The Transformative Power of Nature & 8 Ways to Connect
The first time I truly noticed the change in the hours of the winter’s sun was when I was 23.
I was living in Washington, DC and I had a 50 minute commute each way and I was leaving and coming back to my house in pure darkness.
I was miserable and shocked.
I only grew up 6 hours south, in North Carolina. We still had differing hours, not nearly as dramatic, but I couldn’t recall a time that I ever actually noticed it.
I felt really ignorant at first and then it made me realize what else was I ignorant of in the natural world?
Later, it was spring, and everyone was talking about the cherry blossoms. People were speculating when they would arrive. Hotels were being filled up with folks flying from all over to get a good look.
I definitely didn’t understand what was the big deal? …trees bloomed all the time? I hardly ever took notice.
Because it was the thing to do, me and my friend set our alarms for 4am and met up at the tidal basin at 5am so we could go see the blossoms when it wasn’t so busy.
It was magical.
Me enjoying the magical blossoms in 2014.
Cherry blossoms are so delicate, smell so sweet, and bloom for such a short time.
Not even a week later, I went back and all the blossoms were gone. It made front page news.
I was in awe that I got to witness that magic, honored in a way that I hadn’t really felt before.
It made me really think. What other magic had I not paid attention to? What else was I missing from being so detached from nature? Why was I having these little awakenings to nature and the natural world and yet it still seemed so far away?
Because it did, feel so far. I was very far removed from any sort of nature. Mostly, I felt like a machine with no other mission than to just do. It didn’t matter my environment, it didn’t matter how I felt…. I just kept trucking on. And to the complete detriment of myself, my health, and nature.
Definitely the result of capitalism and hyper-masculine living (the do, achieve, push) that society teaches us is the only way.
And because I didn’t know any other way at the time, that path worked for me until it didn’t, when I quickly crashed and burned. My health failed; I was totally burnt out.
I knew I couldn’t keep going as I did.
If you know my story by now, you know that this is when I turned toward energy healing to support my mind, body, and soul. Energy healing is a very integrated and gentle modality and it was the divine feminine flow I needed to counter the hyper-masculine I had been living in.
This prompted me to explore other ways to live a more slow, intentional, and divine feminine influenced way of life.
This is where nature played its part.
the transformative power of nature
Japanese has the word Shinrin-Yoku which means forest bathing and it’s the idea that being in presence of nature is extremely healing. Even more so, it’s the idea of being present, observing, and connecting. This does not necessarily mean being “active” such as hiking or jogging; however, any time in nature promotes health benefits.
Many other cultures have similar practices.
My German roommate always talked about waldeinsamkeit — or the spiritual feeling you get when you’re alone in the woods.
Not only is there anecdotal evidence, but scientific as well. Here are a few studies I found:
Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review
The influence of urban green environments on stress relief measures : A field experiment
Awe Expands People’S Perception of Time, Alters Decision Making, and Enhances Well-Being
And to sum them up, after spending time in nature, peoples’ cortisol (the primary stress hormone) dropped, their blood pressure and heart rate lowered, muscle tension relaxed, and they even found their mood improved. Some found that nature allowed folks to handle more pain from surgery, increased focus and attention in neurodivergent folks, regulate their nervous system, and heal from PTSD and depression (note: do not try this alone; please only do so with medical supervision).
Nature also has shown to help folks feel more connected to their community, experience more gratitude and awe, realize that they are a part of a larger, universal whole, be more giving, feel as if they have more time and that their lives weren’t “slipping away”, and so much more.
And it’s clear that many Americans are detached from it.
In Dr. Qing Li’s book Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, he cites from the EPA that the average American spends 93% of their time indoors.
My percentage is probably not that far off as well.
However, when I lived in Granada, Spain, most of my life was outside and it was effortless to do so. Living spaces were small and didn’t have heating or air so we might as well be outside with friends. There were lots of third spaces (free or cheap places to meet others in public; community spaces) to hang out and chill all day without feeling guilty for “loitering”. All restaurants and cafes had outdoor seating for all seasons. The entire city was super walkable and had fantastic public transit.
But most of American life isn’t set up the same way so it makes being in nature and being outside so much more difficult.
So we need to bring it to us in ways that works for our lives.
8 Ways to connect to nature
PS: I’m living in the northern hemisphere and in a place with more or less four seasons. Amend this list to you and your home and seasons.
Explore the seasons and what they mean to you. What does summer truly mean to you? What are the themes of winter? How do you want to feel in each one? Dig deep into the seasons you have and get clear on their expectations, themes, and holidays. I’m a big believer in living with the rhythms, so for me winter is a time of rest. That means I do not do new year’s resolutions as that’s still winter time and my body wants rest. However, spring is a time new growth and beginnings, so a perfect time to create new goals. Getting clearer on the seasons will allow you to follow your own natural rhythms.
Create seasonal bucket lists and connect the activities to the themes of that season. I am a big fan of bucket lists because it gives me things to look forward to. For me, summer is about brightness and joy and my bucket list is filled with eat as much watermelon as I can, make strawberry jam, and go to the beach once a month. To me, winter is about rest and reflection so on my list I have write a yearly review and use more candles and twinkle lights to create a cozy experience.
Learn more about herbs and their energetics and incorporate them into your daily life with teas. Chai and turmeric lattes in the winter to keep you warm and support your digestion; nettle and peppermint tea as a spring tonic to support the liver; iced hibiscus and lemon balm in summer to release excess heat and keep you relaxed; and green tea with rose in the fall to be good to your heart and lungs.
Take a walk before the sunset. That way you can witness how the time and scenery slowly changes throughout the year.
Bring your hobby outdoors. Read outside. Bring your knitting or embroidery outside. Journal outside. Get creative! Maybe you can put your tv to your window and play video games on the patio? There is no judgement here; the only goal is to get comfortable and happy outside.
Keep seasonal flowers in your house, especially in spaces you spend a lot of time. Camellias or cuetlaxochitl (Indigenous word for poinsettias) in winter, daffodils in spring, sunflowers in summer, or mums in fall. You can even coordinate your candles or simmer pots with the smells of the season.
Pay attention to the moon phases and create your own moon rituals. Maybe every full moon clean your house or write down the things you are ready to release and safely burn it. For new moons, create a vision board or work on a special hobby or interest.
Celebrate the astronomical festivals: spring and fall equinox and summer and winter solstice. Most every culture celebrated these in the past. If you know your own ancestors, look up how they celebrated these days. Create special menus or activities around these days to continue supporting the tradition.
Interested in living more in tune with nature?
Check out Sunday Nourish Club — a 6-month group energy healing membership for those ready to ditch the toxic hustle/burnout grind and step into a life of nourishment, connection, and flow by living in tune with nature and her rhythms.
This membership is here to bring consistency and accessibility to your spiritual and healing practice.
PS: Sign up for my email list for more reflections and reviews.
Plus lots of other fun things like new & full moon tarot/oracle readings, updates on what I’m unlearning, free energy healing, and more!