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Rewilding: Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature
Reconnect with your wild essence as you awaken your innate bond with the natural world
“Rewilding is a return to our essential nature. It is an attempt to reclaim something of what we were before we used words like ‘civilized’ to define ourselves.” —Micah Mortali
In his long-awaited book Rewilding, Kripalu director Micah Mortali brings together yoga, mindfulness, wilderness training, and ancestral skills to create a unique guide for reigniting your primal energy—your undomesticated true self—and deepening your connection with the living earth.
For hundreds of thousands of years, humans lived intimately with the earth. We were in the wild and of the wild. Today, we live mostly urban lives—and our vital wildness has gone dormant. As a result, we’re more isolated, unhealthy, anxious, and depressed than ever, and our planet has suffered alongside us.
With Rewilding, Mortali invites us to shed the effects of over-civilization and explore an inner wisdom that is primal, ancient, and profound. Whether you live in the middle of a city or alongside the woods, the insights and practices on these pages will bring you home to your wild, wise, and alive self.
Highlights include:
- Practice-rich content—mindfulness exercises, guided meditations, yoga and pranayama, inward sensing, forest bathing, and much more
- The “life-force deficit”—explore how our separation from nature affects us physiologically and spiritually
- Ancestral skills—such as tracking, foraging, building fires, and finding shelter
- Develop a sense of calm, clarity, connection, and confidence in both your daily life and the great outdoors
- What you can learn from nature’s teachers—lessons from mountains, rivers, trees, and our animal kin
- Rewild in the wild—guidelines around safety, preparedness, appropriate gear, and packing lists
- A mindful rewilding flow—put everything together in an immersive, step-by-step rewilding experience
- Awaken your authentic spiritual connection with the natural world as you come home to your true self
- Understand the relationship between our health and the health of our planet—and how we can begin to heal both
Part celebration of the natural world, part spiritual memoir, and part how-to guide, Rewilding is a must-read for anyone who wants to embrace their wild nature and essential place in the living earth.
“Rewilding is a return to our essential nature. It is an attempt to reclaim something of what we were before we used words like ‘civilized’ to define ourselves.” —Micah Mortali
In his long-awaited book Rewilding, Kripalu director Micah Mortali brings together yoga, mindfulness, wilderness training, and ancestral skills to create a unique guide for reigniting your primal energy—your undomesticated true self—and deepening your connection with the living earth.
For hundreds of thousands of years, humans lived intimately with the earth. We were in the wild and of the wild. Today, we live mostly urban lives—and our vital wildness has gone dormant. As a result, we’re more isolated, unhealthy, anxious, and depressed than ever, and our planet has suffered alongside us.
With Rewilding, Mortali invites us to shed the effects of over-civilization and explore an inner wisdom that is primal, ancient, and profound. Whether you live in the middle of a city or alongside the woods, the insights and practices on these pages will bring you home to your wild, wise, and alive self.
Highlights include:
- Practice-rich content—mindfulness exercises, guided meditations, yoga and pranayama, inward sensing, forest bathing, and much more
- The “life-force deficit”—explore how our separation from nature affects us physiologically and spiritually
- Ancestral skills—such as tracking, foraging, building fires, and finding shelter
- Develop a sense of calm, clarity, connection, and confidence in both your daily life and the great outdoors
- What you can learn from nature’s teachers—lessons from mountains, rivers, trees, and our animal kin
- Rewild in the wild—guidelines around safety, preparedness, appropriate gear, and packing lists
- A mindful rewilding flow—put everything together in an immersive, step-by-step rewilding experience
- Awaken your authentic spiritual connection with the natural world as you come home to your true self
- Understand the relationship between our health and the health of our planet—and how we can begin to heal both
Part celebration of the natural world, part spiritual memoir, and part how-to guide, Rewilding is a must-read for anyone who wants to embrace their wild nature and essential place in the living earth.
240 pages, Paperback
First published December 3, 2019
147 people are currently reading
910 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
December 26, 2020
Some interesting ideas amid some blathering on. I gave up on thoroughly reading it partway through the second chapter and skimmed the rest for the good stuff.
