Why Is Nature Important?

Nature isn’t just important, it is imminent.

Notice how you feel. How do you feel after a few hours on the computer, spending the majority of the day indoors, after a long drive in traffic, after a trip to the city, after a 20 minute or longer phone conversation. How do you feel when you have flowers in the house? After a walk? After sitting in the sun? After going for a swim in the ocean? After sitting on a nice big rock warmed from the sun? How do you feel when you observe an insect, or listen to a bird song, or appreciate the flowers and landscaping in the front yards throughout your neighborhood? How do you feel when all the windows are closed in your home, when you have socks and shoes on?

You get the point, right?

For those of us that do not have beach front property (or we do and don’t use it), do not live in the forest or in the mountains, or enjoy nature on a daily basis, even if it’s planting herbs , the likelihood is that we’re “too busy”, “too tired”, “too full”, “too hot”, “too cold”, “too over worked” to spend the amount of time that we would like to, outdoors or enjoying nature. As I come to have a greater understanding on the impact of nature on my psyche, physical and spiritual well-being, a short run in the morning or new flowers in my vases is not enough to sustain the amount of hunger that I have in me for the natural world. This isn’t me just getting all “hippied” out.

It is proven that nature affects our electromagnetic field, which is the life energy emanating through our physical form. The weaker this energy is the more likely we are to be negative, sick and “stuck” people. In fact, the actual magnetic field of the earth itself is the one of the most powerful energetic force affecting its’ inhabitants. Furthermore, many animals are absolutely dependent on this magnetic field for navigation and their basic existence. The amount of light energy being processed by all of earth’s life (plants, oceans, animals, insects, rocks and sediment) offers us humans (which process light energy through consciousness) an incredible opportunity for purification, balance and energy. While nature is pleasing to all the senses, its impact is very physical and instantaneous. While it may truly not be possible for all of us to move into the mountains, spend the whole day hiking or saturate the house with plants, the easiest way for us to get our “fix” of this energy is to spend most of the day barefoot (especially in water, sand, mud or grass) to ground ourselves and connect with the earth’s energy, reduce chronic disease, affect the DNA, neutralize free radicals, enhance circulation and many more benefits including hormone regulation. Another beautiful option is sun gazing. The sacred energy of the sun, when looked at directly (obviously when the sun is at a lower point in the sky), opens the pineal gland or intuition center, infuses the body with large amounts of energy, boosts production of serotonin, improves vision and mental clarity.

When we deprive ourselves of nature we are withholding vital life force energy from our bodies, minds and souls. I believe that any ailment can be cured by nature. We must return to our earthly roots and nurture the delicate and healing spirit of our mother to experience the interconnectedness and wholeness within ourselves and within all of life.