Welcome to the Nest
Our Philosophy
At Nesting Hawk, we build the nest first — not as a structure of control, but as a soft, resilient container for growth, play, and belonging.
The “nest” is our metaphor for community care: a woven web of movement classes, mentorship, elder stories, and gatherings that offer what social media often cannot — embodied connection, real-time presence, and meaningful storytelling. It's a place we return to again and again to re-source ourselves through breath, touch, nature, and one another.
Our founder, Aris Lara, studied for many years at the Wilderness Awareness School, where he learned the art of tracking both animal trails and human potential. His work in mentoring youth, guiding rites of passage, and fostering nature-based communities laid the foundation for Nesting Hawk’s philosophy: that we need environments — nests — that support us in remembering who we are and how to be in relationship.
In our WildForm classes, we return to this through movement and play. We roll, crawl, leap, and laugh in the park. We sharpen our awareness through games, stories, and shared presence. We honor structure — but only enough to let spontaneity and self-discovery emerge.
Playfulness is not a break from the real work. It is the work. It builds trust. It teaches awareness. It welcomes the wild parts of ourselves home.
So we build the nest — together — to hold the stories we haven’t told yet, the movements we haven’t tried yet, and the parts of us still learning how to land.
Our Mission
Nesting Hawk creates regenerative containers for personal and collective transformation through nature-rooted movement classes, elder storytelling, mentorship, and community events.
We build the “nest” — a web of support structures where people can remember their wildness, grow resilience, and share wisdom across generations. Through practices like WildForm, Elder Storycatcher, and holistic mentoring, we foster belonging, embodiment, and a deeper relationship with life.
Our Vision
To reweave the fabric of human connection — with self, each other, and the land — through movement, story, and embodied community.
Nesting Hawk envisions a world where people feel at home in their bodies, guided by the wisdom of elders, and grounded in relationships that nourish the soul and the earth.
Our Founder
Aris Lara
Born Aris Lara, and given the name "Red-Tailed Hawk" by his mentors, is a lifelong learner passionate about connecting with the natural world. He's a seasoned educator, musician, dancer, and martial artist with a deep understanding of wilderness skills and human potential.
Wilderness Expertise: Aris is a Certified Wilderness Skills Educator through Alderleaf Wilderness College, a Certified Permaculture Designer, and a Certified Wildlife Tracker. He honed his skills through extensive training at Wilderness Awareness School, including 8 years of immersion in their teachings on Coyote Mentoring, the 8 Shields model, survival skills, and community building.
Movement & Martial Arts: A dedicated martial artist for 20 years, Aris is a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Instructor with a profound understanding of movement, discipline, and the human body.
Aris's unique blend of wilderness skills, movement practices, and a deep connection to nature informs his approach to education and community building. He believes in fostering a sense of wonder, cultivating resilience, and empowering individuals to live in harmony with the natural world.
Want to join our team? Send us an email to NestingHawk@proton.me
