The understanding that nature benefits our mental and physical health seems obvious. However, the outdoors is now being touted as a new therapy called “ecotherapy” – or restorative contact with nature. According to studies, it is as effective as anti-depressants or some other medications.
And, there’s another new term coined by scientists who are studying the effect of a lack of nature in our lives. It’s called “nature deficit disorder” – which of course ecotherapy is then called upon to correct. What these new names do for me is to complicate and medicalize what should be a natural and simple activity.
What scientists have been studying is what spiritual teachers and healers already knew and have always taught – the restorative effect of feeling at one with the larger universe of the one Creator.
Jesus frequently pointed to nature when illustrating his lessons regarding our divine connection and its practical application in our lives. In the Sermon on the Mount, for example, he uses birds and flowers to make a deep point that heals human anxiety and stress. He said, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”
I was reminded of the value of connecting with nature recently when I took a walk with a small child after a long and busy day for us both. As we passed a large holly tree on the street, she stood completely still for a good five minutes, listening to the small birds that were singing in the tree. Then, with a contented sigh, she moved on. I realized that, had I been on my own, I would not have stood there for that long, just listening. Listening with her brought me to that quiet place where we could hear the divine sing, and feel connected to something greater than either of us – even in a holly tree on a small road.
One of the lessons I learned that day was that the tiny birds loved that tree because it was prickly, and protected them from marauding larger birds and predatory cats. It made me think of how the love of God is like that holly tree – a great protection from the fears and beliefs about life that assail us every day. We can just fly to our holly tree and feel safe.
This natural connection to the divine presents our wholeness – our sense of belonging and our safety. It restores a proper sense of health to us in ways that nothing else can.
Jesus’ teachings on “ecotherapy” – understanding nature as an expression of our wholeness and oneness with God – are as relevant today regarding our life and health as they were two thousand years ago. Looking beyond the obvious beauty of nature, we see a timeless law that governs everything on earth, from the smallest creature to the largest mountain. When we take time to really listen and see, we sense the spiritual law that undergirds what we experience.
So, take some time to disconnect from social media, emails and ipods. Take a break from multi-tasking and the endless demands of everyday life. Reconnect with nature, and take a health-filled moment to ponder, breathe in and hear the presence of the divine. It doesn't need to take lots of time. It can be as simple a moment as noticing and considering the lesson of birds in the holly tree on your road.
Anna Bowness-Parkis a Christian Science practitioner, who writes frequently on the relationship between consciousness and health, and how prayer can play a role. You can follow her blog at anna-bownesspark.ca
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*This article was published in the print edition in Fath Forum on Saturday, June 28
