I am deeply interested in the learning and application of T.E.K. aka (Indiginous) Traditional Ecological Knowlege based life way skills. From cold burning for forest regeneration and carbon sequestering, social forestry camps, native plant propagation and study, and water way restoration, I am obsessed with all things life giving. Food forests and soil health are a Brillient Avenue of study. I am gleefully interested in the many indigenous people’s life ways of land tending of the world. I travel the west coast of the so called USA and Mexico learning and attending skill share gatherings and volunteering for several non profit when I can. Otherwise find me napping and stretching. This way of life is a wonderful excuse for me to constantly camp out. For $ i do massage and am a consent and intimacy coach for gay men. I love sleeping out in nature and studying and being with the ecology of a place. I network with other LBQTG queer people sharing information and skills and forging more community connections. I also travel a lot.

By “Traditional, Ecological Knowledge” I am speaking of T.E.K. (i.e. Social Forestry practices; managed cold burning to sequester carbon in the soil, also Wildtending learning, tending and planting wild native food species, fire making, tanning leather, etc). I am now based in the high deserts of the Klamath Basin, and range from the Great Basin and Colombia Basin on a quest to learn wild life ways (community practices, plant knowledge, healthy community practices, etc.). I am interested in practices of intentional living spaces around the world. I'd love to meet folks interested in horse, llama, and goat packing, botany, sustainability, wild permaculture...and permaculture of any kind actually. Any way to align back in to our ancestral symbiotic life ways that have been devastated and erased by colonial war and take culture. I’ve helped build several Earthen homes; Cobb, Earth Bag, Adobe, and Waddle and Dab so far. I love learning these traditional ways of building. I’ve helped build a few wood based structures as well. I am always up for sharing information and helping out. I am often in an area because of a class I am attending.

ABOUT ME

Hello and aloha!
My name is Simon. I am queer, non-binary, and gay. I’m an artist. I working in many mediums (favorites, wood and Ceramics). I have lived much of my adult life on the Hawaiian Islands of Maui and the Big Island and the west coast of the mainland USA. I grew up in the islands of Washington, and also on the Oregon Coast. I love hiking, swimming, exploring, relaxing, cooking, dancing, art, and music. I’ve lived on beaches all over the world learning from the wild populations of dolphins, fish, and Sea Turtles. I have had the opportunity and fortune to travel to India, Thailand, Indonesia, Mexico, and Western and Southern Europe. I’ve lived with people from all these places and learned quite a lot of wonderful ways and ideas from these people and cultures. The tastes, smells, sights, and adventures I’ve experienced have influenced me greatly. I am grateful for the blessings I receive very and the generosity of other. I wish to return the favor.
I’ve lived in many various sorts of communities, intentional and otherwise, and group housing, student co-operatives. From palaces to squats. Radical sanctuaries to tightly run ships. I mostly like to camp out and be free of noise and city life.

PHILOSOPHY

Do as you wish, and do no harm. Being helpful, listening deeply, and being present to support other humans in our transition to this future culture we are all creating together will be.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

For the most part I need a place to sleep a night when I do not have access to friends or national forest resources while I am traveling between volunteer positions. I have all the gear I need to comfortably and easily stay on a concrete floor or in a back yard.
Any safe space will do, and be very appreciated.

HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING

I am a skilled houseguest. I am able to take responsibility for my actions and interactions in a home and clean and be helpful and accountable. I try to come in a good way. I bring food for my self and others and readily make sharing the main point of my visits. I will be only needing a place to stay when I am traveling through a place I do not know well. This seems like a good way to network with other people who are learning skills sets I value. Permaculturists, llama, goat, and horse people, people who love life.

COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE

It has been very good so far. Have met many new friends who are very kind and gentle and fun that I have been able to keep in touch with and connect with communities all over the west coast. Looking forward to Europe.

Interests

The Arts. Dance, Music, Song, Expression of Beauty, Magical Arts expressly those devoted to Aphrodite and Pan. Kindness, and realness. Proactive Response to the Environmental Situation we have helped create on this earth. Peacefull Radical Consensual Altruistic Community Activation.

• wildlife
• arts
• culture
• singing
• performing arts
• beauty
• dancing
• dining
• cooking
• crafts
• gardening
• traveling
• magic
• music
• hiking
• camping
• surfing
• scuba diving
• martial arts
• swimming
• forestry
• beaches
• cooperative living
• permaculture
• intentional communities
• dance
• creativity
• queer
• sewing
• ceramics
• foraging
• fermentation
• herbalism
• ecstatic dance
• tanning
• earth
• chinese medicine
• earthships
• felting
• funny people
• goddess
• cobb houses
• ferrocement
• wildtending

Music, Movies, and Books

Books: "The God of Ecstasy: Sex Roles and the Madness of Dionysus" by Arthur Evans, "T.A.Z. the Temporary Autonomous Zone, Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism" by Hakim Bey,
"Another Mother Tongue" by Judy Grahn, "Deerskins into Buckskins: How to Tan with Brains, Soap or Eggs" by Matt Richards, Brian Froud's books,
"Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Lore" by Randy P. Conner, David Hatfield Sparks and Randy P. Connor, "Daughters of Copper Woman" by Anne Cameron, so many folk tails, poets like Teri Ciacchi, Rilke, Alan Ginsberg, ummm so many...

Films: Jim Henson's, The Dark Crystal, Fellini's Satyricon, Stardust, Harry Potter, Brazil,

One Amazing Thing I’ve Done

Learning about the sophisticated and ancient wild native permaculture gardening practices of the Indigenous Populations of the area’s I am in. These involving the entire ecology of land based tending.

Being a witness to and a part of a whole group of people opening up to transparency and love and support of each other through facilitated, cooperative group communication.

Orca whales swimming through phosphorescence under me as I Kayaked through the Puget Sound.

Teach, Learn, Share

Wild Native Plant Knowledge (the actuality of the Whole Earth Being a Wild Garden of Native Wild Foods every one of our Ancestors knew intimately and built their personal and tribal community culture around living with, wild tending, and sharing with each other. This was the ancient way of all peoples...every one of us until the slavery and ownership idea got hold through force. Peacefull and Cathartic Community Forums of Sharing for Personal Transformation through Radical Transparency, Empathy, Compassion, Relating. I am excited about and learning this.

What I Can Share with Hosts

Stories, Food, Massage Skills, Design Perspectives.

Countries I’ve Visited

Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States, United States Minor Outlying Islands, Vatican City State

Countries I’ve Lived In

Denmark, India, Mexico, Spain, Thailand, United States