Nature in general is a self-balanced system. Nothing grows out of its limits. Nature is relaxed, but attentive. Look at a frog: he sits there, totally relaxed, but attentive. A sudden movement and he escapes. A fly coming close and he is going to catch it. Nature does not know fear of death, nature is a cycle of life and death. There is an immense energy in nature that makes every little creature from a bacterium to an elephant strive for life. Being in nature has a huge impact on humans, because on a deeper level we sense those qualities and we want to connect to that energy. Our natural state is a state of being relaxed, creative, attentive and having a drive for action. Animals don’t wake up in the morning and feel like sleeping a little longer, they feel rested and ready for whatever comes. Spending a lot of time in nature will ultimately bring us back to the knowledge and feeling of being a part of nature and will bring us closer to nature’s qualities.
Frequent exposure to the elements is a vital part of living a healthy life. Being outside, seeing the sun, feeling the earth and the water, breathing fresh air and experience the wind will feed us, heal us and make us stronger.
There are many medical benefits of sunlight exposure. Insufficient exposure of solar radiation to the human skin can lead to functional disorders of the nervous system, vitamin D deficiency, a weakening in the body’s defenses, and an aggravation of chronic diseases. Especially during winter, one might develop a mental depression and physical lethargy due to lack of direct exposure to sunlight. It is also worth noting that there is a difference between sunlight and artificial light that is commonly found indoors. Sunlight is full-spectrum light, meaning it includes ultraviolet and infrared bands which have positive effects on the endocrine system by stimulating the optic nerve of the eye. The quality of light entering the eyes is just as essential to health as the quality of food entering the stomach and the quality of air entering the lungs.
Connecting to the Earth’s natural energy by walking barefoot on grass, sand, dirt or rock can diminish chronic pain, fatigue and other ailments that plague a big portion of today’s society. When our bare feet or skin comes in contact with the earth, free electrons are taken up into the body. These electrons function like natural antioxidants and help neutralize damaging excess free radicals that can lead to inflammation and disease in the body. This neutralization process allows the body to repair and thereby promoting well-being, vitality and harmonizes and stabilizes the body’s basic biological rhythms such as sleep. It is as simple as going barefoot outside, sitting, standing, laying or walking on grass, sand, dirt, or plain concrete. These are all conductive surfaces from which our body can draw the Earth’s energy. Taking a swim in the ocean or lakes is another way of experiencing these benefits.