Living in Nature
Think, and I do not mean superficially, but think deeply about your position towards the natural world.
The trees. The birds. The deer. The rain. The snow. All things in nature.
Now tell me, how do you feel?
For me, it is a deep sense of appreciation for all these things. However, for many, and for a long stretch of time, there has been vast lack of appreciation for the the natural world and all things that call it home. This has lead us to where we are now with 24 different species going extinct per day, surmounting to 8,700 species a year (Pearce). This is a trend that has been shaped by years of neglect for nature through the mindset of the human race that revolved around the idea that we need to conquer nature in order to survive. However, I believe that now we have come far enough since the days of westward expansion that we can now reshape our view towards the natural world, to be one of co-existence and harmony, promoting our physical and mental health.
Throughout history, there have been many examples of how human kind has taken over and dominated whatever landscape we have ended up calling home. This can be seen through the mass hunting of bison on the plains with millions dying in a few years, the damming of rivers, and now the skyscrapers that loom over everything, rising significantly above anything that nature can produce (Fish & Wildlife Service). Somewhat symbolizing our position in the natural world. For years, we have migrated from living integrated with nature, to a position that separates us entirely from anything natural. Billions of us walk everyday through streets paved with concrete, only seeing signs of nature through trees, shrubs, and flowers all planted by the human hand. This has pushed us to disconnect with nature in a way that has caused many of us to lose our care for the natural world (Richardson).
Now, in todays world, it is easy to slip into a melancholy lifestyle. Only living your day to day life. You wake up to go to work or school, go home, go to bed, and wake up the next day and repeat the process. This takes a toll on not only your mental health, but the level of healthiness that you can feel in your body (Richardson). What if I told you there was an easy and rejuvenating way to reverse that feeling? If I were to tell that to myself it would be hard for me to believe if I had not experienced that same feeling. All it takes is for you to reflect within yourself and your own deep connection to nature.
Our species has come a long way from hunting mammoths with spears and battling for survival everyday. We have drifted from our roots which were planted in the heart of the natural world. However, it takes very little to reestablish that connection to nature. Not only do we need to reestablish ourselves with nature, but we need to find ways to re-immerse ourselves within nature, as it will benefit our physical and mental well-being.
“Intuitively we knew that nature was good for us as humans, but the results were beyond brilliant”
This is a quote which is taken from an analysis conducted by The University of Derby and The Wildlife Trusts which looked at the month long Nature Challenge which was done in the UK. This challenge called upon people to, “do something wild”, for thirty consecutive days and it showed substantial benefits to mental and physical well-being for those who participated. Not only did those who participated experience a boost in health and happiness during the experiment, these benefits lasted months after the experiment ended. (BBC)
Mentioned above, the position humans have taken towards nature throughout history, is that of lion vs. lamb, a focus on conquest. Now I am not saying that this was not necessary to get where we are today, it was a necessary evil that allowed us to separate ourselves from the food chain by putting us on top. I am also not saying that this is still not the case in some parts of the world, not many parts of the world are as developed as the United States. However, I do believe that it is important for us as a nation to reshape our view towards nature as we are in a position to do so.
Everyone on this planet is on the pursuit to find happiness, and everyone wants for their body to feel like it is in good health. By immersing yourself into nature, even just slightly, you can bring those feelings upon yourself with very little effort. By so doing, you will also be fueling a positive feedback loop, meaning you will develop care for the natural world, which will subsequently boost the health of the environments that are benefiting you.
Now, again I ask you to think, and I do not mean superficially, but think deeply about your position towards the natural world.
The trees. The birds. The deer. The rain. The snow. All things in nature.
Tell me, how do you feel?
Sources
https://www.psychreg.org/connection-with-nature/#:~:text=Mentally%2C%20we%20can%20become%20disconnected%20from%20nature%20because,your%20place%20in%20nature%20brings%20meaning%20and%20joy.
