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Green Therapy

 


Stepping out my front door, I am greeted with the sweet fragrance of lilacs, welcoming me to the morning of a brand new day.  All the rain of this year has caused my bush to burst with several bundles of the lavender blossoms.  I breathe it all in, as Gypsy Rose and I begin our daily walk.  Walking eastward, I am almost blinded by the rising sun, but the warmth of it seems to give me a comfortable hug, how good it is to feel heat again! The only conversation on our walk that morning is the rhythmic panting of Gypsy, the chirping chattering of birds waking up and the thoughts in my head. . .

Walking is one of my spiritual disciplines I practice.  God has marvelously equipped us with ability to walk upright, the unique feature out of all of his creatures.  Time and time again, His word reminds us to walk, in fact the Bible mentions walking over 300+ times.  We are to “walk in His law, walk humbly, walk in His way, walk by the Spirit, walk in the light,” etc., just to recall a few passages.  To walk involves our whole selves, our whole being in putting that first foot forward.  And we have known that walking helps us burn calories, strengthens our heart, lowers blood sugar and blood pressure, eases joint pain and stiffness, and improves our immunity, to name just a few benefits. 


 

But when we take that walk outside, especially into God’s gardens and landscapes, we get even greater benefits.  One recent study published in Nature in January 2023, found that being outside “restores our mental capacities and enhances cognitive performance.” Our attention and focus is improved as well as our sleep quality, and being in green spaces can improve our motivation.  When we are taking in God’s creation our stress and cortisol levels are reduced, and our mood is uplifted.

“Green therapy” involves all of our senses, and walking can be the vehicle to engage the use of them.  The nice thing about walking, is you can do it at your own pace, for however long or short time you want.  Research has shown benefit for getting in 6000-8000 steps, even if you are unable to get up to 10,000 steps per day.  I invite you today to take a hike or a walk, perhaps with a friend, as the best part of being in nature is sharing conversation with one another. . .  


 

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