Walpurgisnacht – Witches’ Sabbath, Black Sabbath, May Day Eve

April 30th is one of the darkest days of the year – traditionally known as the Witches’ Sabbath, the Black Sabbath or May Eve. It is a time of great magic due to the otherworldly and sometimes evil visitors which lurk outside in the night. Practitioners of the occult, paganism, asatru, wicca and other belief systems often hold rituals on Walpurgisnacht in order to tap into this transitional period where realms overlap.
In this video I discuss a few customs associated with May Eve and also May Day – which is an ancient feast day for fertility rites.

Three side notes: 1) I originally mispronounced the Czech witch burning phrase. Instead of saying ‘paleni’, I said ‘palenica’, which means distillery… So, excluding the complicated grammar, it would have meant ‘witches’ distillery’ instead of witch burning. One tracked mind, I guess…

2) No idea what happened with the weird transition. They seem to double themselves. Please excuse this.

3) That’s a red deer stag’s antler I’m holding

Filmed with a Panasonic Lumix FZ300/FZ330 with a Polaroid UV lens

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I Have The Right – Declaration of Freedom from the Tao of Prepping

Every human is born a free individual, we’re just convinced from birth that we’re not. That we’re somehow less than someone else, or that we’re guilty of some ancient sin. Everyone has rights, they just don’t know it. And the way to exercise those rights – freedom of choice, freedom of expression, freedom to leave peacefully how you see fit – is by standing up against those who would infringe upon them. By saying “No, I don’t want to play your game.” Because life is a game and we are merely temporary players. By understanding that it is possible to question illogical rules which favour one person over another, or give one group the ‘right’ to decide the fate of another.
In this video I read from my book The Tao of Prepping. The Yeoman’s Creed was a statement of intent and fact which I believe sums up what many are thinking but are reluctant to state out loud. Yet there are more and more who are willing to do so.

Achieve Your Goals By Using Focused Will And Intent (Do What Thou Wilt)

It is not enough to merely want to do something, or dream about it, you need to actually focus your will onto achieving it. In this video I explain a very ancient technique known in esoteric circles for manifesting desired intention. This can be applied to your everyday life and can mean the difference between succeeding and not.
Concentrated focus, will and intent can truly change the world – or just get you to where you want to be. But it’s not merely about thinking about what you want, the universe expects a little bit more from you than that… In a way, focusing will is like tricking the universe into creating the situation (or object) that you desire.
But, as with everything in life, if you go into something thinking you will fail then you will. You not only have to believe in yourself and your abilities, but also wholeheartedly in what you are trying to achieve.

Hail Storm With Thunder And Rain – Relaxing Ambient Meditation Sleep Sound

Perfect natural ambient sounds of hail and rain falling and thunder overhead. This is the ideal natural music to switch off or fall asleep to. Just close your eyes and let the day’s stress wash away as you experience the storm. This is very good backing music for deep meditation where you don’t want your mind to be disturbed by the noises of everyday life.
There’s something extremely Gothic, scary and mesmerizing about an intense storm, and teh rain and hail falling on a roof is hypnotic.

This was recorded shortly after I finished the Earth Day Message video – I could hear the thunder coming and out here in the Carpathians that means you have only a few minutes to seek cover. The storms here happen in a flash and are hardcore. This one hammered the surrounding area with millions of hailstones the size of peas and the thunder shook the house again and again.

Earth Day Message from Carpathian Adventure

Earth Day was first proposed by activist John McConnell in 1969 and was introduced to the world in 1970. 51 years on we have utterly decimated the planet but still hold environmentally-friendly activities on Earth Day. It’s like having a Save The Wildlife Day once per year and then hunting every species to extinction for the other 364. Oh, wait…. we do that.
In this video I explain the need – especially during the pandemic – for people to reconnect with Nature and Mother Earth, and give some suggestions on how to do so. I live with Nature every day, in a rural cottage in the Carpathian Mountains, surrounded by wildlife and forested hills, yet I am still extremely grateful every day for such a privilege. My hope is that those living in cities and urban environments can spend time in the country, even move away from the city, and get back to their roots – understand and feel how their ancestors did. We have become separated from our natural selves and it would be extremely healthy – both mentally and physically for us to experience the beauty of the wilds once more. And it would also be healthy for Mother Nature and Planet Earth, Gaia, as we as humans would be less likely to continue damaging Her if we really understood how much we need Her

