THE RESTORATIVE POWER OF NATURE IMMERSION

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“Nature conceals her secrets because she is sublime, not because she is a trickster.” —Albert Einstein

THE PROFOUND BENEFITS OF NATURE IMMERSION

Summer has an uncanny way of drawing us into nature. A friend recently sent a majestic photo postcard from her visit to Glacier National Park, and I enjoyed reading about her hiking, mountain climbing, and wildflower-viewing adventures. My neighbors are off to the beach, and my friends are going to the mountains—both to “be outdoors” and to benefit from exposure to nature. These benefits may range from restored attention and mental focus to upgraded thinking patterns and positive states of mind.

Nature’s benefits derive from our level of involvement—involvement that draws us in, fascinates, interests, and engrosses us until we are fully immersed. For example, wilderness campers become highly involved with nature as they navigate unfamiliar terrain, find water, collect materials for temporary shelter, and complete other tasks necessary for survival. An interesting paradox occurs: intense activity in nature causes them to relax. When surveyed following a week or two of camping, campers reported experiencing increased mental clarity, self-confidence, optimism, and feelings of contentment. They also reported feeling restored and having a greater sense of wholeness, meaning, and purpose as if they had integrated some of nature’s attributes into their own being.

While the survey findings are impressive, the number of us backpacking in the wilderness is understandably small. Fortunately, researchers have also found that there are many ways to obtain high involvement with nature closer to home. Possibilities for doing this abound when we let our intention, attention, and reflection guide us as we engage in nature-related activities. From stargazing to tending Bonsai (the practice of creating miniature representation of old trees), we can immerse ourselves in nature in or near our home environments and experience some of its profound effects.

HOW TO CONNECT WITH NATURE MORE DEEPLY

Hiking, biking, and other fitness activities are frequently our primary reason for visiting local, state, and national parks. There is no downside to spending time being active in these treasures, but we can also create an entirely different experience by becoming more involved with the streams, wildflowers, and wildlife they contain. When we shift our focus from being in the setting of nature to being directly involved with nature, these venues can serve as sources for deeper nature immersion as well as backgrounds for outdoor activities.

The immersion process begins when we set an intention to investigate and explore an aspect of interest in nature more deeply. We then use our attention to skillfully observe our chosen interest area by harnessing all five of our senses, identifying special characteristics, and monitoring their changes over time. Finally, we can pause to reflect on what we noticed, what we feel, and how this new nature-derived information can enrich our lives.

Perhaps the most crucial factors for successful engagement are to slow down and to place our focus on how we want to interact when we spend time in nature. For example, in the Japanese practice of “forest bathing,” a forest walk is typically less than one mile in length yet can take two to four hours to complete.

AN UNTAPPED, HIGHLY BENEFICIAL RESOURCE

University of Michigan researchers have found that an immersive encounter with nature is highly restorative. Nature’s adaptability, serenity, and seemingly effortless existence become apparent during immersive encounters. Resonating with these qualities is restorative and encourages us to enrich our own lives by mirroring them.

As a health-building practice, nature immersion offers an untapped, highly beneficial resource to anyone who chooses to take advantage of it; however, an easy-to-use method for regular nature immersion is not well known. Like other effective but unfamiliar health-building practices, nature immersion is one of the methodologies that the High Health Network makes more visible and accessible. There is no better time than now to begin adopting these novel concepts and no better place to experience the profound benefits of nature immersion than the High Health Network. If you want more options and opportunities for health-building success, contact us and find out more.

Joyce M. Young, MD, MPH
Managing Director, Advanced Wellness Systems
Lead Expert for the High Health Network

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“We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.” —William Hazlitt

Sincerely,

Your colleagues at Advanced Wellness Systems