A Prescription for Nature

I was never what you would call a nature girl. Even though I grew up in Colorado, one of the most beautiful places on Earth, my idea of a good day was a cozy chair, a cup of tea and a book. All day. I remember listening to a group of people who had just spent the day skiing in crisp snow and tree-covered mountains and thinking, “Wow, they just wasted a whole day off and didn’t read at all!”

I know.

So I went to college and spent the next thirty years in Oregon, another one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The main attraction for me was that it rained a lot, which meant reading with a cup of tea by a fireplace. All day. I was near volcanic peaks and waterfalls and ivy-covered trees and, for much of my time there, it all just went over my head.

When I was in my thirties, we took our young family to Black Butte Ranch in central Oregon, a place we had visited yearly, and one day, as we drove onto the Ranch I happened to look up and see—really see— what we were driving into. A range of snow-covered peaks rising from a forest of trees. Beneath that an open meadow filled with lakes and wild grasses, and surrounded by quivering aspen trees. I remember a physical reaction to the beauty. “So this is nature!” I thought. “Has it been here the whole time?”

I’ve become a nature convert. Now, I’m hooked. On Sunday, I decided to spend the day outside, working in my garden. As I was digging in the rich, dark soil, I heard the call of a quail, one of my favorite, favorite birds. I looked up and it was sitting on a nearby post, in all of its blue-brown plumage, its little fascinator bobbing on the top of its head. Again, I felt something shift in my body.

Barbara’s favorite bird. Or, at least, one of them.

Even more, I have learned that being in nature is not only awesome—as in filling me with awe—it is also healing. You don’t have to take my word for it. The evidence that nature is healing and beneficial for health and well-being is quite compelling.

Here are some key findings from recent research:

Exposure to Nature and Health: A study led by Mathew White from the European Centre for Environment & Human Health at the University of Exeter found that spending two hours a week in green spaces—like local parks or natural environments—was linked to better health and psychological well-being.
Stress Reduction: Time in nature has been shown to lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reduce nervous system arousal, enhance immune system function, increase self-esteem, reduce anxiety, and improve mood. It acts as an antidote for stress as long as individuals feel safe.
Mental Health Benefits: Nature can be a powerful tool to manage stress and is associated with improved mood, lower anxiety, and better cognitive function, including memory, attention, creativity, and sleep quality.
Healing Power: Nature is considered the purest pathway to inner peace, recharging one’s energy and renovating the personality. Exposure to nature scenes has been found to reduce feelings of isolation, promote calm, and lift mood among patients.

These studies highlight the importance of integrating nature into our daily lives for both physical and mental health benefits, and why, when Karyl, Paisley Project’s founder, and I did research on what resources most promoted healing, we included TIME IN NATURE as one of our six key Modalities of Healing. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a hike in the woods, or simply spending time in a garden, the healing power of nature is a valuable resource for enhancing well-being.

For widows, especially in the early days of their journey, finding time and space to get into nature can feel challenging. So here are a few ideas.

Try to get outside for at least 15 minutes each morning. This is amazing medicine! Getting sunlight into your eyes each morning has been shown to reset your internal clock, improve both your alertness during the day and your sleep during the night, gives you a natural source of Vitamin D, releases serotonin to improve mood, and reduces stress. Plus, awe-inspiring moments, such as watching a beautiful sunrise, have an anti-inflammatory effect in the body. Even if you just sit in a chair outside, you can get some of these benefits of nature.
Take a short nature break each day. Walk around your block, or in a park, or down your street. Make an effort to notice the nature around you? What can you see? (Birds, insects, animals, plants, trees, clouds?) What can you hear? (Birds, trees blowing, wind?) What can you smell? (Rain, mowed grass, fallen leaves, water?) What can you touch? (Tree bark, grasses, dirt, stones, leaves, acorns?) Spending time looking at nature can sometimes quiet the noise in your mind and help ground you in the present.

Just try these two things for a week. Let us know what you think. Who knows, you might even get hooked on nature, as I did.

Putting the Pieces Together

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