“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks” - John Muir
In the midst of turmoil we often as humans try to find solace in nature, in the quiet untamed places, the corners of our environment where the calm sits.
In the last year many have been connecting to their immediate environment much more than they had done previously. Making a choice to stay local due to the pandemic, people across the nation have been taking strolls, hiking and exploring their local natural environment. Watching the seasons change, spring into summer, into autumn and then into the bleak mid-winter we see today. It can take a little while to calm our brain down from our modern lives to appreciate the beauty of all of these shifting moments, using the gift of time to refresh and reinvigorate.
When we walk we move. Movement is inspiring. It's almost like you can literally feel your body regenerating and replenishing while you tramp about on a cold frosty bright morning. Stanford university did a study where they found that walking can boost creative output by 60%. That’s a lot of inspiration being pushed into creation, and nothing is better for creative block than a quick walk in the fresh air. We write, we create, we sew all in our mind while birds sing around us and the plants continue doing their thing.
The colour green also has a powerful effect on our mood and psyche. Many studies say that green is not only claiming it is also refreshing and has been known to create an optimistic mood. It often represents healing and hope, which are two things that are very welcome at this difficult time. The human eye can perceive more shades of green than any other colour and we are drawn to it in nature, and noticing the carrying shades of leaves, plants and flowers is one of the joys of a nature walk. Even in city environments green can be seen peeking through concrete and growing on walls.
As this new year progresses one of the things we hope here at Cluth, to make sure that we carry on seeking out those moments in nature, where we can watch the time gently move along and the seasons continue to shift and change and grow. The signs of spring will soon start to emerge with snowdrops coming first, a sign that more flowers are on their way. As the naturalist John Muir noted, when we walk in nature we are given much more than we give up.