RETURN
RETURN is a call to action, a way of life, a movement, an ideology, and belief system, challenging individuals to re-establish their connection with the natural world.
RETURN to the Natural World
When is the last time you took a minute to look up at the stars? Have you ever taken a hike through a cool humid forest? Have you ever watched and listened to nature come to life at sunrise? Our ancestors experienced all of these on a daily basis, but in our busy lives, a lot of us fail to take the time to stop, take a look around, and observe the natural world.
We have become far too removed from nature, but no matter how far we venture away from it, we are and always will be a part of it. Our ancestors lived in harmony with nature, taking from it, giving to it, all while learning from it, and growing closer ties to it. Killer, Caretaker challenges each individual to RETURN this connection to the natural world by connecting with nature through the way that you live, and by finding a balance between the Killer and the Caretaker.
Each individual is different, therefore each individuals journey toward reconnecting with nature will be different. There are many ways to further develop your connection with nature through your everyday life, including food, lifestyle, activities, exercise, creating, observing, and learning. Below are some examples of each.
Examples of How to Further Your Connection to Nature
Activities • Recreation
Hiking
Kayaking/canoeing
Mountain Biking
Trail Running
Rock Climbing
Swimming
Boating
Horseback Riding
Camping
Creating • Collecting
Terrariums / Aquariums / Vivariums
Pressing flowers/ leaves
Drawing / painting / art
Building bird houses / feeders
Framing feathers / flowers / leaves
Bringing nature into the home
Volunteering • Donating
Clean ups / Picking up litter
Planting trees
Volunteering at local wildlife agency
Donating to organizations
Learning • Observing
Bird watching
Listening to nature
Reading about nature
Watching documentaries
Doing experiments
Learning about conservation
Learning survival skills
Food • Resources
Gardening
Foraging
Regenerative Farming
Bee keeping
Fishing / Hunting
Cooking
Sharing • Teaching
Sharing stories
Teaching skills
Sharing knowledge
Sharing observations and experiences
Apprenticeships
Learning • Observing
We should always be learning, growing, and challenging ourselves in life, both mentally and physically. Nature embodies aspects of both the Killer and the Caretaker. It can be peaceful, calming, positive, and nurturing, but also threatening, stressful, negative, and violent.
Challenging yourself in a variety of ways prepares you for tough situations and increases your ability to navigate the journey called life. Just like the Killer, Caretaker balance that exists in life, the more you push yourself and challenge yourself, the more benefits you will receive, whether it be physical strength, intelligence, or mentally stability.
Activities • Recreation
One of the most obvious ways to reconnect with nature is to spend time in it. Activities such as hiking, horseback riding, rock climbing, etc. can help you to immerse yourself in nature. Moving exercise outside, or partaking in activities such as mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, etc, are great ways to achieve your fitness goals, challenge yourself physically, and reconnect with nature at the same time. Move your weight lifting outside; opt for mountain biking rather than indoor bike machines; run trails rather than on a treadmill.
Aside from exercise, even a simple boat ride around a lake to just observe nature can be a great way to understand, enjoy, and connect with the natural world.
Food • Resources
Food is something that has become less of a connecting factor between people and nature, yet nature is the only place we can obtain food, whether directly or indirectly. Nowadays, a trip to a grocery store is the most common way to obtain food. In addition, individuals rely on confusing and misleading labels to figure out where their food comes from, and what is even in it.
One of the best ways to reconnect with nature is to obtain your food through the natural world. This includes foraging, gardening, farming, fishing, and hunting. Regenerative farming in specific is one of the best tools for reconnecting with nature while nurturing the natural world in the process. Its not realistic for most people to obtain all of their food from the described methods, but buying from local farms, and supporting things like regenerative farming, and replacing some of your store-bought food with self-harvested foods will help you to RETURN your connection to the natural world.
Creating • Collecting
Connecting with nature can be achieved by collecting things found in nature, or by creating art from things found in nature, and by bringing nature into the home. For an example, collecting flowers or leaves and pressing them and identifying them, or framing them, creating terrariums or vivariums, keeping house plants, collecting bird feathers or seashells, and creating things from them are all ways in which you can reconnect with nature.
Brining more and more nature into the home can allow an individual to RETURN to nature. Creativity is a part of who we are as a species, and an additional way to connect with the natural world.
Sharing • Teaching
There’s nothing more rewarding than passing on knowledge and sharing skills and experiences with others. Human beings as a species have achieved so much because of our ability to record and share information, skills, and knowledge, so each generation can start where the previous left off.
Teaching skills to others, sharing information with others, and sharing experiences are all ways to connect with your community, and to help others re-connect with nature. It is not always an older generation teaching or sharing with younger generations either. The sharing and teaching goes both ways.
Volunteering • Donating
Embodying aspects of the caretaker and nurturing nature will connect you with nature in one of the most rewarding ways. Volunteering through your local wildlife agency, participating in litter pick ups, planting trees, or simply donating to conservation are all ways you can reconnect with nature. Donations can come in the form of money, time, skills, and knowledge.
Physically donating time and skills will allow you to learn more about the natural world and connect with it directly in a hands on manner. Often volunteer work occurs in groups where a sense of community can be developed, and a good deal of teaching and sharing occurs, which will help individuals achieve a proper balance between the Killer and the Caretaker.
