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Nature
7-26-2017
Sweet summertime. Long days and clear nights. A chance to slow down a bit, relax, breathe the air, feel the warmth, see the surrounding beauty, appreciate one’s blessings, and fully embrace life. Summer begs us to spend time outside. To remember that for most of human history we have lived in intimate contact with nature in the savannas, forests, deserts, shorelines, mountains, jungles, and all other types of terrain. Our ancestors knew the land, air, water, and animals in ways that we have forgotten. They knew that the natural world can be threatening and that precautions must be taken, but they also understood that nature is restorative, enriching, and a basic human need.
Societies around the world are rethinking our indoor lifestyle and encouraging people to reconnect with nature. Norway’s Friluftsliv, Japan’s Shinrin-yoku, and America’s Attention Restoration all provide valid reasons to explore the expansive world of the great outdoors.
Friluftsliv (free-luufts-leav) translates as “free air life”. It is also referred to as the “wisdom of the open air”. Friluftsliv encapsulates a way of life that is spent exploring and appreciating nature. It is built upon curiosity, composure, joy, and presence. Friluftsliv is about rediscovering an ecological life instead of a technologically dominated one. When we are in awe of nature, we profoundly understand how precious and rewarding life is. Frilufsliv places you squarely in the midst of the “more-than-human world”. A place full of smooth curves and intricate fractals, soothing rhythms and steady beats that give your brain a break from the sharp lines and relentless schedules of the “civilized world”. For eons people have understood the deep pleasure gained by watching the ceaseless waves of the ocean, the dancing flames of a fire, or the delicate perfection of a flower unfurling. Friluftsliv is to be in harmony with nature, not to conquer or control it, just to appreciate and honour. It asks you to shift to a higher level of consciousness where you see nature as a collective of individual pieces. Every rock, leaf, animal, puddle, or cloud has its own singular identity full of history and experience – worthy of its right to exist and to be respected. Friluftsliv is an attitude of reverent curiosity regarding yourself and every creature and phenomenon you encounter in your journey through life.
Shinrin-yoku means “forest-bathing”. It’s as simple as taking a slow, meditative walk through the woods. Instead of hiking with a goal of climbing a mountain or getting to the end of a trail, Shinrin-yoku’s aim is to slow down and tune into the surrounding natural environment using the senses of smell, touch, sight, and sound. In Shinrin-yoku, you are encouraged to stop, close your eyes, calm your mind by focusing on your breath, and then open your eyes as if you were seeing the world for the very first time. Shinrin-yoku declutters your brain and resets your internal clock to “now”. Instead of being thought-based, it’s presence-based. Feel your place on this earth at this moment. Take a step or shift your weight and notice the subtle difference. Shinrin-yuko reminds us we too are nature, not a separate self-existing entity.
Attention Restoration doesn’t have an exotic name or intriguing translation. Instead it relies on science to show that modern life is depleting our mental energy and that we have a readily available recharging mechanism in nature. In modern life, we are bombarded by stimuli demanding attention. Busywork and distractions surround us so we force ourselves to concentrate on the task at hand. But our brains aren’t tireless machines; they are easily fatigued and we zone out to conserve mental energy. Being in nature offers our brain an alternative way to concentrate as lakes, trees, and sunsets are gentle in their request to notice their ever-changing beauty. Nature refreshes mental functioning the way food and water restore the body. The soft fascination of nature offers effortless attention, freeing the mind to reflect and ponder. Studies show that being in an unthreatening natural environment, such as standing on the shore of a lake, sends an automatic calming signal to our brain, which triggers the nervous system to lower our heart rate and blood pressure, while simultaneously decreasing stress-related hormones like adrenaline and increasing neurotransmitters such as serotonin. Without any conscious effort, our bodies respond naturally to nature.
In our attempt to be civilized, we’ve moved away from the natural world. For many of us, most of our day is spent indoors. Often, we go outdoors only to travel to another indoor location. Concepts such as Friluftsliv, Shinrin-yoku, and Attention Restoration encourage us to reconnect with our true nature.
An excellent book for parents about bringing nature back to childhood is “Last Child in the Woods” by Richard Louv. Zainab Dhanani can be reached at z_dhanani@yahoo.ca
Footnotes: Footnotes: Zainab Dhanani can be reached at z_dhanani@yahoo.ca
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