Nature’s Rhythms and Healing

One of the great ironies in life is that in order to accelerate your healing, you have to slow down. —Misa Hopkins, The Root of All Healing

In our crazy, busy lives driving to the office, working in fast-paced environments, watching hours of television, and keeping up a rather intense pace until it’s time to go to bed, we are missing something vital to our health—connection with nature.

When we remove ourselves from nature’s rhythms, we put ourselves at risk for illness. These rhythms are called circadian rhythms. You can think of them as your internal body clock. They affect your need for sleep, release of hormones, body temperature and blood pressure. Here’s a more in-depth definition by Brandon Peters, MD http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/glossary/g/CircadianRhythm.htm

As a 24 hour cyclic response to light and dark, animals and plants are also affected by circadian rhythms. For example, these rhythms govern animals that sleep at night while others require sleep during the day, and plants that close up their leaves or flowers at night.

Being in sync with nature’s circadian rhythms is as significant to creating health as eating good food. When we are out of sync with the natural rhythms we experience what is known as Circadian Rhythm Disorder or CRD. Symptoms can include: stress, physical tension, emotional frustration, sleep disorders, problems with your appetite, hormonal disorders, and depression.

Here’s an excerpt from my book, The Root of All Healing: 7 Steps to Healing Anything, http://misahopkins.com/therootofallhealing/, that explains what happens physically when you are out of sync:

The effects of being out of balance with natural circadian cycles are explained in a white paper by Apollo Health Incorporated: “In reality circadian rhythms control the timing, quantity and quality of the hormones and neurotransmitters the body produces and eventually secretes. Hormones and neurotransmitters are the elements that determine how we feel, our sleep patterns, our appetite, our sex drive and other sleep and mood-related issues. When functioning properly, our circadian rhythms create circadian balance. When out of balance, quantity, quality and timing of hormone and neurotransmitter secretion suffer and our bodies suffer from a circadian rhythm disorder (CRD).”

One way to get back in sync is to spend time in nature. Doesn’t that sound amazingly simple? It is simple and it can make a difference. Many of us receive energy from one nature’s elements: earth, water, wind or fire. That means just getting out in nature recharges your battery.

Spend some time in nature and notice how your body slows down and you begin relaxing. Intense emotions start softening and depression lifts. Your mind gets clearer and creativity is stimulated. We begin moving toward a natural state in which we are living harmoniously again.

Consider this. Black Elk, a powerful Sioux medicine man, is known to have given a mattress to someone seeking his help in healing, telling them to spend several days resting and sleeping under a tree. Then, he would see them about their healing need.

Natural rhythms are slower than our contrived, hurried paces and electronic frequencies, and they are more conducive to natural healing methodologies. May I suggest that you get out for a while every day and enjoy nature. Step out of your office and out of the house with their uniform lighting. Experience the beauty of the cycles. Feel the change in temperatures as the day progresses. See the subtle changes in light as we progress through night and day.

Be a part of nature, rather than a distant and momentary observer of it. Then notice if you feel your battery getting charged. Notice if slowing down with nature speeds up your self-healing.