June 8, 2022
Not a lot that I didn't already know, but I also already have a deep practice. I think this is especially great for people with little to no background.
My biggest take away is to add more intentionality to my existing practices.
My biggest take away is to add more intentionality to my existing practices.
March 28, 2023
Such a much-needed reminder of being one with nature and how connected we are with one another - people, trees, animals, etc. The outdoors is powerful.
March 6, 2020
Micah Mortali tells us that we have lost our connection with the natural world. He encourages us to rewild ourselves, to bring ourselves back to the nature world.
Here are some notes I took from this book as I read.
Practice cultivating the perspective of the witness. The speedometer of the mind slows, resting at 0 mph, remaining present.
"Prana" is life energy. "Santosha" means contentment.
BRFWA stands for Breathe. Relax. Feel. Watch. Allow. Practice.
The word "universe" means "uni" (one) and "verse" (song).
The air we breathe today was on the other side of the planet just a few days ago, exhaled by trees and the oceans.
We are symbionts with trees.
"Keep close to Nature's heart...and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." ---John Muir
"Kami" is the sacred essence that emanates from natural beings.
"Wabi" means naturally worn, battered, and beautiful, shaped by time and natural forces.
"But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth and let it teach you." ---Job 12:7-8
Here are some notes I took from this book as I read.
Practice cultivating the perspective of the witness. The speedometer of the mind slows, resting at 0 mph, remaining present.
"Prana" is life energy. "Santosha" means contentment.
BRFWA stands for Breathe. Relax. Feel. Watch. Allow. Practice.
The word "universe" means "uni" (one) and "verse" (song).
The air we breathe today was on the other side of the planet just a few days ago, exhaled by trees and the oceans.
We are symbionts with trees.
"Keep close to Nature's heart...and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." ---John Muir
"Kami" is the sacred essence that emanates from natural beings.
"Wabi" means naturally worn, battered, and beautiful, shaped by time and natural forces.
"But now ask the beasts, and let them teach you; and the birds of the heavens, and let them tell you. Or speak to the earth and let it teach you." ---Job 12:7-8
August 4, 2024
I'm not ready to sleep in a stick hut or build a fire without a lighter, but since moving from an urban setting to a wooded property, I've become fascinated with the natural world and my inter-connections with it. Micah talks about encounters with bear and fox that changed him. I've had similar experiences with deer and birds. You can sense their knowing. This is not a book for beginners I don't think. There is an implied understanding of meditation practice and some yoga perhaps. And you must have a desire to be immersed in nature no matter the season or the weather. If you want to connect deeper with nature, this is a great guide.
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April 13, 2020An interesting concept but I can't get invested in it right now. It just doesn't feel very accessible for me, even though it's well written with a readable style.
December 4, 2024
Exactly as described. Lots of great guided meditation prompts and suggestions for reconnecting with our natural world. Audiobook was a great format.
October 13, 2019
"Go and sit by a babbling brook and focus on the sound of the water. Listen to the sound of the wind. Gaze out over the ocean and listen to the rhythm of the water. Sit by a crackling fire and smell the aroma of smoke of dry pine branches popping as they release the stored light of the sun. Place your palms on warm concrete and feel the stable earth element beneath it supporting you. Ponder a dandelion growing nobly through a crack of concrete. Society may be telling us that we need more, always more, but stop and listen to what the earth and sky are trying to tell us. Take a deep breath and empty your mind as you exhale. Look around and receive the miracle of this moment. You are enough."
I pick a word of the year each year in an effort to look at life through the lens of that word. My word for 2020 will be "wild" so when I saw this book, I knew it would be a great foray into embracing my word.
And I was not disappointed.
This book is connecting back with nature in a slow, thoughtful, and mindful way. It has meditations, some history of when we used to be connected to the earth so much more, some recommendations on how to be more ready for being in the wild (like building a fire, etc.) and some really small, easy things you can do to reconnect purposefully.
