by Viktor E Frankl, in Yes To Life, In Spite Of Everything

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open share / musings

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​Kia ora (greetings), friends and whānau (family),

Thank you, Reader, for opening this newsletter and taking the time and curiosity to read what I put out to the world. I send you this compilation with care from Aotearoa New Zealand, for I am here. I am back in the land of the long white cloud, native to the Māori peoples. The feelings and emotions have been surreal.

But first, allow me to wind the clock back to early September, when I began writing this:

I was sitting on my foldable camping chair behind the tailgate of my hatchback, staring into a forest with a mixture of pine, fir, oak, and other deciduous trees and bushes at 1450 m (4800 ft). The ambient sounds of light wind, crickets, grasshoppers, and the occasional squirrel and bird made up the peaceful baseline of the soundtrack, while a smooth global bass mix had been playing on my bluetooth speaker next the dinner prep table. The forest road wraps around the bend not far in the distance as it ascends to greater heights of the Tahoe National Forest in northern California. I had turned back earlier after a failed attempt to reach a dispersed camping spot deeper into the Sierras Nevada backcountry due to a lack of 4/all wheel drive & ground clearance. Despite slight modifications done to my little Prius to elevate its ride height and traction (I'm well aware of the irony/comedy in this sentence! 😁), it is far from being an off-road vehicle. I gotta know where and when to call its limits!

Nonetheless, as I sat there that evening, I was once again filled with gratitude and pride pondering about where it has taken me throughout the U.S. for the past 4+ years, and all of the learnings online as well as work I have put into the car to tailor to my needs while keeping it in stellar mechanical shape.

When I'm not dwelling in or moving through Latin America, this is a relatively typical scene in a day in a life on the road. Ever since covid shut the world down for some months/years (depending on which part of the world you resided), I've spent a higher proportion of the year within the U.S. than pre-pandemic. I remember the spark well when I realized that I could comfortably camp/travel/explore/visit/live out of this efficient hybrid-electric little car because a) it's what I already have, (b) it can be another experiment/challenge to live minimally in a different context (much like bicycle-touring, backpacking, tenting, RV-living in the past), and (c) I was simply itching for an adventure again! The tiny camper life allowed for social distancing by escaping life in dense cities & towns, while keeping costs quite low. If you've seen the film "Nomadland," (highly recommend, BTW) you may be able to find several parallels to my life. When I'm on the road, my "rent" is gasoline, car insurance, and the additional wear and tear & maintenance of the car. When I discovered dispersed camping in 2018 or '19, I barely pay for campsites anymore. And this life certainly isn't for everybody and perhaps not forever, yet I've found it to be perfect for me in this stage of my life. I have really, truly dug the mobility, the adventures as well as autonomy, though this is about to change, and I've been setting myself up to embrace what the new chapter brings.
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Which brings us to the big news - New Zealand immigration said 'yes!'
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On October 7th, I will be on a long series of plane rides across the Pacific to reunite with my beloved and a land which I adored and had such a grand time getting to know in late 2017 to early 2018.
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This chapter throughout the Americas, with many micro chapters within it for the past 3+ years, is about to come to a close.
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As I sail across northern California through the redwoods and coastline, the landscape will shift to a drier environment and higher elevation - one of my favorite places and one that really captivated my heart and stirred my soul in my 20's - the Sierra Nevada (where I continue the writing now). Pay a little respect to these life-providing mountains, soak up the silence and solitude, and play amongst her before seeing the family and unpacking/repacking my earthly possessions once more.
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I thank many friends, especially those who helped us out throughout the visa application, and the Burning Man (what a stellar, phenomenal Burn this was, mmmm!) family in celebrating with me/us already. I so appreciate your shared excitement and support in a myriad of ways.
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Onwards!

