Connection as medicine

Have you ever gone for a walk in the bush, or a stroll along the beach, and just felt so uplifted afterwards?  Calm and connected to the world around us?  I sure know I have.  In fact, it's happened to so many people so many times that studies have been done to figure out why this is.  A study by Cornell University has found that you only need ten minutes in a natural setting to feel happier and lessen the effects of physical and mental stress.  However, for some of us, a forested area or beach are quite far and not practical to get to, as urban life is more prevalent than ever.  But even something so simple as observing a flower in bloom can bring peace and happiness.  One of my personal favourites are calendula flowers.  With their bright oranges and yellows, they always seem to me as if rays of pure sunshine are sprouting out of the ground.

In Rongoā Whenua, we are taught that everything is about connection.  Connecting to your whakapapa - roots, whānau, your community, Papatūānuku - Mother Earth.  Connections enable us to thrive.  And isn't it beautiful when we connect? 

So I have a few little tips if you are one of our urban friends who would still like a connection with nature, but it seems like something reserved for a weekend trip.  Get to know a tree.  Might sound a bit nuts, but hear me out.  Perhaps there's a tree where you live, or you pass a lovely one on the way to work or or somewhere you go on a regular basis.  If you don't know what type of tree it is, find out.  Learn it's name - local and botanical, where does it ideally like to grow?  What type of conditions?  Does it love to be somewhere sunny and dry, yet it's in the shade of city buildings?  Observe how the leaves grow from the branches.  Are they attached in a special pattern?  And what about the leaves themselves?  Do they have smooth edges and smooth surfaces, or little hairs, is the underside different from the top side?  Are there any flowers or little seed pods coming out?  It may sound like a strange thing to do, but I am confident you will feel great after having made a new friend and connection in the tree you can now name.

The past couple of years have been extremely difficult for maintaining connections amidst all of the restrictions and lockdowns bought upon us, and so it is one of the most important times to make extra effort to build connections.  When we are connected our souls sing.  Some great ways to make connections are to join local community groups, have a conversation with someone the next time you are in a shop, give a compliment to a stranger on the street.  You'll be surprised at how good it makes you feel just to connect with people on a day-to-day basis.