Simon Thakur is the creator of Ancestral Movement — an approach to embodied practice aimed at radically transforming and expanding the sense of self, by exploring and rediscovering patterns of movement and awareness that are part of our species’ history, both recent and ancient. 

In this episode, we explore how to open up the realm of infinite expression with our bodies through a basic understanding of mirror neurons, body-mapping, comparative anatomy and animal mimicry. While that might sound complex, Simon explains that "As we explore, we find that the body is full of layer upon layer of extraordinary, ancient, ancestral power – four billion years of adaptation and embodied knowledge – and we start to anchor this understanding of shared ancestry and vast evolutionary timescales in the actual feeling of the body itself."

Simon encourages us to become aware of the structural and behavioral similarities we share with other living creatures through developing our sense of empathy and body awareness. We also discuss the current status of the Australian indigenous lifeway and how to learn to understand the language of nature. Tune into this fascinating conversation with Simon Thakur to learn more about the possibilities of your own human animal.

"Two billion people in 80% of the world’s countries consume insects as part of their daily diet, and entomophagy has been practiced by those cultures for thousands of years.”

In today’s bonus ReWild Yourself Podcast episode, I talk with the creators of the new documentary film The Gateway Bug, Johanna B. Kelly and Cameron Marshad. Johanna and Cameron are passionate about entomophagy and its potential to massively improve the sustainability of our current broken food industry. During the making of The Gateway Bug, they learned the ins and outs of the booming American edible insect industry, and they give us an inside look into the current landscape and what we can expect in the future. I hope this interview leaves you inspired to begin including edible insects in your diet!

During the winter season, we tend to spend more time indoors. This winter I’ve been spending my indoor-time honing some ReWilding skills — such as my hand drill practice (friction fire), tending to my fishing lines (for ice-fishing), and processing foods from the fall harvest. My partner Avani and I like to watch a movie, documentary, or episodic show while we carry out the rhythmic processing of our acorns into flour. While there’s some obvious irony in the idea of using modern media to “inspire” ReWilding, video has all but replaced the stories told by our elders around the fire each night. I am always on the hunt for fresh, inspirational media and thought I’d share a few of my favorites — some new, some old — with you! 

My friend Nora Gedgaudas — author, nutritionist and repeat ReWild Yourself Podcast guest — joins me to discuss the essential nutrient that our bodies literally evolved to eat: Fat. In her latest book Primal Fat Burner (coming soon to a bookstore near you!), Nora refutes the popular mainstream belief that saturated fat is the culprit of disease and shares how dietary fat is actually crucial to vibrant physical and mental health.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode as Nora guides us through the ancestral diet we are built for, the nutrients we need to acquire from animal-sourced foods and cultivating a foundational metabolism. We also get into some fascinating side tangents — from ethical issues in the world of natural foods to corporate funding of veganism to alcohol to feminism. Enjoy!