Free nature meditation with every visit to Cedar Hill
Cedar Hill really is a hill, and it’s sort of rural, although well inside the town limits. But Angie and I are determined to bring nature closer to us. Right now, we’re loving our pond garden, a few steps from our deck.
This year, we’ve made friends with Snek the Northern Water Snake. Don’t worry. He’s a friendly guy and very shy. You probably won’t even notice him unless Angie or I point him out. A few years ago, we followed Penny the American Bullfrog. We have goldfish that spawn a couple of times during the year. And there’s a family of broadhead skinks that live at the base of one of our Redbud Trees. Of course, we have many birds that frequent the pond waterfall to grab a drink or a bath. We’d love for you to meet them next time you’re here. Spend some minutes enjoying the water, flora, and our animal friends.
Nature is healthy for us people
Consider these meditative minutes an extension of your physical therapy. “Being Outside Is Good For Your Body and Mind — Here’s Why,” in the online publication Pop Sugar, describes the benefits.
Professor Heather Elliassen of Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health would most likely agree. She recommends being outdoors as a way to lower blood pressure, improve sleep, boost physical activity, and ultimately lower mortality.
Much of that benefit is from the exercise that is integral to being outdoors. Still, even sitting by rippling water and lily pads at Cedar Hill can be beneficial. The article tells us that it’s reported that simply being in nature is beneficial.
From Pop Sugar:
“For one, time spent outdoors helps to regulate our circadian rhythms,” says Dana Hunnes, PhD, RD, senior dietitian at UCLA Medical Center. “This can have effects on how well we sleep, our hormone fluctuations, satiety, and alertness.”
A creative stimulant
Angie loves to hold creative workshops by the pond. Her clients have enjoyed making nature mandalas and painting animal guides, among other projects. In addition to the physical benefits mentioned above, spending time in nature can also enhance creativity.
Plambech and Konijnendijk van den Bosch wrote about this in “The Impact of Nature on Creativity — A Study Among Danish Creative Professionals” in Science Direct. Spending time in nature can stimulate creativity. Benefits include “reducing mental fatigue, lowering stress, and fostering a relaxed, awe-inspired state that boosts cognitive function.” Studies show that immersive natural environments can improve creative problem-solving by up to 50%!
As a nature photographer, our little pond is a freshwater microcosm, an unenclosed terrarium, if you will. Our goal is to keep our friends from the animal kingdom happy. I want them to stay and occasionally strike a pose for my collection. I’m honored that photos of Penny and Snek have each won 88.5 WFDD’s Photo of the Week contest!
At your next Cedar Hill appointment, why not take a break by the pond?! You might get lucky and get your own snapshot of one of our wildlife friends. If you do, please share it with everyone.