by S.N. Goenka

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open share / musings

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​Dear Reader and friends,

It's official - México likes to shower me with excellent adventures, vibrant colours & radical art, culinary yumminess, new cultural & historical depths, and friendliness & warmth in ways that mainstream media has done no justice. My return to this wonderful and at times infamous country in December was immediately met by an agreeable climate, reunions with old friends, surprising and beautiful encounters, and overall an expansive time alongside Camila, our good friend Andy, and an endless list of lovely humans, places, puppies, kitties, and wildlife too long for any newsletter I write - even though I do have a history of publishing rather long ones. 😉 Gracias de nuevo, México!

I wanna kick things off also with a tremendous thank you for all of you read, responded, and engaged in some shape and form with the last newsletter.

Here are some of your lovely commentaries:

Physically, I am back in California with my folks on the outskirts of Los Angeles. The past several days have felt almost like the Pacific Northwest in the rainy season - gray, rainy, cool, and very conducive to indoor hanging out. I can't say I mind it too much. Having just returned from the warmth and/or dryness of central/southern Mexico (it's their dry season at the moment), this has actually been a treat. Being reunited with my folks, sisters, and nephews also has meant plenty of time to eat home-cooked and proper Cantonese foods, all of which I welcome very much as I kick off some work and await the sun to grace its rays to this region once more. It's going to be a very lush, green California this Spring.

Many responded with curiosity as well as fanfare following my Vipassana announcement in the last newsletter and on socials - thank you for such interest and support! As it turned out, the 10-day course began right on my solar return, and I got to not only participate and be reminded of all of the teachings by Goenka-ji, I also had the opportunity to be a server - making food, preparing the dining halls, washing dishes, and cleaning the kitchen. The experience to serve as well as to sit was grand. As I've spent much of the past week or so catching up to messages, friends, etc., I have remained feeling the groundedness emerging out of my time in Vipassana. It has been very good for my emotional and spiritual health to hit the reset on my meditation practice, and having been able to continue both morning & evening on my own. Thank you to everyone who has cheered, dropped a line, and also shared your personal experiences with vipassana and/or been curious about experiencing this or something similar for yourself in the future.

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Looking ahead, I am going spend a few more weeks in California as winter slowly thaws out while work on several projects for myself and clients & friends. Something that is very, very exciting is this year's road trip around the states in Space/Starship Prius. The route will look something like this:

After some necessary maintenance, little upgrades, and packing up of my mini-camper-on-wheels, starting in late-March, I intend to embark on this journey starting in California through the Southwest into the Rockies, and onwards into the Midwest (Arkansas is indeed a stop) to Chicago to photograph Tim & Trina's wedding - yay!! After their official union, I will check out Wisconsin & Minnesota, neither of which I've been, before visiting friends in the Dakotas (also 1st time) and back to Montana and finally, the beautiful Pacific Northwest.

Along this multi-thousand km and month journey, I am really looking forward to living life out of the Prius again, having heaps of spaciousness, to see old friends, share stories, visit new spots, record conversations for the podcast, sell prints(!!), and say YES to opportunities that come knocking.

If you folks have connections in these regions, happen to be along this route, and/or have an idea to pitch, e.g. collaborations, wanting my photo/video services - please drop me a line / connect me!

I'll most certainly keep you all posted on the print sale, and another offering which I'm THRILLED to be offering along this journey and beyond... *suspense builds* 😉

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​As part of kickstarting this new year with this newsletter, I have culled, edited, and put together a bonus album for my supporters on patreon! This chunky album includes over 500 images and videos from my time in Mexico - from Oaxaca coast, to Oaxaca city, to Veracruz (my first time there!) in the towns of Orizaba & Coatepec, returning to the coast, the last weeks around Valle de Bravo & San Bartolo towns (both in the state of Mexico), and the final couple days in Morelia, Michoacán - patrons get an intimate, inside-look at my day to day life and the beautiful moments, places, and people worth remembering. Patreon continues to be an invaluable source of income as well as a way for folks who support me and my work as part of the "inner circle." Thank you, gracias!

Interested? Head to my patreon membership page right here.​
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Patrons: hop right into your bonus album here!

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​Here are some wonderful snippets from the beginning to end of my time in Mexico from this beautiful Dec-Feb chapter:

What vibrancy, huh? Mexico is magic.

