What is the wild self?
Rewilding identity, soul and spirit
Have you ever felt a quiet pull toward something ancient, untamed, rooted and aligned? A sense that beneath the layers of who you’re ‘supposed’ to be lies a self that remembers? This is the call of the wild self - the instinctual, soul-rooted version of you that still belongs to the earth. This post explores the journey of rewilding the self - a soulful and powerful path of return to your natural rhythms, instincts, and deep connection with the living world.
What is the wild self - and why does rewilding matter?
The wild self isn’t something separate or distinct, and it’s not simply a more primal or animalistic version of your identity - the wild self is intuitive, embodied and connected, both to the living world around you and the multiple woven layers within.
When we can notice and connect with our wild self, we remember and feel a sense of belonging - to our bodies, the land, the cycles of the moon and the turning of the seasons. The wild self whispers in dreams and visions, through the elements, trees and animal kin - calling you home.
Often, the tamed self - the version of you shaped by external expectations of intense productivity, politeness and perfectionism (shaped in a large part by the capitalist machine-driven world we live in) - can dampen the voice of the wild self. Over time, this voice may become quiet or forgotten - but it never truly disappears.
Why we lose touch with the wild self
We live in a culture that wants to control us: from an early age, we’re taught to sit still, strive harder, suppress instinct. The wild parts of us - emotional, cyclical, creative - are often deemed too much or not enough.
Layer in our disconnection from nature, slowness, and ancestral ways of being - and it’s no wonder we feel adrift.
You may notice this disconnection as:
A persistent restlessness or longing
Creative blocks or burnout
A feeling of living on the surface of things
A hunger for ritual, rhythm and realness
But here’s the truth: the wild self is never lost. It waits beneath the surface, tangled in roots, memories and mycelium.
What is rewilding the self?
Rewilding is often used to describe restoring ecosystems to their natural state, but it’s just as powerful when applied through a human lens.
Rewilding the self is an act of reclamation. It’s not about going backwards or escaping modern life, but returning to what is most essential - and most alive. It’s a remembering of the soul’s first language: earth, breath, instinct, myth.
To rewild your self is to:
Live in tune with natural cycles
Connect with instinct and intuition
Reclaim your voice, your body, your creative power
Belong to the more-than-human world
It is, at heart, a sacred return.
Rewilding identity
Let go of roles and labels. Root into truth.
Who are you when no one is watching? Rewilding identity means letting go of roles, labels and expectations that no longer fit. It invites you to root your sense of self in your values, your rhythms, and your wild truth.
Rewilding the soul
Awaken your inner landscape through myth and ritual.
The soul longs for stories, symbols and mystery. To rewild the soul is to reawaken your inner landscape: the part of you that creates, dreams and communes. Through metaphor, ritual and deep listening, you begin to embody your soul’s unique expression.
Rewilding the spirit
The spirit seeks connection beyond the self. Rewilding the spirit invites you into relationship - with land, moon, ancestors, and unseen allies. It’s where reverence lives. Through practices like seasonal attunement and being in sacred spaces, you begin to remember your place in the web of life.
Signs you’re being called back to the wild self
Here are a few signs:
You crave more time in nature or solitude
You feel out of sync with conventional life
You’re drawn to the moon, trees, old stories and symbols
You sense there is more to you than what the world sees
You’re asking: Who am I beneath the layers of societal conditioning?
If any of these resonate, your wild self is stirring.
Sacred rewilding: practices to reconnect with your wild self
Rewilding doesn’t require a radical lifestyle change - it begins with small, soulful steps:
Journal with nature-based prompts
Track your energy with the moon phases and your body’s own cycle
Create rituals for the seasons or Wheel of the Year festivals
Spend time in silence outdoors - listen and let the land speak
Move, write or sing in ways that feel free, not forced
Remember what lit you up as a child - and do that
The wild self is a lifelong companion
Rewilding the self is not a destination, but a spiral - a sacred remembering. You will lose and find yourself again. That’s the way of the wild.
So ask yourself, softly and often:
Who is the wild self within me?
How do they want to live, love, create, belong - and be free?
When you honour those answers, even in small ways, you begin to rewild identity, soul and spirit - one breath, one word, one season at a time.
Want to go deeper?
The Rewilding Yearbook
Want to take your first step? The Rewilding Yearbook - a 12 month journey to discover the wild within you - is out 7th October, and you can pre-order now!
Don’t miss the pre-order bonuses and keep an eye out for the companion course, opening for enrolment just after the Solstice.
Wild Essence Explorations
If you’re ready to go deeper, why not join us for a 1:1 Wild Essence Exploration? Together we’ll explore the symbolism of your inner world and unearth profound insights for your onward journey, welcoming your soulscape, archetypal guide and other wild wisdom to support your own rewilding.
Sign up before the end of May (your session can take place between May and July) and receive 10% off the full price.
Oh this is so exciting! Congratulations on the book Maddy and Eleanor.