People say that what we’re all seeking a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. Joseph Campbell
More than any one section, what spoke to me is the sentiment of the book and the way it made me feel. As I was reading, I could almost smell, hear and feel the outdoors. I was itching to sink my feet into the earth and feel the breeze on my face. I made several notes of the guidebooks I want to get, survival skills I want to learn, and most importantly to find a way to connect with nature every single day.
I can already feel the invitation of the wild and the calmness it always creates in me. I look forward to reading this book again and again throughout 2020 as I embrace my word and nature.
with gratitude to netgalley and Sounds True for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
I pick a word of the year each year in an effort to look at life through the lens of that word. My word for 2020 will be "wild" so when I saw this book, I knew it would be a great foray into embracing my word.
And I was not disappointed.
This book is connecting back with nature in a slow, thoughtful, and mindful way. It has meditations, some history of when we used to be connected to the earth so much more, some recommendations on how to be more ready for being in the wild (like building a fire, etc.) and some really small, easy things you can do to reconnect purposefully.
People say that what we’re all seeking a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonance with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive. Joseph Campbell
More than any one section, what spoke to me is the sentiment of the book and the way it made me feel. As I was reading, I could almost smell, hear and feel the outdoors. I was itching to sink my feet into the earth and feel the breeze on my face. I made several notes of the guidebooks I want to get, survival skills I want to learn, and most importantly to find a way to connect with nature every single day.
I can already feel the invitation of the wild and the calmness it always creates in me. I look forward to reading this book again and again throughout 2020 as I embrace my word and nature.
with gratitude to netgalley and Sounds True for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 2, 2023
Too long by half. He kept repeating himself. Some good information, but would have been better as a pamphlet. He kept going through how to do deep breathing and a lot on yoga but I thought the focus was supposed to be on getting back outside. He did have good advice about what to take in a day pack. This would be better as a week-long retreat. Do some yoga, go for hikes, learn about the flora you can eat, etc. There are better books on getting outside, (like Deep Work).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 17, 2019
A small variety of topics introduced and talked about (ex. ecological boredom, breathing). More integrating yourself into nature and the connection. There is some information and stories/events from own life. Also introduces reader to different skills and practices when going into nature. Nice to look into.
December 21, 2019
From iphelia.com’s Editor’s Bookshelf review: Many books I’ve read contain wisdom; few feel like they come from a deep place of wisdom. Rewilding by Micah Mortali, Director of the Kripalu Schools and the founder of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership, definitely does. Luckily for me, it also gets at a question that’s been on my mind for months, and rather than telling me what to think, is helping me feel my way toward my own answer.
Back in September, I had the privilege of reading a series of essays by Jungian analyst Pat Berry with a group hosted by the Jung Society of St. Louis. It was some provocative writing focused on dreams, and, of course, it also touched on the nature of being human, as dreamwork tends to do. In October, I met Pat Berry at the Jung in the Heartland Conference, a relatively intimate gathering. I got to ask her about a passage in one of her essays that sparked major questions (and strong feelings) for me:
Human creativity is like nature’s creativity.
Is human creativity really “like” nature’s creativity? Or are we, as animals—like other animals—part of nature, such that our creativity is an incarnation of nature’s creativity? No simile required.
Yes. Pat Berry seemed open to that idea, but the conference, which was about Myth, Meaning, and the Infinite (aka everything, from my point of view), didn’t leave us room to discuss how to be more natural, to connect with the wild world of which we’re a part.
Rewilding does. In fact, that’s what this book, which feels like a lab for Clarissa Pinkola Estes’s Women Who Run With the Wolves, is all about.
The first three chapters tell Mortali’s story of becoming a wilderness leader for troubled youth, a yoga instructor, and a dad who’s raising his kids on the land in the Berkshires (without renouncing modern life and a prestigious administrative position at Kripalu—one of the most famous retreats in the country).
These chapters are a bit creative nonfiction, and a bit slow-moving. There are stories. There’s philosophy. Requiring readers to shift gears to get present to stick with these chapters is probably Mortali’s point. And if your experience is anything like mine, you’ll start having more and more nature encounters (animals, specifically, for me: deer, owl, raccoon, possum, kitties) as you really dig in.
