Wander with wonder, return with roots
Curiosity is where well-being begins.
Hello, my dear wildling.
Today, we’re following the thread of curiosity to wild wellness. Will you join me?
The Spark That Lights the Way
When the world is too loud. Too fast. Too disconnected. When life feels heavy. When stress lingers in the body or sickness dulls the mind… it can be hard to know where to begin.
Before insight, healing, stillness, or growth, we ask a question.
We cut through the noise. We wonder. "How can I feel better?"
Curiosity is the first step in O.R.A. (Observe, Reflect, Apply), the foundation of the Whispering Wilds method. It's what nudges us into observation, into relationship, into awakening.
When we follow our curiosity, we notice the wisdom in nature. We listen. We respond.
That’s how the journey begins. Not with answers, but with the soft spark of wanting to know more.
Curiosity plants the seed.🌱
“The first and simplest emotion which we discover in the human mind is curiosity.” - Edmund Burke
The Science of Wonder (and Why Curiosity Feels So Good)
Curiosity often leads to wonder. And wonder opens the door to awe.
Both have remarkable effects on the body.
A study from UC San Francisco found that older adults who took weekly "awe walks" showed decreased inflammation and increased feelings of joy, spaciousness, and connection.
Another study from UC Berkeley found that even brief moments of awe—like watching nature videos or standing among tall trees—can increase generosity, patience, and overall well-being.
When we marvel at the curl of a fern, the sweep of a starling flock, or the intricate tunnel of an ant hill, our body shifts.
We enter a parasympathetic state.
Our breath slows.
Our brain reorganizes.
Curiosity doesn’t just open our minds. It softens our whole system. It makes space for peace to return.
The Way the Wild Learns
Curiosity teaches, and its lessons are valuable.
In the wild, curiosity is a survival skill. Watch a baby fox investigate a rustling leaf. Or fungi stretch into new soil, testing for nutrients. Curiosity is how the living world learns to adapt, survive, and thrive.
We're no different.
Every time we follow a question, our brain releases dopamine, the "feel good" neurotransmitter that fuels motivation and learning. It lights up neural pathways that make it easier to explore, reflect, and grow.
The more we learn, the more spacious our minds become.
🔍Learning can slow cognitive decline, protect memory, and support long-term brain health
🔍Learning regulates emotion, giving us ways to name what we feel and shift how we respond
🔍Learning helps us stay spiritually connected to our purpose and reminds us we're still becoming
We’re wired to benefit from learning. Learning is part of survival. And nothing inspires learning better than curiosity.
"Above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places." - Roald Dahl
Curiosity Opens the Door to Connection
When we approach the world with curiosity, we stop bracing against it.
We soften. We ask questions instead of making assumptions. We lean into the mystery of another being… human or more-than-human… and something opens.
Curiosity is how we connect.
It fosters empathy, deep listening, and presence. Whether we're meeting a mossy tree, a new idea, divine energy, or an old wound, curiosity invites us into relationship instead of resistance.
It reminds us we belong here.
“Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” - e. e. cummings
The Wild Act of Free Thinking
In a world that rewards certainty and mindless compliance, curiosity is a radical act.
It lets us ask:
🔍Why am I doing things this way?
🔍What else could be true?
🔍How can I grow?
Curiosity keeps the mind open and the spirit agile. It invites us to reflect, to challenge assumptions, to evolve.
And when we do, we make space for change—the kind that matters.
A curious mind is a free one.
"I have no special talent; I am only passionately curious" - Albert Einstein
Curiosity Has Claws and Hooves, Too
We aren’t the only ones who ask questions.
In the wild, curiosity, survival, and instinct walk hand in hand. What looks like simple behavior is often careful inquiry:
🔍What’s over there?
🔍Is it safe?
🔍Can I eat it?
🔍Could that lead to water?
In the desert, camels watch one another to find hidden water. A single step in a certain direction or a slight shift in posture… and suddenly, the search begins. Their survival depends on noticing.
In the Arctic, polar bears use their paws to test sea ice. They feel for thickness and vibration, combining memory and instinct to map invisible paths of safety across the frozen blue.
Lynxes, too, are careful students of their world. They track prey through dense forests and snow. Not with force, but with attention. Listening. Sniffing. Pausing.
Curiosity doesn’t kill the cat.
It teaches the lynx where to find her next meal. 🐾
Where Will Curiosity Take You?
Curiosity doesn’t always need a destination. Sometimes, it’s the adventure itself.
I created a free, playful, nature-inspired choose your own adventure game rooted in wild decisions, unexpected turns, and the magic of asking “what if?”
You’ll step into the world as one of two animals. Each choice you make shapes what you see, what you learn, and who you become.
Following each short story is a matching journal prompt for deeper exploration.
Let yourself wander. Let your curiosity lead.
→ Read "Two Creatures. Two Questions. One Wild Heart."
With thanks to my endlessly curious 13-year-old son for playtesting this adventure, proofreading it, and telling me I did a good job.🌻
“I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift would be curiosity.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
Still Wondering? Let’s Keep Going
If this stirred something in you, join me on the trail. 🍃
Sign up to be the first to hear when upcoming Whispering Wilds classes, insights, and wild offers bloom into being.
You never know where your curiousity might lead.
"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths” - Walt Disney
Let the Curiosity Linger
Curiosity doesn’t demand answers. It just asks us to notice.
And when we do, nature meets us where we are.
With wonder. With wisdom. With the first flicker of feeling well. 🌟
Because every healing journey starts with a question. A small step toward feeling whole again.
Thanks for walking with me here.
I'll be in touch again soon. For now, be well and stay wild.
Your friend,
Dina
If you enjoy The Whispering Wilds and feel moved to help, tips are always appreciated and keep this space thriving. ✨
Want to share this publication with others?
Please Note...
The Whispering Wilds method is not a replacement for medical and mental health care. Alternative health and wellness shines when it complements modern medicine, just as I believe modern medicine is at its best when accompanied by a holistic perspective. If you have a heart, lung, or circulatory condition, or suspect you do, or if you have a mental health disorder, or suspect you do, please ask your doctor or therapist before beginning any wellness practice.
Breathwork, meditation, journaling, movement, and other practices in The Whispering Wilds aren't suitable for everyone. The good news is that if your doctor or therapist advises you against a particular practice, the Whispering Wilds method will likely present alternatives to explore. Always ask your medical or mental health professionals first because we are all complex, unique individuals, and no true wellness approach is one-size-fits-all.