In our increasingly hectic and high tech world, it turns out that a little green can go a long way toward improving our quality of life! We don't have sell out and move to a farm in the country, although I can tell you from experience it is a great way to raise kids...
even something as simple as a walk in a garden can make a difference for our health. Most understand how exercise contributes to our wellness, but it's not necessarily the exercise we're missing. It's the revitalizing contact with nature and its uncomplicated demands on us.
Here is how it plays out: Modern life - commuting, hectic schedules, electronics, plastics, packaging, pollutants, and lots of separation from the natural world - can place strains on our thinking brain and our bodies. The more time we spend indoors, the more time we are exposed to unnatural stimulation - indoor lighting, electromagnetic radio waves, and numerous household products/chemicals, low levels of traffic-related particles and gases such as radon and carbon monoxide, mold...just to name a few! Additionally, the more time spent in indoor settings, the more we see ourselves as separate from nature.
Consequently, the more we perceive ourselves as separate from nature, the more we feel a need to conquer nature... thus the slippery slope of destroying our planet and feeling justified in doing it! Keep in mind that our separation from nature is merely a perception; our minds trick us into thinking that we do not need nature, when in fact our lives depend on it. We, as organic beings, will always be integral with the rest of the natural, organic universe - physically, psychologically, and spiritually; we live, think, feel, breath in our earth suits (our bodies) and as a result, cannot truly be separate from nature - only disconnected. Not only does this illusion allow us to deceive ourselves that we can ignore consequences that damage our environment-we close our eyes to the fact that our physical, psychological, spiritual disconnection from nature is the source of much of our modern problems and ills.
We have an ingrained dependence on our environment, much like that of any other animal it seems, because like other organisms, we evolved to thrive in our natural surroundings. However, it seems we have forgotten this natural wisdom, and have ignored the natural intelligence that in truth, has guided human behavior for centuries. The support that there is a dynamic relationship between health and the environment is not hard to understand. For example, when we befoul the air, or otherwise contaminate the environment, it is our own health that we are affecting, our own bodies that we are polluting. And when we spend the bulk of our waking hours indoors, we keep ourselves from getting the natural relief we need from the stresses and strains of our "civilized lifestyles." As evidenced in nature, when animals are taken out of their natural habitats, they begin to degrade mentally and physically - parenting skills decline, aggression increases and playful activity stops. These same symptoms can be seen in particularly stressed human populations, and sadly, we likely do not need to look further than our own communities to see it for ourselves.
As Dr. Michael Cohen writes in his book- Reconnecting with Nature: Finding wellness through restoring your bond with the Earth (2007): Our lives do not make sense and our problems flourish because industrial society does not teach us to seek, honor, and culture nature's contributions to our lives. We learn instead to conquer, to separate from, and deny the time-tested love, intelligence and balance found the natural world (p. 13).
It's time for a GREEN check-up! How does your green relationship measure up? If you (and the people you love) need more green, it can easily be found through the Growing Green Hands program. Learn more and begin to reconnect with nature with the support from Growing Green Hands, Inc. (GGH). The GGH programming will help by providing mentoring relationships, education, and most importantly, experiential outdoor experiences.
even something as simple as a walk in a garden can make a difference for our health. Most understand how exercise contributes to our wellness, but it's not necessarily the exercise we're missing. It's the revitalizing contact with nature and its uncomplicated demands on us.
Here is how it plays out: Modern life - commuting, hectic schedules, electronics, plastics, packaging, pollutants, and lots of separation from the natural world - can place strains on our thinking brain and our bodies. The more time we spend indoors, the more time we are exposed to unnatural stimulation - indoor lighting, electromagnetic radio waves, and numerous household products/chemicals, low levels of traffic-related particles and gases such as radon and carbon monoxide, mold...just to name a few! Additionally, the more time spent in indoor settings, the more we see ourselves as separate from nature.
Consequently, the more we perceive ourselves as separate from nature, the more we feel a need to conquer nature... thus the slippery slope of destroying our planet and feeling justified in doing it! Keep in mind that our separation from nature is merely a perception; our minds trick us into thinking that we do not need nature, when in fact our lives depend on it. We, as organic beings, will always be integral with the rest of the natural, organic universe - physically, psychologically, and spiritually; we live, think, feel, breath in our earth suits (our bodies) and as a result, cannot truly be separate from nature - only disconnected. Not only does this illusion allow us to deceive ourselves that we can ignore consequences that damage our environment-we close our eyes to the fact that our physical, psychological, spiritual disconnection from nature is the source of much of our modern problems and ills.
We have an ingrained dependence on our environment, much like that of any other animal it seems, because like other organisms, we evolved to thrive in our natural surroundings. However, it seems we have forgotten this natural wisdom, and have ignored the natural intelligence that in truth, has guided human behavior for centuries. The support that there is a dynamic relationship between health and the environment is not hard to understand. For example, when we befoul the air, or otherwise contaminate the environment, it is our own health that we are affecting, our own bodies that we are polluting. And when we spend the bulk of our waking hours indoors, we keep ourselves from getting the natural relief we need from the stresses and strains of our "civilized lifestyles." As evidenced in nature, when animals are taken out of their natural habitats, they begin to degrade mentally and physically - parenting skills decline, aggression increases and playful activity stops. These same symptoms can be seen in particularly stressed human populations, and sadly, we likely do not need to look further than our own communities to see it for ourselves.
As Dr. Michael Cohen writes in his book- Reconnecting with Nature: Finding wellness through restoring your bond with the Earth (2007): Our lives do not make sense and our problems flourish because industrial society does not teach us to seek, honor, and culture nature's contributions to our lives. We learn instead to conquer, to separate from, and deny the time-tested love, intelligence and balance found the natural world (p. 13).
It's time for a GREEN check-up! How does your green relationship measure up? If you (and the people you love) need more green, it can easily be found through the Growing Green Hands program. Learn more and begin to reconnect with nature with the support from Growing Green Hands, Inc. (GGH). The GGH programming will help by providing mentoring relationships, education, and most importantly, experiential outdoor experiences.
Tamberly Mott, MFT, is a licensed Therapist/Counselor, Eco Life Skills Coach and the Executive Director of a non-profit program, Growing Green Hands. Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, she finds her passion working with children, youth and families. Along with raising foster children and her own biological children on a farm, Ms. Mott has led a very prolific life and brings much experience to her clinical and non-profit work. Integrating Humanistic-Transpersonal-Eco Psychology, she works with each of her clients/families individually, to develop a personalized strategy to meet their unique needs. Tamberly describes her holistic therapeutic style, "Working with children and their families includes paying attention to their biological (developmental), psychological, social, spiritual, cultural and natural needs and it begins by building a relationship of respect and trust. Once we have a working rapport we create a plan to reach the desired goals. She is also available for speaking presentations, educational classes and nature walking groups. Read more at http://www.tamberlymott.com or http://www.growinggreenhands.org
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