While there are recommendations for nature, or “rewilding,” activities in chapters 1, 2, and 3, it’s in Chapter 4 that Mortali gets into the nitty-gritty of how to build and meditate with fires: the most pertinent rewilding practice introduced in the book. His writing about this process is breathtaking.
He also writes about yoga and mindfulness (on which he’s built his career) with a no-BS approach, noting that just as much as he’s concerned with “these ancient practices” being commodified, he’s concerned that “they are being used as pacifiers to help people put up with the negative effects of modern society.”
In the same way that Iphelia encourages readers to connect with, feel, and actually express their feelings, Rewilding encourages “a desire to connect with life” by engaging, cautiously and reverently but also boldly—as a birthright—what Mortali calls the more-than-human world.
While I’m sensitive to the fact that Rewilding could feel out of touch to readers living in industrial/urban environment, his efforts to make his teachings accessible and actionable are clear.
This book would be a great read for anyone who wants to consider their part in nature and learn to feel it more deeply through nature meditation, responsible hiking and camping, forest bathing, conjuring bow-drill fires, cultivating lasting relationships with wild animals, or even just better knowing and appreciating a nearby park or their backyard.
Back in September, I had the privilege of reading a series of essays by Jungian analyst Pat Berry with a group hosted by the Jung Society of St. Louis. It was some provocative writing focused on dreams, and, of course, it also touched on the nature of being human, as dreamwork tends to do. In October, I met Pat Berry at the Jung in the Heartland Conference, a relatively intimate gathering. I got to ask her about a passage in one of her essays that sparked major questions (and strong feelings) for me:
Human creativity is like nature’s creativity.
Is human creativity really “like” nature’s creativity? Or are we, as animals—like other animals—part of nature, such that our creativity is an incarnation of nature’s creativity? No simile required.
Yes. Pat Berry seemed open to that idea, but the conference, which was about Myth, Meaning, and the Infinite (aka everything, from my point of view), didn’t leave us room to discuss how to be more natural, to connect with the wild world of which we’re a part.
Rewilding does. In fact, that’s what this book, which feels like a lab for Clarissa Pinkola Estes’s Women Who Run With the Wolves, is all about.
The first three chapters tell Mortali’s story of becoming a wilderness leader for troubled youth, a yoga instructor, and a dad who’s raising his kids on the land in the Berkshires (without renouncing modern life and a prestigious administrative position at Kripalu—one of the most famous retreats in the country).
These chapters are a bit creative nonfiction, and a bit slow-moving. There are stories. There’s philosophy. Requiring readers to shift gears to get present to stick with these chapters is probably Mortali’s point. And if your experience is anything like mine, you’ll start having more and more nature encounters (animals, specifically, for me: deer, owl, raccoon, possum, kitties) as you really dig in.
While there are recommendations for nature, or “rewilding,” activities in chapters 1, 2, and 3, it’s in Chapter 4 that Mortali gets into the nitty-gritty of how to build and meditate with fires: the most pertinent rewilding practice introduced in the book. His writing about this process is breathtaking.
He also writes about yoga and mindfulness (on which he’s built his career) with a no-BS approach, noting that just as much as he’s concerned with “these ancient practices” being commodified, he’s concerned that “they are being used as pacifiers to help people put up with the negative effects of modern society.”
In the same way that Iphelia encourages readers to connect with, feel, and actually express their feelings, Rewilding encourages “a desire to connect with life” by engaging, cautiously and reverently but also boldly—as a birthright—what Mortali calls the more-than-human world.
While I’m sensitive to the fact that Rewilding could feel out of touch to readers living in industrial/urban environment, his efforts to make his teachings accessible and actionable are clear.
This book would be a great read for anyone who wants to consider their part in nature and learn to feel it more deeply through nature meditation, responsible hiking and camping, forest bathing, conjuring bow-drill fires, cultivating lasting relationships with wild animals, or even just better knowing and appreciating a nearby park or their backyard.
