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How can nature benefit my mental health?

When we spend time in Nature it has been proven that this supports our wellbeing.  The sights and sounds of the natural world can be very calming – think of birdsong, a gentle breeze, the sea lapping on the shore, or a stream bubbling over pebbles as it flows along. 

a view of a sunny Welsh hillside framed by leafy tree branches - taken here at Equenergy: Wellbeing Naturally

Getting outdoors gives us access to natural light, fresh air and movement, all of which boost our wellbeing.  Even wind and rain can feel good – rain can feel cleansing and refreshing and wind can help to energise us and to blow the cobwebs away!  Obviously it helps to dress appropriately and it certainly makes us appreciate getting back indoors, preferably to some warm, dry clothes and a hot drink!

The colours of nature benefit our wellbeing too.  For example the blue of the sky and the green of fields and trees are very relaxing, and the brown of the earth is very grounding.  The yellows of flowers such as daffodils, primroses and sunflowers is cheering, the pinks and reds of roses and cherry blossom are warming and the whites of daisies and apple blossom feel clean and fresh.  These are vibrations that our brain interprets as colour through our eyes, but they also impact on our sense of wellbeing energetically too.

white flowers of damson blossom - taken here at Equenergy: Wellbeing Naturally

Nature also inspires us:

  • helping us to be mindful when we can just sit and admire a beautiful view, a rainbow or a sunset
  • filling us with wonder at its beauty
  • helping to ground and centre us, for example when we think of a tree: the depth and spread of its roots, its strength and solidity,
  • giving us a sense of perspective – for example how long a tree has been growing and all the changes it must have seen, or when standing next to the ocean or looking up at the moon
  • helping us to see that everything has a time and a season, an ebb and a flow, and that time keeps on moving forwards.

Animals, too, teach us deep wisdom when we tune in, observe and listen with our hearts.  For example, dogs teach us about having fun, friendship and enjoying life; cats teach us about independence and following our own path; and horses teach us how to hold power with grace and respect for those around us.  Each species has their own particular wisdom and if you’d like to explore this further you might like to take a look at the series of meditations I created for my WILDlife Cwtch. You can find these at the bottom of the Meditations page on my website.

trees forming a boundary to a field, backlit by morning sunshine - taken here at Equenergy: Wellbeing Naturally

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