Rewild Yourself: Becoming Nature

by Rachel Corby

Over the last millennia or so, as humanity has become more civilised, humankind has found itself increasingly removed from its own innate wildness. At the same time society has found itself beset with ever greater incidences of mental illness, stress, depression and antisocial behaviour. In Rewild Becoming Nature Rachel Corby addresses the longing search for meaning, what she calls the dark cries of the soul, that have emerged alongside the human-nature disconnect. Rachel writes with a passion and a deep love for the wild. In developing ones senses and natural instincts she invites you to join her in finding ways to redress the balance. She encourages you to find the wild place inside and overcome a little of your own domestication, to rebuild connections and communications with nature allowing for a free-flow between the wildness of the world and your wild heart. Considering many aspects of our modern lives, this book offers a path which leads to a personal and cultural transformation; a future where there is space for the wild to grow.

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 4, 2015

Reviews

[Lauren Beveridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cannot put into words (although I'll try) how amazing this book is. I found myself constantly saying "do you know in this book I'm reading...." so thought provoking and just exactly what I was looking for. Could really relate to the things she was saying and she explains things so well. I couldn't get enough. I want to recommend this book to everyone. When your feeling disillusioned with how the world has become this hook is a must to Rewild Yourself.

[Sapphira · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. Loved the vast majority of this book, even though some of the advice/ideas I'd heard before (utilising your senses to the fullest to connect with nature, for example). It's clear Rachel Corby has a great passion for the natural world which always makes for great reading in my opinion 🌳

[Jennye]

Great resource in embracing And re connecting w nature

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Felt a bit Meh generally

[Granny Swithins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Re-reading (2024). I remember loving this book when I first got it, after attending a workshop the author was giving at a festival. Second time around, the impact wasn't as great, perhaps I'm more used to the ideas. Also a fair amount of typos and grammar issues.

I totally agree that we need more wildness, but it's also getting harder - I'm now living in an industrial town rather than a rural area, and my agoraphobia/social anxiety is totally out of whack. It's hard to find anywhere to go in nature that isn't already overrun with people, especially people walking their dogs. Useful section on entheogens though, I'd like to know more about local and legal possibilities!

"In the modern world our senses are constantly being bombarded. As a self protection measure, for individual sanity, we have subconsciously closed each one down, so that they currently function at a fraction of their true potential. A walk along a typical high street can easily overload the senses. You cannot give attention to all the smells, sounds, and colours that you encounter. The fact is we don't need to rely on information from our sense for our survival so it becomes easier and preferable for the most part to simply shut it out. However, in so doing the physical connection with our bodies and the world around us deteriorates. With less attention focused on sensory input there is an associated loss of sensory acuity and a further disconnect with the natural world, enhancing any feelings of dissociation or alienation we may already feel."

- found this interesting due to the impact of neurodiversity. Part of the problem for me is that I can't block out this bombardment of the senses, the neurodiverse brain just doesn't seem to have that ability to filter stuff out, so life feels like a constant bombardment. The disconnect becomes due to sensory overwhelm, rather than underuse.