January 21, 2020
Rewilding teaches its readers that it's necessary to reconnect with nature and to see it, again, as a realm filled with living plants and creatures, rather than something we need to escape from in the comfort of our own homes. I've taken some of Micah Mortali's practices into account, including his yoga relaxation and breathing techniques, and look forward to backpacking and trying some of the other nature-based practices once it's warmer outside. While I enjoyed his writing, this book, and its message, including his frequent references to climate change and environmental issues, I couldn't help but roll my eyes occasionally at the bouts of spiritualism sprinkled through. I can get behind communing with nature in some ways, but not forming friendships with trees. Maybe I'm just not there yet with my practices. I also found some of Micah's advice to not be very practical to those living in the city, especially those who are female. No, I am not one day going to walk outside at night or in general, walk alone. The other day I got blocked in by some old man in a truck who just wanted to tell me I'm pretty. No thank you. It's obvious that some of the advice is coming from a male point of view. I'm not saying that it's not GOOD advice, it's just that it's not practical for many women.
If you're feeling out of touch, disconnected from the world, and hopeless, I recommend reading this book, as it will give you some insight as to what may be missing from your life.
If you're feeling out of touch, disconnected from the world, and hopeless, I recommend reading this book, as it will give you some insight as to what may be missing from your life.
June 22, 2019
This is an extremely relevant and necessary book that I wish everyone on this earth would read! It is all about getting us back to nature, to mother earth, and to all the beings and creatures and things that live and breathe and give us life. The author Has extensive experience in the realm of nature and mindfulness and bringing the two together. I found the guided meditations and suggested activities throughout the book extremely helpful and have been reminded of many times in my childhood when I was connected to nature much more than I am now. My level of awareness has been raised and I really appreciate that.
Has extensive experience in the realm of nature and mindfulness and bringing the two together. I found the guided meditations and suggested activities throughout the book extremely helpful and have been reminded of many times in my childhood when I was connected to nature much more than I am now. My level of awareness has been raised and I really appreciate that.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
Has extensive experience in the realm of nature and mindfulness and bringing the two together. I found the guided meditations and suggested activities throughout the book extremely helpful and have been reminded of many times in my childhood when I was connected to nature much more than I am now. My level of awareness has been raised and I really appreciate that.
Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review
May 23, 2019
The title of this book ‘Rewilding’ instantly caught my attention. I have heard this phrase before but wasn’t entirely sure what it meant.
This book offers meditative practices and other techniques to help bring us closer to nature. Walking, meditation, yoga, foraging and becoming a naturalist for your own area are all ways it is suggested to live a happier and more contented lifestyle.
I particular enjoyed reading the sections on guided forest mediations on bare foot. Walking barefoot on the grass is such a simple pleasure however I realised I haven’t done this in seven months! This book has certainly motivated me to do this again this afternoon.
I found this book to be a thoughtful and provoking account on the importance of getting back to nature and thus ‘Rewilding’’. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is interested in nature and mediation.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for this advanced copy of ‘Rewilding’ in exchange for a honest review.
This book offers meditative practices and other techniques to help bring us closer to nature. Walking, meditation, yoga, foraging and becoming a naturalist for your own area are all ways it is suggested to live a happier and more contented lifestyle.
I particular enjoyed reading the sections on guided forest mediations on bare foot. Walking barefoot on the grass is such a simple pleasure however I realised I haven’t done this in seven months! This book has certainly motivated me to do this again this afternoon.
I found this book to be a thoughtful and provoking account on the importance of getting back to nature and thus ‘Rewilding’’. I’d recommend this book to anyone who is interested in nature and mediation.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGallery for this advanced copy of ‘Rewilding’ in exchange for a honest review.
July 16, 2019
Rewilding encourages people to reconnect with nature. Author Micah Mortali is interested in the outdoors, spirituality, and mysticism and is a yoga and meditation leader. He uses his experiences and anecdotes that have been shared with him to show how observing nature without fear can give us different views of our own lives and the people in it. He provides plenty of meditations throughout the book to help the reader begin their own rewilding.
