The Great Mother’s Antidote for Stress, Anxiety and Depression: Claiming your Vibrant Health
For May, 2017, the month of Mothers Day, I wrote this article for The Edge magazine. It is just as pertinent today as it was then, if not more so. As we progress into the depths of the mental health system in these coming posts I wanted to share a few thoughts about the role of nature and our mental/emotional health. There is alot more to this discussion than what was done for this small article in the magazine. The healing power of the natural world is profound. How can we get a nature break by breaking away from the technology and the more unnatural aspects of the world that engulf us?
All we have ever really needed for our vibrant health has been amply provided for us in the natural world around us, but in our modern world the rapid rise of shopping malls on every patch of this precious Earth reminds us of the 1970 song by Joni Mitchell: “… They paved paradise and put up a parking lot, With a pink hotel, a boutique, And a swinging hot spot … Hey, farmer farmer, put away that DDT now. Give me spots on my apples, but leave me the birds and the bees, Please! Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone. They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”
Everywhere you turn in nature, there is a medicine — a balm for heart, mind, body and spirit — that includes all the wonderful plant/herbal medicines/tinctures and the Earth’s ability to grow nutritious foods in abundant variety and bring forth the waters of life.
When we are in harmony with the natural world and are mindful of our oneness and interconnectedness, our lives will flow gracefully and we will have internal peace. As we are pulled, prodded and pushed out of the natural world and into the man-made creation of asphalt, artificial lighting, cell phones, texting replacing real face-to-face conversation, Facebook/Twitter (X)/Internet surfing and other modern distractions that embody a disconnection to the real world around us, we find ourselves swirling in a manufactured world created in the mind that feeds our false self/ego and leaves our Soul/Spirit/Heart/Authentic Self wanting.
This scenario is the foundation of the depression, possible thoughts of suicide, panic attacks, anxiety and stress we feel when our Authentic Self/Heart/Soul/Spirit begins to emerge and an internal struggle is initiated as it pushes against man-made constructs of what is termed “consensus” reality or what we have come to believe is the real world based on the artificial constructs all around us. This angst and upheaval is no longer solely found in the proverbial “mid-life” wake-up call, but now extends ever more deeply into all age groups.
Emanating from the Divine Creatrix, the Great Mother, this wake-up call energy aimed at our slumbering souls/hearts seeks to remind us of our true purpose.
Our connection to nature lies in our ability and desire to move from head to heart, which leads us outside the confines of the modern world, and back into nature and our heart/authentic selves, our true home. I am a gardener, and the love of living, growing things lies deeply in my being. I was gifted with nature from birth and spent much time traversing the landscape of this country — camping, hiking, and discovering the ways of the wild — but not everyone has been gifted with such magic. This must change so humanity and the planet may be restored to vibrant health and harmony.
From the heart, one can learn to hear the voice and converse with the nature beings — trees, flowers, mountains, waters, rocks and others. It is from their wisdom and voice that a name was given to me that embodied the deeper wisdom of nature and essence of vibrant health: Gardeners of the Heart. A gardener of the heart has a deeper connection to the nature and the nurturing aspects of love as a way of being. We walk in the world of nature, nurture and spirit, growing soul seeds that the heart may open, bloom and embrace its full potential, and deepest beauty. Being present in light and darkness, which is also the way of the garden, brings us the gift of balance and harmony — and it brings us ever more closer to a perpetual state of grace.
If you do not have a garden, make time to step outside under the night sky and breathe in the essence of stardust, and remember who you are. Put your hand on a tree and breathe deeply of their life-giving breath as they breathe in and out with us, as do all plants. This is a powerful practice and is especially helpful if you have lung problems.
Flowers bring their scent, beauty, playfulness and whimsy to us, among other things. So much knowledge and wisdom is held in nature to help us create a vibrant and healthy life. Step out beyond what you think you know and listen with your heart.
An Exercise
Try this exercise to connect with the different energies of nature:
Breathe deeply — Inhale through the nose and out through the mouth… smell the fragrance of roses blooming in the garden…the sweet, tantalizing muskiness…
Breathe again — Inhale and smell the air after the fallen rain… moist, fresh, renewing…
And one more breath…deeply — Hear the songs of the birds, the wind whispering in the trees, the stream flowing amongst the rocks and lapping gently upon the bank, and the melody of the ocean waves as they ebb and flow upon the shore…
Move your attention to the level of your heart. Place your hands gently over your heart area, one on top of the other. Now “see” from your heart. See the energy of your heart, the essence of love for yourself, and for All That Is. Reach out with your heart and feel the rose. You may wish to extend gratitude.
You can do this meditation with anything or anybody. You may also use this meditation for forgiveness of self and others.
The Great Mother and Sacred beings of nature welcome you and celebrate with love as they rejoice in your return home!