Mother Nature to the Rescue
We’re definitely in a time of heightened stress and anxiety. Many people had already been experiencing challenges just with the frenetic pace of life in 2020, but now with the uncertainty of the pandemic, this has increased exponentially.
How are we to cope? One thing which always helps me, and has actually been proven through research studies, is time in nature (read here). It truly is Mother Nature to the Rescue. Whether we’re dealing with grief, frustration, anxiety or this current upheaval of life as we know it, nature soothes.
Time outdoors in the fresh air and natural landscape calms the nervous system and decreases the intensity of what’s bothering us. And paying attention to your surroundings is a mindfulness practice that helps that along.
If you are sheltering in such a way that it’s difficult to get outdoors safely…maybe in a big city or neighborhood from which it requires travel to get out to the green, you can still enjoy the benefits of Mother Nature from your space inside. There are countless options online…Facebook, YouTube, phone apps…of outdoor audios and videos. You can curl up in a comfortable place, close your eyes, and listen to the birds, the river, a raging waterfall, and imagine yourself there. You could even use some essential oils in a diffuser that smell like pine or ocean or freshness.
You can also watch slideshows of natural landscapes…especially on a bigger screen than your phone or computer. Research has shown that viewing images of nature during the work day reduces stress. If you immerse yourself in the process…shut out all other distractions and focus all of your attention on it, it will be that much more enjoyable and beneficial.
To get you in the mood for your outdoor time, here are a couple of my nature-inspired poems. Mother Nature to the Rescue, always!
Mountain Stream
Like a lover’s kiss
It awakens my senses;
Like a whisper
It speaks to my soul.
The softest of melodies
Muffles my inner noise,
Leads me to distant places
As if taking my hand.
Without a word
It tells me of life,
Of the undeniable unity of all things.
Its soft urging
Always brings me back,
Nudges me into the Remembering.
Perfection
In sub-alpine meadow dew kisses flower,
Brook babbles slowly with quiet intent;
Petals reach for mid-morning shower,
And breeze whispers softly to willows bent.
Such beauty hawk knows aloft in flight,
What grandeur shared by marmots at play;
Pure simplicity uncovered by light,
Life’s perfection is witnessed this day.
Poetry by Tammy Goen