March 28, 2025

Hello Followers,

TGIF, ready for the weekend!

This year so far, Dan and I have explored regret, self-forgiveness, happiness, moderation, balance, and how it affects our health.

Today we are going to start a new series on why nature.

Nature heals!

Spending time outdoors can boost physical and mental health in a range of ways.

You do not have to spend hours outside before those benefits kick in, either.

Even without any greenery around, spending time in sunlight and fresh air may help you feel better in mind and body.

Time spent outside does not have to be an intense hiking experience to count.

Taking a walk even in an urban nature setting can be beneficial to our health.

While there is no clear answer to how much time is spent outside, generally researchers estimate that approximately two hours per week in natural environments is enough to have significant positive effects on health and well-being.

Just having green spaces around schools promotes cognitive development in children and more green space around allows adults to improve their working memory, cognitive flexibility, and to have better control of their attention.

Just getting outside and seeing nature can be the break that the child or adult brain needs to gather our thoughts.

It does not have to be experienced in large chunks of time but can be just a few minutes during the day to refresh and refocus.

How much do you spend outdoors?

In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.

Trees can be contorted, bent in weird ways, and they are still beautiful.

Continuing the benefits of mediation from early this week.

Today Dan and I will explore, if there are any specific meditation practices recommended for achieving physical health benefits?

And yes, there are!

Certain meditation practices may be particularly effective for achieving physical health benefits, which may lead to a more balanced and healthier lifestyle.

Mindfulness meditation, which focuses on being present and fully engaged in the moment, has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve overall health.

Loving-kind meditation, which involves sending positive thoughts and wishes to yourself and others, may boost emotional wellbeing and promote a positive mindset, which indirectly supports physical health.

Body scan meditation, where you focus on different parts of your body and release tension, may help reduce chronic pain and improve relaxation.

Breathing exercises, used in various meditation practices, may enhance lung function and promote a sense of calm.

A guided meditation for grounding and centering.

This meditation is especially useful if you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, unfocused, or under stress.

A grounding meditation can help you reconnect with the Earth’s energy.

Grounding meditations can slow your heart rate, increase electrical activity in the brain, and normalize cortisol levels.

Grounding can also lead to deeper quality of meditation if you meditate frequently.

 Let us do some magical crafting.

Until Saturday, forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet

and the winds long to play with your hair.