Meet Your Wilderness Guide and Author

“Seeking and surrendering to those mysterious and enigmatic fascinations that promise to devastate us in all the right ways, turn our lives upside down and inside out, plunge us into magic and rapture, and in the bargain, liberate us from whatever doldrums our everyday lives may have marooned us in.”


— Bill Plotkin, Wild Mind

Simple illustration of a green leafy herb branch with multiple elongated leaves.

For over thirty-five years, I have walked with individuals, communities, and organizations who are longing for something more than ordinary life as they have known it. Again and again, I encounter seekers who feel caught in mundane routines, pulled between the expectations of others, and asking restless questions that information alone cannot answer. They do not desire a set of steps to follow on the journey of ascent—they are longing for the transformation Bill Plotkin writes about in the above quote from Wild Mind.

My path has taken me through the worlds of theology, ecclesiology, leadership, and community building, and deeper still into the wild terrain of the mysteries of nature and the  human soul. I have learned from contemplative teachers like Fr. Richard Rohr and from the groundbreaking ecological psychology of Bill Plotkin. I have trained with the Animas Valley Institute as a guide and have walked alongside the men of the Illuman community for many years. These streams of wisdom have shaped my work as a pastor, mentor, and soul guide.

The invitations I offer—through dreamwork, mentoring/spiritual direction, rewilding, and the intense nine-month mentoring program “The Deep Masculine Journey,” are designed to help people move beyond middle world making-a-living into self-healing, wholeness, and soul apprenticeship. This work is not about fixing problems or achieving perfection; it is about awakening to your deepest identity, reconnecting to the living earth, and listening for the voice of the Divine Mystery that is always calling you toward your true vocation in the world.

On this site, you will find invitations into that work:

  • The Deep Masculine Journey — a nine-month Illuman program for men that includes three week-long intensives in desert and mountain landscapes and concludes with a four day fast and three day solo quest.

  • Animas Valley Institute programs — Wild Mind in June of 2026 in Vermont and November 2026 in Arizona. See animas.org to register.

  • Rewilding the Self — weekend immersions into the True Self and the wisdom of the more-than-human world.

  • Mentoring and Spiritual Direction — one-on-one accompaniment to explore your dreams, wounds, longings, and gifts.

  • Speaking and Teaching — opportunities for me to come alongside your organization, community, or event.

  • Books and Resources — including Finding Your Wild and Being Here, as well as a list of works that have informed my journey.

  • “Much thanks to you guides, gifted teachers and beloved friends. You put much skin into this program and took some great risks to make it happen. You befriended us and let us get close to you. Thank you so much brothers. I will forever be grateful.”

    — Gil

  • "The DMJ was highly organized from the beginning. It is apparent much thought and planning has gone into this. The description of the level of physical exertion required was on the mark."

    — R

  • “All my life I have protected myself from such closeness to the earth . . . What a marvelous and shattering experience to drink the night sky and feel the deep sense of vulnerability it brings with it.”

    — G

  • “Three or four years ago I was dead inside. The darkness surrounded me. This program made me alive again and I am forever grateful.”

    — John

  • "This has been the best year of my life!"

    — Eric

  • “To trust a guide is to believe he or she has actually walked the territory and not just read the map. Dan knows the land of re-wilding, from its far horizons to each curve in the stream. He has been an intuitive and empathic guide to pilgrims in soul search for decades. Most of all, he has and continues to do the work of rewilding his own soul. As friend, fellow journeyer and coach, he has helped me locate just the areas in need of attention and soul work. Dan is a gift to all who seek to come back to their true selves.”

    Morgan from Denver

  • “Dan is inspirational!”

    - Bob from Denver

A group of people gathered on a dirt trail in a desert landscape with large rocks, sparse bushes, and a few trees, under a blue sky.

You Are Welcome Here

Above all, the heart of this work is not a program or a book—it is community. Transformation happens in spirals, in conversation, and in the shared courage of people willing to step into the mystery together. That is why I invite you not only to explore this site, but to join my newsletter, where we can continue the journey together.

If you are seeking a deeper way of living, if you feel your restless soul stirring you toward authenticity, or if you simply long for companions on the path—I welcome you. This is the work of rewilding, of awakening, of finding your place again in the Great Mystery.

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