Ponder While We Wander

Location: Yosemite National Forest, California, USA
Record date: 3/1/26
Release date: 7/1/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Join Amber and Natasha in Wawona, CA under the stars, in this first ever episode recorded at night! Together they discuss our need for darkness and stargazing. They explore how stargazing can help us connect us to something bigger than ourselves and how darkness is rich with metaphor. 
They share memories of their own experiences stargazing and touch on how both stargazing and darkness are good for our physical health!
 
They delve into the positive effects stargazing has on us humans such as, its ability to inspire awe and how it could be considered a contemplative practice that can boost our creativity and encourage us to imagine new and positive solutions to challenges.
 
In addition, they include a discussion on how light pollution negatively impacts us and our other than human friends, including birds, turtles and flowers. 
 
Come join them as they appreciate darkness, the vastness of the stars and ponder how stargazing could inspire deeper kindness and care within us all. 
 
"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night" -Sarah Williams
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
https://www.instagram.com/ponder_while_we_wander/#
 
Episode Resources Links:
https://darksky.org/about/

Location: Yosemite National Forest, California, USA
Record date: 2/27/26
Release date: 6/15/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Episode Description:
Join Natasha and Amber as they slip and slide down a slushy, snow path to a peaceful forest grove where they discuss Forest Bathing and a variety of nature based therapies! 
 
With so many different therapies that center our relationship with and within nature, Amber and Natasha offer listeners an introduction to many of these therapies and the elements they may include.
 
They explore both the similarities and differences between therapies, what you may expect if you engage in one of these therapies and share many of the benefits offered by nature based therapies. 
 
Throughout the episode they continue to explore the idea of returning home to nature and how each of these therapies include an opportunity to do just that. 
 
Some of the therapies explored in this episode include:
-Ocean Based Therapy
-Sylvotherapy (Umbrella Term) includes Spiritual, Energetic and Scientific Elements
-Curative Sylvotherapy
-Creative Sylvotherapy
-Culinary Sylvotherapy
-Recreational Sylvotherapy
-Energetic Sylvotherapy
-Shinrin-Yoku or Forest Bathing
-Wilderness Based Therapies 
Join them and discover which nature based therapy may call to you! 
 
Quote: “The art of forest bathing is the art of connecting with nature through our senses. All we have to do is accept the invitation.” — Dr. Qing Li
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
https://www.instagram.com/ponder_while_we_wander/#
 
Episode Resources Links:
https://californiavalleymiwok.us/
https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/yosemite-indians.htm
https://www.npca.org/articles/7475-reclaiming-wahhoga
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/tribal-land-yosemite/
https://pinetreemarketwawona.com/
http://www.forestbathinginternational.org/
https://www.forestbathingfinder.com/find-a-walk/
https://sdbg.org/shinrin-yoku-connecting-people-to-nature-through-the-art-of-forest-bathing/

Location: Wawona, Yosemite National Forest, California, USA
Record date: 2/24/26
Release date: 6/1/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Expanding on the themes of previous episodes of the benefits of having a deeper relationship with other-than-human nature, Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa share personal stories and different ways humans have found their entryways to deepening that relationship in modernity. They address some of the challenges and ways to self-assess which nature prescription might work for you. They also share some ideas of formal and informal nature therapies and preview some that will be covered in more detail in following episodes.
 
They include ways to connect or re-connect with your cultural lineage, connecting with land with cultural humility, ideas for simple ways to deepen our relationship with other-than-human nature, and ways to make this relationship tending a practice to foster meaning and purpose.
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
https://www.instagram.com/ponder_while_we_wander/
 
Episode Resources Links:
https://californiavalleymiwok.us/
https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/yosemite-indians.htm
https://www.npca.org/articles/7475-reclaiming-wahhoga
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/tribal-land-yosemite/
https://pinetreemarketwawona.com/

Location: Yosemite National Forest, California, USA
Record date: 3/23/26
Release date: 5/15/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Natasha Morisawa and Amber Martin explore the evolving definition of Ecopsychology, some of the challenges in naming the field, and why they took so long to include this in the podcast series. They share personal stories about their relationship to Land and Ecopsychology and how healing and new paths emerged from honoring these experiences. From the banks of a river in the Yosemite National Forest, their discussion encourages listeners to honor their own knowing and explores how Ecopsychology can help us ask deep, holistic and systemic questions necessary to support our relationship with Ecology, Psychology and Nature.
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
https://www.instagram.com/ponder_while_we_wander/#
 
