The Bigger Picture View Brings Healing & Mental Wellness

One of the things I’m interested in is the way hierarchies and systems of supremacies cut individuals off from the wider human body, so they’re not able to emphathize, or feel the pain of another. I once heard Jeannette Armstrong describe our Okanagan definitions of insanity, and one of them is ‘cut off from your whole earth part.’

- excerpt from, Turn This World Inside Out by, Nor Samara

Confession: one of my self soothing and decompression activities is to watch nature documentaries. Planet Earth, Blue Planet, Nature, you name it…I can get lost in it when my physical and mental being need a break from this daily life. Growing up as a latch-key kid in San Jose, the TV was where I turned to for my nature fix because it brought me the mystery and curiosity of the natural world. And it’s what that kept me close to a place that wasn’t “here”.

And after what seems like a lifetime of cultivating this love I have for nature, I recently found about this term that Astronauts know of as, “The Overview Effect”(watch the 15 min video with astronauts). When they’re there out in space, the view of Earth somehow changes the way you see your place on the planet. So when I learned about it, I felt like I finally had a word for that feeling I have when I get lost in the drama of nature and start to feel just a bit smaller as a human being. It brings back a sense of humility, of being connected to something bigger than myself, and essentially my multidimensionality. I realized this is what continues to nurture me and my mental health as my external environment seems to be imploding in on itself. 

Now, if you’ve been to any of my talks, workshops, or trainings you know that this is the central message I give to manage the deep work many of us are doing in social justice and community organizing: our wholeness IS our wellness. And even if you’re not in social impact work, the lines between corporate and community-based are quickly fading. 

So, if you’re curious about understanding the power of this nature-based approach to your work and everyday navigation through life, I offer my unique, nature-based way to engage with this material and begin your journey towards more self-awareness and intentional impact potential to your work.

You can start easily by reading more about my Radical Nature Framework and how this shapes the work of engaging with nature’s systems to heal our relationships with each other. Sharing this framework has been a profound exercise helping folks understand DEI, cultivate a social justice lens, explore spiritual guidance, and bring conscious land-based work forward. All this, guided by looking towards the natural world. Check out Our Approach and reflect on what comes up for you when you read about this framework. 

Find that moment to tap into that Overview Effect by taking a walk in nature, visiting a local botanical garden, or zoning out on the next episode of a nature documentary! And share with me:

What views and experiences in nature bring you back to 
a sense of wholeness and interconnectedness? 

Intentional Meditation: 3 Ways to Amplify Your Healing Journey

Amplifying Your Healing Journey

If we can not touch our thoughts, then how do we connect with them so that they benefit us on this healing journey?

Intentional meditation is an opportunity to connect in silence so that your mind, body and spirit catch up to one another. Having a clear idea about what you're actually needing during meditation allows space for you to focus on an aspect of your life more deeply, bringing priority to your healing journey. The more clear and direct you can craft your question or intention, the more clear and direct the messages will come through in your meditation. Think of intentional meditation like a software update on your phone- disconnect to give it time to reboot and download the latest version of yourself!

Before diving into these three ways to practice intentional meditation, don’t forget to grab your Meditation in Progress tank top to reinforce your sacred time.

1. Have a Conversation with Nature

Being intentional about connecting in nature puts you in a profound practice that is both ancient and natural. When we pause to think about a specific reason or need we want to fulfill, we make our experience in nature that much more meaningful and useful in the exploration of our well-being.

Each area of land holds its history while bringing power to support and replenish our needs. The trees, the water, the air and the fires are all languages of nature that say more than want meets the eye. Check out our 3 Ways Nature Helps You Process Emotions to learn more about how to strengthen your relationship with it and the various elements.

2. Work in Different Dimensions

When we sit in that intentional silence and surrender to our thoughts, it allows us to live in the present moment within the intangible dimensions above the Global Dimension.

Acknowledging that we are more than our human experience allows you to reach different dimensions of resources and a deeper sense of belonging to something. Seeing ourselves as whole people means that we belong to – and can identify with – all these different dimensions that go beyond our physical existence. Which dimension do you feel most connected and “belonged” to and why?

