April 8, 2025

Hello Followers,

Ready to begin this Tuesday!

A walk in nature walks the soul back home.

Nature has the power to heal us and return us to a place of inner peace and comfort.

Today we will explore how nature can make you happier and less unhappy.

Dan and I always found that hiking or strolling in nature makes us feel happier, and of course decreased stress may be a big part of the reason.

Gregory Bratman, of Stanford University, has found evidence that nature may impact our mood in other ways, also.

In one 2015 study, he and his colleagues randomly assigned sixty participants to a 50-minute walk in either a natural setting; oak woodlands or an urban setting; along a four-lane road.

Before and after the walk, the participants were assessed on their emotional state and on cognitive measures, such as how well they could perform tasks requiring short-term memory.

Results showed that those who walked in nature experienced less anxiety, focused attention on negative aspects of oneself, and negative affect, as well as more positive emotions, in comparison to the urban walkers.

They also improved their performance on the memory tasks.

In another study, he and his colleagues extended these findings by zeroing in on how walking in nature affects thinking.

This has been associated with the onset of depression and anxiety, while also using MRI technology to look at brain activity.

Participants who took a 90-minute walk in either a natural setting or an urban setting had their brains scanned before and after their walks and were surveyed on self-reported thinking levels as well as other psychological markers.

The researchers controlled many potential factors that might influence thinking or brain activity, for example, physical exertion levels measured by heart rates and pulmonary functions.

Even so, participants who walked in a natural setting versus an urban setting reported decreased rumination after the walk, and they showed increased activity in the subequal prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain whose deactivation is affiliated with depression and anxiety, a finding that suggests nature may have important impacts on mood.

Tomorrow, nature relieves fatigue and increases creativity.

GROUNDING

Today as we continue our series on grounding, Dan and I will explore the eighth practice for you to try with us.

Work/Garden: Tend to the earth through gardening or similar activities.

Stay low to the ground and make your work a mindful practice.

Spend 20-30 minutes engaged in this connection.

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, finding moments of calm and balance is essential.

Join us for this soothing 10-minute guided grounding and balanced meditation to reconnect with the Earth's energy and discover inner serenity.

Our experienced guide will lead you through a mindful journey, helping you become fully present in the here and now.

You will explore sensations, breathe deeply, and let go of tension, allowing you to release stress and worries.

Use this meditation whenever you need to center yourself, whether it is in the morning to start your day with clarity or in the evening to unwind and find peace.

Until Wednesday, just living is not enough.

One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.

Nature, with its flowers and sunshine, offers us the perfect balance for a peaceful life.