Episode Resources Links:
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/802184.Ecopsychology
https://sunypress.edu/Books/R/Radical-Ecopsychology
https://mbgna.umich.edu/post/whats-name-limits-problems-and-puzzles-naming-and-referring-plants
https://esa.org/history/biographies/ecological-richness-diverse-contributors-of-diverse-contributions/women-in-ecology-series/

Location: Wawona,Yosemite National Forest, California, USA
Record date: 3/1/26
Release date: 5/1/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Episode Description:
 
From a deck in Wawona, California, under the Winter night sky of the Yosemite National Forest,Natasha Morisawa and Amber Martin discuss secular contemplative practice, the benefits of such a practice, and types of practices.
 
Topics include: 
An overview of different branches of contemplative practice
Specific invitations for exploring contemplative practice 
Single practices to start finding your individual practice
Recommendations for finding community around contemplative practice
Keywords:
Contemplative practice 
Qigong
Pauline Oliveros
Labyrinths
Nighttime
Yosemite National Forest 
Journaling
Creativity
Meditation
Music
Volunteer work
Quiet the mind
Deep listening
Yoga
Dance
Retreats
Nature 
Relationships
Community
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
 
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
 
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
 
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
 
Episode Resources Links:
 
https://californiavalleymiwok.us/
 
https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/yosemite-indians.htm
 
https://www.npca.org/articles/7475-reclaiming-wahhoga
 
https://www.deeplistening.rpi.edu/deep-listening/pauline-oliveros/
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/tribal-land-yosemite/
 
https://pinetreemarketwawona.com/
 
https://contemplativemind.org/practices/tree
 
https://themoth.org/
 
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/waw.htm

Location: Yosemite National Forest, California, USA
Record date: 3/25/26
Release date: 4/15/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Natasha and Amber join you from the banks of a babbling spring in Yosemite National Park, to talk about De-centering ourselves in relationship to Nature. 
 
They explore what is required of us to answer the dire call of Nature, through necessary and difficult paradigm shifts. They invite this topic into our consciousness and further ground their exploration in the work of Jeanine Kante in her book “Returning the Self to Nature, Undoing our Collective Narcism and Healing Our Planet.” Amber and Natasha explore how Jeanne Kante takes the DSM definition of Narcissism (a maladaptive personality disorder) and applies it to our industrialized western society. 
 
They discuss what happens when individuals in a society begin to take on narcissistic traits through a “habit of mind” and how we can move from an anthropocentric or ego-centric point of view to an eco-centric and sustainable  relationship to Nature. 
 
Amber and Natasha begin to unpack this complex and important topic through many different perspectives, aimed to help us all consider what it might take to better care for Nature. 
 
Additional areas related to De-Centering Ourselves explored in this episode include:
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and how we can flip this triangle to center community actualization and cultural perpetuity
First Nations, Blackfoot wisdom as more expansive in relationship to Nature
Kinship Relationally
Transformational learning through disorienting dilemma’s
The work of Kristin Neff on Self Compassion
Exploring the Rights of Nature movement through Robert McFarlane’s book, “Is a River is Alive”
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
https://www.instagram.com/ponder_while_we_wander/#
 
Episode Resources Links:
https://californiavalleymiwok.us/
https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/yosemite-indians.htm
https://www.npca.org/articles/7475-reclaiming-wahhoga
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/tribal-land-yosemite/
https://pinetreemarketwawona.com/
https://www.shambhala.com/returning-the-self-to-nature.html
https://www.ciis.edu/profiles/jeanine-canty
https://www.juliebrams.com/books
https://self-compassion.org/
https://self-compassion.org/kristin-neff/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218569826-is-a-river-alive
https://atmos.earth/podcast/robert-macfarlane-on-embracing-flow-and-letting-rivers-heal-us/

Location: Yosemite National Forest, California, USA
Record date: 3/25/26
Release date: 4/1/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
THANK YOU TO PINE TREE MARKET:
 
Ponder While We Wander is so grateful for our first community sponsorship! A big shout out to Pine Tree Market run by Michael and Katie Henderson, and their lodging support for us during our stay in Yosemite National Park. We are so grateful not only for their support but their excitement in helping us share all things EcoPsychology to a wider audience. If you ever find yourself in Wawona, CA make sure to swing by Pine Tree Market, your corner market while you’re in Wawona, and say hi for us! Sam the cat would love some pets as well, he’s always at the ready to greet his human friends. 
 
