“Look deep into nature
and then you will understand everything better.”
~Albert Einstein

In January 2014 it was too cold around here to get outside for a walk. Normally I don’t let the cold stop me. But the weather was so messy and damp that we hibernated.

By February I was dipping into a sort of a depression.

When I thought about it I realized I had not been getting outside enough so I made a decision to ignore the weather and go for a walk every day. I did and it made a huge difference in my state of mind.

We often talk about how getting outside in nature makes us feel good but do we know why? What is it about going for a walk or sitting by a lake that makes us feel good? Let’s amass a list of answers to that question. Here is what I have so far:

1. The sounds of nature are a natural and powerful form of  “sound therapy”, reportedly the best sound therapy of all. Listen!
2. The fresh air outside is in no way rivaled by the air inside your house even if you diffuse essential oils there or use air fresheners or have an air exchanger. It just feels so good to be outside and inhale that fresh air.
3. The energy among the trees is supportive. I don’t know why that is, but it feels as if you are not alone in the woods, even when you are. (Have you ever hugged a tree?)
4. When you are in nature you have a natural inclination to look up – to the tops of the trees, to the clouds in a blue sky – and looking up has an affect on your inner state.
5. While walking in nature our frequency comes into harmony with the frequency of nature. When we get away from the chaotic frequencies of our wired-up homes and gadgets it’s as if our bodies heave a sigh of relief and relax. My annual summer vacation by the lake is responsible for the complete restoration of my soul.
6. In an online course on Positive Psychology the course presenter, Manuel Kraus, cites a study that found people in a hospital who could see greenery outside their window recovered faster than those who could not. Imagine, then, the healing power of being outside in nature!

Why do you think it feels so good to commune with nature? What would you add to the list?

Photo credit: Lori