Indigenous Teachings for Living Well | Chelsey Luger & Thosh Collins

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We may not all have indigenous blood in our veins, but we can certainly learn from the Indigenous people. Because we are all connected to each other, we are all connected to this planet. Indigenous teachings can help us reconnect with our ancestors, remember the simplicity of the past, and reclaim our health and wellness.

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Chelsey & Thosh want you to reclaim your health & wellness through indigenous teachings.

Thosh and Chelsey are the founders of Well for Culture, an Indigenous wellness initiative that promotes health and wellness through ancestral teachings. The Indigenous teachings they promote are used to optimize contemporary Indigenous lifestyles. However, anyone can gain knowledge and inspiration from this ancient wisdom. You don’t have to have native blood to incorporate indigenous teachings into your health and wellness routine.

As a writer and wellness advocate, Chelsey Luger uses her Standing Rock Sioux Tribe roots as a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa in her work. She got her undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College. There, she studied comparative histories of global Indigenous cultures. She later earned an MS in Digital Media at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism. Her work has been featured in The Atlantic, Huffington Post, Yes! Magazine and many other outlets.

Her co-founder Thosh Collins is a photographer and board member of the Native Wellness Institute. He was born and raised on the Salt River Reservation and serves on the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Land Board. Thosh is politically and culturally active within his community and dedicates his life to helping shift the collective consciousness of Indigenous communities. Both Chelsey and Thosh help Indigenous people prioritize whole health for the benefit of future generations.

What can Indigenous teachings show us about health & wellness?

I was so excited to have Chelsey and Thosh on the podcast to share the inspiration for their book The Seven Circles. I have spent the last few decades learning from Indigenous cultures worldwide, and I can’t stress enough how important I find these kinds of conversations. I may not have native blood, but I certainly can understand the importance of learning from our ancestors when it comes to health and wellness. Both Thosh and Chelsey broke down Indigenous customs and traditions so beautifully in their book, so I was excited to expand on those concepts and why they’re so important to them.

Indigenous cultures held so many things sacred that we take for granted today. The power of sunlight, respect for the Earth, connection to all living things– we’ve strayed so far from everything they used to hold dear. That’s why Chelsey and Thosh’s message is so important. It’s easier than you think to incorporate Indigenous teachings into your daily life. It can be as easy as making a habit of taking a walk in the sunlight in the morning or turning off your electronics during family meals. Thosh and Chelsey also stressed how important it was to dispel stereotypes about Indigenous people, and how they can be damaging to native communities. Whether you have Indigenous ancestry or not, this was an enlightening conversation I know you’ll enjoy.