Hello,
This weekend I immersed myself in nature. And I was not the only one. The 2km queue to gain access to the West Coast Nature Reserve, in the Western Cape, was a testament to the desire many people had to see nature in full bloom. This is the unique time of year that the flowers show themselves for a few short weeks.
I invite you to notice your response to the images I share here with you. Notice the sensations that occur in different parts of your body. Do you find your heart rate slowing, your chest expanding, your gut relaxing?
These are photos of nature that I gathered this weekend, of the flowers, Newlands Forest, and even my garden. As you look at the photos, imagine the smells, sounds, and textures of nature. And just linger for a heartbeat longer in this experience. Like me, you may notice that you long for more exposure to nature, to the feelings that nature generates inside of you.
Watch the attached video…
A growing body of epidemiological evidence indicates that greater exposure to, or ‘contact with’, natural environments (such as parks, woodlands and beaches) has huge benefits:
- Better health and well-being
- Lower probabilities of cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, asthma hospitalisation, mental distress and ultimately mortality among adults
- Reduced blood pressure
- Reduced stress
- Feel psychologically restored. In other words, happier J
- Improved concentration
- Prompts weight loss as it makes exercise more enjoyable.
- Perhaps you do not live in a “green” environment, or you have limited access to nature. Keep images of nature on your phone, your desk, your walls.
- Invite a person to socialize with you in nature.
Feel free to reach out to me via WhatsApp. Anonymity is guaranteed. Let me know where your anxieties, fears, and worries sit with you. Tell me what is soothing for you. And what you need in this time of radical uncertainty.
060 890 1062
Feel free to book a teletherapy Zoom session with me right here… https://www.dreve.co.za/appointment/
For more information please contact my PA Shantel: shantel@dreve.co.za
Take care
Marlene #stayhome
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