Ever since humans elevated themselves, started walking upright and put their brains to work, man has started to develop and progress has been unstoppable over the many centuries. Things have been moving very quickly, especially in the last few centuries. Where does that take us, other than worrying about whether or not the Earth will be destroyed? We don’t have the answer, but that also immediately brings pushback in the form of a growing group of people who, in whatever way, want to be closer to nature.
About eccentrics and nature…
You can isolate yourself and go back to living in the wild, but except for a few weirdos who are then filmed again, because they are weirdos, that plan will have little chance of success. Man has made progress and that process cannot be stopped. That is not necessary, but that does not alter the fact that there is also a growing group of people who want to be closer to that same nature. It is our basis and we realize that that basis is not so bad after all. A foundation on which our future may again be based.
We already use nature by regularly visiting the forest, dunes or sea to clear our heads and gain energy. The natural process of death and new life that emerges every spring is so simple and so genius that we are starting to notice it more and more. That also immediately gives a feeling that the world just keeps turning and therefore, even if, for us, important people keep going. Of course people die and although we are stretching life enormously, we must also realize that a body runs out at some point and dies. One has the belief that a soul will return and the other has belief in only one life, but in fact it does not matter. Everyone tries to get the most out of life in their own way. The group of people who involve nature is growing rapidly and perhaps that is a very good choice.
Source: YvetteNature Photography, Pixabay
Why bring nature close
Besides being a place to relax and where we get inspiration, nature has an attraction that goes beyond that. This has to do with the fact that we start to see more and more (which goes further than opening our eyes) and we progress further in life. It is no longer about the material, because we already know that, but about what can still make us bounce back, raise our eyebrows or what spontaneously gives us a happy feeling. Nature helps with this and this can be clearly deduced from figures (research from 2013) when it comes to photos on the internet, for example. These work so much better than photos of stylized things. Beautiful pictures from nature show something real, something created by nature and where the only human hand is that of the photographer. That deserves at least the designation remarkable. Because as humans we have long aspired to what is feasible and that is slowly changing.
But we also want to get into nature itself. Walking, exercising or playing and if possible we would also like to live there. Of course with the civilized world at a reasonable distance, but the deafening silence of nature also beckons. In a hectic world we come closer to ourselves and that makes nature so attractive. Your eyes are pampered with beautiful images, you can move freely (without anyone saying anything) and your thoughts disappear almost automatically on the clouds that always float by in the Netherlands. That is a feeling that counteracts the hustle and bustle of the day and makes us feel like the human being we are again.
Get closer to yourself
Getting closer to yourself is important, because it makes you a balanced person and helps you cope with life’s challenges. Many people live in the head and the body is only what takes the mind somewhere. But both are important, because the combination makes us the people we are. So if you spend a lot of time in your head, it is good to regularly involve your body again.
You can do this, for example, through yoga, because balance is also at the top of the list, but also by going into nature and immersing yourself in that same nature. Sometimes some simple things are enough, such as:
- Breathe deeply (while walking through nature) and hear your body breathe more calmly with every breath and feel the stress disappear from your body.
- Listen to the crunching sound under your shoes as you walk and place your feet consciously. When walking, wrap your feet well and make sure that your entire foot touches the ground. During the warm months, barefoot is even better.
- Every now and then, pause for a moment and look around and listen to what you hear… even if it apparently is nothing.
- Let the sun and/or wind hit your facial skin and feel the tingling it gives throughout your body.
Finally
There are many more exercises, but what it comes down to is that you use your senses to feel and experience (really experience!). This way you will feel your body, that everything around you is going as it should and that you are a part of it. Not the center of the universe, but just an inhabitant who enjoys for a while what life (and nature) has to offer. But then you really have to enjoy it and you do that with everything that belongs to you as a person, body and mind. Your heart opening, your eyes being caressed by something they see or the sound of your own breathing. Above all, enjoy it!
