Squirrels play a critical role in the ecosystem as architects of the forest but it is, most precisely, their flaws that create their legacy. What can we learn from this ubiquitous rodent?
Read Moremaking space for nothing
There is something so painstakingly difficult about prioritizing time to create in a production oriented society. Can it be monetized? Shouldn’t I share each creation, every moment of process with the world to prove that my time is being well spent? How many chores will I sacrifices for this time of silence, this quiet, this nothingness?
I know the value of space. Most of our bodies are made of spaces. We are interstitial beings with intracellular matrixes that need us to pause, to dispel the debris, to clear out the space junk. And as above, so it is below. Each organ in our body goes through this process when we’re in a state of homeostasis, each cell is regenerated only through a period of rest. There is proof of concept.
And yet, holding has become our collective habit. Holding our breath as we try to hold onto water. We avoid the stillness, maybe as a strategy to avoid grieving, to avoid letting it all go. It turns out, I have much to say about nothing.
Give space here in this moment to yourself, in the form of breath. Pause with me.
Breathe in.
Pause.
Breath out.
And remember, creation is born of nothingness.
Stepping stones found at the Naval Cemetery in Brooklyn, NY.
#natureasmedicine
If you follow us on Instagram, you may have noticed this as our go-to hashtag. Personally speaking, spending time in nature has been a transformative practice for me throughout my life. As a child, outside I went, to collect and calm myself. As a young adult, I spent time outside connecting with my peers in parks and community gardens, spaces that allowed me to build my community and my sense of self. And now, as a parent, my son and I take time each day to explore in a park or along a promenade. Time in nature has been my self-care tool, my medicine, no matter the phase of life I am cycling through. And now science has caught on!
A recent New York Times article delved into a study originally published in Scientific Reports, an academic journal, which found that 120 minutes per week was an ideal “dose” of nature, one that had proven health benefits. The study’s sample size was an heterogenous sample of 20,000 people that included people of across the spectrums of age, gender and race. Conveniently enough, the time spent in nature doesn’t have to be contiguous but can occur in spurts throughout the week. That’s right, you can schedule it!
Across demographics, and lifestyles, the same dose applies, which is marvelous news for New Yorkers, who rarely have 120 minutes to spare. So the time you spend in your garden with coffee, tea or wine counts as medicine and may be prescribed to you by a doctor at some point in the future we’re all working toward.
#natureasmedicine