As usual, I treat my patreon supporters with a little (in this case, heaps) something extra! For this edition of the newsletter, I'm including a 18-minute video where I narrate through the 250+ image and video bonus album of Oregon, Nevada/Burning Man, and California. As I dive deeper into the Wilderness Within Podcasts (which BTW I have a mega announcement for just below!), I have become much more comfortable being recorded and in hearing my own voice. This is very good, as I used to really do NOT enjoy hearing my own recorded voice. It would certainly seem that my self-acceptance and self-love journey has made leaps and bounds, and I am ALL about it, yay!

Lastly, I wish to bring up a memorable moment when I posed the question to socials some weeks ago re: garbage pickup + taking/posting a picture of it being self-serving, to which one of my friends responded with, “It’s not self-serving in an egotistical way, but it does serve the self in the ripple effect it has. It’s a reminder that we can make places better, which in turn inspires us to also make a difference, which makes our world and your world better. Therefore serving you and ALL of us! 🙏🏽🫶🏽” Thank you so much for that valued feedback, dear friend.

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global good news

There is so much good news piled up in my inbox, I've actually had to SKIP 5 emails full of them from Future Crunch (they are my absolute best source of good news) so that I do not get "overwhelmed" with good news and wanting to re-share EVERYTHING with you all. What a feeling. What a feeling of hope and optimism. Far, far better than doom and gloom, I tell ya. Here we go - the good news from around the world you likely didn't hear about that keeps this planet spinning, beautiful, and life worth living and fighting for. Cheers, to life and the human spirit. 🌎✨

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Eight countries—Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela—have agreed to protect the Amazon, pledging to stop the world’s biggest rainforest from reaching 'a point of no return,' and laying out a 10,000-word roadmap to promote sustainable development, end deforestation and fight the organised crime that fuels it. Al Jazeera​

Maharashtra has become the first state in India to roll out universal healthcare, covering $6,900 in expenses for all residents. The government is also spending $362 million on upgrading hospitals and ensuring that every district in the state has a 50-bed critical care unit. In case the scale of this isn't clear—Maharashtra is home to 120 million people, more than the Philippines or Japan. Hindustan Times​

Iran has made amazing progress in eliminating malaria. Sixty years ago, five million malaria cases occurred every year. By 2010, that had dropped to less than 2,000, and by 2018, to zero. Having now gone multiple years without infections, it's expected to be one of the 25 countries that will eliminate malaria by 2025. WHO​

When was the last time you heard any news out of Mexico that wasn't about migrants, drugs or crime? How about this: between 2020 and 2022 the number of people living in poverty in Mexico declined by 8.9 million and average household incomes increased by 11%, thanks to a new national minimum wage and the provision of social programs.

Gabon will wipe $450 million off its national debt by increasing protections of its marine ecosystems. It’s the second African country after the Seychelles to benefit from a debt-for-nature scheme and will use it to expand its network of marine reserves that protect numerous threatened marine species, including leatherback and olive ridley turtles and 20 species of dolphins and whales. Afrik21​
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Humanity has made astonishing progress on access to water, sanitation and hygiene in this century. Between 2000 and 2022, 2.1 billion people gained access to safe drinking water, 2.5 billion gained access to safely managed sanitation, the number of people using unimproved facilities has been halved, from 1.1 billion to 545 million, and the number practising open defecation has fallen by more than two thirds, from 1.3 billion to 419 million. WHO​

Canada will spend C$30 billion on 250,000 new low-cost childcare spaces, with the aim of making childcare universally accessible for less than C$10 a day. The program is 'a transformative project on a scale with the work of previous generations of Canadians, who built a public school system and public health care.' NYT​

There are already reams of studies showing psychedelics can help with depression, anxiety and PTSD. Evidence now suggests that psilocybin may assist in treating anorexia nervosa, an eating disorder characterised by distorted body image and severe food restriction. In early trials, people who took the psychedelic drug saw a reduced severity in their eating disorder. New Scientist​

The Mosquirix malaria vaccine has been approved for distribution across 12 African countries, with 18 million doses due to be delivered to areas with the highest risk. The vaccine has already been administered to 1.7 million children in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi since 2019, with noticeable reductions in child mortality. Guardian​

In a historic referendum, Ecuador has voted to stop oil drilling in the one-million -hectare Yasuní National Park in the Amazon, one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. Just 2.5 square acres of Yasuní contains more animal species than the whole of Europe. Voters opted to safeguard the unique biosphere by a margin of nearly 20%.

