Recently I’ve been spending more time outdoors in woodland settings. I’ve been getting out exercising, walking and running, during the longer brighter evenings, in recreational forests, and it has been good for the soul. Studies have shown that walking in forests can reduce feelings of stress, tension and depression and that being in nature and the natural environment can have a positive restorative effect on people’s health, well-being and quality of life.
The findings of preliminary research on the Woodlands for Health project which involves a nature-based intervention for mental health and well-being in Coillte forests in Ireland revealed that “Exercise within green and blue natural spaces, referred to in the scientific literature as green or blue exercise, offers low-cost, non-invasive solutions to public health challenges – particularly for mental health.”
I took part in the Woodlands for Health in 2023, a series of woodland walks in County Westmeath. The feel good factor of walking in the fresh air, being close to nature, and having time for stillness and relaxation was restorative. The walks helped me to take a step back from the busyness of life to focus on being in the present moment and the forest setting helped me to let go of my fears and anxieties.
Attending that guided walking programme sparked in me a desire to explore the woodlands in my locality. We are blessed in Ireland with some lovely forests and green spaces for people to enjoy and in many cases there is no cost to this outdoor recreation. The emergence of the Covid pandemic prompted people to explore these recreational spaces and the natural environment still offers an opportunity for people to disconnect from the the digital instant culture and the ‘expectation to have everything now’.
As well as helping to improve our overall wellbeing, being in the natural environment allows us to experience God’s presence in all things. Spirituality is a key aspect of wellbeing and noticing the beauty of God’s creation and allowing oneself to pause and be still – to feel a sense of connectedness to the flowers, the plants, the birds, and to listen to the different sounds in the forest – this can have a healing effect.
Going outdoors and enjoying the woodlands also helps me to stop scrolling on my phone, which I have a tendency to do when I feel anxious or depressed. The fresh air helps me in noticing the goodness of God, the beauty of creation, and it instills in me a greater sense of acknowledgement of my own gifts and hopes for the future. In many ways just being there is a prayer of recollection and thanksgiving for the gift of being in the present moment.
In making a connection with nature in these green woodland settings, it relieves the stress and mental fatigue I sometimes experience and helps me refuel boosts my mood, and my relationships with others. I am challenged by the words of Pope Francis in his encylical letter Laudato Si’, on the care for the environment, when said that “everything is connected” and that we cannot be in communion with the rest of nature “if our hearts lack tenderness, compassion and concern for our fellow human beings”.[1]
[1] Laudato Si, 91 http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/encyclicals/documents/papa-francesco_20150524_enciclica-laudato-si.html
