Who We Are
Our mission is to support the elevation of human consciousness and healing. We do this through educational content on topics ranging from nutrition to spirituality, through the sharing of stories, and through cooperative community events and activities.
We envision a world ...
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Where people experience peace, connection, and healing
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Where people live in harmony with one another
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Where people respect and are connected to the natural world around them
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Where communities work together and focus on cooperation not competition
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Where Spirit, Truth, and Love are front and center
The world we live in today is drastically changing, and with change comes chaos.
Humanity is experiencing and living in this chaos, and for many this can add further stress in already stressful lives.
We are faced with an ever-increasing volume of information coming at us from multiple directions. Our fast-paced lives add to this onslaught. Advancing technologies and numerous agendas make it extremely challenging to discern truth. Information does not equal knowledge, and knowledge does not equal wisdom.
Our mind's linear thought processing is no longer a match for the environment we find ourselves in today. Navigating this world absent of divine intuition and Spirit is no longer possible. THIS is what the chaos is trying to show us. THIS is the lesson humanity is being asked to integrate.
The tremendous effort to keep humans focused on all things external is a dangerous distraction from what we are all being called to do. Our external reality and our various perceptions of it is not where truth lies. Truth can ONLY be found within. We must navigate inward so we can evolve.
When we navigate towards our True North, towards our center, towards our heart and soul, we learn to surrender attachments to this external reality, and we uncover the truth of who we all truly are. When we do this, we loosen attachments to expectations - and this is where the magic happens. We liberate ourselves from suffering. We find peace, and we learn to truly "see". We become creators, we learn how to manage our energy and focus, and truly create the reality we want to live in.
We are all on a mission to learn how to see through a spiritual lens - some may understand this as our 3rd eye.
This journey is not always easy - it depends on how much we resist it and get in our own way. We get to determine how easy or difficult our own journey is.
The Creator is there to support us - but this does not mean making it easy for us. We may need challenges and suffering as our teacher.
We've been shown how to journey on this path by various masters who have come before us - but we all must also find our own way.
Spirit is trying to show us the way, but we must silence our mind so we can hear those gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) whispers.
Nature also serves us on our journey if we can connect to it.
True North is an internal destination that exists within each of us. It is a destination that will liberate us from suffering as we journey towards it. It is important to understand however, that the journey and the experience of our journey is what is important, not the destination. Knowing the destination is simply a way to keep us correctly oriented and assists us in staying on the path.
As so many cultures and peoples from around the world have pointed out over millennia, this path is narrow and not many will find it or seek to travel it. For those who do, peace and harmony will be found on the other side of that gate.
Elevating and liberating ourselves allows more light, love and joy to permeate our being and radiate outward, touching those close to us.
Choosing to navigate this journey is how each of us can contribute to our own individual healing, but also to community healing, and to the elevation of human consciousness. Doing so, will automatically aid in the healing of the planet.
Our Spirit & Core Values
True North operates with a spirit of compassion and adventure, and these two core values are behind everything we do. Integrity is ever-present and brings forth those characteristics of trust, responsibility, fairness, respect, and courage that we stand for. The following are the deeply held values that True North lives consistently.
Alignment With the Highest Good
The spirit of Authenticity assures that what we say and do are in alignment with our truth and with the highest good. It establishes trust, empowers us to stand up for what we believe in, and is us choosing love, unity, and community. With True North, “what you see is what you get,” and you will only ever receive heart-centered and honest communication from us.
Compassionate Action
The spirit of Compassion turns empathy into action and is how we bring forward kindness, understanding and respect into everything we do. It fosters open communication, healthy connections and the ability to take on other perspectives. Having empathy allows us to perceive others' feelings and to have concern for their welfare, but compassion is the desire to act on that knowledge with positive intent.
Commitment to Adventure
The spirit of Adventure infuses vitality and energy into everything we do. It enables us to think big about what we can bring to the world, to remain committed and confident even in the face of challenges, and gives us the gift of possibility. It guides our coaching philosophy and outdoor experience programs, and keeps a sense of fun and exploration at the forefront.
