We are Nature
“We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.” Andy Goldsworthy
If you’re reading this you probably know already that being in nature is good for you. We accept that it’s there for us when we need it. Except -it might not be.
Modern life is full of pressure, with a constant need for 'busy-ness' and an emphasis on things, so many of which we don’t need, but have become accustomed to! Biodiversity, that is, every living thing and ecosystem that makes up the environment, is in grave danger. From the largest whale to the tiniest microorganism, everything plays an important role in the maintenance of our world; but billions of species are going, or have gone, extinct. Every day through climate crisis, habitat loss, pollution, and deforestation, we are losing more of our precious natural world. We use massive resources to produce mountains of items that get thrown away, which in turn has created appalling waste issues across the globe.
The natural world is often wrongly viewed as a commodity. Many people have become disconnected from nature. Thankfully, more are becoming aware of the need to act now to save our planet, but we face an uncertain future.
Science has found being disassociated from nature makes us vulnerable to stress, negative moods, and poor attention span. Environmental writer Richard Louv coined the phrase for this, “nature deficit disorder”.
More than 100 academic studies worldwide have proved what nature lovers already knew - that engaging with the natural world has positive impacts on our brains, bodies, feelings, thought processes; even how we interact socially.
Being in nature makes us feel good; more alive, and connected, It reduces negative stress and gives us more energy. Emotionally we’re in awe, and our creativity is inspired. It's also been found that experiencing the beauty of nature increases other positive feelings, leading to us being kinder and more generous! Nature, by it's very existence, makes us happy. During this pandemic, many more people have become aware of how important being in nature is.
It’s been proved - just looking at photos and videos of the natural world makes us feel better! It also promote generosity, cooperation, and leads to kinder behaviour! How amazing is that? If just seeing images has this effect, imagine the benefits from a physical connection.
I believe that nature has most, if not all, of the answers we're seeking; and that we must work together to cherish, protect and preserve our natural world, before it’s too late. Every little step helps.
Nature needs us, and we need nature, because we are one!