We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shane Rilling. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shane below.

Alright, Shane thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

One of our most meaningful projects has been working with Beyond Boundaries and New Earth—two incredible programs dedicated to empowering justice-involved youth in Los Angeles. Their mission is to support young people in transforming their lives, making positive choices, and realizing their potential as valuable members of their communities.

As part of this collaboration, we joined a team that brought 15 youth to Boulder, Utah, for a week-long nature immersion. During this time, we facilitated Peace Sticks Workshops, Talking Stick Peace Councils, and guided a variety of nature-based experiences.

Many of these youth come from environments marked by violence, gang culture, addiction, and instability—places where fear and anxiety are part of daily life. To witness them begin to let down their guard, feel safe, express themselves freely, and connect with one another through play and collaboration was deeply moving.

It reminded us that even those who may be seen as “broken” or “troubled” are, at their core, still loving, creative, and worthy human beings. Often, all they need is a safe space, genuine connection, and a way to express their inner world. Seeing that transformation firsthand rekindled our hope for humanity and reaffirmed the power of trust, play, and presence in healing and growth.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW: World Peace Tribe (WPT) is livicated to creating ways of life centered in wellness, peace, and harmony with nature. Our mission is to shift culture from competition to collaboration by empowering communities through Peace Education, Environmental Stewardship, Arts, and Wellness.
Founded by Ojai natives Shane and Evan Rilling, WPT grew from the creation of Peace Sticks—a movement-based practice blending play, mindfulness, and human connection. Since its origin 19 years ago, Peace Sticks has evolved into a methodology shared in schools, retreats, rehabilitation centers, team-building programs, and youth workshops.
WPT has co-created Eco Peace Centers with indigenous communities in Nicaragua, Indonesia, and Peru to support sustainable economies, cultural preservation, and environmental regeneration. Through global partnerships, gatherings, and educational programs, WPT continues to build a peace-centered culture rooted in care, creativity, and community.
What is Peace Sticks? Peace Sticks is a collaborative, play, flow-state experience which combines movement, music, and human connection in the art form of throwing and catching sticks. It is centered in our intention to help each other. Playing Peace Sticks brings us into a moving meditation that awakens our innate life force energy, and connects us in rhythm with our partner. Players experience potent physical, mental, emotional, and social benefits. Peace Sticks cultivates vibrant health, pure awareness, balanced reciprocity, and empathic, peaceful connection. Peace Sticks Sessions are an opportunity to practice mindfulness, cooperative learning, and group leadership skills. Peace Sticks is a paradigm shift which allows us to experience the transformation of: Fear to Flow State, Competition to Collaboration, Separation to Community

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES: WPT offers Peace Sticks programs and workshops that support humans in cultivating wellness, confidence, connection, and resilience through play, collaboration, and movement. We offer Teacher Training programs both live and online. We have shared Peace Sticks Works Shops and World Peace Ceremonies with a wide variety of organizations including:
Team Building with corporations: Nutiva Organic Foods, Texas Capitol Bank, Raw Food World.
Conscious Festivals: Lightning in a Bottle, Aniwa, Bhakti Fest, Lucidity, Symbiosis, Unify, One Love, and more.
Rehabilitation Centers (Peace Sticks as group Therapy): Passages Malibu, Journey, Nate’s Place, Evolve and more.
Cross Training for professional athletes: Soccer, Hockey, Basketball, MMA.
Healing Therapy for: Autism, ADD, ADHD, depression, and anxiety.
Peace and Community events: Ojai Earth Day, Santa Barbara Earth Day, Ojai international City of Peace Day.
Education: UCSB, USD, and a large number of public and private schools from 1st to 12th grade.
Internationally: Bali, France, Sumatra, Peru, Nicaragua, Turkey, and Cypress.
We provide live music (Shining Lion is our band) and Peace Sticks children’s Workshops at the Ojai Community Farmers Market.
We’ve partnered with organizations such as Ojai Valley Youth Foundation, Nate’s Place, New Earth Foundation, and Evolution Youth Rehab to reach youth facing adversity.
We are honored to share the work of the Uni Kawa Peace Center, which we founded in collaboration with the Shipibo Indigenous community in Peru. Through our Peace Sticks Creation project, we have engaged over 60 participants of all ages in the meaningful process of sustainably harvesting, crafting, and painting Peace Sticks.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

The primary goal of our journey is to awaken and activate human beings into a new paradigm of true expression and collaboration. In the competitive narrative many people have become blocked and limited both in their own body, consciousness and in how they perceive their ability to share their gifts and connect with the world.
Through the process of teaching Peace Sticks to thousands of people form all walks of life, we have experienced people having the “Aha” moments, when they realize that they are capable and powerful beyond what they thought, and that their true power is a gift that can be expressed and received in harmony with others. This brings great joy, smiles, laughter and a new awareness that they are here for a purpose, that they are needed, and that the process of life can be mutually beneficial, creative and fun.
We see that this collaborative way of living is a key to solving many of the challenges humanity now faces, and will create a world of vitality, beauty and peace.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, one of the most rewarding parts of being an artist and creator is witnessing moments of joy and transformation in others.

Time and time again, I’ve seen it happen—whether it’s a child or an adult watching us play Peace Sticks, I can feel their curiosity. Often, they’ll hesitate and say something like, “I can’t use my left hand,” or “I’m not coordinated.” I’ll smile and say, “Let’s give it a go—I’ll make it super easy.”

Within just a few minutes, something shifts. They start to enter a flow state. Their minds relax, their instincts awaken, and suddenly they’re moving with confidence and presence. Before long, they’re laughing, eyes wide in amazement, turning to their friends or family and saying, “Look what I can do!”

Moments like that light me up.

I’ve also had people come up to me at events and say, “Remember when I bought that CD from you last year? It’s been in my car ever since. I’ve listened to your album thousands of times—it always puts me in a good vibe. Your lyrics have inspired me and helped me on my journey.”

As an artist, there’s no better feeling than hearing that. It’s incredibly fulfilling to know that something I created from the heart has become part of someone else’s path—lifting their spirit, helping them feel seen, or simply bringing joy to their day. This is so fulfilling for me—sharing inspiration and witnessing the love ripple outward.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://worldpeacetribe.com
• Instagram: worldpeacetribe
• Facebook: Shane Rilling
• Linkedin: Shine Rilling
• Twitter: world peace tribe
• Youtube: world peace tribe and Shining Lion Music
• Soundcloud: shining lion
• Other: Spotify: Shining Lion

Image Credits

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