How nature quietly invites us back to ourselves
When life begins to feel hollow, when our schedules are full but our spirits are drained, it’s often not more that we need—it’s less. Less noise. Less striving. Less doing. And in that sacred stillness, we rediscover the one thing that helps us feel joy again: re-connection with nature.
C.S. Lewis and the Ache of Joy
C.S. Lewis, one of the 20th century’s most beloved Christian thinkers, described a deep, almost aching longing for something beyond this world—a sense he called Sehnsucht. In Surprised by Joy, Lewis describes fleeting moments from childhood when he would see a flowering tree or a distant mountain and be overtaken by a strange, piercing happiness—something deeper than pleasure.
“It was something quite different from ordinary life and even from ordinary pleasure; something, as they would now say, ‘in another dimension.’”
Lewis believed these experiences of joy were more than feelings. They were echoes of heaven—clues that we were made for something beyond this world. He found that nature, in particular, stirred this spiritual longing: a sacred homesickness, drawing us back to God.
Lewis thought this feeling was a signpost—a spiritual clue—pointing us toward God. Nature, for him, wasn’t just beautiful—it awakened something eternal, a homesickness for heaven. His story resonates deeply with people of faith and those who have ever felt that inexplicable sense of joy just by standing in a forest or watching the sky change color.
Reflect: When was the last time nature moved you to awe—or to tears? That feeling might be less about beauty and more about eternity brushing up against the present. Think of this as a bridge between the beauty of creation and the joy of divine connection.
Journaling Prompt:When was the last time nature stirred something holy in you?
This is more than poetic sentiment. It’s backed by science, celebrated by spiritual leaders, and experienced by many who step into wild spaces and find themselves again.
Why Nature Helps Us Heal
There’s one simple yet profound practice that can help reignite joy: reconnecting with nature. It’s more than a feel-good concept—it’s backed by science and celebrated by poets, philosophers, and psychologists alike.
- Mood Boosting & Stress Relief
A meta-analysis spanning 33 studies found that even short-term exposure to nature can significantly reduce negative mood and depressive feelings .
Another systematic review concluded that 92% of nature-based interventions improved mental outcomes, especially anxiety and depression (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov). - Restored Attention & Cognitive Clarity
According to Attention Restoration Theory, natural environments gently engage our minds with “soft fascination,” giving our depleted focus a chance to replenish (en.wikipedia.org). Practical evidence supports this: a hike in a park enhances working memory and executive function over urban walks (pew.org). - Stress Hormones & Physical Health
Just 10–15 minutes in nature can lower cortisol, heart rate, blood pressure—and even improve immune markers like natural killer cell count (scientificamerican.com, sciencenewstoday.org). A UK study showed people who spent at least 120 minutes weekly in nature reported significantly better overall well‑being (scientificamerican.com). - Nature Prescriptions
Doctors increasingly prescribe “park prescriptions.” A growing body of work shows that brief, regular engagement with nature lowers stress, enhances mood, and strengthens immunity (glamour.com).
Modern research confirms what the soul has always known.
But statistics don’t tell the whole story. Sometimes we need a voice—an experience—that reminds us joy is real, possible, and waiting.
Thoreau’s Search for the Essential
Thoreau’s decision to leave behind the noise and social expectations of 19th-century Concord for a simple life in a cabin near Walden Pond remains a classic story of nature as medicine. He wasn’t escaping life—he was trying to find it.
“I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life… and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.”
While there, Thoreau observed nature’s seasonal rhythms, grew his own food, walked for hours, and wrote pages upon pages about the “infinite extent of our relations” to nature. He found that simplicity wasn’t deprivation—it was clarity. And in that clarity, joy took root. His story isn’t about isolation—it’s about returning to what matters most.
Try This: Even a brief walk in silence can serve as your own “Walden.” Leave the phone behind. Let nature, not notifications, guide your attention. Consider what “essential life” might look like for you.
Journaling prompt: What would it mean for me to live more deliberately—today?
Source: Walden
A more recent spiritual leader Pope John Paul II talked about the Sacredness of Nature
Pope John Paul II, known for his deep spirituality and intellectual rigor, was also an avid hiker and skier. He often found God in the mountains. In a homily delivered outdoors, he said:
“Nature speaks to us of the Creator. The mountains, the forests, the rivers—all proclaim God’s glory and invite us to rediscover our place in the divine order.”
He encouraged Christians to not only care for nature but to immerse themselves in it as a form of prayer. For him, nature wasn’t just scenery—it was sacred space, a cathedral without walls.
John Paul’s biographers often described how his time in nature restored his spirit and inspired his leadership. It was a place of joy, clarity, and deep communion with God.
Joy found in nature is not indulgent—it’s a legitimate spiritual discipline.
What if your next walk in the woods was a form of prayer? What if the breeze, the singing birds, the light through trees—were all invitations to be present with the Divine?
Source: His 2002 homily at Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy
Ask yourself: What would change if I approached nature not just as a backdrop, but as sacred ground?
Why It Matters — Especially Now
- Mental health issues like anxiety and depression have surged in recent years.
- Nature-based approaches are low-cost, low-risk, and increasingly accessible—even urban dwellers benefit from small green spaces .
- The evidence supports it: green prescriptions and nature exposure programs deliver measurable improvements to mental and physical health (psychologytoday.com).
How to Make It Real: 5 Simple Ways to Reconnect with Joy Through Nature
| What to do | Why it helps | Start small |
|---|
| 10–15 minute daily nature walks | Restores attention, reduces cortisol | Park, garden, or even quiet tree lined street |
| “Awe walks” (noticing sky, birds, trees) | Spurs gratitude, mindfulness | 5 daily minutes on commute or lunch |
| Forest-bathing weekly | Boosts mood, immunity | 1–2 hours in woodlands, senses engaged |
| Nature indoors | Pictures, plants, videos offer benefit | Even desktop or phone nature time works pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+4washingtonpost.com+4sciencedirect.com+4en.wikipedia.orgscientificamerican.compsychologytoday.comarxiv.org+3verywellmind.com+3sciencenewstoday.org+3 |
| Keep a nature journal | Deepens connection, creativity | Note what you see, feel or hear |
Final Thoughts
Reconnecting with joy isn’t about escaping your life. It’s about coming back to it—refreshed, renewed, and re-centered.
Joy lives in the quiet moments. It’s in the sunlight filtered through leaves. In the hush after rain. In the gentle reminder that you belong—not just to a schedule, but to something sacred and alive.
As C.S. Lewis, Thoreau, and Pope John Paul II each remind us, joy is not something to chase. It’s something to receive. And nature, in her wisdom, always offers it.
You Are Not Far From Joy
Joy doesn’t always roar back. Sometimes, it returns gently, like sunlight warming your shoulders. But it’s never gone for good. It’s waiting in the quiet, the ordinary, the overlooked. And the more we learn to return to presence—especially through nature and creativity—the more joy finds its way home.
What Speaks to You?
Which story resonated most deeply? How has nature helped you rediscover joy in your own life? We’d love to hear. Comment below or share your reflections in your journal today.
Rediscover what matters through nature
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