Tracking as a Way of Life
with Arnaud Gagné
Free Intro Class
Watch this recording of the live class for an introduction to Holistic Tracking and to get a sense of how I teach. I spent a bit more time on theory in the free class than I will in the 9 week course which will be balanced with more practice time. The recording is around 1.5hrs but give yourself an extra 1/2 hour just outside your home to do the exercise.
Tracking as a Way of Life
9 Week Course
Learning the Ancient Art of Holistic Tracking to Enhance Our Modern Lives
Jan 21st through March 18th
Live online with Arnaud Gagne
Tuesdays 2pm-4pm Eastern Time (EST)
(Convert to your own timezone here)
Recordings will be available if you can’t make it live
What happens to us as people when we seek out the animals as teachers to remember our ancient bond with the Earth and the power of our senses and nervous system when fully activated in relationship with the natural world?
In this 9 week journey, we’ll dive deep into the playful, embodied and intuitive aspects of wildlife tracking and stay attentive to the positive effects this practice has on our life among people in the modern world.
Watch this short video to get to know me and why I love to teach tracking...
“Working with Arnaud has enabled me to see a landscape that I spent most of my life around with fresh eyes and a renewed curiosity for all we can learn from the natural world. From this work, I’ve gained both the confidence and the motivation to de-educate myself from the old western teachings that no longer serve me, and pursue the knowledge that was available to my ancestors to better understand my purpose and role on this Earth.”
-Jesse Lewis - Artist/Surfer/IT Consultant
The 8 Elders of Tracking
Gathered and articulated by master tracker Jon Young, the Elders of Tracking give us access to many generations of tracking wisdom from around the world. Each Elder offers us a lens from which to see the world through and asks us questions that deepen our awareness and connection. They form the framework for the course and we will go on a journey with one of them each week.
“Tracking is like dancing because the body is happy…”
-San Bushmen Hunter in the film The Great Dance
“Tracking is the doorway to awareness and awareness is the doorway to spirit”
-Grandfather Stalking Wolf
Holistic Tracking
To track holistically asks us to draw on both our cognitive and intuitive abilities, it asks us to constantly expand the limits of our senses. In my experience, the way the art of tracking has taught me to perceive the world has given me the ability to reliably recognize what feels true for me. This has been incredibly helpful for me in navigating the challenges of living in the modern world. At the same time, tracking has also taught me to be at peace with almost never knowing the answer for certain. I believe one of the gifts of tracking is that it can help us develop a balance of personal power and humility.
“I don’t know where I’m going, but I know exactly how to get there”
-Renias Mathanjane Mhlongo, Shangaan tracker in Boyd Varty’s Lion Tracker’s Guide to Life
“Living a similar rhythm as the animals, walking along their trails, stepping into their tracks and eating the fruits they feed on, I forgot all about my problems, challenges and worries. Living moment to moment with the land, the animals and the people, I came alive. In his gentle and intuitive way, Arnaud generously shared with us his knowledge and the teachings of his lineage, touching on many different aspects of holistic tracking and awakening in me the passion to continue on this trail. Thank you Arnaud!”
- Bettina R
Course Flow
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Each week’s 2hr Zoom session will include some teaching time, 30-40min to practice an exercise in nature (off of the computer!), time to share our stories and time to set up the exercise for the week.
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If you can’t make it live, you will have access to the recordings within 24hrs after each session so you can practice the exercises. I encourage you to follow the flow of the session as if you were attending live. You’ll benefit from other participants shares after you do the exercise.
You will have access to the online community, including an online group to share your stories throughout the week. You will also receive bonus handouts and mini courses.
INVESTMENT
CAD$250 + HST
Early bird $50 off (coupon code: EARLYBIRDTRACKER) until Jan 10th
Session 1 — January 21st — Foundational Core Routines & the Role of Connective Culture
Session 2 — January 28th — Identifying Tracks & Sign
Session 3 — February 4th — Embodying the animals & solving mysteries through imitation
Session 4 — February 11th — Basics of animal gaits & track interpretation
Session 5 — February 18th — The humbling practice of aging tracks & sign
Session 6 — February 25th — Understanding tracks & sign in relationship to ecology
Session 7 — March 4th — Internal Awareness & Inner Tracking
Session 8 — March 11th — Trailing & finding animals
Session 9 — March 18th — Putting on the Mind of the Animal & Wrapping the Bundle
You will also get a $30 discount on all one on one mentoring sessions for the duration of the course
One Last Note......
Don’t let the vastness of what there is to know about tracking intimidate you if you are drawn to learning it. This course will approach tracking in a light and fun way without compromising the depth of what there is to learn. I love to take people on a journey to an ancient way of life to empower the life we live now.
“The first track is the end of a string. At the far end, a being is moving; a mystery, dropping a hint about itself every so many feet, telling you more about itself until you can almost see it, even before you come to it. The mystery reveals itself slowly, track by track, giving its genealogy early to coax you in. Further on, it will tell you the intimate details of its life and work, until you know the maker of the track like a lifelong friend.”
- Tom Brown Jr.
About me, Arnaud Gagné
My tracking journey began over 20 years ago when I read Tom Brown Jr's books and started obsessively practicing what I was learning. It was during that time that I found out about Jon Young's Kamana naturalist training program which I became a graduate of. Over the 8 years it took me to complete the program, I became very passionate about tracking and bird language.
I met Jon Young in person in 2016 and started apprenticing directly with him in 2020 through the Shikari tracker training. Jon was himself mentored by Tom Brown Jr since he was a young boy.
Throughout my many years as a deep nature connection mentor and facilitator, holistic tracking has been my favourite skill and philosophy to teach. I've seen it deeply transform the way people perceive nature and the world in general.
I make no claims to being a master tracker, I am a deeply passionate apprentice. I have touched the magic of this ancient art just enough to want to continue to grow in it for the rest of my life and pass it on to as many people as I can.
Learn more about me and Connection Pathways here.
CONTACT US
If you have any questions or if you're wondering if this program is the right fit for you.