Untamed Nature Is Not A Luxury: It’s A Necessity

“My days in the wilderness will live with me always. Everything there is so alive and familiar. The very stones seem talkative and brotherly. One fancies a heart like our own must be beating in every crystal and cell. No wonder when we consider that we all have the same Father and Mother” ~ John Muir, My Life With Nature

As gardeners, most of us tend to our own parcel of land from which we create beauty, joy, bounty, and meaning.

Yet, even with our appreciation of plants, it is all too easy to forget about the importance of taking the time to be in untamed nature. When you spend time in a woodlands, a forest, or at a secluded seashore, you have an opportunity to immerse yourself in the nature that surrounds you, almost becoming a part of it.

Several studies done over the years show that contact with nature increases the feelings of well-being, awe, optimism, joy, and what I call gloriosity.

This 3′ video beautifully illustrates the power and of the wilderness and why it fuels our sense of well-being.

Now it’s your turn! Do you take time from your schedule to immerse yourself in an untamed, natural setting? If so, I would love to hear more about it.

from Gardening Gone Wild http://gardeninggonewild.com/?p=29792