Motz Studios Blog

Today, we mark Earth Day—as a sacred invitation. It can be an opportunity to remember what we have always known but often forget: that we belong to the earth, not simply on it. Earth Day and I are the same age this year. We both came into being in 1970. So we've both had a bit more than half a century to embed ourselves in our surroundings, our communities. .. It has certainly taken that long for me to begin to understand what a powerful entity this planet truly is, and

Pollen Mix as seen through a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. “Bring questions into this space [the...

A visitor gazes in awe at the massive cross-section of an ancient Redwood tree, showcasing its intricate growth rings and immense size. (Created by DALL-E w/input from David Motzenbecker) “Fast gets all the attention. Slow has all the power.” ~ Stewart Brand, Pace Layers 2024 "Bless paper for the way it can kindle a campfire and a revolution, for the delicious confusion of cedar and velvet at the tip of your finger each time you turn the page, for its whispered promise that

Winter sunlight filters through bare branches at Wood Lake Nature Center, captured by David Motzenbecker. Each year at this time our inboxes swell, and our social media feeds overflow with invitations to better ourselves, to set new intentions and fill ourselves with inspiration for positive change a.k.a. ‘resolutions' . Like every seed hosts a potential tree, so do our ideas host potential for ourselves, our communities, and the world. Resolution is an interesting word. It

"I do not go to the forest to be alone. I go to be with the ones who speak without human words." ~ FIA & KAI SKYE Forest in the morning light. Asher Durand, 1855 Solitude and silence are not the same. Nature is never truly silent, though places can be found that have much less human noises than others. However what the artists above are referencing is more of a contemplative solitude, a place to be with other beings and your thoughts, not utterly alone. Being in a heightene

In this post we will explore how to forest bathe, whether alone or with a guide. We will touch on different forest bathing activities,...

‘Work’ is currently changing before our eyes. The COVID-19 pandemic has made many rethink their relationship to work. People are...

*UPDATED - NOVEMBER 2023 * A group gathers on a wooden dock at Wood Lake, preparing to embark on a forest bathing walk amidst lush greenery and serene waters. FOREST BATHING – WHAT IS IT? You may have been hearing a bit about a new wellness practice recently – it’s called forest bathing, or shinrin yoku . Forest Bathing is the English translation of the Japanese phrase 'Shinrin Yoku'. Shinrin means ‘forest’ in Japanese, Yoku means ‘bath.’ This translates as immersing yours

Insights into the state of interdependence between humanity and the planet.

A serene view of B'Dote, a revered Dakota sacred space, where the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers meet. As those who follow me know, I...

FRUSTRATION, THEN AWAKENING I remember it distinctly. My heart was beating fast, the palpitations rampant in my chest. The day I quit my...

I’m a fan of Ryan Holiday and his Daily Stoic endeavor. Today’s thought was both a challenge and a provocation to think deeper about...

I am lucky and privileged to be able to write this missive from a warm, dry home. As I type, I am able to glance outside and be subsumed...

Have you ever stopped to consider why our thumbprints look like tree rings? Why our nervous system resembles tree branches or lightning?...

Hailing from Minnesota, one thing seems clear – people here love going ‘up north’ to their cabins. This seems to hold true for our upper midwestern neighbors Wisconsin and Michigan as well. How did this desire take hold? What compels us to pack up our homes in the cities and drive 2, 3, 4 hours on a Friday, only to turn around and drive back again on Sunday? Some may answer ‘tradition’ , others may say ‘peace & quiet’ , still others remark on the beauty of the trees and lakes

The Coronavirus has ushered us into a brave new world, affecting every aspect of our society. People are the first priority, but it is clear the world of work will be affected. Can you think of two things that everyone in the working world has in common? 1) People are always looking for new sources of inspiration and 2) we are perpetually burnt out . This dichotomy creates a vicious circle that actually blocks creativity. We all strive for solutions that are elegant, functio

Forests have existed for millennia. Like first responders, they offer reassurance, and by the power of their existence, help us to...

So, I just couldn’t resist writing this quick little bit about a band/album I discovered yesterday. The band’s name is Kiln, and the album is called Meadow:Watt. My first impression of this music was to write it off as a form of IDM (intelligent dance music) – all blips, crackles, and static – which I typically find tedious and self-aggrandizing. However, there was something there that had me pause and listen deeper. Perhaps it is the practice I’ve had over the past few year

Do the words “hedge fund” and “forest” link together easily in your mind? If not, you’re not thinking broadly enough about how coronavirus (and nature) has affected the workplace. According to Fortune Magazine , Bridgewater, the world’s biggest hedge fund is working outside in the forest during the COVID pandemic. About 50 employees have been working, while it’s been warm, in the pine trees outside the company’s headquarters in Westport, CT. Bridgewater felt strongly that

We will realize that our green spaces play a significant role as the guardians of our mental health.