A Natural You

For as long as I can remember, I have been surrounding myself with nature. Since I was a child, I have been drawn to outside picnics, lazing in the park and cloud watching. Sleeping under the stars at our family’s lakeside cabin, I most enjoy waking at dawn just as the stars are disappearing and the birds begin to sing. Turning in my bed, I watch the colors change from deep blues to soft purples behind the mountains across the glassy lake. Another day breaks. I smell the fresh, cool air and feel the breeze on my face while the temperature shifts as the sun begins to rise.

I believe we all have a connection to Mother Nature. Native people intuitively know this and have lived harmoniously with what they called Spirit. Nature grounds and feeds us in a way technology cannot. It’s easy to get off course in the artificial chaos of concrete, traffic, artificial temperatures and lighting and begin to lose connection with our true selves. We can get caught in the frenzy of comparing and keeping up, and stop listening to the natural rhythm and evolution that nature provides. We forget we are just a small part of a collective consciousness or energy field. The truth is, we are all connected to each other and to Mother Earth.

Ecopsychology studies how our psychological health is connected to our relationship to the natural environment. Studies show that detaching ourselves from the natural environment is wounding our mental health. Science reveals that prolonged separation from nature can produce feelings of depression, anxiety and alienation. If we do not nurture this connection, we are in trouble.

Feng Shui for the Soul means connecting with the elements of earth, fire, water and wind.

You can do this outside by:

• Feeling the sun’s warmth on your skin
• Swimming in the sea, a mountain lake or river
• Going barefoot on the grass
• Feeling the wind in your hair
• Sitting in a garden
• Walking on a trail or along the beach
• Going camping or on picnics

You can do this inside by bringing the earth’s elements into your home.

• Ground yourself with the earth’s elements by bringing in stones, crystals, and terra cotta tiles or pots.
• Let in natural sunlight, it is an essential source for all of us. In the winter skylights or windows, especially high ones, connect you with the sun’s natural rhythm.
• Bring in the water element with fountains, seashells and sand.
• Open your windows to allow air to circulate through, moving and freshening the energy of your home.
• Enjoy potted plants and cut flowers.
• Display photos, art or any objects representing nature.
• Use earth tones such as browns, yellows and golds, reds and oranges, blues and greens.
• Listen to recordings of water, birds or other natural sounds.

Placing these elements in their respective places on the Bagua will maximize their power even more. I will discuss this in a later article.

Of course, your desire and imagination have amazing impact as well. Close your eyes and take a meditative moment by imagining the natural elements surrounding you. Feel them, see them, smell them and hear them. This will connect you to Mother Earth in a very powerful way.