Let Nature Nurture You
Me-time 101: Self-care in the time of Covid (8 of 11)
Welcome back!
Think of a time you have communed with nature. What did it look like? Sound like? Feel like? What elements of nature connect with you the most? Water. . . trees. . . mountains. . . birds. . . sky. . .stars and moon? Nature can include everything from a house plant to a mountain vista. And being in nature is a perfect way to spend some me-time. Remember mindful walking? Combine that with walking in nature and you have hit the jackpot. While I lived in Hong Kong and the pandemic shut everything down - and I mean everything (much as it has right now), the only option left was hiking. The playgrounds, beaches, gyms, concert venues were all shut down. Even eating out wasn’t (and presently isn’t) an option after 6 pm. So people took to the mountains and country park systems to walk and hike. It was a refuge in the chaos of life disrupted.
Benefits of Nature
We know it instinctively, a day at the beach refreshes us. Playing in the park improves our child’s mood. Fishing or hunting places us in nature for hours and restores our calm and balance. Studies confirm what we already know: being in or near a natural setting in fact has cognitive and mental health benefits compared to urban settings without nature. Not only that, engagement in nature-based recreational activities overwhelmingly produces benefits to one’s wellness while reducing anxiety and depression (Lackey et al). So, once again, when was the last time you spent some quality time in nature?
Studies confirm what we already know: being in or near a natural setting in fact has cognitive and mental health benefits compared to urban settings without nature.
Forest Bathing
A walk through the woods with no earbuds or chit chat with others to distract you can also be called forest bathing. I love that! First of all, I love walking in the woods. Give me hiking boots, a camera, a dog to walk and a lovely country road or path through the woods or mountain and I am a happy woman. (But don’t give me TOO many difficult hills.) My whole life I have walked in the woods. It began when I was two and my family would walk the ¼ mile path from a gravel road in the hills of Southwestern Wisconsin to reach the cabin my dad built. Later I would walk on old country roads, snowmobile paths, city and county park trails, Oneida tribal land, and hiking trails in Seoul and Hong Kong.
Forest Bathing, also called Shinrin-Yoku by the Japanese, is a practice that research has shown to have positive effects on human physiology and mental-wellbeing. It turns out that your walk in the woods exposes you to phytocides produced by the trees to protect themselves from rotting or being attacked by insects or diseases. According to Shinrin-Yoku United, “Phytoncides emitted by trees have a beneficial effect on humans, as they decrease the production of stress hormones by our bodies, while increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK cells.
“Studies prove that stress inhibits immune functions and that a properly functioning immune system plays an important role in the body's defense against bacteria and viruses.” So, forest bathing can have positive effects on your immune system (which can be quite helpful these days).
To aid your body and mind’s restoration, be curious as you walk. What birds do you see and hear? What plants and insects catch your eye? Notice the color of the sky and the earthy fragrances in the air. Smell the flowers or touch the snow. In other words, be present as you engage with nature and nature will do the rest.
Forest Bathing
Dress appropriately and bring water, etc.
Go to the woods or forest
Walk and/or sit
Unplug from devices
Be curious, connecting with your senses of sight, sound, smell, and touch.
Stay as long as you can!
Check in: How do you feel in mind and body compared to when you began?
Water Wonders
In last week’s article I covered more extensively the wonders of water. Remember, water in its natural state is also very restorative. So if you have the opportunity to be in or near water such as a lake, river, stream, pond, or ocean, do it. This is another perfect option for me-time. Go alone or bring a friend or family member. Leave with benefits to your mind, body and spirit. I love to journal while sitting next to a babbling brook. It can set or reset your whole day.
Right under your nose
Perhaps you are thinking that you can’t benefit from nature because you don’t have access to a forest or a wood or a lake. I get that. But are you missing opportunities available right in your neighborhood or even in your own home? How many shrubs, trees, or flowers exist within a five minute walk to where you live? What about that house or office plant? Have you considered simply enjoying its existence and presence in your life? What if you took a moment to really look at those leaves or that bloom or that trunk? What might you see, feel, or experience?
I loved a story I heard about the day a professor brought in a leaf for each of her students. They were learning mindfulness techniques. She asked each student to spend ten minutes simply looking at their leaf. At the end of the activity she asked if anyone had anything they would like to share. A big athletic male in the back of the room who never spoke rose his hand. “Yes,” she asked, “what would you like to share?” “Can I just say I love my leaf?” he responded with all sincerity. This story illustrates the power of a single leaf. Don’t discount those opportunities right under your nose.
Bird watching
Do you fish? Do you hunt? Do you bird watch? I do not fish or hunt, so I cannot share those tools. But I have recently begun understanding the appeal of bird watching. My good friend and former college roommate, Wendy, is an amazing birder. She recently experienced a Big Year, in which she cataloged over 200 birds in one year. And this was during Covid-19! I told her I love to look at birds but I have no idea what species they are. She introduced me to an app called Seek. You take a picture of a bird and the app identifies it for you. It also keeps track of the species you have detected and can tell you more about each species you identify. How amazing is that? And I found that by using the app I engaged much more intimately with nature. Simple walks became birding expeditions. You can do it, too; it’s free. If you really enjoy this activity, you can look for birding groups or meet ups in your area.
Bird watching
Download to your device a birding app such as Seek
Enjoy a slow and curious walk outside just about anywhere as you listen and look for birds to identify.
Learn as you go.
Check in: How do you feel?
Before you Go
Nature has been nurturing me for decades. What a blessing! In case you are interested, I began capturing bits and pieces of these wonderful moments for my Instagram account a few years ago. I call them “a Minute of Zen.” If you would like to experience amazing 1-minute videos of the sights and sounds of nature in Hong Kong, Mexico, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota and Illinois, please check it out. Find me at applebb09 on Instagram. Like and leave a comment for me!
Resources
Applebb09. “Minute of Zen.” Instagram.
Nancy Qwynne Lackey, Deborah A. Tysor, G. David McNay, Leah Joyner, Kensey H. Baker & Camilla Hodge. “Mental health benefits of nature-based recreation: a systematic review.” Annals of Leisure Research, 24:3, 379-393, DOI: 10.1080/11745398.2019.1655459, 2021.
Pearson, David G., Craig, Tony. “The great outdoors? Exploring the mental health benefits of natural environments.” Frontiers in Psychology. Vol. 5, 2014. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01178.
Seek by iNaturalist. App. Version 2.13.4. March 2022.
“What is Shinrin-Yoku Forest Bathing?” Shinrin-Yoku United. Shinrin-YokuUnited.org.
Next up: Me-Time to Open your Heart
You can find my other series “Parenting 101 Coupons: A Gift from your Parents” and “Partnering 101: A Deep Dive into Leaving Kindly” in the archives.
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Brenda BraykoWriter. Teacher. Gong Player.
Find more of my writing at GreenBaytoKorea.blogspot.com
Learn about my business at CelestialSoundGB.com
On Instagram @applebb09
All photos by © Brenda Brayko 2022.