#adyeadayinmay

At the end of an unusual April, over a month into lockdown, I decided to really investigate what ‘rewilding’ meant to me. I'd already felt for a long time like human beings were quite insane for destroying the environments that sustain them, but the Covid-19 pandemic brought all the insanity into sudden, crystal-clear focus.

While the blame was being shifted to a bat in China, many inspired thinkers were seeing a deeper cause; humanity's delusional disconnection from and exploitation of nature. I'm grateful to have been supported during this time by the wise teachings of people like, Clare Dubois of Treesisters, Satish Kumar of Schumacher College, Dr Martin Shaw from the Westcountry School of Myth, ecofeminist Dr Vandana Shiva and author of the book I was (and still am) reading, 'If Women Rose Rooted', Dr Sharon Blackie. These are all people who know the truth of their wild, inherent connection to the Earth, as I do in a fledgling (still sometimes brainwashed by capitalist consumerism) kind of way.

The Resources Around Us

Humans are not the only beings living on this planet. In fact, we totally rely on the Earth; its elements, plant and animal beings to live. What else are we made of except rivers and soil and clouds? We literally are Earth.

Perhaps it sounds a bit new age using the term 'beings' and acknowledging that humans actually aren't the centre of this universe. Yet, to my mind, it's delusional conditioning that causes us to stigmatise holistic, spiritual, indigenous thinking that honours all of life, not just human.

Me cycling from my allotment, managing to pout while balancing an enormous amount of dock in my bike basket. Image © Justine Aldersey-Williams 2020

As I write this it's now August, and on top of the seemingly endless calamitous events we've already lived through, the Black Lives Matter movement has ripped the plaster of the systemic racism within society and after months of intense discussions with my family, all the dots are joining up and I'm seeing how these issues are interconnected.

Greed

Greedy capitalism requires some human lives (and countries) be valued more than others so that huge profits can be made by a few people. We see this in our own fast fashion industry that has for years relied on slave labour to create cheap, plastic clothing that once worn here, gets shipped back to pollute the countries it came from.

These issues feel overwhelming. Especially if you're someone, like me, who feels obliged to take on responsibility and solve all the problems! So, now I'm reflecting on my reaction to that overwhelm, that insanity, which was to seek solace in nature and in my botanical textile practice.

In an era of such cognitive dissonance and manipulative propaganda, I asked myself 'what is still true?' I needed to be able, response-able, to engage with all these issues while also taking care of my own emotional health. How? By remembering I'm a human being. Not just a differentiated human subject to man-made, mind-made constructs, but also a living being, intimately connected with non-human life. When I get outside, into nature (as if there's really anywhere else), I remember my true nature is nature. (That's becoming my catchphrase!)

Spring Back To Life

So, back to April, and I was feeling May (my favourite month) fast approaching, when the earth literally springs back to life. I love the sense of renewal, the energy and the resurrecting beauty, yet, somehow it seems to pass without me feeling I’ve fully appreciated it. So, I set myself a challenge to forage #adyeadayinmay and create a record of my wonderings and wanderings around my local area.

I wanted to experience a ritual that might deepen my understanding of and connection to my local plant allies. I wanted to experience rewilding rather than it being a concept in my head but I doubted I could stick to a new habit, so didn't start documenting the process until I'd proven myself, to myself!

After a couple of weeks, I started sharing the instagram posts you see below. Each one links to further writing about my experiences with each plant. I wanted to create a statement about regional colour, being locked down and how it offered an opportunity to stay in one place and become indigenous to the land I live on.

Respect The Nature Around You

Some people ridicule others for believing plants and animals are sentient beings. Remember the reaction to Prince Charles admitting that he talked to his plants? How about the general stigma attached to being a 'treehugger'? The implication is that you are mad if you afford nature respect. Humanity requires itself be perceived as superior to justify exploiting other forms of life. But if we flip that and were told conclusively that all sentient beings have an equal right to life, how would we behave? With more reverence. Whether true or not, an animist respect for all of life makes us better citizens.

So, off I went to meet some nature spirits... read each instagram post to see whether I found any!