Nature can help us, and impact our well-being in so many different ways - healing our minds, bodies and spirits. Personally, I have experienced the healing power of nature many, many times in my life - simply being outside and immersed in nature has helped to both soothe and replenish me during stressful times. I have also found that paying closer attention to the natural world around me, and then reflecting deeply upon this, particularly on the seasons and the rhythms of nature - has encouraged an inner contentment and calm to start to take root within me. I have also been helped by reading other people's work on this subject - and on this site you can find a page of healing nature resources -which I hope you will enjoy and find of use.
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better" Albert Einstein
Believing that nature is healing and can relieve our stress isn't a new discovery by any means- people all over the world have intuitively known this for a long, long time. For centuries people of all cultures have found great emotional and spiritual sustenance when looking at nature - watching a beautiful sunset, gazing at a turquoise sea, or peaceful lake, walking in a lush green forest or field of golden corn. Our ancestors likely experienced a deep and physical connection living so closely with nature - one which we have lost to a large degree but which we can still take steps to recapture. Furthermore, many different cultures from ancient times up to the present have written much about nature. It really does seem to inspire and nurture us on a very deep level...
More recently a growing body of research evidence has been showing that there is indeed a strong link between our mental well-being and being in nature (and I'm not just talking wilderness here - a walk in the park, gardening, playing with your dog or cat, sitting in your garden or tending to house plants can, and do, help). Research has also found that healing images of nature can help to lower blood pressure and relieve stress and pain.
In recent years 'Forest bathing' has become a recognised relaxation and stress management activity in Japan. Forest bathing involves visiting a forest for relaxation and recreation while breathing in the aroma of the trees' essential oils (akin to aromatherapy). Furthermore, 'healing gardens' have been around for many, many years. More recently, in Scandinavia, nature-based stress management courses/projects have begun to spring up. There is clearly a growing trend towards nature-based stress reduction - which is also founded on our deep, intuitive, ancient wisdom of nature...
You may feel yourself that you are soothed and restored when you go for a walk in nature, or swim in the sea. Or you may not have noticed the effect nature has on you - you haven't really given it any thought. Either way, this approach can help to open you up to the wisdom and healing power of nature. Nature can teach us so much, if we just slow down, observe and really listen... Spending time in nature (and visualising nature or meditating upon it) is particularly beneficial if you're a highly sensitive person, too. Being so sensitive to your surroundings it really is so important, when at all possible, to immerse yourself in a calming environment which soothes and replenishes you, rather than adds to your stress.
In these particularly difficult times, I have found turning to nature invaluable. Even if we can’t get outside very often (or at all) we can look at images of nature, nurture some pot plants, think about its many lessons and meditate on it. We can always bring it into our homes and into our hearts and minds.
So get outside into the green - if you can. And if not, bring nature to you...