As a therapist, I like to become involved with my clients. Encouraging, probing, challenging and motivating them means that my work can become fairly intense emotionally. I try to help this process by leaving enough time between appointments for my mind to rest and recover so that I can be “on the ball” for the next client.
Sometimes though, much as I love my work, I need more than the thirty minutes of relaxation time…I need that day or so when I keep out of my office and do something, anything else instead. This keeps the mind fresh and ready to help others with challenges. So what do I do in this period? I live in an area that is pure nature, green fields surrounded by dense forests and rolling hills. There is nothing better than getting out in the fresh air (with my pregnant wife and two dogs) to bring things back down to earth. This is a great time of year, warm sunshine, fresh breeze and things growing. I often advise my clients that a walk in the countryside can never do anyone any harm! The power of nature is well-known and two of my greatest influences have nature at the center of their belief. Carl Rogers, honed his view of life on his appreciation of all things natural. As a young boy he was fascinated by the consistency of nature and despite all our best efforts, how unwavering it is. The native Americans, a culture that intrigues me believe strongly in the spirit of nature. One of my favorite authors, Lewis Mehl-Madrona, quoted in his book Coyote Medicine that “our lives are regulated in stories passed down through the generations and these stories are tied to the land. The mistake we make is that we believe the Earth belongs to us. In essence we belong to the Earth and we will return to the Earth. The only time we hear bad stories is when we anger the spirits by trying to change the Earth for our own benefit without putting anything back”….enough said.
Secondly, I have a rather large, complicated garden. Complicated by the fact that it is terraced and on a slope. At the top, I have planted fruit trees at the top end and at the bottom, lawn and shrubs. I spent most of the weekend tending to these (as best I can with one good arm) and it is unbelievable how empowering it feels to see everything grow and flourish. It is rather like a relationship….the more work you put in, the better the results. Maybe my pastimes are not too far away from my work after all!
Dr. Nicholas Jenner is a Counseling psychologist in private practice working with individuals, couples, groups and companies. Apart from seeing clients face-to-face, Dr Jenner also runs a thriving online therapy business bringing help to those who are housebound or located in rural locations where therapy is difficult to find. For more information , follow the link to his website HERE
Want to know more about Dr Nicholas Jenner? Check out what his clients say….HERE
May 14, 2012 at 2:58 pm
Nature’s amazing! There’s a holiday park we often go to for a week which is set in a forest with a lake. I never ever feel so relaxed as when I come away from there. Just sitting by the lake reading for an hour or two is enough to make me feel so much better about life.
Love the quote about us belonging to the Earth too- I believe that.
May 14, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Thanks for the comment. I believe we can learn a lot from the native American culture where the environment is concerned. If we don’t protect it…it will be gone.
May 14, 2012 at 3:03 pm
Beautiful.
Love your honesty and openess.
May 14, 2012 at 3:09 pm
Thank you so much
May 14, 2012 at 3:06 pm
My son asked me why a particular arrangement of flowers was no longer on the table. I told him that the flowers died. He asked if I put them in the garbage. I told him I put them in the compost pile where they will decompose and go back to the earth and help other plants grow. He was completely fascinated and asked of that’s what happens when people die. That was a difficult one to explain considering he is smart enough to know that the inside of a box does not meet the earth, ever.
May 14, 2012 at 3:13 pm
That is always a tricky one….
May 14, 2012 at 11:32 pm
This is what happens when people die, if they have what’s called a ‘green burial’. It used to be just called a burial. And actually it can be quite lovely, and a good way to not scare children about the whole process of death.
Also, if the box is biodegradable, the inside of the box does meet the earth. It all feeds the earth, and from the earth things are reborn. (It’s pretty cool.)
May 14, 2012 at 8:12 pm
You always sound so sincere and humble, hope you dont mind me saying that.
May 14, 2012 at 8:13 pm
Thank you…I have no problem with that!!
May 14, 2012 at 11:28 pm
Sounds like you live in the best place in the world.
And there’s more good news, though this may not seem funny for a while after the baby comes. (But I promise it wil be later.)
If you ever want to take your mind off your work and be mindfully in the moment…..just take the baby for a while. You have to do it when it’s awake. This will put you mindfully in the moment, every single time.
May 15, 2012 at 7:55 am
That I am looking forward to
May 15, 2012 at 3:10 am
You write so well, I could just see in my mind where you were and how your garden looks… I need to get going on mine. Thank you for the lovely post.
May 15, 2012 at 7:57 am
Thanks, Tina. Yes, it is great here in spring,summer and autumn but the winter can be very harsh. THowever, that can also be nice.
May 15, 2012 at 4:04 pm
Sounds lovely, I live in Sonoma county where we have thousands of beautiful vineyards and they change with the seasons, I too love where I live.
Happy Tuesday!
May 15, 2012 at 8:01 pm
Thanks for writing about your enthusiastic enjoyment of nature! I know that gardening is hard work, but it also has the calming effect you described so well, as you get in tune with nature. Your ambitious efforts to create a beautiful space for you, your wife and cutie-on-the-way to enjoy is so inspiring! I’m certain it will flourish and provide you with many hours of relaxation now and in the future.
May 16, 2012 at 9:05 am
Hi Gloria….yes that is true. It is a place we can go and forget other things for a while.