Michael Ridge has spent the last decade living and traveling nomadically on horseback, mostly in the Pacific Northwest. He is an expert in primitive skills and wild foods, and possesses a level of bravery and commitment to core values that I find extraordinarily impressive. In our conversation, Michael shares about the events that led him to his current life on horseback, and outlines what his day-to-day has looked like, season by season, for the past ten years. We discuss civilization, technology, authenticity, grief, ecology, and community, and Michael outlines the the logistical, psychological, spiritual and emotional tools necessary to live the kind of life he’s chosen. This conversation is by far one of my favorite episodes of the podcast, and deserves more than one listen.
Your conversation is loaded with golden nuggets. The food library, the "Cosplay" vs authenticity, the Google Map metaphor for everybody's rigid patterns ...
I relate so much to his view about " human domestication". It's so true and so scary.
And we're just getting dumber and highly dependent on huge structures that keep us in this degenerative state.
I mean, just sit for 10 min in a mall and look at the people ( during Xmas period, it's just patently obvious).
The degradation process is just accelerating and spreading all over the World. On top of that, this global pernicious Plague infects our minds. The system's grip is so strong that it infects our ways of thinking and reacting.
The example of " but you're using a smartphone ! " (Insinuating that he's not "natural " enough) is so revealing of our culture's complete confusion.
So... Yes ! It's high time to act and decolonize our brains. Nature is always able to bounce back. And we're parts of Nature, in spite of all our stories and filtres and distorsions.
The land needs us, if not I guess we would 't be here in the first place.
One last thing : the intro music is exquisite !
You started some serious greatness after the infamous 2017's eclipse, Anya. It's a pleasure to be a lil' part of your journey. I feel super lucky. Thank you.
Abbas! Thank you for all of this. I agree with EVERYTHING. There was so much depth in this episode, I feel like I got so many things I'd missed the first time around when I listened back. Michael told me how he's interviewed for other podcasts where they haven't even released the episode because they thought Michael's ideas were too "out there," which is so crazy to me. I'm so grateful to have an audience that speaks my language, and the language of the guests, and is willing to take in these hard truths. Thanks for listening and supporting as always!!
Gal! I am only the first few minutes into this podcast and I just want to say before I forget to that apparently our lives were extremely parallel in 2017 and I really wish deeply and suddenly to have a conversation with you! 🤍
Wow, just wow ! Another very unique guest...
The guy sounds v-e-r-y mature for his age.
Your conversation is loaded with golden nuggets. The food library, the "Cosplay" vs authenticity, the Google Map metaphor for everybody's rigid patterns ...
I relate so much to his view about " human domestication". It's so true and so scary.
And we're just getting dumber and highly dependent on huge structures that keep us in this degenerative state.
I mean, just sit for 10 min in a mall and look at the people ( during Xmas period, it's just patently obvious).
The degradation process is just accelerating and spreading all over the World. On top of that, this global pernicious Plague infects our minds. The system's grip is so strong that it infects our ways of thinking and reacting.
The example of " but you're using a smartphone ! " (Insinuating that he's not "natural " enough) is so revealing of our culture's complete confusion.
So... Yes ! It's high time to act and decolonize our brains. Nature is always able to bounce back. And we're parts of Nature, in spite of all our stories and filtres and distorsions.
The land needs us, if not I guess we would 't be here in the first place.
One last thing : the intro music is exquisite !
You started some serious greatness after the infamous 2017's eclipse, Anya. It's a pleasure to be a lil' part of your journey. I feel super lucky. Thank you.
Abbas! Thank you for all of this. I agree with EVERYTHING. There was so much depth in this episode, I feel like I got so many things I'd missed the first time around when I listened back. Michael told me how he's interviewed for other podcasts where they haven't even released the episode because they thought Michael's ideas were too "out there," which is so crazy to me. I'm so grateful to have an audience that speaks my language, and the language of the guests, and is willing to take in these hard truths. Thanks for listening and supporting as always!!
Gal! I am only the first few minutes into this podcast and I just want to say before I forget to that apparently our lives were extremely parallel in 2017 and I really wish deeply and suddenly to have a conversation with you! 🤍
Wow, yes. I am always on the lookout for people who went through similar dark nights of the soul that year. What a trip.