Thank you! The music I use is what is available for free in the YouTube audio library. This way I don't run into licensing problems. I used 8 different tracks for this film-
As usual, I love the shots you captured and I'm sorry to hear your lens got fogged out. It's very early and I'm heading out to work for the day but I have your video to look forward to when I get home. Didn't have enough time this morning to watch it.
The light was really good for that one. Unfortunately, I should have made sure to get the tallest red berries in the left center in sharpest focus, but didn't quite get it.
I too, agree, mountains are cathartic. I live near some giant ones (PNW) and have backpacked through parts of them, which is what part of my first Substack entries will be about once I start writing. I have never been to that part of the US. I always forget there are wild places worth going to outside of the west coast of N America, honestly, ha ha, it spoils you. Also found touching the soil with my feet through exhaustion is an excellent way to confront and understand pain. Jung had some
Great insights about the psyche, but I personally believe the extension (and which greatly preceded him by thousands of years), is more Zen rather than Stoicism—I agree with a lot of Stoic philosophy and there are many correspondences, but the essence of zen is confronting those masks you speak of until you realize there’s no independently existing self, just layers we’ve constructed, and interrelations. The forest is good at revealing those delusions!
That's a very interesting perspective. It's been many years since I've looked into Buddhism (not specifically Zen), and I'm not even going to pretend to understand it past the surface level. It does seem there are many similarities with Stoicism. However, I was never able to embrace the idea of eliminating the ego. Stoicism doesn't seem to do this, but rather focuses awareness on the ego in the context of the bigger picture of the external world. The concept of the masks that I realized was about how we pretend or maybe hide our true selves, emotions, or ego behind the guise of who we think we should be. The wild removes all of that and leaves only who we truly are. Anyway, profound thinking and I definitely need to explore it more. I look forward to reading your publication when you get ready to send it!
Nov 20, 2023·edited Nov 20, 2023Liked by Erik Hogan
Thanks!
I think zen is just the essence of buddhism. I like it because it goes to the heart of these concepts, even as it can sometimes seem paradoxical or even crazy, but linguistically and epistemologically—zen would say what we call “ego” in English is just a series of projections. It’s all an illusion. Enjoy reality. 😀
I think you would enjoy some of the travelogues of my buddy Bill Porter/Red Pine.
I recommend you read the book: Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits.
Nov 20, 2023·edited Nov 20, 2023Liked by Erik Hogan
That video took me to church!! What crisp, clean imaging your camera gives. It's beautiful.
I have so much of respect for the work you're putting into this. A lot of people probably don't realize that as a solo hiker, you have to set up your camera and walk back just to walk forward and appear in your own videos. That takes time and effort!
Have you ever watched those YouTube channels that have looooong videos of just nature and music? I think they make good money from ads because people (myself included) often put on calming videos just as background ambience throughout my day. I even play soothing YouTube channels for my dog when I'm out lol.
It is quite a lot of work, along with a ton of trial and error. I started figuring out that most of the shots of me were walking away from the camera. Its mentally a lot easier to put the camera down, walk away from it and then go back and get it. Walking towards it means I have to walk forward to a point, put it down, then walk back where I came from just to turn around and walk to it again. It all sounds kind of ridiculous in writing, so I'm glad it turned out ok!
I haven't watched just nature and music, but I watch Harmen Hoek on YouTube. His videos are my goal!
Lol it does sound ridiculous in writing. Thats the thing most viewers probably never think of. I traveled solo for 15 and rarely do I appear in my own travel videos for that reason.
I've never heard of Harmen Hoek but I'm ill go check him out.
Spectacular photography in your video. Thanks for sharing your journey. Also loved the music - would you be kind enough to identify the source? 😊
Thank you! The music I use is what is available for free in the YouTube audio library. This way I don't run into licensing problems. I used 8 different tracks for this film-
1) Lost Highway by Au.Ra
2) Decision by The Tower of Light
3) Golden Cage by Jimena Contreras
4) Hallowed Days by Chasms
5) Night Snow by Asher Fulero
6) No.7 Alone With My Thoughts by Esther Abrami
7) Orbit by Corbyn Kites
8) Boundless Energy by Nate Blaze
Thanks so much for your thorough response... I have really enjoyed your blog!!
