5 Ways To De-stress And Be Relaxed In Nature
We all must be grateful to the Divine for this beautiful world that we have been blessed with. We just have to look around and we will be spellbound. The mountains and the seas, the flowers and the trees, and all living beings from dogs and penguins to butterflies and the bees — everything is beautiful. Not only is everything beautiful but it is a known fact that nature heals, it is therapeutic.
If we spend time outside, near the sea or on mountains, it helps us de-stress and relax. The clean air, the beauty, the silence in nature takes us away from the stress of this material world where we are always rushing, chasing wealth and fame. Many spiritual saints and sages prefer to go on retreats in the midst of nature to meditate, rather than be in the concrete jungle that most of us live in. In the midst of nature, there are no crowds and fewer distractions. We are able to reflect and contemplate. Nature helps us to still the mind.
While a common man can revel in the beauty of nature, enjoy everything, believing that all this is a creation of the Divine, an enlightened being realises that it is not really a creation of God but a manifestation of the Supreme Immortal Power we call God. Everything, whether animate or inanimate is SIP, the Supreme Immortal Power. The Divine power exists in every molecule of matter. This is the ultimate truth we must realise. If we are enlightened with the truth, we will be ever-peaceful. We will experience eternal bliss, uninterrupted peace and joy, and a sense of oneness with the world.
There are many ways we can de-stress in nature. It begins with the simplest - being with nature, in the midst of nature, observing nature, to introspecting, contemplating, and finally to realising the truth:
Watch, observe, contemplate: Watch the sunset and sunrise. Watch the leaves blowing in the wind. Look at the flowers, inhale their fragrance — these are simple things to do. The world around is spectacular. But we have to go beyond this and contemplate nature, the universal laws that operate that are also integral to our life, like the Law of Karma — what we sow, we reap. Have you ever seen a pineapple growing on an apple tree? Of course not. There is order in nature. Seasons change, day and night happen in accordance with universal laws like the Law of Seasons, the Law of Gravity. How can all this be without a Creator, a Power? Being with nature helps us connect with the Divine. The realisation that there is a Power above us, that we do not live in a chaotic world, itself gives us peace. It also helps us understand life.
Go for walks or be involved in activities that call upon us to be with nature: Walking is a good exercise but there is difference in walking on a treadmill and walking in a forest. The latter is rejuvenating and gives one time for introspection and reflection.We experience the Divine in each speak of dust. It takes us away from the material world where we are always in a hurry or worried about something.
Meditate outside: Meditation is about making the mind still. While it is not necessary to meditate under a tree as sometimes advocated, meditation outside will help still the mind. A quiet environment helps one meditate. When the mind becomes still, when we are thoughtless, we are in the state of consciousness. It is in the state of consciousness that we experience peace. We become an observer and our intellect shines in this state.
Be in yoga: Of course asanas and pranayama conducted in the midst of nature add to a sense of physical and mental well-being, but that is not what yoga is. Yoga comes from the word, Yuj, which means to be in union with God. It means to be connected with God. While we can certainly experience God in the wind that blows, the sun that glows, the river that flows, we must go beyond experiencing God to realising God. It is only when we realize the truth about who we are, who God is that we will be truly peaceful.
Be enlightened with the truth: in the state of consciousness, we can realise the truth. We realise who we are, what nature is. We are all a part of God, we are manifestations of the Divine. Everything is God, God exists in every molecule of matter. When we live in consciousness of the truth, we experience a state of Satchitananda — a state of Divine bliss and peace .
While gazing at the vastness of the sea or at the innumerable stars in the night sky, we understand that our mind and ego make us think that we are a king. While in reality, we are just a grain of sand on the vast beach of creation. We understand that we are nothing but the manifestation of the Divine. We are actually nothing , only God is. Nothing is beautiful or ugly. It is the Divine who manifests as all. Once we realise, we don't analyse. We experience oneness with nature as there is nothing where God is not. And when we realize we are nothing, we become everything.
