Meditation
Those who have spent time alone with nature know the immensely powerful spiritual experience that comes with the Earth’s connection to our soul (or perhaps, our soul’s re-connection with the Earth). The shift from cluttered inboxes, ringing phones, the voices of newscasters, and the sighing of engines to the outdoors can, at first, feel like sudden silence. But as we readjust to our natural surroundings, the tinkles of teeming life approach like angels descending around us.
A Japanese wellness trend rooted in anthropology called “Forest Bathing” builds on Jane Goodall’s spiritual cleansing experience to highlight the therapeutic legitimacy of reconnecting with nature. The act of noticing movement, mindfully touching the earth, and breathing in life can have enormous positive effects on our mental and physical health. Whether you find yourself in a remote location close to nature, or whether you’re city-bound, seek the shelter of nature today. Run your fingers through dirt or sand. Inhale the breeze and listen to the rustle of trees and life around you. “Find some quiet place With grass and leaves and earth, and sit there Silently, and hope that they will come And call me, with their silvery voices, And make me clean again, those Little Angels of the trees and flowers.”
Brianna Curran, Laguna Niguel, California
