Get out in nature. Tend a garden or stroll on a nature trail or country road. Go to the park. Listen to the birds sing. Really listen. Look at the sky. Watch the squirrels play. Soak in the rays of the sun on your face and body (a few minutes a day is good for you, no burning!) Smell the flowers, the cut grass, or visit a nearby lake or river. Find local medicinal herbs. If you pick some, be sure to leave some and do so with gratitude. Being out in nature and observing what you see, hear, smell and feel is a wonderful way to practice presence and meditation, whether walking or sitting still. Even tending a small container garden on your balcony can help you feel connected with nature when you set that intention and get in the flow. Look up. Step outside on a starry night and look up. Look at the moon and the stars. Contemplate your place in the grand scheme of life or the vastness of the universe. Contemplate the reality that you are hurtling through space at thousands of miles an hour while feeling and seeing yourself standing still. Listen to the night sounds of the crickets and frogs. Feel the night – it feels different, mentally and physically, than the day. Notice how the darkness brings its own sense of calm.
- Literally. Take off your shoes and dig your toes into the sand. Stand barefoot on uncured cement or on the earth. Put your hand on a tree. Grounding is very healing. (We’ll talk more about grounding next month, but I didn’t want you to miss out in July!). A few minutes of grounding is good, a half hour or more is better.
Burdock: The nutritious taproot of young plants is eaten as a vegetable in Asia. Used in some countries as a cancer treatment. Its blood purifying properties have made it a popular remedy for gout, skin conditions, even snake bites. Leaves are used to speed healing from burns.
Echinacea: A garden favorite. Boosts the immune system, used to treat infections, may help protect from some effects of radiation.
Motherwort: A bitter mint renowned in Chinese medicine as a heart tonic. A wonderful tonic for women, it calms the nervous system and eases anxiety.
Wild Rose: The flowers are beautiful and the rose hips have several uses. The small round berries are rich in vitamin C. They show promise for their ability to reduce inflammation and pain. Rose hips are dried for snacks and can be used to make jelly, tea, and syrup.
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