Ecotherapy
/I continue to be amazed at how often “in nature” is the response when I ask these questions:
Where do you feel most at peace?
When do you feel closest to God?
Where do you see miracles?
When do you feel most connected with yourself?
When do you feel in awe and wonder?
When do you enjoy time with your family the most?
What brings you a feeling of renewal?
Where do you go to for a soul reset?
Humans have always connected with nature in profound ways.
Ecotherapy is an ancient practice that is once again trending. Now, science and medical research are proving something we’ve always known to be true - time in nature improves our well-being.
Cortisol (stress hormone) reduction, trauma recovery, finding meaning and purpose, lowering blood pressure, easing anxiety, lessening depressed moods, improving our ability to focus, alleviating loneliness, better sleep, and restoring calm are all things being clinically studied as positive effects of ecotherapy.
Ecotherapy can be a spectrum of things - mindful nature walks, gardening, noticing patterns and metaphors in nature, guided meditations in nature, animal assisted therapy, seasonal rituals, horse riding, dog walking, nature retreats, wilderness therapy, nature photography, camping, hiking, rock climbing, cycling, swimming, sessions with professionals trained in nature-based therapeutic methods, and the list goes on.
Anything that connects you with the natural world, reminds you that you belong as part of nature, offers you wisdom from nature, or feels like healing in a natural environment can be categorized as ecotherapy.
There are many global practices of ecotherapy. One that is gaining popularity right now is the Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku which is also known as forest bathing. Shinrin-yoku translates into English as, “taking in the forest through the senses.” It is the practice of experiencing a forest with reverence for what the forest has to teach us and a deep sensory experience in connecting to something bigger than ourselves. My friends, Kerri and Nicole, just gifted me a beautiful book on this topic and we have a professional in Kansas City, Jill Anderson, slated to lead some classes on nature immersion at Compassion Fix this fall. (Watch at the bottom of these emails for an announcement of our fall calendar coming soon.)
You can begin to practice ecotherapy on your own today in a variety of ways, here are a few ideas:
Notice the details in the leaves of a house plant.
Find a natural space (park, garden, yard) and sit quietly for 10 minutes. Resist looking at your phone, just tune into what you see, hear, smell, and feel.
Hold a natural object (shells, leaves, pinecones, feathers, stones, flowers) and reflect on what it is here to teach you or remind you of today.
Gaze out a window at the sky - notice the shapes of clouds, be in awe of a sunset, notice the moon and the stars.
Listen to recorded sounds of nature - sounds from the beach, falling rain, bird songs, the hum of summer evening insects - all of it is available in a quick online search.
Eat only fresh salads, fruits, and vegetables for one day each week - a plant-based diet day - appreciate the farmers, transportation efforts, and markets that allowed these plants to become your food for the day.
Paint landscapes, draw, photograph, or write about nature as a creative outlet.
Stand barefoot in grass - allow the ions from the ground to be absorbed into your body and connect you to nature once again.
Take a bath or swim and feel the water on your skin as a reminder that we are all dependent upon water and bodies of water connect all of us on earth.
Notice nature throughout your day with gratitude for reminding you that you are made to grow and thrive.
Be intentional about noticing and connecting to nature this week and see if you notice any changes in how you feel.
Nature reminds us that we belong, we are all connected, and there is always hope.
Let nature offer you its deep wisdom this week.
With love,
