I have found myself pondering the amazing healing power of nature. In fact, I feel compelled to write about it so I will be doing a series of blogs on the subject. In these challenging and stressful times, we all could use as many healing options as possible and I am not referring to more drugs.
Many of us are now seeking natural forms of healing and nothing is more “natural” than nature itself. The field of ecopsychology studies the restorative effects of natural environments on our health and wellbeing. Their studies show that when our disposition and thinking are severed from the balancing and restorative powers of earth’s natural systems, we suffer.
In addition to what we now know, many of us sense and have experienced the healing effects of nature. Personally, during some of my darkest times it has been nature that was a large part of my healing. And for me, some of my most potent healing experiences have come through being in alpine settings.
What is it about mountains and alpine vistas that are so transformative? Certainly the awe they inspire, but it’s more than that. It seems to me that they trigger something deep in my psyche. Having been born and raised in a suburb of Philadelphia and spent my adult years in Florida, it surprised me how when I’ve gone to the mountains, I feel like I’ve “come home”. I think it is my soul that feels so at home in these settings.
Mountain altitudes make me feel light-hearted and free. The stillness of tall pine forests and breathtaking snowcapped peaks still my mind and bring me totally into the present moment. That present moment awareness alters my consciousness and accesses the deepest part of my self… the divine within.
I experience “lightness of being and spontaneous joy”, states often sought through meditation and other spiritual practices. I feel connected to Spirit there and to alpine life. While hiking in Switzerland I noticed the affinity I had for the diet, lifestyle, people and architecture there. Something resonated with me.
Another time, I had been obsessed with preparing for the exam and panel review for my yoga teacher certification. Between that, my work and life, I was feeling stressed and burdened … definitely heavy hearted. My husband and I were leaving to go to a conference he was attending in Lake Tahoe. I had never been there, but had heard how beautiful it was. I was not even excited about going.
We got off the plane in Reno, got our car and started driving to Tahoe. I was still feeling heavy hearted, stressed and blah. All at once we drove through a pass in the mountains and Lake Tahoe framed by the mountains came into view.
In that moment I was transfixed and every ounce of heaviness, lethargy, stress and gloominess evaporated and I was in a state of near bliss the entire week we were there. My only other experience of this kind has been in Holotropic breathwork sessions after an hour or so on the mat. It was a deeply healing experience that has changed my life.
For me it’s the mountains, for others it’s the ocean or the desert or the jungle. “Big nature” is awesome, but we can experience the healing effects of nature in a local park, our neighborhood, or our own backyard. Almost all my vacations are to the mountains, but I also get to the beach when I can and make a practice of spending some time in a natural setting every day, if possible.
It is an instant stress reliever, a salve to my nervous system and a source of joy. So I hope this inspires you to take time as often as you can to enjoy the healing benefits of nature. Happy trails to you!