There’s no need to hug a tree to embrace nature

It is funny how certain things can trigger a memory. Last week I read a weather report about the winter spell we are going through that described a place called Benson as having temperatures as low as -6c during several nights last week. Reading the article, I was immediately taken back to childhood holidays. 

We used to go camping and there was a site in Benson, Oxfordshire that was ideal for a family of young children. Set by the side of the River Thames, there was nothing else to do except play in the river, explore the woods, make dens and generally amuse ourselves ‘upstream and down dale’. We are a big family and how my parents managed I have no idea. I’m sure it was idyllic. Looking back now, it did seem to be an age of innocence and safety.

I dislike being on water or swimming, so I’m not sure why I can remember the joys of playing about with boats and being on the river. Although I have never been camping since those childhood days, and have no intention of starting now, I have retained my love of being outside. I’m fortunate to have a large garden, where J keeps her goats, I keep my hens and we grow flowers, plant trees and generally spend as much time as possible outside enjoying it whenever we can. I walk every day, and often clock up 30-50 miles in a week. To date, I have walked 2340 miles this year. We live close by the sea, and are lucky to have a beach that is generally free from crowds, with just a few regular dog walkers to be seen. And we live within 30 minutes or so of the Lake District, and with minimum travel can be deep into the Lancashire countryside, both of which we regularly take advantage of.

There has been much research demonstrating the power of engaging with nature, and last week I learnt of an emerging school of thought, something called environmental neuroscience. This field seeks to explore the ‘how and why’ our brains can be so profoundly affected by being in nature. I know that being in the countryside allows me to de-stress, walking on our beach allows me to clear my mind and think and pottering in my garden fuels my sense of wellbeing. Neuroscience seeks to better understand why cognitive functioning also seems to improve when we are exposed to such environments. It’s fascinating stuff and I have started to read around the subject. First stop is a new word and a whole new way of thinking about self and our relationship to the world we live in.

The new word is ‘biophilia’ – a word coined first by the psychologist Eric Fromm and somewhat independently, but around the same time, by the biologist Edward Wilson. In simple terms the word is a combination of two words from ancient Greek:  Bio (life) and philia (love) – so literally meaning the love of life. Life here meaning both all living creatures, and also, the world they inhabit (Nature). The biophilia concept posits that we function better in natural environments, because our brains and bodies have evolved in and with nature.

It was the hunter gatherers, who were attuned to the world in which they lived, that tended to survive and thrive. Drawing upon ‘flight or fight’ strategies, they were the folk best able to deal with danger and stress. These days, most of the stress we encounter does not require a physical response, although I do have days where I feel I’m banging my head against a brick wall. Despite this, the stress we are exposed to can result in our bodies and minds experiencing the same flight or fight response as our forebears. Physiologically, this might mean we can experience changes such as raised blood pressure, an increased heart rate and feelings of anxiety. What the emergent field of neuroscience and the notion of biophilia suggest is that exposure to nature might activate the parasympathetic nervous system, countering these unwanted physical responses, replacing them with feelings of calmness and  sense of wellbeing.

I haven’t yet finished my reading around the subject. But already I have some reservations. The attractiveness of neuroscience is that it can perhaps explain why we feel different and can perform more effectively, after being immersed or exposed in nature. However, I’m a simple soul and as such I don’t always need to follow the science to seek explanations. When I’m out walking, wherever I am, I notice things. I pay attention to where I am, what I can see, hear, smell and even touch. I do so with the kind of attentiveness that is associated with the practice of mindfulness. I have found that the avoidance of stressful feeling and/or to deal with stressful events, mindfulness works really well for me. So, when I take my walks and in so doing, embrace nature, I feel connected, I feel alive and I feel grateful for all that I have in my life. It makes me feel vital, it helps me to think and remain curious. It adds to my resilience store. And above all else, it enables me to regain a sense of calm. And for me that is enough.

Sadly, last year, the wonderful People and Nature Survey for England, found that many people spend little time in nature. Over 25% of the population hadn’t visited a green or natural place once in the previous 14 days. Thinking back to those family holidays in Benson by the River Thames all those years ago, I’m grateful now that we didn’t have a TV, or a mobile phone, and that we were able to embrace and engage with nature and enjoy the wonderful natural things around us. It was a great ‘upstream’ foundation for my mental health, and perhaps, such an approach could also help ensure others enjoy better mental health and wellbeing too.