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global good news

Many new subscribers since the last newsletter, so I thought I'd make it be known (yet again 🙃) that this continues to be many peoples' favourite section for GOOD reasons. For first-time subs - you're in for a treat - our world isn't all bad news and terrible happenings as the major headlines read almost daily. There are so, so many people on our planet are banding together to do epic and positive things for each other and the planet. Enjoy these handpicked and hugely filtered already good news from around the world!! 🌍🌍

• Between 2014 and 2021, the WHO's South East Asia Region achieved a 73% reduction in measles deaths and a 64% reduction in cases. Five of the region's 11 countries – Bhutan, DPR Korea, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Timor-Leste - have eliminated measles, and two - Maldives and Sri Lanka - have eliminated rubella as well. WHO​
• Democracy in decline? Someone might want to tell that to the nearly 10 million new voters that have registered for Nigeria's upcoming elections, 84% of them under the age of 34. This will be the seventh election for Africa's most populous country since it returned to democratic governance 23 years ago. Al Jazeera​
• The Biden administration is designating the Avi Kwa Ame (Spirit Mountain) in Southern Nevada a national monument to protect 450,000 acres of sacred tribal lands. Local tribes have been fighting for this since 1999. It will be the second national monument to explicitly address its Indigenous roots following Bears Ears in Utah. NYT​
• Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is a tropical disease caused by parasitic worms, and has plagued people in China for more than 2,100 years. In the 1950s, 11.6 million cases were detected, and approximately 100 million people were at risk. Today, the disease is close to being eradicated. The number of cases in 2021 was 29,041, a reduction of 92.97% from 2008. WHO​
• Sierra Leone has passed landmark legislation advancing women’s rights. Activists have been fighting for this for more than a decade. The law requires all employers to reserve at least 30% of jobs for women, extends maternity leave to 14 weeks, mandates equal pay, grants equal access to financial support and training and puts an end to six decades of customary laws that prevented women from owning land.
• Efforts to save the Western Monarch butterfly are paying off, with 335,479 butterflies migrating to the Californian coastline last year, a welcome increase from less than 2,000 butterflies in 2020. Local efforts continue to double down on protecting the overwintering sites, restoring habitats, and stopping the use of pesticides. Xerces​
• Australia has become the first country to recognise psychedelics as medicines. The Therapeutic Goods Administration has approved the use of MDMA and psilocybin, the active ingredient inmagic mushrooms, for certain mental health conditions. They will be considered schedule 8 drugs - approved for controlled use when prescribed by a psychiatrist - from July 2023. ABC​
• Populations of endangered rhinos, buffalo and elephants are rebounding in Uganda. Since 1983, the buffalo population has increased by 77% and elephants by nearly 300%. Eastern black rhinos have rebounded too - after being wiped out in the 1980s, they were reintroduced in 2005 and their numbers have grown to 32. Yale360​

• Chilika Lake, the second biggest lake in India, was declared dead in the 1990s, but two decades of conservation work has resulted in a six-fold increase in seagrass and the return of marine life. The project has also changed the livelihoods of two million people: every rupee the government spent on restoration resulted in at least seven rupees of benefits to fisheries, tourism and carbon capture. Mongabay​
• The largest municipally-owned electric and gas utility in the US, Texas-based CPS Energy, will close its last remaining coal plants by the end of this decade. “We are ending the use of coal no later than 2028. I don’t think that’s a statement that we thought we would’ve been making at this point.” Power Mag​
• America's teen birth rate has plummeted in a single generation, "a change of such improbable magnitude that experts struggle to fully explain it." In 1991, a quarter of 15-year-olds became mothers before turning 20. Today, just 6% become teen mothers, a decline of 77% in 30 years. Teen births have fallen at equal rates among white, Hispanic and Black teenagers, and by more than half in every state. NYT​
• A panel of international experts backed by the United Nations has found that the ozone layer is on track to recover by 2040, thanks to decades of policy work to get rid of ozone-damaging chemicals. Since the hole was discovered in May 1985, countries have phased out 99% of ozone-depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol. NPR​
• ​Danske, Denmark’s biggest bank, and the second-largest bank in the Nordic region, has declared an end to fossil fuel financing, and HSBC says it will no longer provide finance for new metallurgical coal mines, with more banks to follow, as has already happened with thermal coal.
• A new law protecting women against discrimination and sexual harassment has come into effect in China. It's the country's most significant reform to women's rights in 30 years, and the only place we were able to find the story was in a law journal and an HR magazine. In case the significance isn't apparent, there are 326 million female employees in China.
• Meet Sinje Gottwald, who just finished riding an anti-poaching electric motorbike for wildlife rangers from Spain to South Africa in 124 days, a 13,000 kilometre trip with fewer than 140 charges and no technical or medical support. She carried two batteries, two chargers, tools, and some spare parts for her CAKE Kalk AP bike. Clean Technica​

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original work / offerings

In this edition, I am sharing some work I shot and edited in 2021 from the beautiful state of Montana in the northwest of the U.S., when I visited the Feathered Pipe Ranch (thanks to my dear friend Andy!) and got the opportunity to stay on-site, meet many radical people, and capture its magic for a multi-short-video production. The retreat centre is nestled on the edge of a national forest just outside of the city of Helena. Here is one of the videos to promote the ranch's health, yoga, and wellness retreats, which run June - September.

