In search for wellness: on nature, meditation and 10 ways to find it within city life

Written By Jimena Mateo

In the fifties, the concept of wellness was defined as the correct functioning of the human body, but also the capacity to work and achieve self-fulfillment. It is the lifestyle through which our potential as human beings is taken to its maximum, including the physical, mental and spiritual. The wellbeing of people has to go further than the actual idea of health that our world has.

In this article we explore the benefits of meditation, nature, and other practices that can promote wellness. Try to visualize the journey! It is inspired by Costa Rican rainforests, but it could be anywhere. Currently based in Lima, a city with a grey white sky and far away jungles, I still find peace in forest images or memories, deliberately seek parks and open spaces, and breathe my way through a loud and animate city. What counts is what you take from the experience, making the time to receive the positive energies, anywhere you are. Shift your gaze, take a deep inhale and find nature close to you!

Imagine a walk through the rainforest: you are surrounded by ever extending shades of green, treetops that seem to grow as you go, aromas of flowers and freshly rained earth, the sound of a few bird calls and way back, you hear the flow of water on rocks. As you immerse yourself, the heat rises and you can feel the jungle even more. After a while of being in nature, perhaps having already spotted a small mammal or a few monkeys, the sound of the falling water augments.

You arrive at an opening and there it is: a waterfall! Water is splashing and flowing in many directions. The energy it provides is positive. Your tired hot body does not even question jumping into the small pool where the water gathers. Dipping in cold freshness, your temperature immediately changes. The vasodilation of the skin reverses and your circulation redirects to internal organs. Just like in a sauna, the benefits of a walk in the forest and a dip in a river or waterfall pool are many. Such experiences will work you mind’s awareness towards your natural surroundings, relax your muscles, and revitalize your spirit.

There is a meditative aspect in the way that waterfalls and jumps through the air, ending in a dispersive splash at the bottom of some rocks or more water. The infinite flow of movement invites our eyes and mind to zone out. With just a glance to this fluidity and textures, our bodies already enter a relaxation and a return to our roots.

MEDITATION

Meditating is simple being close to a waterfall. By finding a comfortable place, closing your eyelids and focusing on your breathing, you can absorb the positive energy of such magical places. There is no correct way of meditating, it is a matter of letting go, which tends to be easier for the mind when surrounded by nature. Meditation by the water can be purifying and can help liberate stress. It is not exclusive to waterfalls; any body of water can increase mental, physical and spiritual balance and wellbeing.

 The benefits of meditation are many:

  • enhances memory

  • develops emotional intelligence and empathy

  • alleviates stress and anxiety, reduces blood pressure

  • increases happiness.

Meditating in nature promotes the disconnection of daily stress. It is easier to detach and relax in a natural setting such as water, forest or mountain. Natural sounds and sights will walk you towards inner peace. Nature provides us sounds that we are used to as a species, but not by daily habits. Meditation in natural environments can enhance and facilitate deeper consciousness and relaxation states.

When nature is less abundant, here are some ways to recreate its benefits and how it makes you feel:

  1. Play nature sounds. There are so many variations of rainfall, birds, streams, whales, wind, waterfall, ocean or thunderstorms. Add them to your playlists and listen to these often, they are guaranteed to calm and destress you!

2. Take a walk in the park: most cities in the world have at least one or a few parks. Find these! Visiting the green areas around you will definitely disconnect you and refresh your senses.

3. Meditation: close your eyes and take a deep breath. It is often that city dwellers are just going and going, without taking 5 or 10 minutes to do nothing. Creating this space and time to regain inner peace through sitting quietly in meditation will help you.

4. Volunteer at a local animal shelter or actually adopt an animal. Being closer and interacting with animals will bring you that sense of being with nature.

5. Plants in your house: add some green natural elements to your immediate surroundings. Here are some of my favorites, which at the same time can be used in teas or in meals you cook: mint, rosemary, lemongrass, tomatoes, basil. Make use of your balcony, a space that calls for green and lively decoration.

6. Green grass rugs: this is real. People make, sell and buy artificial rugs that simulate grass. Just like walking in the sand, the contact between your feet and the Earth is a very powerful connection that we have lost. Thankfully, you can easily recreate the feeling in your home or in your office.

7. Cloud watching: claimed to be the cheapeast hobby ever, it is easy, simple and is actually very relaxing and enhances your imagination. It can help reduce stress, improve concentration, and make you more focused. Take a break, lay down and watch those white clouds float by in the beautiful sky above you!

8. Get closer: add nature to your way to work, if possible! Walk or bike through parks. Find what gardens, outdoor areas, and parks are close to your work so you can have lunch surrounded by plants and green.

9. Local or own food: in cities we tend to disconnect from food and where it comes from. Buy fresh produce at your local farmer’s market and support them, or grow your own veggies! It does not have to be a big scale thing. The idea is to get in touch and understand the process of growth your food goes through. Plus, you save money and you get to watch your plants grow and become your dish.

10. Decoration: Use images of nature to decorate your house, office, or even phone or computer backdrop. A relaxing sunset, a beautiful waterfull or a scenic mountain are just a few images that can be used to decorate and remind you of nature’s inspirational beauty.

SOURCES

Jimena Mateo
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