(sticks squeaking)
- Okay, I've tried enough.
Who's next?
(laughs loudly)
Here you go.
So I've given up trying to make fire
and I've decided to make a wand.
You light the fire,
I'll create the protection spells around the area.
(laughs loudly)
We decided to come on a three day survival
and bushcraft workshop training.
So this is essentially how to survive
when you need to survive. - What to do?
- Either out in nature
or wherever you are in a city, et cetera.
And also bushcraft has to do with creating your own food,
your own equipment,
crafting your own stuff,
foraging for food,
creating your own shelter.
The reason I wanted to do something like that
is because for my whole life,
I've loved connecting with nature
and specifically nature-spirituality.
I mean, I'm a Greek Pagan priest.
It's in the name Pagan
and yet I've started the elementals
from the comfort of my own house.
I've connected with nature at university studying geography
but I haven't actually come out into the natural world
live like our ancestors lived
and actually connect with nature on such a deep level.
- With this knowledge and experience and practice,
I will have a reason to go out
to actually practice, to create.
- Essentially it's an excuse to go out in nature
and connect with nature, the elementals;
I've always believed that all the answers we seek
are found out in nature
and what a better place to learn that
but from the actual nature beings
that are here supporting us, guiding us.
- Oh, I mean, we've already had a little bit of a experience
of tools that we should have
and it was like interesting.
(mumbles)
- I feel ready for a zombie apocalypse.
(laughs loudly)
- [Man] This is George's attempt to split the wood.
Now let's see how he does that.
(wood cracks)
- [Instructor] Got it.
(wood cracks)
- [Woman] How do you get it so thin?
- [George] Oh, it's not that hard.
I can actually do it.
So this is called feathering.
So the left side is the one created by the instructor
and the right side is the one created by me.
I'm not surviving so far in this course.
(sticks squeaking)
Okay, I've tried enough.
Who's next.
(laughs loudly)
Here you go.
Here you go, enjoy!
So I've given up trying to make fire
and I've decided to make a wand.
(George laughs)
You light the fire,
I'll create the protection spells around the area.
(laughs loudly)
We all have our specializations,
surviving isn't one of them.
Magic, well that I can do.
How about this one?
No, too crooked.
How about this one?
Ha, just right.
(orchestral music)
Now I have to perfect it
and then perform the spells.
So I finally got my wand.
I'm so excited!
I always wanted to create my own wand.
I mean I have crystal ones that I use,
I have wooden ones that I bought,
but I always had a dream of going out in nature,
sourcing my own wood and making a wand.
A wand essentially is something that you can use
to direct energy.
You can use your finger,
you can use your intention,
you can use anything else to do so,
but you can also use a wand.
Different trees hold different energies
and different capacities of sending and transmitting energy.
And therefore, when you have a wand
especially when you've taken the time to thank the tree,
to connect with the spirit, with the oversoul of the tree,
then you give that wand extra potency.
You give it special meaning,
and therefore you have a relationship with the wand
and it kind of assists you when you're working your magic.
So usually how I use wands,
I use wands to clear space, to clear people.
Tonight, before we go to sleep,
I'm gonna go all around
and call upon protective energy
and visualize that energy extending through the wand
and creating a circle of protection around us.
It's a beautiful and powerful way to connect with nature
and to work with the magic of the Earth.
This is Pinewood and therefore a Pine wand.
I've just carved it.
So I'm gonna take some time
when I go home to anoint it with essential oils
and other flower essences
to maybe a touch of crystal like, right at the tip of it,
maybe carve my initials on it or sacred symbols.
I'll see I'll meditate with it
and see how I want to use it.
But essentially I plan to use it in my rituals,
in my ceremonies,
in the magic that I create.
(meditation music)
This is the end of day one.
What was your highlight?
- My highlight was
like right after we got here
and they started to explain
the equipment that you need.
There's like for bushcraft,
for survival, for trekking is different kinds.
- And you know what?
I just love being out in nature in this primitive way.
- So we have absolutely zero connection here.
- We have no internet,
no cell reception either.
Do you see my hands?
They're shaking.
At some point, (laughs loudly)
I was holding my phone and going from app to app,
even though I knew there was no internet.
And I was just going from app (indistinct)
(laughs loudly)
I was waving from app to app
and just looking at the apps
and just like nervously hoping for something,
one bar, E, at least an E,
I don't care about 3G anymore or 4G,
let alone 5G.
I couldn't find anything.
I can't do my TikToks,
I can't do my Instagram,
I can't do Facebook, like.
But you know what?
Here's, it's very cliche
but there is a better connection out in nature
because I mean,
you connect with your inner being,
you connect with your soul,
you connect with yourself
and what's the most important relationship we can have,
the relationship we have with ourselves.
Are you ready for day two?
- Hmm.
I cannot wait.
- (indistinct) you don't have to be so dramatic.
I know it's very Halloweeny here but just chill out.
- Honestly, you were talking about bear attacks.
- We don't have bears in (indistinct)
- I know.
- So what are you talking about?
- It's checked, don't...
(gasps)
I got a message from Marianna.
(laughs loudly)
I have internet.
Guys, I don't care, I have internet, bye.