All around the world, people are waking up. Realizing, individually and collectively, that our compass needs recalibrating. For decades, our needle has been bouncing around like rocks in the back of a pick-up truck, along with our priorities, values and sense of purpose. There's this universal feeling of wanting more out of life, but not knowing what direction is north.
Our search for answers – the turning over of those rocks – is how tenalach got its start. We were a bunch of co-workers who began going on hikes over lunch to get away from our computers. Hikes lead to bike rides, bike rides to camping trips, then to barbecues, games of croquet and badminton, work retreats and just spending more time outdoors.
It didn't happen overnight, but as we started spending more time in nature, we realized we were happier. We felt more connected to our friends and family. We had more energy. We were better able to prioritize what was important to us, and what wasn't. We felt like we were living our lives instead of our lives living us.
People started noticing and asked what we were doing. Asked to come along. tenalach is our way of broadening our journey, and inviting others to share their journeys too. We chose the name tenalach because it seemed like a good goal to aspire to. Of Irish origin, tenalach speaks to having a connection with the land, air and water so deep you can literally hear the Earth sing.
We looked for answers to explain what we'd experienced, and we actually found a few. Studies about how spending time in nature translates to better health and happiness. Research about the importance of putting away our devices, so that we truly, deeply connect with others. No new or mind-blowing discoveries. Just stuff we've all heard a hundred times before: Put down your phone. Take a walk. Live in the moment.
We know the constraints of civilization make it hard to get outside as much as we'd like. And while being out in nature is important, you don't have to sell your possessions and move
off-the-grid to do what we did. All you need to do is take the following five principles to heart:
- Genuine connections are the key to a fulfilling life.
- Disconnecting from technology is the surest path to a renewed spirit.
- Spending time outdoors with friends and family is time well spent.
- Staying active is critical for our health and happiness.
- Experience joyful moments in every day.
If you find yourself wanting to shed the shackles of civilization, if only for your lunch hour... if you want to learn how to unplug from technology without abandoning it... if you want to reconnect with your friends, family and a sense of purpose... if you want to roast marshmallows over campfires, play some cool games and have some amazing adventures... we invite you to join us, and discover your true nature.