A natural path to wellness
Enhance your natural program for wellness; embrace harmonious living with the natural world.
In a world characterised by fast-paced living, high stress environments and an increasing detachment from the natural world, there is a growing need to re-establish our connection with the environment and our own bodies. At the heart of our skincare brand lies our simple but profound philosophy: to work with our body’s natural program for wellness and embrace harmonious living with the natural world.
Our bodies are incredibly intelligent and have been finely tuned over millions of years to thrive within the rhythms and cycles of nature. Our ancestors lived in sync with the seasons, rising and resting with the sun, and eating locally-sourced seasonal foods. Today, in the age of modern technology and convenience we often find ourselves out of touch with these natural rhythms.
Disconnection with a natural way of living has consequences for our mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Kinesiology and wholistic practices work on the premise that we are holographic beings, which means that all aspects of our being are interdependent. An obvious illustration of this is how our body changes according to our mood or emotional state: rounded shoulders and head down when we are feeling low and without confidence for example, or square shouldered with open chest, head held high and sparkling eyes when we are brimming with confidence and feeling on top of the world.
So how can we as individuals strengthen our connection with the natural environment and still meet the demands of busy modern lives? You could begin by making small positive changes to daily habits that don’t require great effort or planning, taking advantage of the holographic nature of your being as mentioned above. This means that small changes within our daily lives and routines can have more than the obvious impact, working on subtle levels to improve our health, wellbeing and wholeness. Our bodies are programmed for wellness, and each small change we make can combine with others to create positive change “greater than the sum of its parts.”
Here are some simple changes you may consider implementing, to whatever degree you choose, or as life allows:
1.
Optimise your circadian rhythm:
When electricity began to light our evening homes Rudolf Steiner, most famed for founding Waldorf education and Biodynamic agriculture, warned it would have far reaching implications. He suggested people needed to be mindful in their use of what was then cutting-edge technology.
Lighting our homes after the sun has disappeared over the western horizon extends our day, sometimes long into the night, and has implications for health. It has also changed our psycho-spiritual relationship with the sun.
It’s usually not plausible nor desirable to go to bed with the sun, but by maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, and spending time outdoors during daylight hours, we can optimise our circadian rhythm, promoting better sleep and overall health.
2.
Spending time in nature:
Years ago I read the words of environmental philosopher David Abram stating that, having evolved within the influence and embrace of the natural world, we were now in danger of interacting with only ourselves and our own creations. Living as I do on a rural property this seemed far-fetched at the time, but it is becoming more and more a reality for many people.
Disconnection from nature can have profound consequences on our mental and emotional wellbeing. Spending time in nature - whether sitting under a tree, taking a bush walk or going for a stroll in the park - can reduce stress, increase creativity and enhance our overall sense of wellbeing. The Japanese recognise the therapeutic benefits of spending time outside with the advent of ‘Shinrin-Yoku’, or ‘forest bathing’, which was developed in the 1980s to combat the negative effects of overwork, and has been shown to reduce blood pressure, improve stress levels and provide cardio-pulmonary benefits.
Get outside in whatever way you can. Nature is everywhere, but often in built-up areas, with so much else to attract your attention, we don’t notice it. If you are unable to ‘bathe’ in a natural environment, practise becoming aware of and being with nature wherever you are.
3.
Put your phone away:
In recent times the effect of digital technology has arguably had the most profound impact on how we, as humans, interact with the world. Phones in particular capture our attention and take us away from being in the present moment. There’s a lot of information out there about the potential negative impacts of mobile device usage, but that is generally not enough to make the average person want to switch their phone off.
A stronger incentive to reducing time spent on electronic devices may be to observe how you feel before and after a period of use. In my experience I never feel better after scrolling on the phone than before I went on it. The opposite can be said for sitting under a tree for a while, or going for a walk in nature. Even short periods of being present without electronic distraction are worthwhile, and seeing how you feel afterwards may encourage more of it.
4.
Make good food choices:
Embracing the natural world also means being mindful of what we put into our bodies. Choosing whole, unprocessed foods and locally sourced seasonal produce helps keep us in harmony with the Earth’s natural cycles, and provides us with fresh, nutrient dense food.
Whilst eating a plant-based diet consisting of fresh, organic, and unprocessed foods is ideal, making small changes to your diet one choice at a time can be less overwhelming and more sustainable than feeling you have to make sweeping changes. Try adding berries to natural yoghurt instead of eating sweet ultra-processed yoghurt, or getting takeaway from your local café instead of the fast-food drive through for example.
5.
Use natural products:
Products containing ingredients sourced from nature, such as plant extracts, oils and herbs can provide nourishment and hydration to the skin without the potential harm associated with many synthetic compounds.
Natural products are more environmentally sustainable, aligning with a holistic approach to health that considers the planet’s wellbeing as well. Switching out products we use on our skin or in our homes for more natural, less toxic alternatives is quite easy to achieve. It has benefits for wellness, connects us energetically with plant sources, and contributes to a more sustainable and eco-friendly approach to personal care.
It may not be realistic to return to living in harmony with the natural world to the extent that was possible in the past, however we can make small, positive changes to our lifestyles that align us with our natural program for wellness. Start where you are, and each positive choice you make will prepare the ground for more positive change over time, accumulating to benefit your experience of wellbeing in and connection to the world.