7 Ways to Connect to Nature During Quarantine

epsom salt bath blend with red bud flowers, mugwort & yerba santa

As we are all stuck inside, perhaps, our thoughts running wide...

I would love to invite you to ground. Ground into the energy of the Earth. Connect with nature. Go for walks. Calm your mind.

Perhaps you live in an apartment in a city and getting outside is hard, or even not allowed? How can we stay connected to nature duing this time?

For me, it's been pretty easy to stay connected - to the internet, to social media, to friends & family ON the internet. However, I am remembering to be mindful of the connection I have to technology and trying to balance it with the connection I have to nature. As we reach out and grasp for connection via the interweb, it is important to reach out and also grasp for connection with the Earth.

Flower magic

Perhaps, you didn't spend much time connecting to the Earth before... it's okay! No judgement! Now is the perfect time to begin, or to deepen the connection that was there previously. That's a part of what this is all about right? Slowing down so we can heal, and as we do, Mother Earth is healing too.

Some of us are able to get outside, hug a tree, lie on grass, witness a sunset, go for a hike... and we are so so blessed. For others, getting outside is a rare opportunity. We must do our part. Being locked inside of our homes might be necessary, but it isn't quite the healthiest thing to do. Fresh air is good. Being around plants... even better!

This is how I am staying connected to Nature in #quarantine #inside :

1) Herbal Tea: I love to drink herbal tea and herbal infusions. Drinking warm liquids is always a good thing, and now we have more time to drink our tea intentionally... slowly, to savor it and to really notice the effects it may have on us. Drinking a warm cup of tea can also be a wonderful way to surrender to the moment... feeling the warmth of the cup, smelling the sweetness of the herbs, tasting each and every flavor of the tea. Mmmmm.... What a joyful experience! It could even be fun to do plant immersions, where you choose an herb, let's say Lemon Balm, and drink the Lemon Balm tea every day for a week - really savoring it, sitting with it, listening. Making tea sacred again.

horsetail, comfrey & raspberry leaf garden infusion

2) Houseplant Love: I have really been enjoying my houseplants lately. I feel more present to their needs, as I've been home more than I've ever been. I also feel super grateful for their company and their medicine. Houseplants really help keep the air inside clean, which is always helpful, but especially as we are spending so much time indoors, it is nice to know my indoor air is cleaner than it would be otherwise. Maybe you don't have a houseplant? Now might be a great time to adopt one. Meditating with houseplants is also a great way to practice listening to plants & their wisdom. Ssshhh.... What are the plants saying?

yes, i’m cuddling my houseplants… hello aloe, hello san pedro… let’s hang out.

3) Herbal Body Oiling: This is a really good way to connect with the spirit of a plant, and to connect with yourself. Massage your body with an herbal infused oil. Something like St. Johns Wort, Pine, or Mugwort are a few favorites of mine. Maybe you don't have an herbal infused oil? Now could be a good time to make one! Otherwise, olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil will work just fine, because those are all plants too. If you don't have the time, space, or energy to do a full body oiling, maybe just do your feet, hands, or chest. Chest, I say, because I make a Chest Rub infused with Pine & Mugwort and some others plants. It is such a divine experience to rub that over my lungs and then breathe in... deep.

4) Flower Essences: I pick a flower essence and I take it 3-4 times a day for 3-4 weeks. This is a PERFECT time to explore with flower essences because, with less going on in our lives, there's a chance you will feel something shift even more dramatically. Flower essences are subtle energy medicine, working vibrationally at the emotional level. They can help with so many things. From shifting thought patterns, to opening our hearts, to bringing us into a state of fuller presence. Every plant, every flower has some sort of energetic gift that it is always offering to the world (plants are just amazing!). What's important to note, is that whatever the plants gift may be, it is already inside you too. Because we are all connected, we have unlimited possibilities and we can have all of the experiences. Taking a flower essence simply shines light on that part of you that is already within you and brings it to the surface, so you can really feel it. I am actually going to write a more detailed post about flower essences very soon. Stay tuned.

5) Smoke Medicine: The burning of plants... may it be a smudge bundle or a smoke blend, burning a plant is a special practice - you are literally watching the spirit of the plant waft through the room. Every plant has a different quality it evokes when being burned. Sage clears energy, Yerba Santa opens the heart, Lavender is calming. I make it a ritual to burn plants every time I sit down and meditate. I think this encourages more receptivity in my whole being. Plus it makes me feel less alone, because there is no denying the spirit of the plant is there with you. A whole new take on life after death... plants still share their medicines and gifts after being dried and WHILE being burned. If you are smoking plants, perhaps experiment with a new plant, like Pedicularis, one of my favorites. Marijuana is a popular plant to smoke, but there are many others: Mugwort, Mullein, Lavender, Yerba Santa, Sage, etc...

yerba santa smoke medicine: opening the heart & clearing stuck emotional energy

6) Herbal Baths, Foot Soaks, Face steams & Yoni Steams: Similar to having a cup of tea, but different. It's that whole hot water and plants thing. Grab some fresh or dried herbs, from rosemary to pine needles (whatever you've got inside the thouse or nearby) and make yourself a bath or a foot soak. Immersing your entire body, (or your feet) is such a good way to get to know a plant. It envelops your whole being, seeping into your skin. Ahhh. I love taking baths with Mugwort. I am also into doing face steams, which both help with your skin AND your respiratory system. You can do this with herbs you already have in your kitchen too, like Thyme! Then there are Yoni Steams... I am all about doing these a couple times a month to keep everything balanced and feeling good down there. Check out the Steamy Chick for more info on Yoni Steaming.

7) Fresh Air: This is SO important. Get outside and get fresh air whenever you can. If you can't get outside, open a window and breathe in deep. It is important to not let the air in our homes become stagnant, especially as we are spending so much time there. Get that fresh air however you can & if you can go outside, bonus, cuz you'll get some Vitamin D too (if it's sunny).

So that is my round up. How to connect with nature during quarantine. What do you think? How are you connecting with nature? Please feel free to comment below! So much love.