Community Collaboration
The spirit of Community encourages engagement, sharing and collaboration. True North partners with the global wellness community in a mission to bring healing to the world, and competition has no place there. Sharing and collaboration happens with the incorporation of wisdom from ancient and modern cultures and the participation in the sharing, practice, growth and innovation of healing tools and techniques from around the world. A sense of community equals a sense of belonging, and engagement supports the healing and growth of others, ourselves, and the world.
Stewardship
The spirit of Stewardship can be found in the 7th generation principle: Anytime we do something that will affect nature, we ask ourselves, how will this affect seven generations? The earth is our mother, the sky is our father, and everything in between is our brothers and sisters. Stewardship is about understanding the importance of respecting and taking care of the gifts and resources we have been blessed with.
Our Logo
The creation of our logo went through several iterations - we wanted to incorporate symbolism from the geometric shape of the pyramid, the trinity, and aspects of the compass. At first, we kept trying to overcomplicate it - trying to bring in all the components we wanted to be a part of it - from the mountains, to the trinity, pyramid and more. When we landed on this simple logo, we immediately knew it was it. The simplicity of it, and how it subtly brought forward the symbolism we wanted - it was perfect.
Meaning
We knew we wanted a pyramid as part of our logo from the beginning due to the symbolism behind it. The pyramid represents the integration of the Ego and the Soul. Pyramids cleanse, purify, transform, and balance energies. The elements of a compass are there due to our mission and our name - True North.
Expression
Our logo expresses simplicity - a helpful discipline in our Journey towards Self. When we bring simplicity into our life, we are saying no to distractions, no to excessiveness, no to clutter. We are staying present and focused on one step at a time. Simplicity removes expectations and gives space for joy.
Composition
What you see in our logo depends on your perspective. To us, our logo hints at the shape of the pyramid. It shows a directional arrow and a compass needle facing towards our True North. It also represents the four cardinal directions of a compass and the four aspects of the pyramid.
What's the deal with all these mountains?
We love mountains! The grand vistas, the awe-inspiring scenery – at times peaceful and serene, and at other times challenging and powerful. Mountains are what we know, and primarily where we go to connect with nature. We love what they symbolize, and what they represent in regard to our individual journeys. We have found that every adventure and experience into the outdoors gifts us with lessons that can be applied in our lives. You don’t need to climb mountains to benefit from spending time in them – a simple Sunday drive, a walk along a trail, or a visit to a waterfall or alpine lake – all can be powerful experiences.
Our Outdoor Experience programs is how we bring the healing and empowering qualities of nature into your holistic wellness journey.
The True North Team
With a Master’s in Human Nutrition and a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science, Amy brings foundational knowledge of physical health into the programs we offer. Over fifteen years of study of all things dealing with natural health and healing - from ancient teachings to modern understandings achieved through quantum science bring forth a deeper understanding of the body and modalities that can aid our own healing. Her deeper studies into how Spirit, Mind, and Body are all interwoven and intricately connected allows her to bridge that gap between the physical and the spiritual when it comes to holistic wellness - essential if true healing is to be found.
Her own Journey with cancer has gifted her with understanding, compassion, and empathy for all who suffer physical imbalances and who hold the desire to find their way towards true healing.
Amy has always held a deep love for the Pacific Northwest, and after traveling and moving around the world, is happy to be home where she is able to continue her adventures in the outdoors. Pacific Northwest mountains have been a big part of her life since she was a teenager – from hiking, camping, and backpacking, to scrambling, climbing, snowshoeing, winter camping, and more - and this continues today through her volunteering with various local outdoor programs. Whatever the activity, Nature always has a lesson or healing to offer if we are open to receiving it.
Amy Stafford
Co-Founder & CEO
Shawn’s business acumen, extensive outdoor leadership experience, and experience as a Marine Corps Veteran brings forward those characteristics needed to help ensure the success of True North. His passion for and success with leading people in outdoor experiences will be the driving force behind our Outdoor Experiences programs. As a veteran, Shawn is also passionate about making the outdoors accessible to all and desires to make that a reality for any who currently face challenges in those settings.
Shawn Raybell
Co-Founder & COO
