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Mother
Earth…the topic brings to mind similar thoughts to what was evoked for me
last month when thinking of “living green.” (see the article Green
Within, Green Without). In the field of psychology, there is an area called
“ecopsychology” that deals with how we as humans interact with the
natural world, and how we view ourselves as being connected to that world.
Research has shown that contact with nature reduces stress, promotes peak
experiences, increases mental health, and encourages personal transformation.
When
working with clients, I’ll often inquire about their spiritual (or
religious) practice and if they tell me they don’t have a spiritual
practice, I’ll ask if they enjoy being out in nature. Often this will
elicit an immediate response of “Oh, yes, that always feels good, but I
never thought of that as being ‘spiritual.’” Think about your own
connection to the natural world. Does it serve to relax you? Heal you? Does
it feel at times mystical? Is there some feeling that arises that is
difficult to articulate? With spring’s arrival, we have the
opportunity—more so than during much of the rest of the year—to be
abundantly aware of the mystical nature of Mother Earth, simply by watching a
snowdrop emerge from the cold soil in all its simple yet stunning beauty. Add
to this the stirring of a subtle feeling of connection to that snowdrop, a
sense of identification with that which creates both us and the snowdrop.
Sometimes at this point the boundaries may start to blur a bit between us and
that flower. There may be an inextricable, indescribable feeling that arises
within us and we feel a momentary flash of being totally at peace, at one
with all that is. There is nothing we need to do, or think, or feel. We can
just be. In the moment. At peace.
I
invite you to step outside and look, with a new eye, at all that life
passionately expressing itself through the greening of the grass, the budding
of the trees, the blossoming of the flowers. Take a few minutes and really
look at one of these expressions of nature. Sit, breathe deeply, focus your
attention on one manifestation of Mother Earth’s creations, and notice what
stirs in you. Happy Spring.
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A
holistic counselor, using body-centered
therapies, Eden energy medicine and energy
psychology, guided imagery, meditation,
dreamwork, EMDR, EFT, reiki as well as
traditional psychotherapy with a holistic
(body-mind-spirit) perspective. She specializes
in women’s issues, spiritual issues, trauma,
childhood sexual abuse, life transition,
relationship issues, self-actualization.
Insurance accepted. In addition to face-to-face
sessions in both Providence & Rehoboth,
Hollis offers phone consultations nationwide.
Please visit Hollis' listing at www.energymedicinedirectory.com/id54.html
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