Living in the 21st century it seems apparent that we are more divorced from nature than ever in our day to day lives. This is especially true in urban environments where green spaces can be overcrowded and in short supply. Add to this the fact that, at best, many of us may only take a walk (ear buds installed, smartphone stashed in a pocket) on the weekend, after which we may all too often return to our more full-fledged screeny leisure time watching Youtube or Netflix. Our connection to the natural world is a vital one, though the lifestyles we have adopted now very often don’t really reflect this. And for this omission, we pay a high price.
Our increasingly distanced relationship to nature has come not only at the expense of the earth, but of our own mental and emotional health as well. According to the WHO, over a billion people the world over suffer from mental disorders (anxiety and depression in particular) affecting people of all ages at every income level, especially women. In my experience, improving our connection with the natural world would go a long way toward mitigating the effects of this problem.
As a girl I had the good fortune to grow up in rural environments where I played with my brothers in the woods, nearby fields, or farmyards. My mother taught me how to identify wildflowers in all the places we lived, and even visits to my Grammie’s house in Chicago were an immersion in nature via my grandfather’s well-tended garden (including a tiny wildflower prairie meadow), and visits to the nearby nature preserve. The net effect of all this on my young life was the impression that being close to nature was not only important, but interesting, enjoyable and life-embellishing. It was an education in being more deeply alive.
Restoring mental and emotional health could begin with something as simple as going for a leisurely, unplugged stroll along the beach, or in one’s local park. Other things might be: forest bathing, joining a community garden, or tending a small garden on your balcony, or even collecting a few houseplants to keep on a sunny windowsill. I emphasize gardening as it is immersive, has high therapeutic value and is something I’ve personally loved doing. There are, of course, many other pursuits that can take us into the beneficial domains of nature, so you may have to do a little research on what opportunities are available in your area and what resonates with you.
The point is to deepen our connection with nature by getting our minds, hearts and bodies involved. Getting outside is truly vital. Being in nature is potentially grounding, galvanizing, calming and healing. The thing to remember is to do whatever activity we engage in with a little more awareness. Being more mindful can change a slow, simple, phone-free walk, into a more profound and life-changing experience.
There is wonder, profundity and sustenance to be had almost anywhere, if we but grant ourselves the opportunity to notice; to be alive to it.
Love and courage.