“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home. Wildern​ess is a necessity.” ​ John Muir

Mother Nature

She's called "Mother" because she heals us.  Study after study shows that the simple act of being in Nature:
  • reduces the levels of stress hormones in our bodies.
  • decreases our blood pressure.
  • decreases our perception of pain.
  • improves our mood.
  • improves our ability to focus.
People usually manage to connect with Nature in some way when they go on vacation, but you don't need to sunbathe on a Caribbean beach or go on a hike in the woods to take in Nature, although forest bathing is wonderfully restorative (read Forest Bathing by Dr. Qing Li).  Connecting with Nature is an easy habit to incorporate into your daily life:
  • Simply start paying attention to the plant life as you're out and about in town, in a mindful way.  Make it a point to really see the tree bark, the shapes of the leaves, the new growth, and the different shades of green.  Look up, see the shapes of the trees.
  • Weather permitting, eat your breakfast or lunch outside on a park bench.  I often take my first cup of coffee to nearby India Point Park, and take in the views of the water and the parkland.
  • Start birdwatching.  Or squirrel watching.
  • Star gaze.  I use the app Sky View on my phone.
  • Do some gardening, even if it's just a few pots of annuals. Take care of one or two beautiful houseplants in a mindful way, at home or at work.  Just examine it closely every day, noticing the colors and how it smells; notice how the plant changes over time.
  • If you're getting together with a friend for coffee, take it to go and meet up in a park instead of sitting in a café. 
​Not that I'm a big advocate of multi-tasking, but if you're going on a quiet walk with a friend in a park or on a beach, you're incorporating 4 of the 12 ways to extraordinary:  connecting with Nature, mindfulness, exercise, and maintaining your social network.

Another important aspect of being in Nature is the sense of awe that can come over us.  Awe is akin to joy, and allows us to transcend the ordinary.  Studies have show that just looking at beautiful paintings or photographs or videos of Nature can make us feel awe.  Patients heal faster just by having a beautiful view of trees from their hospital bed.  I use the National Geographic app on my phone and take a moment to be awed every day.