I have been doing some very physical work recently. Climbing walls and trees,pruning trees whilst trying to balance myself on a ladder. Some of it may have been a tad bit unsafe at times, but I suffered no injures. Well besides a bruised back and bottom and very watery eyes after scratching one eye with an olive leaf and another one getting hit full force by an falling olive. But nothing serious.

Just what you would expect after a day of physical labour. It felt so good to be using my whole body . Stretching my legs as I climbed walls and using my muscles to stop myself from sliding off of them. ( Olive nets are very slippy, I know this, but sometimes you need to stand on them to get to the olive branches). Using all of my body to climb the trees, feeling my back stretch as I go higher in the tree and really using my hands and arms to pull myself up.

I have been thinking, how this is exactly, how we are meant to be using our bodies! I am generally quiet active. I walk a lot and I am used to carrying heavy weights. I do have 3 children after all and I happily carried them on me up until they were 3. I still carry my youngest on my back, when she lets me that is. Cos nowadays she likes to walk everywhere, just like her mama.

A few years ago I went to London to do my Doula course and I was lucky enough to stay with a friend of mine who lived in a barge on the Thames. I was able to walk to the course everyday, but at the end of each day my feet where killing me.

I am used to walking on tracks, walking on rocky and uneven ground, where the impact that my foot makes when it touches the ground is absorbed into the earth. But in the city my feet where hitting either concrete or tarmac and I had to deal with the impact.

Our feet, our bodies where not made to walk on these unnatural surfaces. I imagined if I had stayed any longer than 4 days ,I would have started to feel the impact on my knees. This really got me thinking about the huge amount of people that spend most of their time walking on concrete and tarmac surfaces and how they have learnt to put up with this discomfort. To the point where they do not even notice it anymore.

Now back to the trees and climbing,to the freedom that comes when you do these things regularly. To really feeling like your body is alive and alert. Because you can really feel each muscle working in your body. There was a time when all humans had to climb and jump on a daily basis, but now? Now the majority spend their time walking from their homes to there cars,o their nearest town all the time walking on flat surfaces and rarely if ever,needing to jump or climb. To really exert themselves.

When I was harvesting the olives, I was rewilding my body, reconnecting with my body.I was So much more aware of my bodies capabilities,because I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone and yes falling a bit on the way. But that was only because I was so out of practice. I don't spend everyday climbing, I wish I did though and so I have decided to spend more time in the trees this year.

To follow my girls lead and really use my body more throughout the day.

It is so important that we get to know our bodies,and we can only do that when we to push ourselves. When we feel each muscle and acknowledge it and so we get to know what our personal limits are.

To observe and interact more with this wonderful vessel that we have. ReWilding is all about reconnecting. Because we are all wild in the inside. But down through the years these long years of conditioning have tamed some of us. To the point where we are total unaware of our true potential.

When we are physically active, then we become more active mentally and spiritually, it is all connected. When we become more aware of our bodies, we start to learn what our body really needs, we interact with ourselves. We focus more on our self. We can read all the books and fill our heads with knowledge. But to really know what your body needs, you need to be in tune with your body.

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