Have you ever felt a moment of deep peace, wonder or connection when you’re immersed in the woods, standing by a lake or just watching the clouds go by? That feeling, or sense of something bigger than yourself, is the beautiful mystery at the heart of nature’s healing power.
We all have an innate, deep-seated bond with the natural world, something scientist E. O. Wilson called "biophilia." Nature-Based Therapeutics (NBT) is all about tapping into that ancient connection to fuel our wellbeing.
The transformative power of wonder
Many people — including clients, students and busy staff — share stories about encountering something deeply moving or even spiritual when surrounded by nature's beauty and complexity.
Sometimes, it’s the sheer vastness of a Minnesota landscape that makes our daily worries feel small. Other times, the enormity of the natural world inspires a sense of trust or faith that something extraordinary is at work.
As a therapist who focuses on nature's role in healing, I've seen this transformation firsthand. These moments of profound feeling are what we call the inexplicable, transformative power of nature.
What exactly is "spiritual connection"?
When we talk about spirituality in this context, it doesn't have to be complicated. Across many definitions, two themes are always present: interconnectedness and finding meaning.
Experts in the field define spirituality as:
"The way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature and to the significant or sacred."
Nature is your daily, accessible doorway to that "significant or sacred."
Nature: your daily source for insight
When you step into nature, you are opening the door to healing and self-discovery. Experiences outside become the fuel for insight because nature helps us:
- Open our hearts and minds to new possibilities.
- Awaken our inner intelligence and creativity.
- See the big picture: that everything is connected with a shared purpose, rhythm and balance.
Ultimately, the most basic expression of this spiritual connection is simply loving kindness — toward yourself, other people and the ecosystems that support all life.
Real stories of healing
People describe the spiritual connection they find in nature in powerful ways. Here are a few things we’ve heard in our nature-based therapeutic work over the years:
- "Being outside transformed our clients. They are more relaxed, more kind to one another and they’ve gained self-confidence."
- "One client was in crisis and couldn't calm down. When we brought her into the greenhouse, she started to relax immediately. She told her therapist the plants were smiling because she was feeling better."
- "I didn't want to talk about anything, but something inside of me just let go in nature. I not only trusted others, but I also started to trust myself."
- "Nature has reopened the doors to my heart and soul, reawakening the sense of kindred connection to life I felt as a child."
These stories are a testimony that nature isn’t just a setting — it’s an active partner in healing. When we create the conditions for this powerful connection, we improve our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of the planet.
Ready to embrace the healing mystery? What small step will you take today to deepen your connection to nature?
For a guided nature experience, explore nature-based health and wellbeing programs at the Arboretum this summer:
- Shinrin-yoku “Forest Bathing”: Experience the Tranquility of Nature | Select Thursdays and Fridays, July through December
- A Wonder Filled Experience (AWE): An Immersive Nature-Based Experience | Select Thursdays, July through October
- Insect Appreciation: Enhance your Connection with the Natural World | Thursday, Aug. 6
Cover photo by Jason Boudreau-Landis
Jean Larson, PhD, is the manager of Nature-Based Therapeutic Services at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum and is faculty lead of Nature-Based Therapeutic Studies at the Earl Bakken Center for Spirituality and Healing of the University of Minnesota.