There is feeling lost and then there is getting lost. And then there is getting lost in nature. Sometimes when our souls feel lost because of stress, trauma, pain, or addiction, the best way to heal is to physically lose ourselves in nature. Surrounding ourselves with clean air, trees, and being able to breathe deeply and remove the distractions of day to day life is the perfect place to find ourselves. Interacting with animals and their quiet grace allows us to find those truths within us and promote healing the mind, body, and soul. When it is time to step into recovery, we can find a healing environment.
Back to Nature
In our day to day lives, we are surrounded by noise. Work noise. Traffic noise. Phone noise. Internet noise. Entertainment noise. All of this keeps us occupied so that we forget what it is to feel. The noise detracts from listening to our bodies and our minds, and realizing that we need healing.
The pain we try to cover or escape from with substance abuse is ignored and stifled, stuffed, and covered by addiction. That addiction may be obvious to others, but we are blind and deaf to it because of the noise. We do not take time to listen, we do not take time to breathe.
Getting lost in nature allows us to stop. Breathe. Listen. Feel. Without the distractions of work, traffic, phone, internet, and entertainment, suddenly we begin to find clarity. With the bright sun and the blue sky, we can see that we are lost and that who we are is buried beneath the layers of addiction and pain. The trees around us stand tall, like we used to, a living strength that we wish we had. Everything around us is peaceful, and inside of us, there is only chaos. But being in the peaceful calm gives us hope that we can find that calm within us, too.
Moving with the Calm
Being in nature can inspire us to move. We can walk and hike and explore the natural beauty while exercising our beleaguered bodies. As we move and explore, our minds can explore, too. The quiet calm around us can allow us to listen to our inner selves, perhaps for the first time in years.
Moving helps us to ask and answer questions, to gain more understanding of who we really are, and to feel and heal pain. The calm of the natural surroundings allows the noise inside of us to surface, to be acknowledged, and to be resolved. Hiking and walking in a natural setting brings healing for the body and the soul.
Reconnecting with Ourselves
The noise of our typical world and the pain and suffering of addiction often hide who we are and what we want in life. When our mind is always processing how to get that next drink or next fix and our problem solving is limited to hiding our addiction or cleaning up our messes, then we can never go any deeper into ourselves. We lose that part of us that wants to play, laugh, cry, and triumph. We lose sight of our dreams and goals. We lose sight of our friends and family, and we lose sight of ourselves.
Connecting with nature and with animals helps us to reconnect with all of those parts of us. We gain clarity about how our addiction is harming our minds, our bodies, and our souls. Seeing clearly and breathing deeply allows us to see once again the possibilities of who we can be, and who we are inside. Finding this connection again is a key part of healing from addiction.
How Animals Help Us Heal
Animals are warm. They breathe like us. They have needs. They have their own personalities. They show gratitude for loving care. They are a model of loving kindness, empathy, and affection. These are the kinder parts of us that we have lost in our addiction, and animals can model for us and remind us to be better human beings. They help us reconnect with our emotions, help us feel more deeply, and help us look outside of ourselves and care for something else.
The Product of Our Environment
As with anywhere we go in life, we are most likely to be a product of our environment. When we seek treatment for substance abuse, we should choose an environment that will best contribute to our healing. Going back to nature and interacting with animals will help us to reconnect most deeply.
Going back to nature, being able to hike and move around and reconnect with ourselves will all help us toward our recovery process. Interacting with animals can remind us of our gentler attributes and help us remember how to connect with others. These powerful experiences are the perfect foundation for our healing and recovery. Rancho Milagro Recovery is away from all of the noise and distractions of our real life and surrounded by nature and hiking trails to help you reconnect. Call us at (951) 526-4582 to find out more about our animals, and how they can help you reconnect and learn to reach out to others again. Rediscovering yourself and reconnecting with nature can help you remember who you are and why you matter in this world. At Rancho Milagro Recovery, we want to help you find that healing and find who you are, as you lose yourself in our beautiful ranch and surroundings. Find yourself with us.