Everyone loves a comeback story, and when it comes to animal conservation, there are a lot of them. Our friends at the Progress Network have a roundup of all the 'animal comeback' stories from the first six months of 2023, proving that amidst all of the genuinely worrying environmental news, recovery is an ongoing, global project, and we keep getting better at it.

Ghana recently became the fourth country to decriminalise attempted suicide in the past year, following Malaysia, Guyana and Pakistan. Activists say it's a sign of greater awareness and understanding of mental health, with many other countries set to follow. 'There seems to be a domino effect taking place.' Guardian​

A new law in Ghana will force producers of plastic packaging to collect and recycle waste that is either generated during manufacturing or dumped on the street by consumers. It’s a big step forward for a country that produces 840,000 tonnes of plastic waste each year. Afrik21​

With the addition of Saturn, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has finally captured all four of our solar system's giant worlds. JWST's observations of the ringed planet, taken on 25 June 2023, have been cleaned up and processed, giving us a spectacular view of Saturn's glorious rings, shining golden in the darkness. Needless to say, this is not to scale. Science Alert​

Cambodia has reduced its maternal mortality rate from 810 per 100,000 live births in 2008 to 154 per 100,000 live births in 2021-2022. During the same time, under-five mortality has fallen from 55 to 16 per 1,000 live births, and overall life expectancy has risen from 61 and 64 years to 74.3 and 76.8 years for men and women, respectively. Khmer Times​

In Japan, the Raporo Ainu Nation are reclaiming their historical fishing rights to salmon, thanks to a collaboration with First Nations people in the United States. In California, the Shasta Indian Nation are celebrating the return of flowing water through Ward’s Canyon for the first time since 1918 after the removal of a dam along the Klamath. In Wisconsin, the Menominee tribe has become a shining example of forest management after sustainably harvesting its woods for nearly 170 years while increasing the number of trees by 40%.

A landmark decision for women's rights in Europe. Crime rates in the largest city in the United States have plummeted compared to a year ago (good luck finding that in the news). A victory for nurses in the same city. Japan passes a law to promote understanding of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Greece's prime minister says he has plans to legalise same-sex marriage. Why it's time to be hopeful about LGBTQ rights in Asia. South Korea launches its K-Rice project in eight African countries, hoping to feed 30 million people a year by 2027. Annualised inflation is coming down in the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Japan. Tanzania celebrates the end of its Marburg outbreak with 'a sigh of relief and ripples of excitement.' One of the world's biggest pharmaceutical companies will allow generic versions of its life-saving tuberculosis drug to be supplied to 44 low-income countries.

At the end of last year, the UN recognised ten ground-breaking restoration efforts around the world that aim to restore 68 million hectares (an area bigger than France) and create nearly 15 million jobs. UNEP [sidenote by yours truly: this list is monumental!]

A six-lane highway in Madrid has been transformed into a lush riverside park, restoring the city’s heavily polluted Manzanares River back to health. A decade in the works and spanning 120 hectares, the Madrid Rio Park has been hailed as both a miracle of engineering and urban rewilding after attracting wildlife back to the river, including otters, not seen in the Spanish capital since the 1950s. Politico​

Fiji has planted almost 18 million trees and 750,000 mangrove trees since the country kicked off its Reforestation of Degraded Forests program in 2019. The largest contributions came from Fiji Pine and Fiji Hardwood Corporation, while landowners and visitors have planted the balance. Fiji Times​

In January 2023, Lula da Silva took a wide range of legal, regulatory, and administrative actions to stop surging deforestation in Brazil, from restarting anti-illegal logging patrols to reconnecting with foreign governments’ conservation donor programs. Now, six months into his term, things are looking up for Earth’s largest rainforest. Mongabay​

