Guides people through the principles of rewilding, basically tapping into our inner nature as humans, and how to apply them to how we live our lives to foster greater personal health, mindfulness and well-being.
Rewilding as an ecological conservation concept is about restoring natural processes and wilderness areas with an emphasis on recreating an area's natural uncultivated state. Beyond Domestication takes it further by looking at how people live and to use rewilding tenets to provide beneficial effects on their lives.
The main aim for the book is to help people to connect more closely with nature and themselves. To this end, the book introduces the Seven Practices of Well-Being as a guide to their rewilding journey and looking into how each plays a role in our personal health and well-being as well as our planet's:
-Food-How important food and food production are to well-being; discussion on diets and the major kingdoms of food (plant, animal, fungi and bacteria).
-Water-A prerequisite for life, this resource influences everything; discussion on drinking water, swimming, and our relationship with bodies of water in nature.
-Air-With discussions on airbathing, active breathing as well as how climate and weather affects our mental health.
-Sunlight-Explores humanity's origins and dependence on sunlight; discussions on vitamin D, photosynthesis, and living by the movements of sun.
-Movement-Looks into our relationship with our body, how we move/walk, what and how we experience the outside world, sensory overload.
-Mindfulness-Looks into our relationship with distractions/technology all around us, our ability to self-care and reset; discussion on mindset, productivity, visualization and gratitude.
-Sleep-Reiterates the importance of "true rest" and being in touch with our natural circadian rhythm; explores our relationship with light/moonlight.
“Beyond Domestication” seeks to demonstrate the importance of rewilding for the future of well-being, humanity and the sustainability of the planet. George Knight is the co-founder of Beyond Domestication, a UK-based company that specializes in nature retreats and rewilding walks. George has seen first-hand that it is possible to achieve incredible health benefits by building an awareness of the Seven Practices. Since reaching remission from Crohn's disease, he uses his lived experience to help individuals begin their rewilding journey. A few years ago, he was the Director of St. Mary's Secret Garden, a charity that supported disadvantaged and socially excluded adults to find community through gardening. When not in the woods, George is either delivering training or working with organizations and individuals to help them objectify the practice of well-being.
