Going into the woods makes me feel alive. I don’t know if it is because nature is so full of life or if it is the connection that exists between raw nature and ourselves. It is very difficult for a lot of people to walk through the woods and stay angry. I believe that’s because in a natural environment, more often than not, it is peaceful and serene.
No matter the lifestyle you are living, there are bound to be certain worries that come along with it. I lived “on the grid” for most of my life. In 2012 my little family and I decided to plunge ourselves into the woods and off of the grid. As I studied, practiced, and prepared for this transitional tidal wave of a shift, I realized that my worries and concerns would now be different in many ways. It was interesting then, and still is today, to sit back and compare the differences.
Spending time outside in nature has innumerable benefits—it's relaxing and energizing, and it helps clear your mind and alleviate symptoms of depression as well as ADHD in children and teens. Despite the impressive structures and habitats we've created to live in, work in, and identify with (homes, schools, cities), our DNA says that we belong in the animal kingdom.
Before electricity, the fireplace or wood stove was the heart of every home. For those of us that live off of the grid, we know that fire is life, just as it was back then. Fire is everything: it provides heat for warmth and cooking and provides light at night.
Everything about fire serves a purpose in one way or another:
“I love not Man the less, but Nature more, From these our interviews, in which I steal From all I may be, or have been before, To mingle with the Universe, and feel”
Quote From Lord Byron: Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
When I first journeyed off the grid I had to learn about keeping food the so-called “old-fashioned way.” Shopping is a little different when you trade in your refrigerator for a root cellar. However, root cellars are actually quite efficient. It's not that you have to change the way you eat, you simply have to change the way you shop. Root cellars are underground storage areas that stay at cool temperatures, even in the summer.
Going off-grid is a big lifestyle change. So much is different in various ways; there's a lot of research and preparation to be done, but it's worth it! I knew going off-grid was going to bring me back to the basics and that was just what I wanted. I had a feeling that after things got rolling on the farm that I would start to see a decrease in spending -- I just didn't realize how much I would be saving!
It was in the summer of 2012 that my little family and I decided to unplug from the world as we knew it and return to the wild. We did extensive research over the years before taking the plunge. I gave up my job, house, many belongings and my purpose as I knew it. We found a place in Arkansas where there was an old round house in the middle of the woods. It was an adventure and a learning experience that brought me back to nature; an experience that put me more in touch with the natural world around me.
Relaxation: something so necessary for living a happy life, yet can so easily elude us on a daily basis. We have grown accustomed to hectic schedules, frenetic multitasking, and feeling guilty when we have a free moment. However, like vehicles, we have to stop and refuel, or we won’t be able to get moving. Here are some easy ways to relax in a world that doesn’t want you to:
Recently, I’ve sustained an injury to my back and neck. Luckily, nothing serious, but it has hindered my daily yoga practice, and frustratingly so. Just as any avid yogi or yogini would tell you, the time I spend on the mat each day is immensely important to my sanity. It’s my exercise and my moment of