A former coal plant in the UK is being transformed into the world's largest battery storage project; European renewables giant Octopus is planning to invest $20 billion in offshore wind by 2030; Thyssenkrupp, Europe's second-largest steelmaker, has secured €2 billion from the German government for green steel investment; US regulators just opened the Gulf of Mexico to offshore wind leases; Egypt has brought its clean energy targets forward by five years and allocated land for a 10 GW wind project to provide electricity to 11 million households; Israel now requires all new non-residential buildings to be covered in solar; India is about to launch a staggering 20 GW tender for new battery manufacturing; 4.4 GW of rooftop solar has been installed in South Africa in the last year; the Philippines just awarded a whole lot of new solar projects; Brazil says its solar industry has created around 960,000 jobs since 2012; and Barbados is now targeting a 100% carbon neutral economy by 2030.

Kenya looks increasingly like it could become an anchor for broader progress in East Africa. Last year it conducted peaceful and democratic elections, 87% of the population now has access to the internet, electricity access has increased from 32% of households in 2013 to 75% in 2022, and the grid is already over 80% renewable. Bloomberg​

Deb Haaland, the first Native person to serve as a US Cabinet secretary, has made extraordinary progress in her first two and half years. 'Every day, she’s fully representing our community in ways that have never been visible. Every time I see her, it hits me. And America is seeing her fill that space. She is the face of what America is trying to protect.' Washington Post (non-paywall link here).

Well there you have it folks, and now... for a big reveal and announcement below!​
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original work / offerings

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I am DELIGHTED to invite you to check out the freshly-registered domain and created page for my podcast, wildernesswithinpod.com, and... *drum roll* the first introduction episode that tells the backstory of the creation of this project. Wilderness Within (WW) is published on nearly all of the platforms - Apple Podcasts, Spotify, RSS, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Listen Notes, Amazon Music, Deezer.

That's right. After 2+ years of dreaming, scheming, reaching out, collaborating, and doing... here we are!

I am very keen to hear what you all think after tuning in. Next up in the coming week or so - the first guest episode with Mariana Jimenez Moreno, a dear friend, sister, master natural builder, and teacher. After that, an amazing conversation with Orion Haas, co-founder of Conscious Impact. I can finally say this for my own show - smash that Subscribe/Follow button and rate it if your listening platform takes reviews. I'd be ever so appreciative!

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The Wilderness Within Podcast is an exploration of our inner worlds through stories and experiences. It is inspired by the stories of good friends and the immense interest to dive beyond the superficial and into the depths of one's devotions and motivations in life. Each episode is intended to be an open share and celebration of the triumphs, failures, learnings, and vulnerabilities of the guest(s) and your host, Jonathan "Kai" Hiu Tun Lee. This is also a space where he will share personal stories and lessons from years living as a purpose-driven, camera-lugging vagabond and content creator.

WW is made possible due to the ongoing financial support of patreon supporters. The podcast is a big fan of the value-driven, pay-it-forward model. This is the reason why you won't hear razor subscriptions or NordVPN discounts being offered is thanks to the few dollars that each supporter pitches in per month. Besides becoming a patron, some of the best ways to support this podcast is to share this episode or show, and to rate it on Spotify, Apple, or your favorite listening platform. If you're keen to chip in, head to patreon.com/subtledream to learn more, thank you!

Follow & engage with this journey at @wildernesswithinpod and/or #wildernesswithinpod, or contact directly at wildernesswithinpod@gmail.com​

