Simon Thakur, creator of Ancestral Movement, blends evolutionary biology and traditional practices to help people reconnect with nature. He discusses how modern life disconnects us from our innate movements and the wisdom of our ancestors. The conversation highlights the importance of embodiment, such as mindfulness and yoga, as tools for deeper personal awareness. Thakur also delves into the interconnectedness of humans and animals, emphasizing empathy and understanding through nature. His insights challenge us to rethink our relationship with the environment.
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Simon's Early Influences
Simon Thacker's childhood fascination with origins, ancient ruins, and fantasy novels sparked his interest in the past.
Growing up in Dunedin, New Zealand, he explored forests, practiced judo, and read about yoga, samurai, and martial arts, fueling his imagination.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Bodywork and Anthropology
Simon Thacker's hypermobility during puberty led to injuries, prompting him to explore bodywork and rehabilitation.
He studied physics and biology but later shifted to biological anthropology, dreaming of becoming a primatologist.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Shift to Bodywork
Meeting a Chinese martial arts teacher inspired Simon Thacker to move to Japan and study martial arts and Chinese medicine.
This led him away from evolutionary biology into bodywork and rehabilitation.
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Humans have come a long way sincethe beginning of our evolutionary journey. We have adapted through manydifferent landscapes which all play a part in how our body/mind/brains functiontoday. Simon Thakur has dedicated his life to understanding this ancestraljourney on a very deep level.
Creator of Ancestral Movement, a framework & philosophy influenced by various Traditional movement practises, Simons academic work within evolutionary biology, body work modalities & the landscape.
Simon has delved deep into our ancient origins prehuman & beyond, deep into the early stages of our evolutionary journey & created practises around accessing the innate intelligence within us all. In a world that is so disconnected from natural movement, true embodiment & the animal body, this conversation gives us some thought provoking insights into the potential of the body & mind when in relationship with the landscape. A fascinating take on rewilding the senses, the body & the mind.
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