The Healing Benefits Of Nature

In a world that can often feel like it is moving too quickly, bubbling with tension, stress and slowly-healing scars, we are all longing for a place to relax, rest and contemplate.

Explorer and natural historian Edward Wilson once claimed that all of us are inherently drawn towards the natural world. Even if you prefer city life, there are times when stepping away and surrounding yourself with nature can make all the difference.

Experiencing the beauty of a green park can have a huge impact on your health and wellbeing, particularly if you are trying to find solace and healing.

We often look to nature when hurt or grieving, finding that it helps us come to terms with significant change. Here are just some of the reasons why it can be so beneficial.

How Does Nature Infuse The Senses?

From the sound of birdsong to the fresh, earthy smell of summer rain, nature stimulates all five of our senses, which can provide a powerful impact on our mental and physical health.

Walking in nature invites you into a deeply immersive world, one that can provide healing by drawing you into the present body and mind by tapping into the power of each sense:

• Sight – Seeing nature’s vibrant life in front of your eyes encourages you to focus on the details, the cushioning of grass in the wind and the formations of birds. 
• Sound – The most beautiful quiet is filled with the brushing of leaves in the wind, the humming of insects and the gentle flowing of streams, all of which help us feel safer.
• Smell – We often associate emotions and memories with scents, which means that the aroma of a beautiful flower can vividly bring us back to a particular moment.
• Touch – Blades of grass beneath your fingertips, bare feet on the earth and the softness of flower petals all offer simple ways to feel more connected to the natural world.
• Taste – There’s a certain joy about picking fruits off of a tree and savouring the flavours of nature away from a world of largely pre-processed food. 

Discover Nature’s Tranquility

It is rare to find places where we are comfortable in solitude, but on a beach, in a beautiful glade or walking along a meadow can be particularly healing, helping you feel less alone.

Nature is often quiet without being silent. Trees and greenery soften the noise of everyday life, allowing the gentler sounds of the natural world to come through.

It is a living silence, one not defined by absence or loneliness but which instead invites reflection and catharsis.

This is why we sometimes feel more comfortable shouting or screaming our emotions out into the wind when we can no longer hold them in, and this can help in a small way to clear our minds.

It works because it encourages us to naturally seek out a state of mindfulness; grief can create a swirling maelstrom of emotions, and one way to stop it is to reconnect with our environment around us and use that to reconnect with ourselves.

Are The Healing Benefits Of Nature Universal?

One of the biggest debates surrounding the healing part of nature is whether it is an innate part of humanity, whether some people crave nature more than others, and to what extent it is a consequence of the world we are brought up in.

Much like how everyone needs social contact but some people are more comfortable with their own company than others, everyone is biophilic.

However, what is universal is that nature can help in some way depending on what you need. If you need to be heard, nature provides stability and presence as you work through your feelings.

How Can Nature Restore Meaning And Wonder To Life?

During times of grief, the world can feel a lot smaller. The most vivid edges of colour begin to fade.

Nature nourishes the soul with the knowledge of a world filled with beauty and new opportunities. The rivers will keep flowing, the trees will flourish with leaves in the springtime, and animals will make their homes and families in the undergrowth.

Simple pleasures such as a nature trail can show you how beauty and meaning can be found in even the smallest of ways.

Feel Connection Through Nature

We are all part of an ecosystem, even if we live in urban landscapes that can feel far removed from anything natural at times, and immersing yourself in nature helps you find your place in it.

Everyone has a place and a purpose in nature, and everyone can make a contribution and leave an impact in their own small, special way.

Part of this wonder and beauty comes from the acknowledgement that you belong to something so much larger than yourself and your lived experience. It is this connection that grounds you, which helps you navigate your grief.