Well I'm very grateful to have you along, and thanks for taking the time to comment! It made my day!
As usual, I love the shots you captured and I'm sorry to hear your lens got fogged out. It's very early and I'm heading out to work for the day but I have your video to look forward to when I get home. Didn't have enough time this morning to watch it.
No worries! I hope the new job is going well!
Loved the last picture, the light is truly gorgeous
The light was really good for that one. Unfortunately, I should have made sure to get the tallest red berries in the left center in sharpest focus, but didn't quite get it.
Oh I like how the perfect focus is behind the front branches, it's like peeking in search of some secret through natural curtains
Hey, I like that!!
I too, agree, mountains are cathartic. I live near some giant ones (PNW) and have backpacked through parts of them, which is what part of my first Substack entries will be about once I start writing. I have never been to that part of the US. I always forget there are wild places worth going to outside of the west coast of N America, honestly, ha ha, it spoils you. Also found touching the soil with my feet through exhaustion is an excellent way to confront and understand pain. Jung had some
Great insights about the psyche, but I personally believe the extension (and which greatly preceded him by thousands of years), is more Zen rather than Stoicism—I agree with a lot of Stoic philosophy and there are many correspondences, but the essence of zen is confronting those masks you speak of until you realize there’s no independently existing self, just layers we’ve constructed, and interrelations. The forest is good at revealing those delusions!
That's a very interesting perspective. It's been many years since I've looked into Buddhism (not specifically Zen), and I'm not even going to pretend to understand it past the surface level. It does seem there are many similarities with Stoicism. However, I was never able to embrace the idea of eliminating the ego. Stoicism doesn't seem to do this, but rather focuses awareness on the ego in the context of the bigger picture of the external world. The concept of the masks that I realized was about how we pretend or maybe hide our true selves, emotions, or ego behind the guise of who we think we should be. The wild removes all of that and leaves only who we truly are. Anyway, profound thinking and I definitely need to explore it more. I look forward to reading your publication when you get ready to send it!
Thanks!
I think zen is just the essence of buddhism. I like it because it goes to the heart of these concepts, even as it can sometimes seem paradoxical or even crazy, but linguistically and epistemologically—zen would say what we call “ego” in English is just a series of projections. It’s all an illusion. Enjoy reality. 😀
I think you would enjoy some of the travelogues of my buddy Bill Porter/Red Pine.
I recommend you read the book: Road to Heaven: Encounters with Chinese Hermits.
Thanks, I'll check it out!
That video took me to church!! What crisp, clean imaging your camera gives. It's beautiful.
I have so much of respect for the work you're putting into this. A lot of people probably don't realize that as a solo hiker, you have to set up your camera and walk back just to walk forward and appear in your own videos. That takes time and effort!
Have you ever watched those YouTube channels that have looooong videos of just nature and music? I think they make good money from ads because people (myself included) often put on calming videos just as background ambience throughout my day. I even play soothing YouTube channels for my dog when I'm out lol.
It is quite a lot of work, along with a ton of trial and error. I started figuring out that most of the shots of me were walking away from the camera. Its mentally a lot easier to put the camera down, walk away from it and then go back and get it. Walking towards it means I have to walk forward to a point, put it down, then walk back where I came from just to turn around and walk to it again. It all sounds kind of ridiculous in writing, so I'm glad it turned out ok!
I haven't watched just nature and music, but I watch Harmen Hoek on YouTube. His videos are my goal!
Lol it does sound ridiculous in writing. Thats the thing most viewers probably never think of. I traveled solo for 15 and rarely do I appear in my own travel videos for that reason.
I've never heard of Harmen Hoek but I'm ill go check him out.