy this conversation on Salish Wolf with Bruce Kirkby. Episode Links: brucekirkby.com Blue Sky Kingdom by Bruce Kirkby “Big Crazy Family Adventure” on the Travel Channel Anchor Point Links: Bow Building Retreat at Anchor Point Expeditions