In a busy world full of digital distractions, synthetic energy, and unnatural foods, it’s easy to start losing our inherent connection with the natural world. When we lose touch with the universe, we are more prone to anxiety, depression and stress. As warmer temps arrive and spring bursts forth into new life around us, it’s the perfect time to get ourselves back in rhythm with ourselves and the natural world around us.
Unplug
Are you a slave to your cell phone, computer or clocks? If so, you’re pulling yourself away from the natural rhythm of life. Try taking a few days off from your electronics (weekends where you don’t have anywhere to be are a good time for this) and see how you feel. Try rising with the sun instead of when your alarm clock goes off. Instead of falling asleep to the television, take a bubble bath, read a good book, and fall asleep when you’re tired. When you stop relying on electronics to set your daily schedule, you can naturally align with the rhythms of the earth.
Get outdoors
If you’re like most people, you probably spend most of your daytime in your home, office, or car. If so, you’re being constantly bombarded by noise, synthetic lighting, and a number of other ‘unnatural’ sensations that can easily throw you out of balance. This can easily be counterbalanced by getting outdoors. If you live in a city, find a park to walk through, or a lake to visit. If you’re lucky enough to live near a forest or the ocean, spend time soaking up these natural environments as much as possible. Just listening to the sound of crashing waves or watching the leaves of a tree dance in the wind can be enough to enliven your senses and bring you back into better balance.
Eat in Season
In our global economy, we have access to almost any type of food grown all over the world. While this can make for a larger variety in your diet, it’s not as healthy as eating local foods that are in season, and it can weaken your connection to the rhythm of nature around you. When we eat locally grown, we get the best produce for our bodies, reduce our carbon footprint, and tune in to what Mother Nature intended for us to put in our bodies.
Pay Attention to the Cycles of the Moon
Simply taking note of the cycles of the moon each evening is a wonderful way to enhance our connection to the universe. The moon is ever in transition, and watching the waxing and waning cycles reminds us that all of life is ever transitioning too. Starting new projects or endeavors with the new moon and using the full moon cycle as a time to celebrate your accomplishments (big and small) are just a couple of examples of adjusting your life to be more in synch with the lunar cycles.
We are all connected through Mother Earth and it is through this connection that we can feel a part of something larger and find peace in our journey—no matter where it takes us. When we take a step back from the chaos of our normal lives and tune into the natural environment, we can better ease into the rhythms we’re meant to follow. As spring invites more outdoor time, begin connecting to the natural wonders of our world, and you’ll find it enhances a sense of well-being.