I recently read a World Economic Forum article about cities that were “rewilding”.
I love that term. Rewilding.
It made me think of what we as humans would be like if we were more in tune with our primitive selves.
Unlike our ancestors, we no longer fall asleep at sunset and rise at dawn. We don’t work the land with our own hands, or grow and hunt our own food to feed our families. We don’t herd cattle together or run away from bears or tigers.
The agricultural revolution led to the formation of cities, marking the distinction between land that is urban and land that is rural. Humans developed methods to grow and store food in quantities that were massive and predictable enough to feed large numbers of people for seasons at a time.
In a developed country, urban and suburban areas are where most people work and live, while rural areas are almost exclusively dedicated to agriculture. Urban areas are generally densely populated—rural areas are less so.
Following the agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution allocated humans as workers who contributed to society through specialized roles. A city that is seen as thriving is generally one that has been planned such that transportation, commerce, and housing are all designed to maximize the efficiency of getting from where we sleep to where we work.
Like a flower that grows in a garden, productivity and well-being are heavily influenced by our surroundings. As a yogi, teacher, and entrepreneur, I try to be as mindful as possible of the environment in which I spend my waking hours. Working and practicing yoga from home has inspired me to transform my home from the inside out. Renovation and construction are huge in San Diego, where many homeowners are adding outdoor kitchens and outdoor living and dining rooms to their backyards.
There are many cities in the world where urban landscapes are drenched with buildings and even skyscrapers. You can barely see the stars at night.
We have essentially separated the primal and evolutionary state of ourselves that is connected with nature from our modern day-to-day lives. Technology has enabled us to work anytime and anywhere, but in my opinion, it hasn’t necessarily improved or increased our interactions with nature.
I became excited about integrating the productivity that technology enables with the flow of yoga and nature. I was inspired by my Pinterest feed to build an outdoor office garden, not just a standalone office. I wanted my office to be like a cabin in the woods, where one would retreat for the purpose of being surrounded by nature, not isolated within it.
It was time for me to renovate my backyard entirely, including the garden and patio. I called the most reputable San Diego Landscaper I know and explained my vision of my dream outdoor space. I knew that I wanted a landscaper that had a wide range of expertise, so I specifically hired a firm that could both design and build every part of the landscape.
I no longer have an office space versus an outdoor space. I can now experience so much all at once.