15 Ways to Rewild Yourself
Nature has always been a place for me to self-soothe. Whether it's been starting a garden and learning how to tend my heart in the same way I do my plants, or by going on walks in the forest to discover wild herbs and edibles. There's no denying how therapeutic it is to escape into nature and recalibrate, or as I call it: Rewilding.
What is rewilding?
In environmentalism, rewilding is a form of conservation and ecological restoration that has significant potential to increase biodiversity, create self-sustainable environments and mitigate climate change. Rewilding aims to do this by reintroducing lost animal species to natural environments. I’m a firm believer that this conservation technique can also be done with humans. Isn’t our current state of climate change a blaring example of how disconnected we are as a species, in body and mind, from the workings of our natural world? What would happen if more people reintroduced themselves to wild landscapes and lived more connected to nature’s cycles? Would the planet be better cared for? Would we be healthier and happier, too?
What is human rewilding?
Rewilding in humans means to revert back to a natural or untamed state of being. It is the process of undoing unhealthy modern conditioning and recreating cultures and lifestyles beyond domestication as we define it today. It is the process of rekindling our connection to nature and unearthing a truer, wilder, more holistic way of life that centers nature and simple living.
When I talk about wild, I’m talking about our natural state of being - the way we were before our modern culture changed us, labeled us, and confined us to unfitting ideals. When ecosystems are depleted of resources, plant and wildlife growth is stunted, depleted, and many species go extinct. When we are cut off from our natural resources: the things we love, the things that make us feel alive, and the things that nourish us, our growth is stunted as well. Our intuition and creativity become stifled. Our instincts go unused. We are tamed into doing what our family thinks we should do, what society tells us to do, and convinced to consume things we don’t need. Pressures of domestication condition us to behave a certain way, look a certain way, and think a certain way. Each of these restrictions fulfill someone else’s ideals and desires about who we should be and what role we should play in the world. We quickly forget that in order for nature to thrive, it needs earth, air, wind, water, fire, and sustenance - the things that make us feel grounded, alive, free, cleansed, renewed, and nourished.
This form of taming causes us to feel depleted, unseen, disconnected, and highly vulnerable to traps. Most commonly, traps come in the form of the wrong jobs, the wrong relationships, the wrong ventures. These traps create lifestyles that only perpetuate our taming - a route nowhere in the vicinity of our wild self or true north.
When we are heartbroken, confused, depleted, distressed, anxious, and deeply hungry for something more, nature can be our tonic and teacher. All we need to do is re-assimilate ourselves back into our wild landscapes. Rewilding in nature helps us reclaim our creativity, learn how to nourish our bodies and souls, as well as unearth our wild, true, and untamed selves. It reminds us how to steward the land in order to sustain healthy ecosystems and natural resources. Rewilding is answering the primal call to unapologetically be our true selves. It’s about rekindling our instincts - that inner knowing of who to trust, what is right and wrong, where to go next, when to rest, pause, run, or hold strong. It’s about knowing how to truly feed ourselves - literally and soulfully. It’s a way of connected, authentic living.
In the chaos of our global pandemic, economic instability, climate change, and social justice movements layered on top of an already fast-paced and overstimulated culture, I see the need now more than ever, for people to rewild. So, I’ve rounded up a list of 15 ways to rekindle your connection to nature and rewild yourself.
15 Ways to rewild yourself
Go into the wild. The more often we spend time in nature the more we’ll connect with our authentic selves and forget the labels of modern society. Spend time sleeping under the stars, wild swimming in rivers and lakes, and getting dirt on your hands. Leave the camper vans behind, and the cell service too. Get to know the harshness and gentleness of nature's seasons that can only be witnessed miles and miles away from any paved road, modern convenience, artificial light source, or mechanical sound.
Spend extended time in nature. Spending time in nature is one thing, and spending extended time in nature is a whole other endeavor. Doing this unequivocally changes us at our core. Whether it be multi-day adventures in backpacking, hiking pilgrimages, river trips, or extended expeditions that last longer than a week, it’s the amount of time that matters. Extended rewilding gives us the opportunity to unlearn, relearn, and establish completely new ways of seeing, being, thinking and doing. We soon forget the sensation of driving in cars and assimilate to the joy of long-distance walking. Our eyes relax at the sight of nature’s artfully crafted landscapes and disassociate from the harsh assault of blue light advertisements and cement jungles. Our ears adapt to listening for the most minute changes in a bird’s song or cricket’s nightly chirp, and soon forget the jarring sounds of dump trucks, sirens, and hurtful words. Upon returning to domestication after spending extended time in remote landscapes, advertisements no longer sway us, social media becomes an unending scroll of fruitless performances we’re no longer drawn to, and cruel public judgements suddenly become trivial nonsense not worth our energy.
