Wild Souls Pathways
Our Mission
Why the village exists, in its own words.
The mission statement
The mission of Wild Souls Pathways
Wild Souls Pathways offers rites of passage in the wilderness and a full year of mentorship to young people, with separate paths for girls and boys, guided by trained adult volunteer mentors. Through education on the land and mentoring across generations, we help young people grow resilience, a true sense of who they are, and belonging in their community and on the land.
What that looks like in a year
Two paths, one village
13 Moons
A year for girls aged 11 to 14 that moves through thirteen lunar cycles, with weekend immersions on the land and day gatherings between them, led by a circle of women.
Fire Keepers
A year for boys aged 11 to 14 with four Friday to Sunday immersions and a day gathering in most of the months between, led by men who are each paired with one boy.
From autumn 2027, every circle of both paths begins in autumn and comes home in summer. Both paths are funded by donations from the village: families, friends and partners.
The one sentence
Wild Souls Pathways in one sentence
We are a village remembering how to raise its young in kinship with the living world, and every family who walks with us helps forge that way back.
How we measure ourselves
Two lines every gathering answers to
Do no harm.
Act for the greatest good of all involved.
Every mentor and every board decision is measured against them.
See how the mission is lived
Walk the paths, or write and tell us what draws you here.