http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=57675
Hi,
I recently attended a 1-2-1 weekend with Geoffrey to cover some of the syllabus from ‘lifting the veil’. I had already attended a course with Ian Maxwell from Shadowhawk… and I was intrigued to learn the ‘different approaches’. This is also what Geoffrey suggested as I will have already covered much of the ‘skill base’.
Just to provide a little more context, I bow hunt annually so tracking as a ‘skill’ was not new to me. I have read books from the ‘spiritual side’ and from the military side and also the ‘typical’ tracks and sign books. Due to tracking being necessary for my pursuits I decided to do courses from both sides.
After both courses and a hundred odd hours of tracking ‘dirt time’ I am definitely quite confident in finding and following “The trail I want to follow”, and attending the courses, without any doubt, has improved my tracking ability FAR more than several years of reading tracking books and ‘thinking I knew how to track’.
I would like to qualify this statement by noting that in the past few years I have had good success (100%) in finding the animal and tracking it after the shot, hence why I thought I knew how to track. I would now like to state that what I was previously doing was following a trail. This is different to tracking!
… It would be very easy to watch a ‘tracker’ following a trail and think he is using some ‘spiritual’ force or energy. But this is most likely as stated already. At the end of the day, whatever approach you choose on tracking the proof is in the pudding! Can you follow an animal’s trail, Age the track observe any peculiarities in the sign and get to the quarry? If you can, you’re tracking!
Call it the ‘force’ ‘energy tracking’ the ‘phase method’ or ‘spirit tracking’ whatever you like. It is all tracking. This course is a very worthwhile investment and (I believe) how ever good you think you are at tracking you will gain so much. Geoff is also a very nice guy and a good instructor.
I was specifically concerned with tracking Deer on my weekend. We found sign, tracked, stalked and located Fallow deer on 5 separate occasions over the 2 days whilst carrying out the exercises. Call it what you like! Learning how to track is fantastic! Get yourself on a course!
Martyn Smith
*****************************
TeeDee
… I had already done a different Tracking course with a different school some 18 months previous to Geoff’s course, so it would be unfair ( I feel ) to say I was using ONLY one set of tools from either school. That may come over a little defensive , but it’s not , I’m just trying to give credit to both schools for what they have taught me and allowed me to see and think in a different manner.
…Tracking to me has now become an extra sense which is still at novice stage for myself, but I recognize it now and can attempt to grow it, what may start out as an intended 15 minute stroll can quickly escalate to a 3 hour badger/fox/deer tracking wander. Whilst I have always been an avid person watcher while out and about, I now add looking to the manner and style of a person’s gait, the way they roll their feet.
… Geoff’s course was and still is to me something that was new and challenging in terms of the spiritual tracking element that was incorporated, the spirit/energy tracking side of Geoff’s course (as in the other 50% of the course is non-spiritual, so you get the double-whammy) is something that seems to be seldom touched on over here in the UK.
TeeDee
*****************************
… Meet The Trees which was interesting and does give one a really odd feeling after.
We also did some ‘Masked/Covered Intention’ exercises, I don’t want to go into too much detail here as its Geoff’s spin on exercises.
… Obviously Geoff’s time with the LRRP was heavily slanted towards man tracking and some of the self placed exercises we did were Human based, but we also did a lot of Animal and Spirit work.
As I’ve chosen to define MY word as HUNCH, it to ME allows ME to have a foot in the scientific world and the energy world. I guess I’m allowing myself some margin of movement, … “Connecting the dots in your subconscious” is pretty spot on, the human mind still has connections of a hunter-gatherer world , we all have some level of sixth sense which seems to be a combination of all available sensory information processed at a subconscious level.
…I sort of view both schools of thought in the same way, I prefer the scientific, it offers me validation, but if you can’t get a scientific answer I’m NOW happy to go with my Gut Hunch Instinct on the matter, because its far better when tracking to make A decision and move on then be paralysed by lack of viewable information and come to a complete stand still – The target is still moving and you are not – Better to play your inner hunch and move with it.
TeeDee
May 2010
Hi Geoffrey
Thanks very much for that tracking booklet it is a real gem of information that will help me get started on the road to tracking! Okay, last night I was thinking about the course, in fact have been thinking about it a lot since then!…
“I enjoyed the tracking course very much, and the name of Lifting the Veil for the course is an apt description as it certainly opened up my eyes to the amazing and ancient art of tracking. I found your teaching style laid back, easy to follow and very informative. The informal atmosphere of camping, cooking our own meals around a common camp fire was great as it gave everyone the opportunity to get to know each other.
The Forrest was a great place to test our tracking skills, but one of the most amazing experiences was the getting to know a tree experience. I could well relate to this on the “spiritual” side of tracking while it may seem alien to people from the West, however, it is a common aspect of life here in Africa, and it really sharpened my senses. I also think that this exercise was the perfect example of actually becoming whatever it is you are tracking – getting into their mind, which is probably the difference between an average tracker and excellent tracker. I look forward to applying these new found skills in the future, and attending your more advanced course.”
Shane Engelbrecht
South Africa
May 2010
Hi Geoffrey,
Thanks for running the course, I enjoyed it a lot and found it very interesting. It was good to see the scientific side of things laid out with regard to track measurements etc, and also an eye opener (speaking as a rational engineer) with regard to the energy tracking.
I’ll need to get a lot more practice but might be tempted to sign up for your ‘The Chase’ weekend at some stage in the future.
Regards
Les
**********************
May 2010
Hi Geoffrey
“Thank you for the course; I learned a lot and enjoyed myself immensely… I had a brilliant time and it has given me a huge boost; though saying that it is depressing to come back to London.
