In this episode I’m in conversation with Vision Quest guide David Wendl-Berry.
David trained as a wilderness guide in the 1980’s at the School of Lost Borders in California, under the guidance of Steven Foster and Meredith Little – pioneers who first brought the Vision Quest into Western culture.
David brought this Vision Quest approach back to the UK and has been guiding people through this powerful process for 32 years on these lands.
This approach to Vision Quest involves:
Several months of preparation.
10 days out on a wild landscape.
4 days and 4 nights of those alone, fasting.
2 days of returning and story sharing with a community of fellow questers and guides
And one year of integration or ‘cooking’ as David calls it.
In July 2023 David and his fellow guide Jen Gold guided me through my first Vision Quest.
The experience for me was wild, profound, challenging, mysterious and is definitely still ‘cooking’ 9 months on.
The Vision Quest is a rites of passage that was completely missing from my life.
The tragic absence of rites of passage in our culture of modernity, along with the deeply troubled times we are facing into, compelled me to sit down and record a conversation with David.
This episode is I think an intriguing sharing of David’s fascinating story of how he came to dedicate his entire life to guiding people through this extraordinary journey of Vision Quest.
And full of insights and learnings from supporting hundreds and hundreds of people from all walks of life through this rites of passage.
This is beautiful and vital work for these times for sure.
And David has served and given so much to this practice on these Islands.
“For over three decades David Wendl-Berry has been at the wildest edge of rites-of-passage work in the U.K. No one else working today has the breadth of experience and profound wisdom David holds in this area. His heart and canniness cut through all racial and social barriers; his humour and guts have helped facilitate hundreds of men and women through this delicate process of soul-awakening. This man is a national treasure and hugely gifted.”
Martin Shaw- Mythologist, storyteller and author
We explore:
The context we find ourselves in today and how much of this mess was predicted 30 years ago by the Medicine Men David encountered.
David’s journey into Vision Quest following a chance meeting in the 1980’s with Sun Bear, a Native American Medicine Man which ended up changing his life direction.
His first Vision Quest experience.
His journey from apprentice to guide.
Surrendering yourself to the ‘Spirit of the Quest’, to trust that the ‘medicine’ you really need is not up to you.
Rites of passage, becoming adult and finding our true place in serving the wider communities of life.
I really hope you enjoy this episode.
Let us know in the comments what it brings up for you.
And please share it to someone else if it speaks to you.
If you’re interested in a guided overnight Wilderness Solo with ongoing integration from Becoming Crew, we are planning for September in the UK.
Please mail us: hello@becomingcrew.com
Links:
David Wendl-Berry Website
The Remix 6 month action learning course from Becoming Crew
Episode 81 - David Wendl-Berry - What does the Earth Want from You / Spirit of the Vision Quest