Can You Feel the Pain?
Let’s be real. If you’re breathing, chances are something hurts. An unmet expectation? A difficult relationship? Sickness in the family? And if you’re like me, you’re probably horrified watching the industrial, bio-chemical machine sickening our planet and bodies.
Our river of grief is real. Yet our tamed society trains us to build a dam over it. It often goes unacknowledged. For relief, you might check your phone for a dopamine hit. Get busier. Take a pill. But the more we repress our emotions, the more they eat us up.
Nature connection holds the key.
When we slow way down and allow ourselves to feel the world with our senses, the experience can be liberating. With no one watching, weeping with a willow will ease your pain. Inhaling the fragrance of a crushed eucalyptus leaf releases your endorphins. And bathing in a cold creek will give you an energizing adrenaline rush.
And if we allow ourselves to experience the sentience around us and understand that we’re not alone, that support often leads to realizations, insights, and anchoring of purpose.
And when we practice sitting together in nature therapy circles – to listen deeply to one another without judgement – we promote healing not only for each other, but also for the larger community, as we bring this non-violent form of communication to our families, schools, corporations, and government agencies.
Nature connection and culture repair arise together.
—Amos Clifford – founder of ANFT
Despite the epic challenges of our time, movements are being born with youth demanding social & enviro responsibility, corporations investing in renewable energy, farmers embracing regenerative agriculture, doctors adopting integrative medicine, and meditation being taught in schools, prisons, and armed forces.
We might not be able to solve every painful situation, but if each of us learn to undam our own river of grief, deepen our connections with others and nature, this work of radical authenticity makes us stronger to deal with the challenges we face in our own lives and empowers us to transform our world, from the inside out. Now, that’s something to smile about.
