They say spending time in nature can change your life. But in a world packed with indoor life pressures, how can you make getting outside just a part of who you are?
Welcome to the Humans Outside podcast, where we explore life in the great outdoors from our perch in Alaska, all while hearing from fascinating outdoor-minded guests.
Simple and Easy Ways to ‘Rewild’ Your Life by Going Outside (Micah Mortali)
It can be easy to think of practices like rewilding and mindfulness as being habits of only extra-zen, nature-based people. But if you’re someone who likes to go outside or is building an outdoor habit, they are probably already a part of what you’re doing, at least a little.
So how can you do it more? And if you don’t think you’ve added them, how can you make them happen while balancing a modern life?
In this episode Micah Mortali, rewilding expert and dean of the Kripalu School of Mindful Outdoor Leadership, shares his insights and tips of rewilding, mindfulness and even meditation. Author of the book “Rewilding, Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature,” Micah’s extra-practical tips make a rewilding habit accessible for any outdoor-lover.
[1:52] Why this recording is a little different
[2:41] Micah Mortali’s favorite outdoor space
[4:41] Amy’s regular moment of mindfulness
[5:16] What Micah thinks about that moment
[6:34] How Micah became someone who likes to go outside
[9:32] The spiritual connection of nature and how it’s weird some religions are confused
[10:55] Other Christian faith traditions and nature
[13:42] What is “rewilding?”
[20:45] How a nature draw plays out for city-dwellers
[23:35] Mindfulness and task-focus in nature
[29:56] The challenge of meditation for focused people
[32:22] How rewilding and mindfulness fit into a daily nature habit
[37:02] What the pandemic taught us about rewilding
[40:27] Simple tips for rewilding and mindfulness in nature
[42:47] Micah’s favorite outdoor moment
Buy “Rewilding, Meditations, Practices, and Skills for Awakening in Nature” by Micah Mortali (affiliate link)
Follow Micah’s school, Kripalu, on Instagram
Listen to Brene Brown talk with Dr. Amishi Jha about productivity and meditation
Follow Humans Outside on Instagram
Join the Humans Outside Challenge
Don’t like what’s going on outside? Wait awhile, power through and it will change. That’s just part of the truth about seasons Amy is clinging to — and an important lesson she’s learned — as she deals with a fresh running injury.
How does heading into nature and understanding outdoor seasons help with the rest of our lives? Hear about it in this episode of Amy’s regular Humans Outside Outdoor Diary.
[:45] Good and bad habits
[1:10] The problem with ankles
[1:50] What Amy missed this month
[2:20] Things learned instead
[2:30] Risk is inevitable
[2:52] Get friends like this
[3:35] The important thing about seasons
[4:02] The good and not so good things about fireweed
Depending on your background of using nature and heading outside, you might think of spending time outdoors as something you go do instead of something that’s on the other side of your front door.
And if you do make a habit of going into the nature that’s close to home, you might be tempted to think that the same-old, same-old isn’t as good as shaking it up and going somewhere news and different.
Dr. Kathleen Wolf has made a career of researching human use of nature and its benefits as a research social scientist at the school of environmental and forest sciences at the University of Washington. She joined in Season 3 for an overview of how much time in nature is really useful (spoiler alert, it’s about 20 minutes a day!). And in this episode she talks about the benefits of nearby nature and how to get the most out of it.
[3:54] What Kathy’s been doing since we last spoke
[7:54] What is nearby nature?
[10:31] What people think of as nature and why making generalizations isn’t a good idea
[15:23] What nearby nature factors appeal to people?
[19:44] The role of mindfulness in nearby nature
[22:45] Is there any benefit to doing the same thing in nature over and over?
[25:37] What it’s like to stare at the same tree for 70 minutes
[27:33] What Amy has learned by doing the same thing over and over again
[33:33] How people can create a great nearby nature experience no matter where they are
[41:40] Why nature is like nutrition
It’s hard to ignore the song of the returning light and warming weather — especially after a winter of darkness and cold. You aren’t just drawn to it. it’s like a magnet.
In this Outdoor Diary episode Amy discusses a series of moments that happen over the creeping of spring that let her know that summer really is right around the corner, and the days of winter are in the past.
[:45] How dark was it really?
[:57] How you notice the darkness at all
[1:25] Hint: it’s sneaky
[1:42] The light is the ticket
[2:03] The Day of Blinding Light
[2:33] The warm and sweet day
[3:10] The day when it’s only light
[3:27] “Green Day”
[4:00] Why this matter
Among the lifestyle challenges of living in a city are finding ways to create nature spaces near your home. While many city community green spaces are in the form of parks, everything from their upkeep to ease of access varies widely. And those spaces often aren’t designed with a focus on what the community needs or who lives and plays there, creating a block for use by all.
In Washington, D.C. the organization City Blossoms is working to change that by creating garden spaces focused on youth involvement across the city. With two of their core values focused on diversity and equity, the organization partners with communities to create gardens that don’t just live in the neighborhood, but are centered around its needs.
In this episode, Rafael Woldeab, City Blossom’s executive director, shares his organization’s mission, why it matters and how outdoor-lovers anywhere can use what City Blossoms has learned to connect them with nature right where they are.
[3:54] How Rafael Woldeab became someone who likes to go outside
[5:05] Why the National Arboretum is a good example of nature inequity
[10:19] What is City Blossoms?
[18:31] Should we focus our resources on community gardens or curated garden spaces?
[20:32] Why diversity and inclusion are central to gardening
[26:23] Why do gardens matter?
[33:51] What gardening can teach you about life
[36:52] How anyone can experience the power of gardens
[44:01] Rafael’s favorite outdoor gear
[45:44] Rafael’s favorite outdoor moment
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode of Humans
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode
Listen to this episode on Apple Podcasts or wherever you find your favorite podcasts. The following is an edited transcript of this episode of Humans