by Lauren Lynch
We spend far less time outside than we used to — and by we, I mean human beings. Looking at my own life and worldview, I can see this. When I was a young kid (in the 60s and 70s), we spent most of our time outside. There were no video games, so we played physical games outside. The whole neighborhood kid population would gravitate to one area and we’d play things like tag, Red Rover, and red light green light until our parents called us in for dinner or bedtime. We’d catch fireflies and make mud pies.
Speaking of mud pies, getting your hands in soil (gardening or weeding if you insist on acting like an adult), is an important part of the benefits of being outdoors. We pick up beneficial microorganisms when we’re willing to get our hands dirty. If you’re a neatnik, fear not. We can still breathe in and absorb and consume environmental organisms that can help reduce inflammation and offer a variety of health benefits by interacting with nature in a tidier way. However…
TRIVIA FOR THE DAY:
“A human is not an individual. We are ecosystems. At least 90% of the cells
in a human body are microbes, most of them living in the gut.”
– Graham Rook, professor at the Centre for Clinical Microbiology, University College London
This got me thinking … throughout the world and history, various cultures have held fascinating beliefs on the benefits of nature to our well-being. I decided to do a little research to discover the best of these ideas. Here are some of my favorites …
Shinrin-yoku: Forest Bathing
The Japanese concept of Shinrin-yoku is “Forest bathing,” or forest therapy. It emphasizes spending time away from the pandemonium of urban areas to embrace nature. Spending time in nature can boost white blood cell activity that helps to fight infection and even cancer cells. It can also help lower blood pressure and reduce stress. To fully absorb the rejuvenating benefits of the forest, we should slow down our pace, breath deeply and open our senses to the environment. Immersed in nature, soaking in some of its beauty and peacefulness, our bodies will heal from illness faster. Our mood, energy level, and sleep will also improve.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
– Lao Tzu
Connection technique: Seated or lying in a comfortable position for about twenty minutes, focus your attention on your surroundings. Use your senses to focus on the air, water, animals, and plants. Savor the beauty of it. Close your eyes to heighten other senses and pause in awareness to the sounds and scents of nature. Do not attempt to achieve anything — even the concept of mindfulness. Merely experience what the forest offers.
Waldeinsamkeit: Forest Solitude
The German word, Waldeinsamkeit, describes our deep connection with nature. The word roughly translates to “the feeling of being alone in the woods.” Wald means woods or forest, and einsamkeit alludes to loneliness or solitude. The word has a deeper spiritual meaning, or philosophy hinting at self-reflection or contemplation.
Interestingly, there is also a German word Waldbaden (Wald = forest, baden = to bathe) to echo the Japanese Shinrin-yoku.
I probably relate to the idea of Waldeinsmkeit most, and I’m sure it’s more than just my German ancestry. I don’t believe that this feeling of being one with nature is necessarily limited to the forest, although there is something awe-inspiring about a forest. It is vast, with a diverse array of plant and animal life. There is a sense of both danger and safety that makes me feel alive. And the sounds are so soothing: leaves rustling in the wind, bird call, and perhaps a babbling brook.
I did have a sense of Waldeinsamkeit on a beach once. (See my review of one of my favorite beaches and the source of this feeling, Hunting Island State Park.) While there, I felt no awareness of other humans nearby. No sunbathers or boats, no homes or man-made objects in sight. Just the haunting remains of what had once been a wooded area, once damaged by hurricane and now a scattering of random toppled driftwood trees surrounded by sand and sea. No sounds of traffic or planes … only the wind and gentle waves lapping at the sand. There is nothing like the feeling of being alone in nature. Waldeinsamkeit.
Shin to bul ee: Body and Soil Are One
You read that right … not body and soul, but body and soil. This ancient Korean proverb — one that predates Confucianism — reminds us that we are connected to the earth and should always remain so.
Nearly two-thirds of Korea is forested and the government has made the most of this resource by developing state-run national recreation forests. The Saneum Natural Recreational Forest, located near the bustling metropolis of Seoul, was the country’s first facility to embrace the concept of forest healing. They offer visitors free forest therapy sessions. Guests begin with stretches and a long walk on mountain trails. They are encouraged to wander the woods barefoot and to use their senses to be at one with nature.
Friluftsliv: Reconnecting with Nature
The Scandinavian expression means “open-air living.” Norwegian writer, Henrik Ibsen, coined the phrase in the 1850s to describe reconnecting with nature for spiritual and physical well-being. For some, especially those living in rural areas, friluftsliv is a way of life. For the more urbanized population, it becomes a goal for getting outdoors more. In Norway, friluftsliv is even taught as a college major. Many employers even encourage their employees to spend time outdoors during work hours.
An intriguing Swedish term, allmansrätten, or “every man’s right,” refers to the right to roam. This right of public access is another Scandinavian concept giving them the privilege to hike or camp almost anywhere as long as they access it with respect. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency encourages nature-lovers to explore freely with the admonition of “Don’t disturb – Don’t destroy.” It’s an interesting concept of returning the land to the people, allowing them access to any land except private residences and their immediate vicinity (70 meters / 229 feet). Under this law, all are allowed to walk, cycle, ski, swim, fish and boat into any natural area as long as they keep their distance from homes.
