REWILDING — for me, the meaning of this powerful word is woven with the threads of hope, spaciousness, and freedom. John Davis, director of Rewilding Earth, states, “Rewilding, in essence, is giving the land back to wildlife and wildlife back to the land.” This process trusts the inherent wisdom of the earth and all her relations — that together, this collective knowing can reclaim a landscape back to a state of vibrancy, health, and rich biodiversity. This process has happened since the beginning of time — Nature knows how to reclaim herself.

We can also apply rewilding to being fully human, as all laws of nature apply to us. First, let me be clear: human rewilding is not about running naked through the streets, being reckless for the sake of being reckless, looking a certain way, or doing anything inauthentic because it seems like the “wild” thing to do. Rewilding is much deeper – it’s not external work; it’s internal work.

Cultural programming, family norms, unhealthy relationships, trying to fit into boxes that suffocate the life out of our bodies and spirits — each caused us to feel a little smaller, perhaps shameful, not worthy, or not enough. And each of these were sling blades moving through the flowery meadow of our inner landscape. All we need to do is look at a piece of land that has been drastically disturbed to glimpse what has happened to many of our inner landscapes.

Over time, we have become disconnected from our inherent “wildness,” that deep knowing of our natural rhythm and following the wisdom of our inner guidance. 

Rewilding from a human perspective is a reclamation of parts of us that have been impacted since we were in utero. Moments that caused us to forget the sweet song within, how to move our bodies fluidly, and tend to ourselves and others with unabashed love, compassion, and care.  

Fortunately, many of us are saying – ENOUGH. And are beginning the work of rewilding our inner landscape. We are creating space within to listen to the subtle whispers of our knowing or reading the “landscape” around us, feeling feels that were too scary to open ourselves up to in the past, saying yes to what calls us, or offering a well-placed decisive no. Each time we sit with the long-suppressed discomfort of the disturbance of our inner landscape – witnessing it with curiosity and compassion, we can digest and integrate the pain, and reclaim that part of our inherently wild self.

Nurturing one inner flower after the next until our meadows have been reclaimed and the collective sling blade no longer has the power to cut this beauty down. We then find ourselves in the wisden place of being rewilded, whole unto ourselves, and have the honor of supporting others in reclaiming their inner landscape.

Rewilding is a moment-by-moment practice. 

Each time you put your bare feet on the earth
Feel moved by the wind dancing in the trees
Lovingly tend to your body or let another body tend to yours
Take your seat in the natural world
Pause and delight in what is right in front of you
Give yourself over to grief and tears

 — you are reclaiming your inner landscape. 

This is slow medicine, and it is fully living. 

I’m headed to the mountains this weekend with Wendy and a group of amazing women to settle in and take the next step on our rewilding journeys.

I’ll be sending you all love,
Kathleen