Exercising outdoors has many benefits, some of which have been extensively researched. From reducing stress to increasing heart health, connecting with the earth for physical movement is in many ways better than working out at home or in a gym. When we exercise outside, we are practicing something called grounding. Grounding is a way of returning the body to the earth through physical connection and practice. Our grounding exercises are inherently meditative and push us to be quiet, in a quiet environment, connecting with what is around us. Any exercise can be meditative and grounding to an extent by being mindful, practicing awareness, and focusing on the breath when in movement for exercise. Moving outdoors while connecting to the earth creates a different level of meditative state during movement because the energy changes from shoes and cement to the ground.
Jordan Younger writes for Mind Body Green in “How Spending Time Outside Transformed My Gut Health” about grounding. She says, “…We soak up the natural, subtle energy that nature has to offer us. In essence, grounding our feet into the earth re-connects us to who we are at our core.” The core of our human-being is nature, and a natural connection to the natural world. Too often in modern society we are connected digitally, electronically, and technologically. All of those energy waves, blue screens, and electricity takes a toll on us mentally and physically.
Humans are meant to return to the earth because it is part of their namesake. The prefix “hum” means earth or of the earth. hum-man therefore means made of the earth. That is why when we are hum-bled and practice hum-ility we describe it as being ‘brought back down to earth’
As our energy rebalances and we find ourselves more connected, we notice a change in how we feel and how we think. Our mindfulness practices pick up, our relationship to the breath enhances, and rather than follow a strict indoor class regiment and online regiment for diet, we start listening to our bodies. Consequently, we move, think, breathe, and take care of ourselves more intuitively as per what we need, according to us- rather than as the result of having learned and been trained.
Being in the outdoors is important. Our prime location in Orange County, California puts Tree House Recovery in the middle of some of California’s best nature and adventure. Helping men find freedom from addiction, our programs are building better futures for better lives. Call us today for information: (855) 202-2138
