by Linda Jackson
I know my place in the world is entwined with the natural world around me—my community is the wildlife, trees, and fields that surround my home. I talk to them, I listen, and I witness the wisdom that is always there. Most days, I walk the same woods and have become familiar and comfortable with my surroundings. The variegated rocks left behind by the receding glaciers eons ago, the stonewalls (unique only to New England) that mark long-forgotten boundaries through the woods, and even familiar trees that have fallen from storms, wind, or age. The owls, hawks, chipmunks, and squirrels are all my friends. I’ve seen the occasional deer and turkeys cross my path, though they are not interested in hanging around. I’ve stepped across bear scat and moose droppings, so I know they wander the mountain too. Of course, there are always snakes and newts on their way somewhere. These woods—my place—are just beyond my backyard and stretch up and over the mountain to the Appalachian Trail. I am grateful that all I need to do is step outside my front door to be in nature. It is where I go with my thoughts, questions, and explorations. I always return with a deep calm, clarity, creative solutions, and wisdom.
Where do you go for solitude, healing, aligning, and communion? Does nature play a part?
There are studies around the world and books that speak to the healing powers of nature and its importance in the health of the planet of which we are all a part. The benefits of being in nature are so many that there are places around the world offering prescribed nature therapy through nature walks and retreats. Like most, I spend my workdays with people and spend social time with friends—they, too, are an essential part of my community. However, at the end of the day, I go to nature for my deeper healing and calm.
Having a sense of place, for me, is also a spiritual experience. I walk among the trees and listen to nature spirits, talk to God, and observe changes in nature as reflections of my own process. When we know our place in the immediate world around us, we open our senses to become aligned with that world. I know people who know their place within a city and their local neighborhood—their senses are aligned with who lives nearby, neighborhood cats and dogs, and what to remain alert to. I know those whose sense of place is from their porch or deck. I am one whose place needs to walk among the trees or touch the soil and plants in my gardens.
We are an integral part of the larger natural world around us. Too many suffer from nature deficit because our lives are filled to overflowing with activity and surrounded by concrete, city streets, and the ever-present technology. Nature has become something disconnected from the fabric of our daily lives and experienced (maybe) on vacation or the occasional weekend walk.
When I suggest nature therapy for healing or stress relief, I am often told of fears of lying in the grass, pulling weeds in the garden, or trekking into the woods. Here in New England, ticks are the number-one fear. I suggest regular and thorough tick checks on returning home. I’ve heard that others fear bears, moose, and coyotes lurking behind trees and rocks—I’ve seen more bears at my trash can or on my deck, the occasional fox or coyote hurrying across the yard while I watch from the window, and only once have I seen a moose, who was both injured and sick. Still others fear injury or getting dirty. In my experience, injury is a result of my not paying attention. Dirt and its health benefits have been traded for our sterilized world of antibacterial soaps and wipes.
The benefits you can experience in nature include connection, healing, solitude, exercise, meditation, mindfulness, more awe and appreciation, wonder, relief of pain, lower anxiety, feeling more centered, mental clarity, and improved creativity, among others. Also, nature needs our awareness in order to protect it and keep it available for us to enjoy.
What form of nature calls you? The woods, the beach, a lake, a garden, a nature trail, a nearby park? Who do you go into nature with? Alone, your partner, your children, friends, your dog? Studies show that doing it with another increases our commitment and likelihood of going outdoors through accountability.
The important thing is to get outside and be surrounded by the natural world for your own physical, emotional, and mental health.
If fear keeps you from nature or you live in a town or city with little of nature in easy access, begin with a few plants you can care for indoors, or create a container garden on your porch or deck. In your yard or neighborhood, find a tree, bush or plant to befriend. Watch your “friend” through the seasons and the varieties of weather that affect it (you may find you learn something valuable about yourself).
Venture outdoors into your yard or a nearby park (most towns have small parks) or a nature trail (growing in popularity in urban settings) close to home. Go for a walk, breathe in the fresh air, and touch a tree trunk, gaze up at the leaf canopy, or watch a bird. Let nature fill you in whatever way it does for you—own the place as your place in your natural world.
You will return calmer, healthier, and ready for your next adventure into nature.
This post was originally published on Linda’s website.
Linda Jackson is owner/operator of the Centre for Acupuncture, Herbs & Massage in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. A Positive Psychology coach, she is a graduate of the Certificate in Positive Psychology program and is certified in life coaching. Her professional background includes directing a federally funded preschool in Pennsylvania and serving as a founding member of Kripalu, where she designed and taught programs in yoga, meditation, massage, and healthy living to thousands over 25 years. In addition to seeing clients at her clinic, she teaches workshops on health, happiness, and full-body well-being. centreforacupuncture.com
