I recently attended the screening of Project Wild Thing at the Chain Store, hosted by Dan Edwardes. Dan is a founding member and executive director of parkour generations
This was to be my first visit to the chain store and I wanted to arrive a few minutes early to have a look around. I was the first to arrive, which meant Dan and I had a few minutes to chat. We have similar opinions about movement and are both enthusiastic about getting the young to move. Dan and I discuss the project wild thing predicament and how little time children actually spend playing outside.
I had said it seemed that we are about to have a huge shift in paradigm. Dan highlights that this might just be the bubble we are living in, and the harsh reality is that kids really are suffering from natures deficit disorder.
So children simply aren't spending enough time in nature, links are being made to ADHD, depression, anxiety and much more based on the lack of interaction with nature. But it seems to run deeper than that, this would be outdoor deficit disorder, where children are actually spending only a small % of their time outside.
The Project Wild Thing screening premise:
Filmmaker David Bond is a worried man. His kids' waking hours are dominated by a cacophony of marketing, and a screen dependence threatening to turn them into glassy-eyed zombies. Like city kids everywhere, they spend way too much time indoors - not like it was back in his day.
He decides it's time to get back to nature – literally.
So David becomes the marketing director for nature and has to make nature more desirable to his children. As the film progresses he discovers that this isn’t just about his own kids, and moves to the wider audience of children in general.
This is a concept that I am all too familiar with, but something we have never had to battle with our own children with. Playing in nature is the last thing I would struggle to ask them to do.
But how, how can it be so different for other children?
You will be familiar with the term "be the change you want to see in the world" how about "be the change you want the next generation to be in the world.
I see this with our daughters Lola and Millie A.K.A #StrongLola and #MightyMillie A.K.A #TheRiddlekids. We wanted them to absorb natural information, to nurture them, and help them survive, thrive and flourish. So at the very beginning of life they had natural births, and were carried in slings and not carry seats, they had breast milk not farmed industrialised formula. They slept in our bed and still do (co-sleeping). When they learnt to eat, we followed the idea that they should learn texture and colour and develop enzymes and not consume anything inflammatory. Now they only eat good organic food that we trust from a good source and organ meats that are either wild or grass fed. We ditched the sofa and adopted ground living to encourage a solid foundation and keep their movement pure. They have spent all their lives either barefoot or wearing barefoot footwear. We decided against conventional schooling and they are now flourishing beautifully within the un-schooling philosophy.
I see this with our daughters Lola and Millie A.K.A #StrongLola and #MightyMillie A.K.A #TheRiddlekids. We wanted them to absorb natural information, to nurture them, and help them survive, thrive and flourish. So at the very beginning of life they had natural births, and were carried in slings and not carry seats, they had breast milk not farmed industrialised formula. They slept in our bed and still do (co-sleeping). When they learnt to eat, we followed the idea that they should learn texture and colour and develop enzymes and not consume anything inflammatory. Now they only eat good organic food that we trust from a good source and organ meats that are either wild or grass fed. We ditched the sofa and adopted ground living to encourage a solid foundation and keep their movement pure. They have spent all their lives either barefoot or wearing barefoot footwear. We decided against conventional schooling and they are now flourishing beautifully within the un-schooling philosophy.
What's my point?
If you stay at home, slouched on the couch, zombie eyed, fixated on a screen; be it a TV, mobile phone, tablet or laptop, then your child will want to mimic this behaviour. You are their representative of the world, and who they will choose to emulate. The child is a reflection of your own behaviour. If you the parent spend your free time out with your children discovering nature and playing in the woods, then this is the behaviour they will choose to emulate, pretty logical right?
This of course carries over into all areas of a child's development, nature goes in, natural comes out.
I wish this really was just about movement out in nature or even just that stroll in the park. The bigger picture is much more daunting. The reality is that movement is just one part of the physical self to be addressed. In my opinion our role is to pass on vital knowledge on a physical, social and spiritual level. It is our duty as the marketing directors of nature, tribal elders of survival wisdom, parents or teachers to become successful in each one of these environments so that successful knowledge is passed on to the next generations.
Perhaps the solution:
Remove a Human animal from its natural habitat and it will become a Worrier; suffering physically, socially, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. Replace the Human animal back into its natural habitat with natural movement, natural foods, natural rest and natural sleep and with the right knowledge it will begin to heal and return back to Warrior.
The Real PE...
Our role as physical successful self teachers isn't just about taking our children out to kick a ball, or to play on the playground. This philosophy runs much much deeper than that. A whole "how to" education of physical self is what is needed. A re-wilding in how to breath, how to heal in the sun, how to move in nature, how to play, how to get stronger in sleep, how to rest, how to make human contact, how to eat for your cells, how to digest and how to drink real water.
The truth is that it takes a huge amount of skill to be a human animal in the modern world. The blue ring represents our physical foundation and each element offers nutrition to keep us in a state of growth. If one of these Physical self elements is out, then that particular element is starved of nutrients and the emotional balance is out. This is a whole education, it is also an education which should have already been passed down from generation to generation. Through the current schooling educational system people can become experts on so may levels and can present you with the most incredible useless facts.
But how do I become educated to deliver this wonderful gift and become an expert of SELF growth?
There are so many great sources of information out there, but there are also so may conflicting views too. Personally I have spent many years refining my own filter. I have been gaining knowledge from my teachers and wisdom from my own experiences.
In searching for the truth to develop and communicate a system of coaching to enable us interdependently to grow as one, I arrived at an understanding of what my true quest is; to transform Worriers into Warriors, by keeping what should come natural to us natural, what is compromised returned back to, or as close to nature as can be, to enable, and to support future growth.
Through this philosophy I have helped many of all abilities and ages discover their true capabilities, resulting in strong, healthy, positive, mindful and connected people, who are now responsible and can communicate that same message for future growth.
My quest to transform Worriers into Warriors now has a home at 42 Acres in somerset. Combining this developed philosophy for optimal health; physically, socially and spiritually, with the strong sense of tribal community at 42 Acres, great transitions towards growth are being made.
We of course are not alone, there are other fabulous retreats like our friends at wild fitness that are on the same rewilding healing path. There are many places like ours that you can attend to fully submerge yourself in the rewilding philosophy.
You can attend talks or listen to podcasts, one podcast in particular I like and recommend you listen to is By Daniel Vitalis. http://www.danielvitalis.com/rewild-yourself-podcast/
There are also movement classes that will introduce you to like minded people with the same rewilding , bigger picture view point. I can only recommend people that I have worked with personally and 100% believe in; so If you're in London I highly recommend Ben Medder’s movement class - if in Dublin Andy Myers classes - if in Denmark try Benjamin Buus' class - if in Berlin Joseph Bartz
Alternatively you can always pick any one of the elements within the physical foundation and do your own research and become your own expert. To register for my "Wise Move News Letter" or to register for "Worrier to Warrior" Coaching, talks, workshops or retreats