Plant a garden. Nourishing yourself with the food you cultivate is an incredibly empowering process. Not only does it foster a strong understanding of how healthy ecosystems work in nature, but it teaches us how to be better stewards of our land. Gardening to be self-sustaining also helps us become less reliant on unsustainable food systems while also creating abundant personal food security.
Forage and wildcraft with plants. Similar to gardening, foraging is a wonderful way to nourish your body with nature. When you learn how to identify, then use wild edible and medicinal plants, your perception of nature changes. Suddenly, abundance abounds around every corner and you can go about your day nibbling on a leaf here, a berry there, and snipping blossoms from a plant you previously would have ignored. Learning the ancient practice of foraging places you directly in the role of being an active participant of your local ecosystem.
Make a list of the things that make you feel alive, grounded, free, nourished, and authentically yourself. When we’ve been domesticated for so long it can be challenging to unravel those layers and reveal our natural wild selves. I’ve found that it brings great clarity to simply make a list of the things that make me feel this way. For me, rewilding has been a decade-long process, and I see that it will be a process that continues through all the phases of my life. As we change and evolve, checking in on these feelings helps us keep our wild selves within reach.
Move your body. Run, dance, stretch, breathe deeply, and embrace your physical sensuality. Let your hair grow unruly, and allow yourself to be smelly or dirty for a time. Let your hands get calloused from physical work outside and go barefoot as often as you can. Adopt a physical self love routine that is free of your culture’s judgements on bodies and beauty. Have you ever seen a wild animal move their body in a way that reflected physical insecurity compared to their pack mate’s? Probably not, because animals use their bodies and physically engage in their social circles in the best way they can no matter their shape or flaws. Rewilding entails regarding our own bodies in the same way. Use your body to play and thrive inside that wild skin of yours.
Learn about local plants and wildlife. Learning how to identify local flora and fauna is a rewarding journey that helps us feel more connected to our local ecosystems. Both animals and plants are fascinating and highly intelligent beings. Learning about them and why they behave the way they do gives us an opportunity to see our commonalities and better understand how closely connected and interdependent we are with each other. Pick up a plant or animal identification field guide and hit your local trails. Before you know it, you’ll know the birds in the sky, the critters that scuffle by, and the plants in bloom along the path.
Create a nature journal. Each time you go into nature take notes of what you notice. Section off parts of a notebook for each season in the year. Write down what is in bloom, the way the clouds move, the temperatures, and animal sightings. Make drawings of things that particularly spark joy in you. Capture pieces of nature, like a fallen leaf or small flower, and tape them into your book. This ritual is a wonderful way to connect to each season in nature. It helps increase awareness of nature’s pattern, signs, and cycles year after year.
Eat seasonally. Eating locally grown fruits and vegetables that are in season is a delightful way to indulge in nature’s seasonal bounties. Each season provides a variety of different crops to feast upon. Seasonal eating helps us learn the life cycles of edible plants and gives us an opportunity to revel in the deliciousness of each unique crop. Not only does this offer nourishment, but sourcing our food this way also helps us reduce our carbon footprint because crops don't have to travel great distances to reach our plates.
Celebrate the seasonal shifts like the solstice and equinox. The seasonal markers in nature coincide with the solar wheel of the year, which includes the solstice, equinox, and cross quarter days between each season. Honoring these seasonal markers throughout the year is an amazing way to live seasonally and be more connected to nature. Gather around a bonfire with friends and family for a seasonal feast and plenty of good stories to share. Each of these eight seasonal markers give us an opportunity to pause, notice the changes in nature, and embrace the season at hand.
Discover your true north. Ask yourself who you are outside of the labels that social groups attach to you. Write down your personal values and how they guide your decisions in life as well as your lifestyle.
Bring nature indoors. Collect little tokens of nature that speak to you while on your nature outings. Perhaps it’s a posey of dried grasses plucked from a meadow, or a particularly beautiful stone captured from the shores of your favorite beach. Bringing the outside in grounds the energy in your home and helps you stay connected to the wild within.
Surround yourself with natural textiles. Much like bringing nature inside, adorning yourself with natural fibers such as wool, linen, organic cotton, and silk is a great way to stay connected to nature. Or, go one step more by decorating your home with natural materials like wood, earthen clay, and stone.
Disconnect from the digital world and social media. A central part of rewilding is dropping the distractions of our modern world and allowing ourselves to fully disconnect digitally. This helps our nervous system relax, and gives us an opportunity to notice the natural world around us as well as the wild world within our own hearts and minds. Delete social media apps for long periods of time, such as a week, a month, or even a whole season. Deliberately disconnect from anything digital as often as you can.
Learn how to build a fire and cook on open flame. There is a primal pull to the fire that no human can deny. It is so ingrained into our DNA that seeking out opportunities to gather and cook around a fire is a wonderful way to get in touch with our primal, self-sustaining wild selves.
How might rewilding benefit your life?