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| Tidnish Shore - Nova Scotia - Photo, Catherine Meyers 2016 |
This past weekend I spent time with a dear life long friend, my soul sister, at her cottage by the Nova Scotia ocean. We communed with nature and with one another the whole weekend. It was one of the very best things we could do for our creative feminine souls. However conscious or perhaps even unconsciously, all of our senses were engaged, leaving us feeling mentally restored, in the same way food and water restores the body.
The weather was spectacular and on Saturday we traveled to a very rural part of Nova Scotia to tour a beautiful vineyard. I think it was beyond our expectations and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in every way. Beautiful vistas, grand food and drink, music, good company, and who could ask for more?
Most of us find ourselves increasingly connected and attached to the screens of our tech devices and are disconnected and almost detached completely from our bodies, without engaging most of our senses. We are living in our heads and dragging our bodies around much of the time. This is no way to live healthfully.
Being in a beautiful, natural environment where all of our senses are engaged, directly affects what's happening in our brain and in turn, this affects all aspects of how and what we learn, increasing our cognitive function. For me this is a big part of the spirituality of creativity. It's how I get in touch with who I am as a creative woman and my connection with the earth.
Communing with nature enables us to become more insightful, our problem solving abilities and creative reasoning is improved. Energy increases, depression decreases, our analytical ability and ideas are replenished. Our ability to focus improves through a reflective introspection, that happens naturally when we are outside surrounded by nature's beauty.
It stands to reason that the further away human beings are from nature that their health worsens.
I have developed a habit of sitting outside first thing in the early morning to write, read and enjoy my morning coffee. It's a great way to give my brain a boost first thing, and to get focused for the rest of my day.
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| Malagash - Jost Vineyard - Photo, Catherine Meyers 2016 |
6 comments:
I think if people could realize what you wrote (particularly in your fourth and fifth paragraphs), not only would they get out in nature more, they would try to save it rather than develop it! Great post Catherine!
Oh thanks Bev for your encouraging comment!
While were were at the vineyard we met this beautiful young soul who was so in tune with all of these basic principles that she just left me feeling with such a hopeful outlook. I wish there were more people with her enlightened perspective!
I love the idea in your post, that we need to connect with nature in order to live healthfully. Your photo of the sea is so beautiful-- I wish I could go there. With your permission, I'd like to use it in my watercolor painting class at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
Thank you so much for your encouraging comment Judith.
Reading, now re-reading and studying Jungian Maureen Murdoch's book, The Heroine's Journey has help me immeasurably to understand how important it is for women to reclaim and re-connect with their bodies and the ancient wisdom of Divine Feminine, and the feminine creator.
I love the Navaho mythology, Changing Woman who is the the creatrix. She is the earth and sky, Lady of the Plants and of the Sea.
Certainly Judith you can use my photo for your water colour class! Any time I can share the natural beauty of Nova Scotia makes me very happy!
Thank you my good friend!
Dear Catherine,
Today I presented your photo of the Tidnish shore on a big digital screen in my watercolor painting class at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I read your blog entry that accompanied it, as well as your follow-up comments. I told the class a little bit about you. We all loved the photo and they did wonderful paintings of it. I emailed them to you separately. I will give them the link to your blog, too.
Enjoy!
Judith
Oh thank you so much Judith! I could see by the photographs of your students how engaged they were. Excellent way to get students connected to their subject matter and the natural beauty of the earth!
I posted the photograph of your painting on Kay's FB page. I'm not sure if she has seen it yet, but other family members and friends have an they are impressed and happy I am sure!
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