3. Communicate With Your Ancestors

Opening the door to connect to your ancestors supports your understanding of the root causes of patterns you may be experiencing in your life. After all, our ancestors are always watching over us, making sure we’re on the right path. The path that we were on sometimes shows up in the patterns of our behaviors and types of relationships we have with others, for better or for worse. We are multidimensional beings… Our ancestors live within these non-physical dimensions and so does our history, which started long before we were born and reaches further than just who we are today in this current, human form. Since our ancestors live in these liminal, intangible spaces between the seen and unseen, we can experience them as energy, like when we have big emotions as we walk the land during healing hikes. Sometimes they appear to us in the form of spirit guides that reveal themselves through animals and plants, or what’s called animism.

Intentional connection to your ancestors prior to meditation can look like… calling them to help guide you as you connect in silence. Your ancestors were also human at some point so do not forget your offerings of ancestral foods or things that were was once their favorites. This amplifies that energy of welcoming them into your space. You can also create an altar which is like installing the ancestral “phone line”; this can be an area where they traverse the unseen dimension and come into our world, ready to interact with you in whatever way feels right. When working with your ancestors be clear on what you are seeking while showing them your gratitude for support through food offerings as that display of reciprocity.

“Healing is an art. It takes time, it takes practice. It takes love.”

— Maza Dohta

As you meditate with a more clear intention, take note of which images, thoughts, and feelings come up. Metaphorically, how do the elements of air, fire, water, Earth show up during an intentional meditation? In the coming days after meditation, your dreams may become rather vivid, so make sure to journal for the first few minutes after bed.

As always, we are here to support your journey. Sign up to get the latest on upcoming programs and events to tap into the power of nature as a tool for healing.

Your Nature-Based Coach,
Raynelle

3 Ways Nature Helps You Process Emotions

The word trauma carries a lot of energy on its own, creating barriers to your healing. So in order to work with our trauma more effectively, let us think of how it moves as emotions that need to be processed. One of the most common questions I get from people that are first diving into using nature for their emotional and mental healing is, what do I need to get started? I call this getting to your “trailhead”.

For those who may not know me yet, welcome! I am Raynelle– an experienced nature based coach + consultant from the San Francisco Bay Area who leads healing hikes. I have had the pleasure of supporting clients, businesses and most importantly myself through nature-based coaching! I am so excited to share with you the top 3 ways I use nature to support my emotional processing while your out in the elements on an actual hike or a virtual one.

Connecting in Silence

With all the noise during our day to day, our mind, body and spirit crave silence to be able to heal and feel clearly. I start my time in nature with a deep breath and asking for permission as I set my intention for this time. I try to keep my intentions simple such as– I need to re-ground after a busy and stressful week. 

Remembering Who the F*** I Am

Everything is energy. Energy is not created or destroyed, instead it flows and is transmuted to something else. While in nature, I make a conscious effort to focus on prioritizing the movement of my energy through my body, in and out as needed. Just because it is energy, does not mean that it is serving you from a higher source so pay attention to how you feel and if any plants or animals stand out for you during the journey. 

I believe that the language of healing is accessible metaphorically in the four elements. As you are looking for where to spend time in nature, consider which element may be playing a bigger role in your present moment.

Earth: your physical body, your needs, your space

Fire: your energy, passion, action and movement

Air: your chi or life-force, your beliefs, your breath, your mindset

Water: your creativity, your emotions (especially grief), what brings you meaning

“People can only meet you, as deeply as they've met themselves.” -Matt K.

Releasing

Receiving the support of nature is one of the most important gifts we have in this realm. As you wrap up your intentional time, remember to make an effort to release what no longer serves you. This can look like washing your hands in a nearby water source while setting an intention of releasing a specific emotion that is weighing you down as you heal. For me, it can sometimes look like having to let out a good yell in the middle of the Redwoods as I am processing my feelings of overwhelm. Don’t forget to give thanks to the land, your ancestors and guides as you close your time.

There are so many ways to use nature based coaching for your mental and emotional healing. For those near to me in the San Francisco Bay Area or interested in our virtual options sign up for my newsletter to get the VIP invitation to the next in-person or virtual journey. So proud of you and wishing you all the best.