I enjoyed this book immensely for the ideas and stories it presented, and the writing is accessible. Although many people will already know that nature and meditation can both be beneficial to overall health, Rewilding presents an immersive look at how to build your own practices. It provides advice for clothing yourself for the outdoors, camping, eating from wild plants, and other notions that used to be common knowledge among our ancestors.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
I enjoyed this book immensely for the ideas and stories it presented, and the writing is accessible. Although many people will already know that nature and meditation can both be beneficial to overall health, Rewilding presents an immersive look at how to build your own practices. It provides advice for clothing yourself for the outdoors, camping, eating from wild plants, and other notions that used to be common knowledge among our ancestors.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
July 22, 2019
In "Rewilding", Micah Mortali brings together yoga, mindfulness, wilderness training, and ancestral skills to create a unique guide for reigniting primal energy and deepening your connection with the living earth. The pages are full of mindfulness practices, rich insights and guided meditations which aim to give the reader a sense of clarity
connection, and confidence. I loved the chapters on ancestral practice, dealing with such topics as foraging, tracking, building fires and finding shelter, as well as the more spiritual side (and am definitely going to be trying forest-bathing next time I'm near some woodland!)
I loved the calm tone of this book, and will definitely read and re-read this, as well as gift it to likeminded friends for birthdays etc. I felt calmer just reading it! A beautiful and well written book.
NOTE: I was provided with a free ARC copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
connection, and confidence. I loved the chapters on ancestral practice, dealing with such topics as foraging, tracking, building fires and finding shelter, as well as the more spiritual side (and am definitely going to be trying forest-bathing next time I'm near some woodland!)
I loved the calm tone of this book, and will definitely read and re-read this, as well as gift it to likeminded friends for birthdays etc. I felt calmer just reading it! A beautiful and well written book.
NOTE: I was provided with a free ARC copy of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review.
January 17, 2022
3.5 stars. So I am a bit bias when reading this book. I've hiked with Micah or is partner Marc before at Kripalu. It's been a while so I don't totally remember, but I remember enjoying the hike so much I did it again in the same week. I enjoyed most of the book while skimming the last section. The other chapters lay great ground work in foundations of Rewilding and having experience as a yoga teacher and an outdoor enthusiast, I felt that I knew most of this and it was more of simply gathering more tools for me to use. The repetition didn't help this book much since repeating the same information did not further my knowledge. I did enjoy his anecdotes from his own experiences. One thing I wish he would stress is that a quinzhee could be potentially dangerous if not built right.
February 18, 2025
There are some books that just speak to your heart & touch your soul and this is one of them for me! I read this book with a pencil behind my ear, underlining so many things, marking so many pages. Much of what Micah is talking about are things that I have already experienced and I know what he says to be true. This just takes it one step further. I'm not ready to meditate my way through a bear encounter and I suspect I'm more of a glamper than a camper but, this is an excellent book for forging a deeper connection with nature, the land, the forests. Rewilding is not something you set out to do and then you're done, it is an ongoing practice and this is an excellent book to reference. 4.5 ⭐s
January 4, 2020
This book is a very fast read. Essentially, this is about reconnecting with the earth through mindfulness practice and rewilding (as he calls it). I enjoyed him talking about everything the earth has to give for us if we stop breath and sit outside and watch and listen. That’s my big take away from this. The breathing, walking, watching, walking and listening exercisers are great. I’m excited to try them.
The rest of the book is repetitive and some of what is stated I like we are missing big cats(big predators) in our lives. I’m not sure I buy that. However, it’s a book to learn to re-appreciate nature and ourselves and I dig it. I would recommend it!
The rest of the book is repetitive and some of what is stated I like we are missing big cats(big predators) in our lives. I’m not sure I buy that. However, it’s a book to learn to re-appreciate nature and ourselves and I dig it. I would recommend it!
September 15, 2023
I really wanted to LOVE this book... I mean, look at the cover. It's so pretty!!! It called to me immediately, and I was really excited to dive in when it became available as an audiobook on the Libby app.
However, He goes on and on, and it gets so boring. This may be helpful to someone who hasn't been in nature. For me, it was hard to get through. He repeats himself a lot. It could've been a lot, lot shorter.
