Our lives have always been intertwined with the energies around us — energy that the Earth feeds us in more ways than one. While we eat the fruits of her garden, our minds wander and our bodies ponder how it would feel to be as alive as the blooming flowers. Our souls crave the freedom of wild fauna and the calming sound of the ocean.
From reading Mary Reynolds Thompson's Reclaiming the Wild Soul: How Earth’s Landscapes Restore Us to Wholeness, I've learned that the absence of nature in our modern lives has detached us from the "soulscapes" that she explores in her novel. With her guidance, we are able to digress into the self — and journey through nature as we align ourselves with what truly matters.
Her novel sums up research and stories from multiple people she has encountered who are all on similar paths through the many soulscapes. The Desert, Forests, Oceans & Rivers, Mountains, and Grasslands are all essential in preserving the Earth and our wild souls. Each provides a different perspective on growth determined by what the landscape calls for and represents. While some may be more forgiving than others these soulscapes provide lessons for us to master so that we can emerge as who we really are as the wildest and freest versions of ourselves. Reading this book is a courageous step towards connecting with your truest self.
Deserts: Silence and Simplicity
Mantra: “I have everything I need”
Forests - Mystery and Wisdom
Mantra: “I have the courage to brave the unknown”
Oceans & Rivers - Balance and Flow
Mantra: “I have faith to live fully as myself”
Mountains - Comfort and Strength
Mantra: “I have the strength to go on, I am my highest self”
Grasslands - Community and Home
Mantra: “I have my place and purpose”
This book opened my eyes to the many paths I hope to take on my journey to self. My wild soul has been entrapped in a haze of modernity. Although I would consider myself a free spirit. I’ve noticed I haven’t been exploring all that is still and so often I see myself refusing to live in mystery out of fear. The Desert and Forests are the soulscapes I chose to dive into first.
Thompson makes it easy to digest the spaces described in her novel. She provides an exercise at the end of each chapter so the reader can actively participate in the journey to finding one’s wild soul. I suggest reading Reclaiming the Wild Soul: How Earth’s Landscapes Restore Us to Wholeness with a journal in hand so you can dive deep into where your wild soul is and how you can retrieve it.
Happy reading and good luck adventuring, wild souls.
Author: Stephanie Tarr, Wolven Community Manager
