Resiliency School 1-2FEB25

America is the land of frontiersman.

Our parents, grandparents and great grandparents undertook tremendous risk moving to an unfamiliar land. A land rife with wild beasts, dangerous men, harsh weather, and foreign customs; They risked everything to leave the old country to find a better future. To survive in this new world meant that they had to use every skill they had brought from the old world, combined with learning and adapting as quickly as possible to the new landscape. Some survived and raised offspring; many didn’t. The children of these pioneers are called “Americans”, named after Amerigo Vespucci, an Italian explorer known for “discovering” the new world. We are genetically different from those who never left the comfort of the old world; You are tough, adaptable, resilient, and willing to take risks. In this 2 day class we explore what it means to be a natural born survivor. 

While our forefathers endured harsh lives and hard labor, today we enjoy the infrastructure that they built. We live comfortable, convenient, safe lives, insulated from the daily struggle to survive, at least in the traditional sense of the word. Yet, we struggle in other ways: We as a society struggle to find connection, purpose, and happiness. We worry about money, and self-image. We hate going to work yet we are slaves to our employers and cannot find the courage to quit. We go to school without seeing a purpose for a degree. We live in the land of freedom, yet are trod upon by overbearing bureaucrats.

I often find myself helping students look for historical perspectives to answer modern problems. We humans have been here on earth for a long time, and we have become the dominant species on this earth because we found simple solutions to universal problems. If you go back 50, 100, 500 years, the same troubles we deal with today existed then. How did our grandfathers solve them? If only we could go back to ask them for advice.

During this weekend adventure, join me on a journey that takes you away from your cell phones, away from your cars, and let us find perspective on modern problems by learning and practicing old life skills. The skills that humanity needs no matter how rich or complex our society seems, or what chaos happens around us. These skills allow you to be a durable, resilient human being, and to be able to remain calm and lead your families during times of hardship, chaos, or emergency. 

No matter what happens tomorrow, can you ensure that those you love have food, shelter, clean water, warmth, and safety? 

This is a family friendly event. We do not charge tuition for children under 18, although they must still pay for course materials. For parents, think of this as a perfect time to get your teenagers away from their phones so they can interact with other kids and adults of all ages, build friendships, role models, and develop their love for the great outdoors. 

Prerequisite:

None 

Topics:

Tying knots
Building shelter
Purifying water
Starting fire
Finding food
Sharpening knives and axes
Felling a tree
Splitting wood with an axe
Sleeping under the stars
Catch, kill, clean, cook, and eat a real live animal
Caring for your health: stretching, exercise, nutrition, sleep
Physical, mental and emotional resilience
Marriage, relationships, communication
Dealing with bullies, criticism, and negativity
Finding purpose and happiness in life
Developing the habit of doing difficult things

Number of days: 2

Location:

Our facility is in the mountains 1 hour east of San Jose, 1 hour south from Livermore. Detail directions will be emailed to those who sign up.

Packing list: 

Sturdy shoes
Sturdy pants
Belt
Long sleeve shirt
Jacket
Long underwear
Layer garments so you can adjust for cold, wet, or warm weather
Hat
Beanie, or warm head covering
Gloves
2 pairs of good socks
A knife
A flashlight
Refillable water bottle or canteen
Backpack
Sleeping bag or blankets
We will provide all food for the weekend, as cooking together will be part of the class. Make sure you pay $40 for course materials when checking out. 
Axes, hatchets, folding saw etc. are nice but not necessary