Wild Heart
A thriving Santa Cruz community devoted to hosting events in support of living our Heart’s Desire
Welcome to Wild Heart
We (Mark Nicolson & Caitlin Wild) are devoted to weaving together the joys of being in nature, song, dance, plant medicine and soul work with people in Santa Cruz (and people who love Santa Cruz!)
Our Offerings
Group Mushroom Medicine Journeys:
Upcoming Journeys:
February 27 - March 1, 2026 - space available
May 15 - 17, 2026
September 11 - 13, 2026
November 13 - 15, 2026
We host and facilitate four weekend group medicine journeys each year. These journeys are deeply in-service to the collective healing and heart-centered wholeness that Mark and Caitlin believe we are being called into during these initiatory times. When a group of caring beings come together with the intention to slow down and listen closely to the heart’s desire, transformation happens. These are in local, gorgeous, carefully chosen homes or retreats in the city of Santa Cruz where plant medicine has been decriminalized. Previous plant medicine experience (or experience with expanded states) will be required.
Esalen Institute Workshops:
Designing the Life We Want
Upcoming Dates:
February 16-20, 2026 - space available
Explore what brings you joy, learn how to navigate life transitions, and craft a vision for the next chapter of your life.
🌕 Designing the Year We Want:
Retreat and Celebration
Saturday, January 3, 2026 | 1:30–8:30pm | Santa Cruz | $75, includes Dinner
Join us for a nourishing afternoon and evening of visioning, celebration, and connection with the Wild Heart community. In the evening we will lead a mushroom microdose full moon hike + song share.
Dance
Ever had that totally empty yet full-to-the-brim feeling after leaving it all on the dance floor?! It’s the BEST! Our curated dance-parties weave movement, magic, emotional release, connection and the deep remembrance that these bodies are meant to move in service of our healing and wholeness.
With deeply thought-out and curated playlists and live music and some facilitation, we curate one or two dances a year in collaboration with dance facilitators. Stay subscribed for updates.
Song
We co-create song circles with gifted community singers and song-leaders.We believe in the magic and healing power of bringing our voices together in celebration of the full spectrum of life: joy, grief, challenge and harmony.
We center the collective use of our voices as a way to transform states of being no matter your skill level. Think you can’t sing? Watch out – our song circles are contagious and may be habit-forming…sign up for our list and we will let you know as soon as we schedule anything.
Foraging & Earth Connection
Caitlin leads forays into the wild where she supports people in remembering their wild soul and the connection we each have with the web of life.
One of the most impactful and fun ways to remember our connection to the Wild Ones is through foraging: learning about medicinal and edible species that grow in our own backyards!
In this practice we learn to slow down, notice our environment and how everything is living in connection with everything else. These forays are also habit-forming and can open your mind to the “doctors” that we live amongst!
Contact Us
