Return to Nature

Starred review from March 1, 2022
With all of us spending more and more time indoors and in front of screens, the benefits of nature can be overlooked. As sustainability editor for a health website, mindbodygreen, Loewe is convinced that the climate crisis and current mental health crisis stem from the same cause--separation from nature. She considers eight landscapes, writing about the sense of community in parks, the sense of surrender by the oceans, and the awe of a mountain view. From Loewe's perspective, forests teach patience, snow embodies silence, deserts spark reinvention, rivers give flow, and cities teach reciprocity. For each habitat, she describes its appeal, offers a "practice" (beginning with five-to-10-minute activities), lists suggestions for journaling, and provides an action plan for inner growth and ways to help preserve nature. For readers not physically close to natural settings, Loewe suggests burning incense, studying pictures and films, or even just opening the window to look outside. The common threads in these explorations is a heightening of the senses and a willingness to accept nature's gifts. The lovely illustrations add to the book's thoughtful message, which is so relevant in this time of virtual meetings and six-feet separations.

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