It’s time to get outside.
It’s time to get out of our built structures and connect with Nature.
It’s time to peel ourselves away from our screens and spend time in the great outdoors.
Why?
Because we spend about 90% of our time inside and sadly we are averaging about 46 hours per week in front of screens. We spend about 2 hours a day on social media.
Why?
Because we need to get up and get moving because sedentary lifestyles are making us fatter and sicker.
Why?
Because connecting with Nature and appreciating what is out there by way of flora and fauna develops our relationship with Nature and thus our understanding of how we can be party to lessening our negative impact on Earth.
Our disconnection from Nature is rather concerning. Most people spend less than 8% of their time in the outdoors. The majority of modern humans live their life devoid of any immersion in the wild. Most of us would not know how to survive ‘out there’.
The 2014 movie Wild starring Reese Witherspoon tells the story of Cheryl Strayed. Disillusioned with her life, Cheryl takes a solo hike through the wilderness of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone. The challenges and pleasures of this experience strengthen her and ultimately heal her.
“If your Nerve, deny you—
Go above your Nerve—
He can lean against the Grave,
If he fear to swerve—
That’s a steady posture—
Never any bend
Held of those Brass arms—
Best Giant made—If your Soul seesaw—
Lift the Flesh door—
The Poltroon wants Oxygen—
Nothing more—”
–
The idea of ‘rewilding’ is being applied to humans. This movement is about dissolving the barriers between ourselves and Nature. It is about learning to survive with less and to lessen our dependence upon the trappings of modern life. It’s about rediscovering our innate adaptability and tolerance. It’s about quietening our mind and coming back to our senses.
At the time of writing this I’m in the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia and a great part of our state, and indeed of Australia itself, is on fire. People have opinions about why. There are accusations being thrown around, fiction parading as fact, facts being admonished as false, and people are getting rather worked up, emotional, nasty and hurt.
With the stark fact being that very few of us have any real and meaningful connection to our land any more I would like to offer up the idea that perhaps that is exactly what we desperately need…reconnection with Nature.
Perhaps if we are able to appreciate the outdoors, if we truly connect with Nature, if we watch, listen and feel…we’ll discover what is really required to care for our Earth.
Within this rampant disconnection is not where the answers are to be found. Within the deep connection to our Self and our planet lie the answers.
There are some people who have done this and are demonstrating methods that re-wild and regenerate the land, and those that show re-wilding us human beings is also of paramount benefit.
There is great wisdom contained within traditional, ancestral and indigenous cultures that have maintained integrity and practice despite the intrusion of industry, technology and the insidious disease of consumerism.
Personally, one of the greatest gifts that Tantra and Yoga have endowed upon me is a respect for Nature. The practices contained within these teachings have shown me the value of developing and maintaining a healthy relationship with the Earth.
So when would ‘now’ be a good time to go outside?
When would ‘now’ be a good time to reconnect with Nature?
I love walking on the beach, and even more so, I love just sitting quietly on the beach and watching, listening and feeling everything around me. This calms me, recharges me and grounds me. I find it…delightful.
A PRACTICE FOR YOU: SIT-SPOT
- Find a space outside that feels safe and comfortable for you
- Sit on the ground if you can or stand with your feet wide and arms by your sides
- Be still and be quiet
- Look around you at all you see – notice what is moving and what is still
- Listen – just hear the noises come and go
- Feel – the breeze move on your skin, the warmth of sun or cool of shade or night
- Sense your connection to the ground beneath you – feel as far into the Earth as you can
- Notice the space above you – feel as far into this as you can
- Notice your breath – take 3 conscious breaths – inhale gently deep – exhale long and slow
- What are you thankful for in this moment?
Here are some resources that shine some light on the practices and benefits of living more harmoniously with the land and animals.
http://www.danielvitalis.com/rewild-yourself-podcast
https://rewildu.com/what-is-rewilding/
https://micahmortali.com/rewilding/
Make 2020 your year to reconnect with your Self and with Nature.
