Mother Nature's Healing Powers

by Liz
(North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia)

My entire life I have had a 'connection' with nature. My childhood years were idylic - spent mostly on neighbouring farmland and in local woodlands.

During adult years when I was forced by circumstance to live in busy, noisy suburbs, I would seek out patches of greenery or water to regenerate my batteries, and move to somewhere closer to nature as soon as I could. But for the most part I have lived on rural properties with no close neighbours and surrounded by Mother Nature. I would frequently go for walks and just sit on a log or lie in the grass. The feelings I experienced were those of complete contentment and any stress or worries I had just seemed to flow away. I was also a keen bush-walker and a "Green" activist.

I'm now in my early 60's and live on an island near Brisbane and there's a patch of woodland - about 50 acres behind where I live. If ever I need to unload or re-charge, I just go for a wander, sometimes with the dog but often on my own, and take deep breaths. Again, I experience this immense feeling of contentment with the world. Occasionally now though, the experience is so intense as I 'feel' my sourroundings, tears well up in my eyes. Since I took up kayaking 10 years ago, I get the same emotions when I find myself paddling somewhere beautiful, especially when I'm on my own and 'at one' with my surroundings. Mother Nature is indeed a wonderful healer and provider of energy, that's why I've always been an active supporter of the wilderness and our now vulnerable planet.