The Experience
The journey
A Nature Quest is a sequence, not an event. Preparation with a small group, an individual period in wild nature, and a carefully facilitated return.
“By temporarily stepping away from everyday life and spending time alone in wild nature, leaders often rediscover sources of intelligence that are easily drowned out in normal life: intuition, embodied knowing, imagination, emotional clarity and a deeper sense of what truly matters.”
Intuition. Embodied knowing. Imagination. Emotional clarity. A deeper sense of what matters.
Perspectives
Why time in wild nature matters for leaders.
Not participant stories, but the voices of researchers whose work explains what happens when people step away and spend time alone in wild nature.
“After some time in Nature, the petty stuff starts to fall away—the worries and the pent-upness, and you drop into a deeper place. A place that is truly you—your essence. This is a place where you can view the world with detachment, where your true feelings come to the fore, where what matters in life and what is really important to do become clear. Nature makes this happen naturally. And when you come out you are renewed. Fresh, at peace, full of vigor, and ready for life.”
W. Brian Arthur — ‘Abstract’
Economist and complexity scientist at the Santa Fe Institute. A pioneer of complexity economics, his work on increasing returns, technology evolution and innovation has shaped how leaders think about strategy in Silicon Valley. He has worked with Steve Jobs and Google’s Eric Schmidt, among others, and writes on how new technologies reorganise economies and societies.
“There is a significant risk that the current pro-environmental efforts embedded in the prevailing paradigm (shallow ecology) will not be sufficient to solve the increasing number, severity and urgency of environmental/societal challenges — at least they appear to be unable to solve the problems in time. Through literature review and case studies, as thesis author I have gained insights how humans having direct nature experiences — by reconnecting with nature — seem to have positive impacts upon individuals and societies at a deeper level, which can lead to more pro-environmental consciousness and behavior.”
Jyri Rantanen — MSc thesis, Nature connection as catalyst for change
Author of the 2009 Lund University MSc thesis Reconnecting with Nature and Pro-environmental Consciousness & Behavior. A certified nature & wilderness guide, permaculture practitioner and international humanitarian leader, Rantanen studies how direct nature connection can catalyse personal change and, in turn, more resilient societies.
01 — Arrive
Leave everyday life behind. Meet the group, the guides and the landscape.
Slow down. Prepare physically and mentally for the days ahead. Practical matters — equipment, safety, water, weather — are handled carefully and without drama.
02 — Cross the threshold
Walk into nature. Find your individual place.
Turn off the outside world. From here on, the landscape sets the rhythm.
03 — Solo
No email. No news. No work. No social media. No books. No external stimulation.
Participants are invited — where physically appropriate and responsibly prepared — to fast during the solo period. Drinking water remains available from natural sources or as instructed by the guides. Fasting is an invitation, never a requirement.
The purpose is not endurance or achievement. It is simplicity. As external stimulation disappears, attention gradually changes.
04 — Return
Come back to the group. Food. Warmth. Conversation. Stories.
Listen to what others experienced, without judgement and without forcing conclusions.
05 — Re-entry
Perhaps the most important part. How do you bring what you discovered back into your relationships, your organisation, your leadership and your everyday life?
The Quest doesn't end when you leave Sweden. Something may only just have begun.
Safety and responsibility
Entering wilderness, and fasting, can involve physical and psychological challenges. All participants receive preparation, an equipment list and clear safety instructions before crossing the threshold.
Participation and fasting always depend on individual health and circumstances. A phone may be carried where required for safety, according to the programme's safety protocol, but it is otherwise switched off.
Experienced facilitators remain responsible for the overall programme and its safety protocols. This is not a survival programme. There is nothing to prove.