Natural Healing and Wellness Through Harmony With Nature

There are many things we can do to take
responsibility for our health and wellness. A
couple of things immediately come to mind - diet
and exercise. In paying closer attention to what
we eat and drink, and our exercise regimen, we
empower ourselves. In other words, we make
choices and perform actions that directly affect
our well-being.

Cultivate a sense of harmony with nature. This is
an excellent way to promote the natural balance of
the body, mind, and spirit. Take walks in natural
settings, if possible. Make this part of your exercise
regimen.

Walk in areas where your feet make contact with
the earth. In this way, you are more apt to receive
beneficial earth currents, and, besides, walking
on earth and sod is less shocking to the feet and
legs, than walking on concrete and paved areas.
When you walk on hard surfaces for long periods
of time, you place excessive stress on your feet.
Running on concrete sidewalk or pavement is
especially stressful, and increases shock and
wear on the hips, legs, feet, and joints.

As you walk along, focus on your steps and the
impressions of your feet as they make contact
with the earth, over and over again. Then,
continuing to walk, imagine yourself gaining a
deep harmony with Mother Earth. I say, "imagine,"
because, while some people are able to sense
and feel this earth connection, it is difficult for
others to do so. But, the power of imagination
can be of assistance in this regard.

In time, the imagination will tend to create a
sense of harmony in your mind. It is a harmony
that you would not experience, otherwise. Then,
as you continue your walks and your interaction
with nature and the natural landscape, you will
eventually experience a mental peace and
harmony without the aid of your imagination.

This indicates progress on a couple of levels.
First, that you have conditioned your objective
consciousness to respond to your walks in nature
and the natural environment, with a sense of
well-being and harmony. As well, it indicates that
on deeper, subjective levels, you have achieved
a connectedness and sense of harmony with
the earth, and with nature generally. Those are
positive things that will benefit your overall health.

When cultivating wellness in the above fashion,
it is important to enjoy yourself, and not to
proceed simply from a feeling of duty and
obligation. You should approach your activities
from a perspective of joy. Proceed from that
perspective and great benefits will result in your
life.

Good medicine always!
Laurie

Note: This article appeared in an issue of my
Natural Healing Talk newsletter. You can find
the subscription form to the left of this article.

Natural Healing and Wellness in the Natural World

Hi Everyone,

I've lived most of my life in the rural landscape
of Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia. Over the years,
I've gained a keen appreciation for the healing
and restorative potential of natural landscape
and nature.

I know that a beautiful natural setting, and a
quiet walk through forest and field, or along a
country road, has as much or more potential for
healing and wellness as does a prescription
medication.

Actually, that's mainly the reason I started my
Natural Healing Talk newsletter. I wanted to
communicate my feelings and insights about nature
and the natural world, as they relate to healing
and wellness.

Just last night, I took a walk with the moon
shining brightly overhead. I often take walks
on moonlit nights, and frequently talk about
them on this blog. I enjoy writing about those
outings, and my other nature experiences, and
love communicating with people from all over
the world.

I hope you'll visit my blog, often!

Good medicine always,
Laurie

The Conifer Trees In Native Medicine Traditions

This is the first of two articles on the medicinal and
wellness potential of conifer trees. In this first article,
I'll discuss some of the history of conifer trees in eastern
and northeastern North American Native medicine
traditions.

The conifers were widely used by medicine makers
in those traditional cultures. In fact, it's fair to say that
conifer trees were used as often as many of the
herbs and woody plants and bushes. So, it's not
surprising that the earliest reference to indigenous
medicines, in the journals of European visitors to
North America, refers to a conifer tree.

n 1536, Jacques Cartier and his crew were wintering
over at Stadacona (Now known as Quebec City). Their
ships were frozen in the thick ice of the St. Lawrence
river. His crew were dying of scurvy.

Nearby, an Iroquois Chief learned of the illness and
death amongst Cartier's crew. He sent branches of an
evergreen tree to Cartier, with instructions on how
to prepare it. The branches were from the "annedda"
tree (This is probably from the Iroquois word, "haneda,"
which I've read translates something like, "greens on a
stick".).

Within days the crew had recovered. Cartier wrote
in his journal (translated): "... had all the doctors of
Louvain and Montpellier been there, with all the drugs
of Alexandria, they could not have done so much in a
year as did this tree in eight days."

Two centuries would pass before the British medical
community discovered the cause and cure for scurvy.
And, to this day, the Annedda tree has not been
identified with any measure of certainty.

Other accounts of explorers and missionaries, make
mention of conifers, including Balsam Fir, Spruce, and
Pine. The Balsam Fir is legendary, and is the tree that
I personally feel is likely the fabled Annedda. Scholars
have suggested that it is White Pine, White Cedar, or
White Spruce. It has also been suggested that there is
etymological evidence to support Eastern Hemlock, in
this regard.

Whatever the case may be, the story of the Annedda
tree points out the long history of the Native medicine
maker tradition. It also illustrates the beauty and holistic
nature of that tradition -- the medicine maker's eyes
are not only pointed to the ground, to the herbs, but they
are in the trees, as well.

Good medicine always,
Laurie

Note: This article appeared in the 15 February 2009
edition of my Natural Healing Talk Newsletter.