This summer, we’re exploring the Healing Power of Nature through a series of stories from the Yamai family and members of the Snow Peak community. This week, we’re sharing the story of Rob Darmour, an outdoor person, designer and founder of Earth\Studies. Rob shared about the ways nature helps him reconnect with human experience and overcome the stressors of modern existence.
What does the healing power of nature mean to you?
For me, nature returns my thoughts to the present and helps me connect with my true being. It removes some of the distractions found in modern life and allows me to experience (even momentarily) a less filtered version of my human existence. In this way, nature offers a form of meditation that helps my mind resize worry, process challenges and develop an authentic vision for my future.
For example, a long hike beyond the reach of cellular coverage means that the mind has less distraction. Fewer distractions allow thoughts to focus on the strain of the trail or the beauty of a nearby rock formation. These tangible experiences help to focus my mind and gain a sense of immediacy with my surroundings, in the process rescaling worries that can monopolize thoughts.
Nature can be a powerful place for accessing intuition that leads to better problem solving. Sometimes, sitting in a room wrestling with a challenge is not the best way to find a solution. The mind needs rest in order to allow space for ideas to arrive and this is something I’ve often found with time spent in nature. A simple walk in the neighborhood or a few nights camping amongst the stars can help us see challenges with a new perspective and reveal a natural path forward.
These experiences help regain a sense of connection with myself and provide a strong place to more clearly envision the future I’d like to create. This helps me live a more meaningful, healthy life.
The power of nature to reconnect with our human experience can be a catalyst to live life more fully. It provides a healing counterbalance to the many challenges of modern life.
Read more stories from the Healing Power of Nature series or shop Rob’s Snow Peak favorites.
