Archive for February, 2011
The Soul Of Nature
Studies have shown that being in nature for as little as five minutes can have a beneficial impact on mental health. Whether it’s a sparkling full moon in the dark sky above breaking ocean waves or a mountain trail winding its way through the reds and yellows of autumn trees, there is something about nature that connects us to the divine and soothes the worried soul.
With the industrial age, our civilization lost its strong ties to the earth and to the rhythms of time. We cut trees, built factories, and drilled oil wells. Our lives changed forever. Even when nature is there for us to enjoy, we often miss it because we’re tuned in to our cell phones, laptops, or GPS systems.
Fortunately, our society seems to be figuring out that technology is not the answer to all of our problems, and that science alone is no panacea for our stress-related diseases and internal conflict. Indeed, there seems to be rising a new era of science and spirituality that embraces the mystical forces of our universe.
Well-known physicians are embracing energy medicine as an adjunct to their most advanced techniques, and ancient practices, such as meditation and yoga, are becoming main stream. Beneath it all is the need to be grounded, to feel a connection to the creator and the rest of life.
Harriet Beecher Stowe once said, “Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made and forgot to put a soul into.” Perhaps we are discovering that nature has always had a soul. Maybe we just have to slow down and realize we’re all part of the same grand scheme.