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I am also reposting Camila and I's yoga video from the bottom of the Grand Canyon from the previous edition:

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For those of you who found value in this practice, we'd both be delighted with a tip in our online tip-jar!

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This month marks the 2-year anniversary of my newsletter. Wow! 🎉

To celebrate, I wish to link all of the previous editions here:

2022: Nov + Dec | Oct + Sep | Aug + Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar | Feb | Jan​
2021: Dec | Nov | Oct | Sep | Aug | Jul | Jun | May | Apr | Mar​

This is a good time to bring up the fact this newsletter is powered by 1) my deep, personal interest in creating a publication that isn't at the mercy of social media algorithms, where I can candidly share thoughts, images, gems, and good news from around the world, and by 2) my supporting patrons on Patreon, who contribute monthly/annually for my writings, images, videos, news, and musings. I am essentially a 'busker' with this newsletter and postings on socials. This humble income, along with freelance gigs I do everywhere in the world, have become the very backbone from which I have been able to financially sustain my lifestyle for the past 10+ years. I am also a year into starting a new project, the Wilderness Within Podcast, which continues in the coming months as I visit close friends with amazing stories to have intentional, recorded conversations. Stay tuned!

Thank you for reading, responding, engaging, and supporting me in all the ways you do! 🙏

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recommendations

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I've been a fan of Einzelgänger's content on YouTube for years - and have watched dozens of their content and have gained much from the time. Hope it is of value to you as well.

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Many friends are aware (and/or are probably not surprise to hear) that I'm a big fan of John Oliver - for good reasons. He uses humour, information, and his gigantic platform to shed light on big and often under-discussed topics such as food waste, A.I., bail reform, transgender rights, to only name a few. This episode on Psychedelic Assisted Therapy is nothing short of incredible - so many invaluable points mentioned, coupled with testimonials, the latest resurgence of research and progress made. There is endless application and healing that will (and already have) come from this. We really cannot afford to mess this up (again). Having benefited greatly from psychedelics myself, I am hopeful for the medicine on a larger population of humanity.

Podcast rec? I know some of you are regular podcast-listeners too. This month, I am highly recommending "Man Talks" by Connor Beaton. Instead of the typical episode-by-episode recommendation, I find it much easier and less time-consuming for me to simply rec a show. I've listened to more than 4 episodes now, and they all have provided me value in some form. Having recently done a men's circle intensive (10+ hours in a day) and really taking another deep dive into my being, my patterns, and being true to how I wish to evolve and grow into a better man, I can absolutely recommend it to any male-identifying person. One of the ways is through good listening, books, talks such as Connor's, in my opinion. Another is most definitely therapy, and a men's group to take part in.
Find Connor's episodes on Apple, Spotify, Google, Stitcher​

I have made 2 playlists on Soundcloud that I play and jam out to very often - 'buenas vibas' and 'emoción profunda' - both feature many of my favourite artists. Enjoy!

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gratitude

For those of you who are new to this newsletter, welcome and thank you! Your time and attention are invaluable, and I sincerely hope you find value here. 😊

This publication is a labour of love & devotion. For each edition, I spend 10+ hrs to cull & edit captured media, compile good news & content, then weave them altogether. It is made possible in huge part due to patrons who pitch in regularly on patreon. This income, as minuscule as it might be relative to salaries of those jobs in economically "developed" countries, is an enormous pillar of additional support for my frugal lifestyle in regions of the world where services and goods cost relatively less. I also must thank dear friends around the globe who hire me for their family portraits, engagements, weddings (thank you, Tim & Trina!!), business/organization photo & videoshoots, etc. that also contribute greatly to the financial pie which allow my life(style) to be possible. 🚙🏕️

Without these supporters, there would likely be no newsletter, and it'd be a bigger challenge for me to commit the additional time and resources to commence The Wilderness Within amidst commitments and life itself. So for that, I am ever thankful for their financial support month after month so that I can produce content like this, "re-tip" other creators that I think make our world a better place, and offer pro-bono or discounted documentary work to those with(out even) a small a budget. 📷

If you're able to or keen to learn more, head over to my patreon page, or if regular contributions aren't your thing, I also have a tip jar - think of me as a "street busker" with cameras, curation, and musings.​ 💰

These are the humans that make this publication, the podcast, and other aspects of my life possible: 🤗

Grateful for you Reader,

Jonathan