The sight of a tree in winter, its branches etched against the sky, is enough to trigger an ache in the pit of your stomach. You feel it as soon as you walk into a forest — the stillness of being among trees. You can hear yourself breathe. It’s like walking into a church.
The feeling has been described by many names — biophilia, nature connection, nature deficit disorder — but it boils down to one thing: We evolved in nature, and our bodies and souls long to return.
In April, we celebrate Earth Day and the healing power of nature. But there’s something deeper beneath the surface that you may not realize. Without this understanding, and without putting it into practice, you’ll miss the full experience of connecting with nature, and the depth of healing power that’s available. Stick around — I’ll share what it is.
But first, let’s acknowledge something kind of heartbreaking…
The natural world, which has been so central to human life for so long, is fading across the globe. In its place we have built a world of manufactured things — walls, roofs and roads — and we have filled it with machines. The average American spends a whopping 93% of his or her life indoors, where light bulbs and screens provide illumination, and climate control determines the temperature.
Our bodies and minds have yet to adjust to nature’s absence. Truly, we never will.
The trees, the plants, the animals... all of Earth’s ecosystems from the deep oceans to the vast skies… you and me... We all share the same essential components: water, sunlight, oxygen, carbon compounds. We all come from the same source; we are one organism sharing a single life force.
So when you’re cut off from nature — i.e. living in the modern world — in a very real sense, you become estranged from yourself. And you can’t be well that way.
Which brings me to what I promised to share with you. The essential thing to remember is this: Nature is you, and you are it.
In the book, The Solar Body: The Secret to Natural Healing, Ilchi Lee, founder of Change Your Energy, describes the person who becomes self-reliant by restoring their connection with the infinite life force of the cosmos. He writes:
“Like the sun — the only body in our solar system that gives off its own light and heat — a Solar Body is someone who can manage the infinite energy source within him. The important point is that Solar Bodies can do this for themselves. Not depending on experts or external sources, they know how to make their own bodies and minds overflow with vitality, and they constantly put this knowledge into practice.”
This means that our deepest essence is pure, vibrant, and life-giving like the sun. It’s the natural power that heals our bodies and returns us to balance. It’s the compassion and connection we feel with other living beings. It’s the conscience within that lets us know whether we’re on the right path or straying from it.
So when you get up and go outside on a beautiful day, it’s not only the sun outside that calls you — It’s also
the sun within you. It’s the part of you that’s connected to all of life, all of the cosmos, and never ceases to encourage you toward your greater good.
When you tap into the natural elements, you can encounter the earth’s wisdom and witness principles of life that just might astound you. You can learn to
manage your own energy and experience your true nature — the energy of the source of life. In time, you become transformed from relying on outside sources for your health and happiness, and instead you create these things for yourself.
It’s never too soon or too late to start.
If you’re longing to return to your true nature, check out our course Guided Meditation with Nature Sounds. It features 12 unique exercises to help you strengthen your connection to the tremendous living world all around you… and heal and replenish the world within you. (It's only available as part of our premium membership, so if you’re not yet a premium member,
join now for access to this and over a hundred other courses.)