I didn’t understand the feeling I had standing in that store looking at the rocks, crystals and angel cards and the only way I can explain it is like a bunch of my gears that had been grinding and out of sync inside me were slowly coming into alignment (....imagine a click, click, click sound) and a key hole was opening into my soul.
There was a warm feeling radiating from my core and I felt whole, finally. After much research and trusting my intuition, I purchased a deck of angel cards for my children, a deck of nature cards for me and a fistful of crystals that called to me, one for every chakra that I had been learning about from an astute medical doctor & psychiatrist, Brenda Davies M.D.
It wasn’t until years later when I heard Deepak Chopra speak that I started to understand my affinity to the messages in these cards.
He describes our human connection to a collective, all-encompassing, force that surrounds and includes us; A shared life-force present in all of nature.
When we allow ourselves to see, hear and experience the synergies and miracles in the world around us, we feel connected to something bigger than ourselves and this feeling; this EXPERIENCE, opens a door to trust ourselves, others and life itself. And we all feel better when we allow ourselves to be held, supported and comforted by this level of faith.
And if you're not into the crystals and angel cards associated with the rise of spiritualism, there are other ways to have similar experiences...
—consider this research presented by the Yale School of the Environment on the health benefits of connecting with nature, which"were robust, cutting across different occupations, ethnic groups, people from rich and poor areas, and people with chronic illnesses and disabilities."
Studies have shown that spending time in nature can:
lower blood pressure
lower stress hormone levels
reduce nervous system arousal
enhance immune system function
increase self-esteem
reduce anxiety
improve mood
reduced feelings of isolation
"Studies show that the effects of nature may go deeper than providing a sense of well-being, helping to reduce crime and aggression. A 2015 study of 2,000 people in the United Kingdom found that more exposure to nature translated into more community cohesion and substantially lower crime rates."
So whether your intuition is guiding you to explore your chakras or you're looking to improve your well-being, being immersed in, and connected to, nature (in whatever way feels right for you) is a good place to start!