Inspired by the book “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How it Can Transform Your Life”, by Dacher Keltner, Amber and Natasha discuss “Awe Walks.” Wander with them through Yosemite National Park as they share Dacher’s definition of awe, explore how awe may show up somatically,and revisit memories that conjure up awe. 
 
They also discuss different types of awe and the positive impacts engaging with awe has for our health and wellness as well as implications for connection and encouraging new ideas. 
Dachner’s “5 Point Process” is introduced as an accessible way to begin intentionally inviting more awe into your every day. 
 
The snowy field alongside huge, granite rock formations with many winged friends to hear in the background, provide a beautiful location to dive deeper into this awe-some topic. 
 
Additional areas related to awe covered in this episode include:
Benefits of inviting awe including immune system support
Moral Beauty (moved by others actions)
How time in nature inspires awe
Music and awe
Visual Design (Human & Nature)
Spiritual/Mystical/Numinous aspects of Awe 
Epiphanies about big life questions
Awe in the Death and Dying Process
Shared Awe or Collective Effervescence 
Awe and Wonder
Happiness and Well-being 
Greater Good Science Center
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
 
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
https://www.instagram.com/ponder_while_we_wander/#
 
Episode Resources Links:
https://californiavalleymiwok.us/
https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/historyculture/yosemite-indians.htm
https://www.npca.org/articles/7475-reclaiming-wahhoga
https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/environment/tribal-land-yosemite/
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62352297-awe

Location: Chetzamoka Park, Port Townsend, Washington, USA 
Record date: 10/21/25
Release date: 3/15/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Join Natasha and Amber as they introduce Journaling with Nature as a way to deepen our relationship with other-than-human Nature. Through the process of journaling,the opportunities to re-connect and re-member arise. They discuss greetings and partings as well as getting curious about this place and ourselves. Other topics include:
The benefits of journaling
Ways of starting a journaling practice
Entryways into relationship with Nature
Prompts for when you might like a little more structure or inspiration
Nature speaks in metaphor
Your relationship check-in with Nature
Seeing things with new eyes
Holding mystery and existential exploration
Practical tips for Journaling with Nature
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
 
Episode Resources
Links:
Journaling with Nature guided meditation
Journaling With Nature Prompts
https://cityofpt.us/parksrec/page/chetzemoka-park
https://memoriesofthepeople.blog/2019/05/03/land-acknowledgement-port-townsend-washington/

Location: Carrie Blake Park, Sequim, Washington, USA 
Record date: 10/20/25
Release date: 3/1/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa describe, normalize, and discuss the phobias we may have as humans in regard to the natural world. The potential origins, consequences, and environmental impact of biophobias are explored as well as ways to address phobias negatively impacting life. Understand more about how the disconnect to other-than-human nature has contributed to these consequences and how to lean into a better relationship with nature and the beings we’re interconnected with.
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
 
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
 
Episode Resources
Links:
https://www.sequimwa.gov/facilities/facility/details/Carrie-Blake-Park-2
https://jamestowntribe.org/

Location: Dungeness River, Sequim, Washington, USA 
Record date: 10/20/2025
Release date: 2/16/26
 
Hosts: Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa
Edited: https://www.studiosymbiotic.com/
 
Walking along a trail beside the Dungeness River, Amber Martin and Natasha Morisawa discuss the topic of grounding and invite you to explore with them as they engage with the natural environment of the Dungeness River during salmon spawning season. Learn about ‘top down’ and ‘bottom up’ approaches to processing, the window of tolerance, and different parts of the human nervous system in order to help us manage the stressors of modernity and enhance relationships. They also facilitate two different experiential exercises you can practice with or take with you.
 
 
Explore more about Ponder While We Wander
A soothing podcast for trying times.
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.substack.com/
https://ponderwhilewewander.com/wander-well/
 
Episode Resources
Links:
https://www.dungeness.com/river/info.htm
https://jamestowntribe.org/
https://dungenessrivercenter.org/news/the-secret-lives-of-salmon/