I have thought about the things I learned and did all day; I like to be in the wild, but further out and would like to gain the knowledge of how to not only survive but thrive in total wilderness.
I am going to practice making fire and cordage this weekend and am going to build a track box for the garden to see what comes to visit. I can test out a few things myself too; you know, to see for myself how intention and thoughts manifest themselves in the track… the whole two days were magical. These memories will rest with me for the rest of my life; everything the tree, the fire. the fog and the owl, and much more.”
Best wishes
Chris
**********************
March 2010
Hi Geoffrey
“Thanks for a great weekend tracking course, it was brilliant! Great to meet you.”
Dan (Rambo) Westall
**********************
“I attended a one-to-one tracking course with Geoffrey McMullan… I contacted Geoff with a request for certain areas of training I felt would benefit both myself personally, and the police force in my role as a specialist search officer. Geoff and attending staff were thoroughly professional, and went to great lengths to facilitate my needs. He was able to offer training in many subject areas, and carries a wealth of knowledge above and beyond the instruction I have received on other courses… I would highly recommend a course with Mr McMullan”
Chris – Norfolk Constabulary
**********************
Hi Geoff,
Many thanks for the course this weekend. I really enjoyed it and it has opened my eyes to the world of tracking. One thing that it also did was stir something in me which I want to explore further; the ability to see in “heart space”.
All the best.
Chris
**********************
When I attended the tracking course with Geoffrey, I received much more than simple tuition on Tracking. He not only taught me tracking skills, but handed me the beginning of my path in life. One, which I am still pushing to fulfil! He introduced me into the worlds beyond the physical, which have now enriched my life more than I could have imagined. It is a gift that I am eternally grateful for. He opened me up, whether intentionally or not, to a wider nature with more levels than simply walking down the woods.
Attending a course with Geoffrey gives you much more than the valuable skills designed for that specific course, it gives you awareness, joy and experience amongst other things. The world has been a more interesting place since I met him, to say the least.
Thank you very much Geoffrey.
Yours Sincerely
Joel
**********************
Dear Geoffrey,
I really enjoyed your tracking course. Up till then, I’d read the Tom Brown tracking books and thought I’d understood the basics but as soon as you showed us how to do it in the field, it made much more sense. It only goes to prove the old saying that you never really learn everything from a book-it’s only when you do it for real that it all clicks into place.
My advice to anyone who is interested in tracking is to get on the course and do it for real. Everything comes to life. I now walk around seeing the world around me in whole new way.
Warm regards,
Frank
**********************
Hi Geoffrey
Superb! The weekend was great. something that I think that we will not forget.
All the best
Rob & Mel – Wilderness 121
**********************
Dear Geoffrey,
“This is not the sort of course I would normally come on, but it has liberated me. On a physical level I don’t think the course needed any recovering from – I don’t think we could have been any better looked after, and it was good to just spend some time in the woods with a great bunch of people. On a different level though, I think you know that a few of my buttons were pushed during the “Meet the Tree” and “Energy Tracking” exercises. That was quite unsettling, but in a wholly positive way.
The tracking basics were very helpful too, and I have been reading TB’s “Science and art of tracking” with renewed enthusiasm. The weekend has made the whole subject come alive a bit more for me. Once I have consolidated what I have learnt I would definitely be interested in learning more, so if you will be running another course, especially if it’s at Rob’s place, please do let me know.” Thanks again.
Kindest regards,
Martin Pope – (Forensic Scientist – Former Senior CSI with Kent Police)
**********************
Hi Geoff,
I went on Rob’s Wilderness121 tracking course with Geoff being the trainer. OMG! Forget books I have learnt so much in 48hours not to mention the nature awareness part of the course (which I was blind to before the course) and the energy tracking. I have only been on one tracking course to date but I will be going back to more courses with Geoff as the instructor – can’t say fairer than that!
The training involved something like “spot the ball” but we were also … I hesitate to say taught… encouraged/released to be able to feel the emotion/feelings laid down in the track that you can’t yet see. It may sound like BS but the group got a 100% success rate, even when the suggested emotion/thought for the track was changed mid way through it being laid.
Frankly I was (to use someone else’s expression) blown away by the course and will be doing levels 2 and 3 with Rob and Geoff as soon as I can. Many thanks for the course this weekend. I really enjoyed it and it has opened my eyes to the world of tracking. One thing that it also did was stir something in me which I want to explore further; the ability to see in “heart space”. How did I rate the course; 10/10 doesn’t do it justice.
Chris – (BCUK)
**********************
Thanks for the emails. Great to hear that Tracking 2 is on the cards at some point, and it gives me some time to work on what I’ve learnt so far. I really enjoyed the weekend. As I said at the time, I think the way it broke down into different activities and disciplines worked really well. Working on animal tracks, human sign and energy tracking proved a great mix, and I felt each part helped you learn something about the others. At no point did any aspect of the course or the people upon it become overbearing, and I think that’s quite an achievement.
With such a ‘military’ presence on the course, I guess it could have been easy to simply opt for a straight forward ‘look for this sign, then this sign, then this sign’ approach, and I’m really glad you didn’t. I think the energy element really started something for the army boys, and I know that for myself as a ‘civilian’ there are things I can take away from being in their company.
All in all, a great course that can appeal to the broadest number of people due to its varied and wide ranging content. Anyway, thanks once again. Good luck with lots more Tracking 1s, and roll on Tracking 2.
All the best,
Mark
**********************
Hi Geoffrey
“The weekend looking back was a very ‘dense’ experience: in the sense that it felt very full with experience — I don’t feel that I ever was in need of more excitement or more things to occupy my mind — it was just fantastic to feel myself gradually becoming more natural myself!”
Richard – Kent, UK
**********************