If you have come to a class, and would like to share your story, insights, or experiences feel free to post here.
“Awakening Our Nature Sense” by Olga Sher
“Winter Survival Foraging” Class Review by Michael Mcgurk
Articles and Radio Interviews with Dan
“I really enjoyed the class today. Thank you so much for such a rewarding experience. As soon as I got home I immediately looked around my house and munched on purslane and creeping charlie and spotted wide leaf plantain. This will certainly turn my life in Montclair into a world of foraging for sure. My daughter will be absolutely in bliss. She loves foraging already so now I can add more to the menu. So enlightening I am eager to dive in more. Ever growing in nature…” – Azizi
My children and I met Dan two years ago, and to us this has been an incredible gift. Dan is very knowledgeable about nature, more than anyone we have ever met, but this is not the only thing… Dan has a very special presence that somehow transforms people and their attitudes about nature, and this comes naturally to him. I do not think that he can help it, it is part of his energy. When we are around him, listening to his lectures, we receive lessons that resonate with us on a very deep level and we feel more connected with the world around us and ourselves. Humble, open-minded, funny, Dan offers something special to people from all walks of life that is desperately needed nowadays. My family and I highly recommend his classes and workshops.
Dan did a presentation for our monthly meeting of the Holistic Moms Network this week and we still can’t stop talking about it. After just one session with Dan, on the topic of fermentation, I felt as though I’d read an entire book on the topic. Dan was thorough, knowledgeable, and delivered his information in such an accessible way. He couldn’t help but cover more info than the topic at hand, because his knowledge is so vast, and of course all of it is interconnected. I can’t wait to spend more time learning from Dan. We plan to do a foraging walk with him this Spring. I think the most important takeaway from his presentation for me personally is that I was able to walk out the door feeling differently after that meeting. I had new knowledge with which to make new choices, and to me, that’s what personal growth is all about. Thank you, Dan!
I was so heartbroken when I got back from Tracker School… I felt like Eden was taken away from me when I read foraging was against most park laws. When we did our plant walk with you in Prospect Park this Summer you held my shoulder and told me no one could take my connection away from nature. Your wisdom, and ability to bring me back to the truth, was healing. You walk your talk and that give us hope. Thanks for being a lighthouse and showing us what is possible.
02-23-2014 – It was a beautiful sunny day and many people came from all directions. I first started out by asking them to look upon the ground and ask what is present. At first most saw nothing, but then with some subtle clues suddenly a whole world was revealed to us, tracks, nuts, seeds, 5 or 6 plants. With our new vision we began to look up and explore the world. From there we found oriental bittersweet; a utilitarian plant and potent medicinal, sassafras root, compared cherry and birch trees. We also found black raspberry, roses, and blackberry as well as smilax to compare to each other. As the sun set, we closed up with a recharging conversation about voting, capitalism, and community organizing as a way to wean ourselves off of giant systems and return to the butcher, the baker, and the candle stick maker. Heres a full write up on the class – http://returntonature.us/classreflectionfeb2014/
Dan is one of the most inspiring and knowledgeable human beings I know. He is easy to approach, invites ALL questions, and promotes mindful approaches to nature (rather than other teachers who seem to view wild foods as a novelty).
He is fantastic with kids on his walks, and covers ANYTHING from chemistry to spiritual connection. Dan is what EVERY teacher should be like. . . Compassionate, patient, knowledgeable, honest and inspiring. I look forward to every walk, and every talk.
I cannot tell you how much Return to Nature has changed my life!! After attending several of Dan’s plant walks, my awareness shifted drastically to a beautiful place of observance and deep appreciation 🙂 I recommend to continue learning with Dan because there is so much out there for him to teach! I imagine how daunting it must be to know enough of plant identification, medicine making, etc. to decipher what to teach at what time; it’s so much!!! Dan is engaging, enthusiastic, funny, deep, and very clear about what he’s teaching 🙂 The group always ends up coming together in a way that is so lovely and has such a strong sense of cOMmunity, and I really think Dan’s teachings foster that environment 🙂 He is approachable, friendly, and kind, and because of this energy students are free to ask questions and generate a dialogue about the things that really matter in this world 🙂 A Return to Nature class is a guaranteed fun and insightful time 🙂 What’s so amazing about this small business is also that if you hook up with them online, you are CONSTANTLY learning!! Dan’s passion extends passed live classes and he ALWAYS makes sure he is sharing the plant love with online Q&A’s, regular informative and inspirational posts, and again, ALWAYS there to answer questions 🙂 THANK YOU DAN AND LAUREN FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR THE COMMUNITY!!! I LOVE YOU!!!
Definitely one of THE most inspirational weekends of my life in one of the most beautiful and spiritual places on Earth! I promise if you go to one of Dan De lion’s talks you will be forever changed. He offers THE MOST incredibly intelligent, insightful viewpoints I have ever heard!!! I can’t urge you strongly enough how important it is to attend one of Dan’s classes!!! We need to learn how to start saving the world!!!