Lent and the Spiritual Benefits of Nature Walks

One of my favourite Canticles in the OT is Daniel 3:52-90. My biggest regret about my health is that I can no longer go for hikes in the woods.

From Aleteia

By Philip Kosloski

Jesus invites us to spend more time in the "wilderness" during Lent to help heal our soul.

Each year during Lent we try to imitate Jesus’ time of fasting and prayer by making various sacrifices, denying ourselves our favorite foods and entertainment. However, do we ever imitate Jesus’ time spent in the “wilderness”?

In the Gospel of Matthew it says, “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness” (Matthew 4:1).

This might seem like a minor detail, but this action of Jesus in getting out of the city and into the “wilderness” is becoming increasingly more relevant (and necessary). Americans in particular are spending more of their time indoors, barely seeing the light of day. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Americans spend an average of 93% of their life indoors.

Our modern lifestyles have created an unnatural break from the natural world and we are now more familiar with buildings than trees.

One of the reasons why we should consider spending more time outside and on nature walks is because of the many benefits it can have on our physical and spiritual health. Not only has it been shown to lower depression and stress, it also improves our own behavior toward others. Another study found that “patients with the view of trees tolerated pain better, appeared to nurses to have fewer negative effects and spent less time in a hospital.” It has even been shown that “contact with nature positively impacts blood pressure, cholesterol [and] outlook on life.”

Besides the positive effects it can have on our bodies, trekking outdoors also benefits our souls. In one study focused on children spending 5-10 hours a week outdoors, the children “believed that a higher power had created the natural world around them. They also reported feeling awestruck and humbled by nature’s power, such as storms, while also feeling happy and a sense of belonging in the world.”

When you are considering a Lenten “sacrifice,” try to spend more time in nature, allowing the beauty of creation to heal your soul, praising God for the wonders of his handiwork.