Connect with Nature

Connect with Nature will empower you to take care of yourself, others and the natural environment by forming a close relationship with nature.

Connect with Nature is two books in one. First, it is a practical guidebook that will help you weave nature into your life in a way that suits you, regardless of your age, background, abilities and circumstances. Second, it is book with a message—that connecting with nature is immensely valuable for us individually, for our families, for our communities and for the natural environment.

As a guidebook, it invites you to approach connecting with nature as a journey. It suggests that you begin the journey with an appealing and easy-to-do activity and then proceed at your own pace and on your own terms. Part 1 of the book, the ‘how to’ part, shows how this can be done by discussing such things as:

• overcoming barriers to connecting with nature
• choosing nature activities that you want to do and believe you can do
• engaging deeply with nature
• sharing nature experiences with children
• turning to nature in difficult times
• caring for nature

The book’s message is introduced with the story of the author’s own journey to nature connectedness. The journey made him aware of the power of nature to do all manner of good things for all sorts of people. Drawing on examples from life, Part 2 of the book describes the beneficial and rewarding ‘good things’ to be expected from becoming nature-connected. These good things include:

• emotions that expand our mental and emotional boundaries
• relief from stress and mental fatigue
• restored vitality
• enduring building blocks of well-being such as self-understanding, self-esteem, resilience and companionship
• a moral commitment to take care of the natural environment

For children, the good things include experiences that are essential for their optimal physical, mental, emotional and social development.