Moments of connection
I thought about writing a blog post summarising the mental health benefits of connecting with nature. Then I started to read academic papers full of statistics and big words. My eyes glazed over and I went outside to talk to my chickens instead.
There is now a lot of research about how getting outdoors, being in forests or by water, connecting with other lifeforms and getting your hands into the soil are good for you, physically and mentally. But I think many of us feel this without needing to have the statistics. I certainly do.
I might share some of that science with you another time (bet you can’t wait). Now, instead of talking about cortisol and soil bacteria, I want to share some moments where I feel connected to nature and invite you to slow down and notice special moments of your own.
Small journeys
If I take a walk over Runcorn Hill, I go from pavements, to gravelled paths beside playing fields, to sandy paths on the heathland. There’s a moment where the trees and shrubs close in on each side, lumps of sandstone appear in the path and I start to pay more attention to what’s around me. This moment comes with a deep breath and a sigh, like I’m suddenly remembering I’m alive. I’m more aware of what’s under my feet, of what season it is, of the time of day – of a world of natural cycles going on around me. That long out-breath resets my nervous system, creating a space of calm and presence in the moment. The buzz of all the thoughts going round my head gets turned down a bit.
Moments of joy
A kingfisher zipping along the canal. A bat flitting overhead in my garden on a summer evening. A February snowdrop. Unexpectedly opening my curtains at the moment the winter sun first peeks over the horizon. Listening to the gentle clucking of contented hens as they scratch about for tasty things in the leaf litter. Hearing owls hooting at night.
There are moments where nature breaks through all the busy-ness of my mind with an instant surge of joy. Moments where I just find that I’m smiling. And although things like the owls may only happen when I’m away somewhere less suburban, many of these moments are right on my doorstep in a busy industrial northern town. Interestingly, research has found that smiling actually releases endorphins, those happy chemicals, in our brains. It can help to set up a virtuous circle that can lift mood.
Big views
I’ve always loved the mountains, although I don’t get out in them anywhere near as often as I used to these days. It’s a bit of a cliché, but there’s something about being in ‘big’ landscapes that helps me to get things into perspective, to reconnect with what’s important to me in life. Being by the sea does the same thing, getting that expansive feel of the vastness of the planet’s oceans. Even near home, I can get a big view from the top of Runcorn Hill, looking out to Hale lighthouse and further across to the Clwydian hills. Or from viewpoints on Frodsham Hill, looking north across the marshes, the motorway, the river. I get a sense of space and deep time that makes everyday worries seem that little bit less acute.
My invitation to you is to notice what are your special moments in nature that help you to feel connected to the world around you. And perhaps to pause and savour them that little bit more.
I offer counselling sessions outdoors in and around Runcorn and Frodsham. To find out more, check out my Outdoor therapy page or get in touch.
I also run nature connection events in Runcorn, Frodsham and Lymm. Details and booking at my Nature Connect NW Eventbrite page.