My takeaway is to spend more time in nature than I already do. It will benefit me to slow down and do more outdoors. But honestly, I'm doing just fine. It wasn't written for me. So I don't recommend it. But maybe there are people it's written for who will LOVE it. It's just not me!
However, He goes on and on, and it gets so boring. This may be helpful to someone who hasn't been in nature. For me, it was hard to get through. He repeats himself a lot. It could've been a lot, lot shorter.
My takeaway is to spend more time in nature than I already do. It will benefit me to slow down and do more outdoors. But honestly, I'm doing just fine. It wasn't written for me. So I don't recommend it. But maybe there are people it's written for who will LOVE it. It's just not me!
April 17, 2022
This book is as much an explication of rewilding as it is a set of meditation practices that are conducive to that process. Written by a founder of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership and Kripalu yoga teacher, it is everything you would expect it to be ... calming, thoughtful, centering, inspiring, and helpful. This one goes in my backpack for walks in the woods. I can hardly wait to read it outside. Such lovely thoughts and experiences captured by a wise guide.
May 3, 2022
I started reading this book in the winter, when it's very difficult to spend incredibly longs times out in nature, so I put the book down to read in spring. The books gives you practical ways to connect again with nature, and has given me some good ideas and perspectives on being out of my house and out in the forest and just plain outside. We spent way too much time indoors, and much of that time connected to electronic devices, so these are practical ways to disconnect from all that.
June 8, 2023
This was a bit of a tricky read for me. I feel concerned when an author cherry picks from many diverse indigenous cultures and then presents a kind of new age spirituality. I think there were interesting ideas and approaches but I mostly felt like I was being sold a product rather than getting a little deeper into the havoc caused by colonialism, capitalism and white supremacy. It seems like it should be hard to have the discussion of “rewilding” without unpacking more of what for us here.
January 3, 2024
The intersection of yoga/mindful movement and nature is the cornerstone of my passion, so I am completely biased as to the topic of interest. While I listened to the audiobook, I would highly suggest a paper copy. There were sections of the book which had guided exercises or meditations, that it would be nice to revisit at a later date, and would be better served by a physical copy. Overall, the tone was calming and anecdotal, but the structure was a bit confused and jumped around a bit.
October 9, 2019
Some good information, although it feels a little light on exercises, more the author telling you all about their life. I agree that being in nature holds the biggest key to wellbeing, so would be helpful to someone new to making that connection.
I received a free digital copy via NetGalley, however the opinions expressed are my own.
I received a free digital copy via NetGalley, however the opinions expressed are my own.
February 20, 2020
A really cool book. Teaching us to step outside our own domestication and be more in touch with nature. Mindfulness and appreciation allow us to be more in touch with nature and in turn ourselves. We don’t need to give up our cities and our lives but it’s important to remember where we’ve gone from and get in touch with that part of ourselves again.
July 28, 2021
I was hoping for even more acknowledgment of the Indigenous peoples these practices were gleaned from, but overall I think Mortali did a great job outlining ways that we can reconnect with our true mother. It's worth picking this book up at the library for the bibliography alone! I have so much more to explore now.
September 26, 2022
There are definitely some great ideas I’ll be returning to, and some I’ve already tried out. However, much of it is hard to approach as an urban dweller/ person with a job (I’d love to meditate in the same place in the woods each day for 45 minutes but how is this at all feasible)? Could definitely have been edited better for clarity/ avoiding repetition.
April 11, 2024
A quick, pleasant read that leaves you feeling more meditative. Do your breathwork, do yoga in the woods, learn how to build a fire, hang out with raccoons. It's the intersection of Paleo lifestyle, new-age shamanism, and a scooch of pilates. Good book, sound advice.
Cannot believe he named his child Stryder. I don't care how much you like Tolkien, dude. That's for his whole life.
Cannot believe he named his child Stryder. I don't care how much you like Tolkien, dude. That's for his whole life.
January 21, 2020
Loved the basic premise and vibe of this book although I think it probably should have been half the size (considering the amount of actual, worthwhile material he presented). Some repetition aside, I really enjoyed this read.
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