Top 10 Motorcycle Movies – The Best Motorbike Films

The debate as to which films featuring motorcycles are the best is one that has been raging for decades, and will probably never be answered – at least objectively. Everyone has their personal favourites, from the kitsch 60s classics such as The Wild Angels and Angel Unchained, to the raunchier films such as The Girl on a Motorcycle and The Hard Ride, to the modern selection such as The World’s Fastest Indian, Road to Paloma and Tarantino’s Hell Ride. Then there are all the ones in the middle – Electra Glide in Blue, Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man, and Beyond the Law. Then there’s Wild Hogs, cough.
In this video I present a selection of what I think are the best motorcycle movies (and a serial. And a commercial. Or two), and explain why. I also try to explain how important I think motorcycles are for living an independent and free life.

Self Analysis For Self Reliance – Know Thyself and Be Free

Back out in the bush after a long hiatus. In this video we look at the need to analyse what’s good and bad about our lives so that we can focus on what is truly important. Everyone has a dream, and everyone has a basic idea of what sort of life they’d like to be living. And quite often we find ourselves unhappy with how we actually are living. Only by evaluating ourselves and our current circumstances can we discover what is truly missing from our lives – what would give us that spark.
To be self reliant – and perhaps ultimately even make that big move to a smallholding in the country – we need to know ourselves intimately. And the best way to get to know yourself is by separating yourself, if but for a short time, from the rat race and other people who might negatively influence you. And that means spending some time in nature, alone with your thoughts.

Self Sufficiency – Some Harsh Truths

Want to live in a log cabin away from society and raise your own animals and vegetables? Want to escape the rat race and live free, wild and independent as our ancestors did? Dream about leaving your job in the city and moving to some idyllic country retreat surrounded by nature, where you can raise a family through your own hard work and determination in a traditional rural style? Well, many share the same dreams but I wonder how many are aware of the little difficulties strewn across the path to self-reliance by corporations and faceless bureaucrats. In this video I explain what you need to be self sufficient, and I also point out some of the hurdles you may face.
The world is currently going through a major upheaval, and many people who were until recently basically content with their lives are now starting to see that all is not well. They’re beginning to consider other options, and the lure of a self-reliant and independent lifestyle is a much healthier option than slaving away as a drone just to pay for a mortgage, HP on a car and a Netflix subscription. Having lived a basically self-reliant lifestyle for many years, and having kept a close eye on the dastardly doings of corporations, governments and other world organisations, I try to give some pointers on what to watch out for and what to expect en route to your dream.
Self sufficiency is doable, but it ain’t gonna be easy.

Positive Thinking Against Seasonal Affective Depression

This winter has been long and harsh, and because of the pandemic many have been isolated from society. This is a horrific combination for inducing depression and sadness. How to dig yourself out of such depression? How to think positively so that you can again have hope for the future? In this video I give some real world tips and suggestions for how to deal with seasonal affective depression and general feelings of sadness and loneliness during the covid crisis.

How to fell a tree in the direction you want

Cutting down trees is always a risky business and best left to professional lumberjacks or tree surgeons. However, sometimes you just need to do it yourself. In this video I show how to easily fell a tree so that it lands in the direction you want it to – although trees often have a mind of their own, so it’s about as good as it gets.
Anyone wishing to do a bit of landscaping or gardening, or even planning to go fully off grid needs to know how to chop down a tree so that the damage factor is greatly reduced. This is bushcraft or traditional living, or even old school Scout pioneering, at its fundamental level.

Warning – felling trees can be extremely dangerous, and I give no guarantee whatsoever that the tree you cut will fall how you want. This is merely a guide. I sincerely suggest hiring an expert. I hate having to say all this but…