Years ago I was hiking barefoot up a mountain trail with a friend, sharing my crazy idea—reinventing backpacking gear to align with the philosophy of barefoot walking. In doing so, I was breaking a fundamental rule from my Outdoor Leadership Training: always wear sturdy boots to protect your feet. But walking barefoot was reawakening my connection to the earth. I was grounding myself, realigning my circadian rhythms, expanding my resilience to cold mountain streams, and, most importantly, healing from 20 years of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.
I began wondering—how many other outdoor practices could I adapt to this philosophy?
The Birth of a New Outdoor Philosophy
What first led me down this path was my struggle with Autoimmune Dysfunction and Multiple Chemical Sensitivities. I discovered I was allergic to modern backpacking gear—tents, sleeping bags, and synthetic materials loaded with chemicals. In my mind, I envisioned an entire camping setup made from organic fabrics. There was just one problem: I didn’t know how to sew.
Over the next decade, I learned. I experimented with natural fiber fabrics, tested different designs, and, eventually, I invented a full line of natural outdoor gear—what is now Lucky Sheep.
But my journey wasn’t just about creating gear. It was about rediscovering a way of being in nature.
Healing Through Nature
In those early days, my sensitivities were so extreme that even the natural mold in the forest triggered reactions. But after years of following a Primal/Paleo diet and eliminating toxins from my home, my body grew stronger. Eventually, I could sleep outside again without reacting.
That’s when I began my experiments—crafting an organic canvas tent coated with beeswax and a wool sleeping bag. Equipped with a few days’ worth of fresh Paleo food, I set off into the Smoky Mountains and Pisgah National Forest, searching for healing sanctuaries by water.
The routine was simple but profound:
- Sleep deeply in the fresh mountain air.
- Wake up and bathe in the cold creek.
- Sunbathe on warm rocks.
- Hike, eat, rest, swim, and repeat.
It felt like I had discovered the fountain of youth—a synergy between Earth, sun, and nature that was bringing me back to life.
When I returned from these trips, I would tell my friends, sounding like a madman. But some were intrigued, eager to learn my methods. Over time, I developed what I now call Natural Camping, a system that will soon be shared in my upcoming book: A Rewilder’s Guide to Outdoor Adventure.
The Spiritual Awakening of Forest Bathing
My journey wasn’t just physical—it was also deeply spiritual and emotional. As I immersed myself in the wilderness, I realized that forest bathing had long been a part of ancient yogic practices. Seekers throughout history had retreated into nature to break through mental barriers and access higher states of consciousness.
For me, being near a moving creek or waterfall became a portal to something beyond my everyday awareness. The smells, the rushing water on my skin, the sun dissolving my stress—all of it combined into an alchemy of healing. My meditation deepened, my mind expanded, and I experienced moments of pure causeless joy and bliss.
