How did I get to love the outdoors?
I have always loved being outdoors amongst nature. When my brothers and I were young our holidays were spent camping with our parents. On rainy days (of which there were many) the rain coats were on and we were dragged up into the hills, walking for hours. Fortunately they were very social events, as we were mostly with other families, so although it may have been cold or wet, it didn’t bother us. I played with friends along the way, and listened to stories. Think I remember singing too! I probably didn’t appreciate the beautiful green colours of the scenery around me at the time.
As well as the countryside, we spent many holidays on the North Wales coast. We camped a mile or two from the beach. Days out at the beach, whatever the weather, involved firstly walking to get there. We would carry whatever we were going to need for the day, over hills and down cliff-faces. Occasionally we would get a sunny day, and it was the best feeling in the world to feel warm! All through the day, there would be changing skies, different colours in the waves, cliffs and rocks, and the greenery of the beachgrass, ferns and rolling hillsides. I didn’t know then that all this time spent outdoors would shape my love of nature later in life.
Outdoors today
There is a lot more information these days about how beneficial it is to spend time outdoors to enhance our well-being. Because our time at work and school has evolved to be generally more static, people tend to spend less time outside than we did years ago. This means we can miss out on exercise, fresh air and visual stimulation from nature. A good walk outside is said to help lower blood pressure, ease stress and support mental health.
How does Green make us feel?
The green in nature restores us back to a sense of well-being, and it energises us. It symbolises safety, balance and renewal. Green is the colour of the fourth chakra, the heart chakra, which represents love, forgiveness and passion. It can evoke powerful emotions*. Quite often during a reflexology treatment, while they are relaxing, clients will experience the colour green. This is a positive reaction, a time of complete relaxation, renewal and re-balancing for the client.
I always feel energised, relaxed and refreshed when I take a walk in nature. It makes me feel happy to be alive! Perhaps it takes me back to my childhood days and the subconscious secure happiness I felt during all the long walks in Wales. My favourite time has to be Spring, when the many different colours of green are abundant. The golds and russets of Autumn come a close second!
Nature has nurtured
I think the lockdown of 2020 has given many of us time to appreciate our natural surroundings in a more spiritual way. The flowers and birds have been stunning. But as far as the colour green is concerned – I don’t think I’ve ever seen such contrasting and vivid greens everywhere. I felt that nature was presenting itself to us in a more beautiful way in order to support us and nurture our souls.
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