how i learn and heal from nature

My all-time favourite poem remains ‘The Rose that Grew from Concrete’ by Tupac Shakur. My favourite book is a simple, children’s book, ‘The Giving Tree’ by Shel Silverstein. My favourite song is ‘Waterfalls’ by TLC. At this point, you may be noticing a common theme, nature.

From the start of time, nature has been a wise and profound teacher for humanity, full of wonder, mystery and science. I recently learned of Nature Therapy, commonly referred to as ecotherapy, which claims to improve mental and physical health. It stems from developing a deep connection to your natural surroundings and some of the techniques involve mindful gardening, hiking, camping, or forest-bathing (Shinrin-yoku).

I’m grateful to live on the West Coast, surrounded by an array of different natural landscapes, from expansive mountain ranges, lush forests, to sandy beaches. I try to live in each season by celebrating the weather and natural offerings of planet earth. That can look like backcountry snowshoeing in the winter, bird watching in the spring, swimming in lakes of summer and biking in the fall. I continually challenge myself to climb steeper mountains, say “yes” to outdoor adventures that terrify me, and camp in less favourable conditions, such as on a snowy mountain peak in winter. I enjoy this because, nature humbles me and I go back to the city enlightened, grateful and balanced. I share with you, my recent reflections as I basked in nature.

the greatest learnings require discomfort

Why do the most difficult tasks/jobs often lead to the greatest personal growth? Because all learning requires some degree of discomfort. When we are pushed by challenging circumstances, we try new approaches, grow as independent decision makers, and learn in a way that doesn’t happen when all is smooth. I want to constantly break through my own barriers, make myself familiar with discomfort and grow from it. I never want to feel stagnant. When we hide in the shade of comfort we limit ourselves from the nutrients that help us grow.

journal excerpt:

There once was a tulip that

loved the ground too much to grow too high,

hid from the sun, refused water,

It was beautiful but shallow, killed

by the weeds that gladly breathed in light

to keep living,

I saw it die from refusing what it needed

for the love holding it down,

and I never want to be like the tulip

too in love with my roots to reach the sky.

gardening leads to a healthy diet, planet and mind.

Gardening has been a therapeutic hobby I picked up two years ago.

I had read that touching soil helps with depression because there are microbes in soil that have an effect on our brain chemistry and in addition to that, touching things, working with real materials and making something with your hands helps ground us in our bodies by engaging our brains and our hands at the same time. Being outside and doing work engaged my senses. I absorbed sunlight (dose of vitamin D), and in hindsight I realize how being outside helped me feel present and mindful. I was doing something constructive for myself, the bees, and my family who later used the herbs I took care of in their cooking.

Being outside, unplugging and gardening are not magic pills nor do they replace medication or therapy, but they can be wonderful and constructive additions to a multi-tiered approach to bettering your mental and emotional state.

I often think of our minds like a garden.

When a flower doesn’t bloom you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower. The mind is like a fertile garden in which anything that is planted, flowers or weeds, will grow. What kind of a garden does your mind grow?

The picture is of my partner Alex, posing with one of the gigantic sunflowers that we had grown in the backyard.

our bodies are capable of scaling the toughest mountains

journal excerpt: somewhere along the trail

I sighed as I made my last stride to the peak of the mountain
I was in ‘awe’ of my body.
I had spent so much time
focusing on its flaws

shortcomings, weaknesses,
and yet
it stayed steady.
My heart kept beating.
My lungs kept breathing.
No matter how many times
my brain told them
they couldn’t.
I think of that feeling
in the moments
where life feels hopeless.

How my body doesn’t care.

How it just keeps going.

And sometimes these mountains are made of rock and earth and other times they are figrative mountains of doubt, fear and anxiety. Whatever these mountains look like, our bodies are consistently overcoming and making it to the ‘top’.

being gentle and honouring my (nature)al self

As I think about my day-to-day, when I’m asked what I’ve done, some days, I can proudly say I scaled the tallest mountain in myself. I climbed over my uncertainty like it was merely a stepping stone. But I am learning some days I will be asked what I’ve done with these hours. I won’t know what to say except I survived them, I breathed like I was not drowning. I accepted the kindness of strangers, I let myself live.

I know it sounds so small but maybe being okay with nothing more than “I’ve survived” will be the mountain I climb today. And that’s okay and important. Nature requires mindfulness, agility and self-acceptance. I’ve learned not to fixate on “pushing my body” like a workout, and rather focusing on getting in touch with myself and trusting that it will get me through any circumstance on the route. And the finishing view is not the only glorious beauty, instead there is so much to take in and absorb throughout the trail. We can choose to view the ups and downs of our life the same way.

And let us not forget, we are a part of nature, made up of the same elements found in the stars, mountains, grass, and oceans. We carry their magic with us throughout our lives and return back to them at the end of our journey. When we spend time in nature, we elevate our understanding of ourselves and our connection to the world around us. I believe it teaches us everything we need to know to heal and live in harmony with our surroundings.

Just like a plant, we can either bloom or wilt because of our struggles. I hope we always find our strength to thrive, bloom and grow.

While embracing the joy and beauty around me, I cannot lose sight of how the pain, hurt, greed we feel, create and hold as humanity is being reflected on the condition of our planet. I am learning how to have a more balanced relationship with our local ecosystems. I believe that if we all spent more time in nature and listened to nature, we could be better informed on how to bring humanity back into alignment with a future that not only secures our survival on earth, but nurtures and revives all plants, animals and elements that make up our universe.