Can a Walk in Nature Help Your Grief?
Let’s first talk about rumination: the focused attention on the symptoms of one’s distress, and on its possible causes and consequences, as opposed to its solutions. (2021, Feb 8). In Wikipedia URL One of the most common themes I hear of in grief work is the inability to turn off distressful thoughts. Those ruminating thoughts wake us up at night and keep us up, they make us feel sluggish and unmotivated or anxious and stressed, we may eat more unhealthy food or not enough of the foods that nourish and support our health. The list goes on. And people continue to suffer with depression and anxiety, compounding disorders that often accompany grief.
Now let’s talk about mindfulness: the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one’s thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis. (2021). In Merriam-Webster URL The goal of mindfulness is to be fully present and aware of what we are doing, where we are at, what we see, smell, taste, feel, hear and to allow this awareness without feeling reactive or overwhelmed. Just be. Just notice. Just breathe.
By shifting our attention from ruminating thoughts to our present experiences we can train our brains to focus on behaviors such as compassion, openness and acceptance. The qualities of these behaviors help us to resist the negative self-evaluations that are stirred up through rumination.
Nature provides a backdrop for our attention and awareness. It is a way to connect with a system that is in tune with our every breath as we exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide with the plants and trees around us. Nature aids our ability to be conscious as we engage our five senses and wake up to the real miracle of being aware. In this space we have the opportunity to gain perspective and meaning, to see beyond our ruminating thoughts and find new ways of being with ourselves. Connecting with nature heightens our capacity to be astounded, humbled, and surprised by coming face-to-face with the natural beauty of our surroundings. We can learn to appreciate and recognize the mystery of not-knowing and that there is something far beyond our capacities at play in the world that supports expansion and transformation.
Stanford University Researchers led a study [1] published in the National Academy of Sciences that found people who walked in nature showed less activity in a region of the brain that is active during rumination than their counterparts who walked along a busy four-lane road. Another study [2] found that time in nature had a positive effect on mood and aspects of cognitive function, including working memory, as well as a decrease in anxiety. The Natural Capital Project [3] is at the forefront of this work that explores the connection between nature and human well-being. Not only are there mental and emotional benefits of walking in nature, but also physiological benefits through getting exercise, burning calories and assisting your parasympathetic nervous system response.
While this approach may not work for everyone, I am a believer in the positive and healing effects of being in our natural environment. I’ve been witness to the power I gain in my own abilities to be mindful and present amidst challenging times in my life. Feeling the support beneath my feet, resonating with the natural rhythms of my surroundings and grounding through my connection to the earth are all ways I move through my experiences with grief.
Dayshun Stevens, LCSW
Resources:
[1] https://www.pnas.org/content/112/28/8567.abstract
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169204615000286
[3] https://naturalcapitalproject.stanford.edu/