Re-Wilding…
So, what's Re-Wilding?
Environmentalists and developers define it as returning land to its natural state before human changes and influences. It’s a term that speaks of renewal, returning to something better. Going back to the way things were before all of this “Progress”...
The same theory and term can be applied to humans as well. There is a whole movement growing behind this idea of returning ourselves, at least in part, to the way we were and undoing some of this so-called “Progress”. By learning new skills, reducing time on technology, changing their diets and even wearing moccasins, people are in small ways returning to our shared tribal past. No one group of humans can lay claim to a tribal history. We all can! Whether it's the many different tribes of Europe or the Americas, we all come from the same place. What’s more, the primitive knowledge and instincts are still in our DNA. They have just been repressed over millennia as we have moved forward with scientific and social advancements. Not that any of it is a bad thing, but some people are beginning to feel lost, like something is missing.
That's where I come in. As a Certified Wilderness Survival Instructor I can help start you on your re-wilding journey, just head over to our classes page to see our initial offerings and to sign up, or fill out the form and tell us what kind of classes you would like to see!
So what is re-wilding to me?
Well, for over more than a decade I have been learning old skills in an effort to get in touch with my inner caveman. What initially started out as me wanting to up my camping game has turned into a lifestyle that I feel brings me closer to nature and the past but still with a foot in the present. Now, do I go running around downtown in moccasins and a handmade buckskin shirt? Sometimes, but mostly I save that for when I’m camping. I love wearing my moccasins as often as possible but especially when hiking and hunting. You can really get a feel for the ground and the energy of the forest. And when you do, you really start to feel your surroundings as your senses come alive. From the sensation of the ground under your feet to the sounds filling your ears and smells flooding your nose, those parts of your DNA I mentioned earlier wake up and you slowly begin to remember your place in creation. I feel they really make any outdoor adventure so much more meaningful.
But I do much more than just wear moccasins. I like to forage for berries and herbal medicines. I love to do “catch and cooks” when I’m out fishing. I enjoy bushcraft and making what I need from what nature provides. For me, re-wilding has become almost a spiritual journey. In all honestly, re-wilding is just getting back to nature and the old ways in search of simplicity and meaning.
What do you think Re-Wilding is?
Share your thoughts! Moccasinoutdoors@gmail.com
As always, thanks for reading!