Native American Healing Traditions
To achieve an ideal state of well-being and health Native Americans have long relied on a close connection with the earth, living in harmony with the environment, and herbal remedies. Among recent generations, many have begun to abandon these traditions — with detrimental results. Over the past couple centuries, as the tribes have integrated into the mainstream culture, chronic illness that was once unknown to indigenous populations is beginning to increase.
Some have embraced a holistic approach, combining old healing traditions with modern medical practices. The Native American feels a kinship with all creatures of the earth, sky and water.
Again, we see a love of the soil. They would sit on the ground to be close to a mothering power, allowing their skin to come in contact with the earth, removing their moccasins and walking barefoot on the sacred earth — believing it strengthening, cleansing and healing.
The Medicine Wheel is interpreted differently by each tribe. It relates to the four directions, but can also represent the four seasons, aspects of life (spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical), and the elements of nature (earth, air, fire, and water). This “sacred hoop” was about being in balance and harmony with nature’s rhythms and cycles.
“The Earth does not belong to us; we belong to the Earth. All things are connected, like the blood that unites one family. Whatever befalls the Earth, befalls the children of the Earth. We do not weave the web of life; we are only a strand of it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.”
— Chief Seattle
Ayurveda: Ancient Medical Tradition of India
Ayurveda is among the oldest documented methods of healing, established in India almost 4,000 years ago. The term (Ayur = life, Veda = science) literally means science of life and aims to heal imbalances in the body’s doshas, or three basic energy types: pitta (transformation, or the fire element), vata (energy of motion, or the air element), and kapha (growth, or the earth element). To disconnect from nature is believed to be risky.
To invoke self-healing, we must be in tune with nature and the elements of earth, water, fire, air, and ether. Nature reminds us that we are whole—body and mind—and connected to something larger than ourselves. Walking in natural areas cleanses us of the stress and anxieties of our modern lives. Even returning to a special place outdoors in our minds can bring a sense of calm and wellness. Living in harmony with the earth, allows both our environment and ourselves to thrive. To reconnect with nature is to reach our fullest potential.
More Than a Pattern
The similarities in these insights on the healing aspects of nature from so many cultures throughout the world are difficult to ignore. As one of the younger countries, the United States appears to lag behind other cultures with stronger ties to ancient oral traditions. That said, we are also uniquely positioned — as one of the greatest melting pots of the world — to embrace the various concepts as a whole. Traditional ecological knowledge, or the healing practices of indigenous communities around the world, may be key to human survival. As we reconnect with nature, perhaps we’ll connect with other cultures to advance and mature as a species.
How and Why to Spend More Time Outdoors
Spending more time outside may not be as difficult as we think. Many of our daily activities can be take outdoors: exercise, eating meals—even phone calls. While digital addictions tend to disconnect us from nature, cell phones and laptops could actually allow us to work outside on occasion.
At the beginning of the last century, nearly half of the US Population lived on farms. Now, it’s less than two percent. Modern life has changed our relationship with nature. As we become more urbanized, we are disconnected from this beautiful and free source of healing and rejuvenation.
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home. Wilderness is a necessity.”
– John Muir
When we move slowly through nature, we become a part of it again. Wildlife doesn’t scatter at our approach. The stress and distractions of life are replaced with calm … and a sense that we are back where we belong.
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If you enjoyed this article, you may also enjoy a previous article in the “Get Outdoors” series,
Seven Satisfying Reasons to Spend More Time Outdoors.
Reference
Mitten, Denise. The Healing Power of Nature: The need for nature for human health, development, and wellbeing. Norwegian Journal of Friluftsliv. September 2009. http://norwegianjournaloffriluftsliv.com/doc/122010.pdf
Brones, Anna. Does Dirt Make You Happy? Modern Farmer, August 27, 2014. https://modernfarmer.com/2014/08/dirt-make-us-happy-getting-hands-ground-better-prozac/
Hilbert, Katie. Spirit in Nature. Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, August 2018. https://www.anft.blog/
Jackson, Julie. Healing in the Woods. The Korea Herald, August 2, 2013. http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20130802000694
Dr. Shin, Won Sop. Forest Policy and Forest Healing in the Republic of Korea, International Society of Nature and Forest Medicine, October 10, 2015. http://infom.org/news/2015/10/10.html
Williams, Florence. The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative. W.W, Norton & Company, February 7, 2017.
Koithan, Mary and Cynthia Farrell. Indigenous Native American Healing Traditions. US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, June 1, 2010. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2913884/
Clifford, Amos. Your Guide to Forest Bathing: Experience the Healing Power of Nature. Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs, 2018.
© Lauren Lynch and artofrv.com, 2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Lauren Lynch and artofrv.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