Special thanks to my brothers Scott Hanson and Carlos Militante for the soundtrack throughout WW. Scott is also a guest on 1 of the episodes, and Carlos poured his artistic talent for the WW logo. A huge shoutout to Melissa Kaitlyn Carter (also thanks, Alex, for the referral!) for her editing & production magic, and the following humans - Paul Jones, Antoine Maes, Aiyana Bailin, Deborah Carson, Rene Dyke, Luke Fernandez, Kelly Pi, Carina Fourmyle, Kelsea Lynn, Khen Russell, Kelsey Yates, Michael Chung, Evan Stickles, Reiki Cordon, Kristine Schiman, Lindsay Claverie, Anne Goodman, Yu Shan Chuang, Otis Skiper, Steven Tracy, Delvin Solkinson, Steven Moe, Steph Bird Parker, Anna Writz, Camila Nieuwlands, Dana Wilson, Naira de Gracia, Dora Lee, Orion Haas, Michelle Kizner, Steven Wong, Gautier Bugat, Jackie Chow Solinsky, Romar Smith, Peter Wells, Jacky Cheung, Tsetop Sokpo, Frankie Lee, Jim Barngrover, Lisa Colligan, Marek Bowers, Ryan Lue, Mikey Leung, and even more past & present patrons - in making dreams come true.

recommendations

With every edition of the subtledream newsletter, I also recommend gems that have provided value for me. I believe that, if I am going to be spending the time to watch or listen to things from the internet anyway, why not intentionally make some of that content be my constant source of learning and reflecting? Why not create new pathways to think, fresh ways to perceive, and re-wire some of that conditioning that no longer serve us? From the stats of engagement, many of you DO click on these links, so I am extra glad that folks seem to be resonating with what I share each time - cheers y'all.

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5 ways to unlock your brain’s ancient pleasure centers | Jamie Wheal for Big Think

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For our own mental health, we must occasionally disconnect from the world and reconnect to ourselves and to each other.
This leads us to some of the most powerful and often taboo things that humans have ever experienced.
They include: breathing, sexuality, embodiment, substances, and music — what Jamie Wheal calls the Alchemist Cookbook.

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Are We the Last Generation — or the First Sustainable One? | Hannah Ritchie | TED

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"The word "sustainability" gets thrown around a lot these days. But what does it actually mean for humanity to be sustainable? Environmental data scientist Hannah Ritchie digs into the numbers behind human progress across centuries, unpacking why the conventional understanding of sustainability is misleading and showing how we can be the first generation of humans to actually achieve it."

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I just finished reading Viktor E. Frankl's Yes to Life: In Spite of Everything.
It's helped me re-frame my world and to dissolve the small issues that I've magnified out of proportions.

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In the past 2 months, I've really enjoyed podcasts from these 2 shows:
​ManTalks Podcast with Connor Beaton​

​Rising Man Podcast with Jeddy Azuma​

Specifically, these 2 episodes:

• ​Building A Non-Anxious Life, Presence, And Thriving Relationships with ​Dr. John Delony
• ​From Darkness To Redemption with Albert Chavez​

They have been tremendous in providing more perspectives and reminding me of the process... the process... it's all a process of never-ending inquire, improvement, and the ability to become a new version of ourselves - if we consciously choose to.

I believe there's inevitably at least ONE person in which really needs to hear, read, be exposed to 1 or any of these links & resources. If I could provide that mind/paradigm-shift for just a single human, then I consider my job well done and time well spent.

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gratitude

For those of you who are new to this newsletter, welcome and thank you!

Your time & attention are invaluable, and I sincerely hope you find value here. 😊

This publication is a labor of love & devotion. For each edition, I spend hours compiling, writing, editing, and weaving content altogether. It is made possible in huge part due to patrons who pitch in regularly on patreon. Supporters get bonus content such as this newsletter edition's bonus album. This income has become a humble yet reliable, essential pillar of financial support. It allows this publication and other creative pursuits to be financially possible while keeping them ad-free (a rarity, let's be honest), past, present, and future. I must also thank friends around the globe who hire me for their portraits, weddings, photo & video lessons, business/org shoots, etc. that contribute greatly to the financial pie.

Without these supporters, there would likely be no newsletter and Wilderness Within Podcast amidst ongoing commitments and life itself. If you're keen to learn more or ready to pitch in, for as little as $1 USD/month, please head over to my patreon page.

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.​
Or buy a print from me (this little store will soon be given attention to for far more choices!) if you reside in the states or Canada.

Until next time, signing out.

Grateful for your attention and time, Reader,

Jonathan aka Kai