Why Earthfulness?
The practice of reconnecting to nature, or Earthfulness, can help with improving the overall wellbeing of that one experiences on a day to day basis. Reconnecting to nature has been scientificially proven to help with improving physical and mental health. Nowadays, most people are sitting too much and spend too much time looking at screens. Being out in nature and practicing Earthfulness can help one with feeling and living better and it helps with improving the quality of life. Science has also shown that higher connectedness to nature promotes sustainable behaviour, so Earthfulness contributes to a better world as well.
What is Earthfulness?
Earthfulness is the conscious experience of being connected with nature in daily life. When you practice Earthfulness, you do specific activities that increase your ability to experience nature-connectedness.
The feeling of being connected to nature is something that many of us have lost or do not experience enough on a regular basis anymore. Reconnecting with nature can be a liberating experience that provides one with that feeling of connectedness to everything around you.
How do I practice Earthfulness?
There are many ways in which one can practice Earthfulness. It’s a subjective and personal experience and every person experiences (re)connecting to nature in a different way. The ways in which you practice Earthulness can vary greatly, from walking to a forest to sitting on a bench and listening to the birds. There are various resources on our website that you can use to help you in practicing Earthfulness. Check them out for more inspiration!
What is the difference between Earthfulness and mindfulness?
The difference between Earthfulness and mindfulness is a nuanced one. Both are aiming to ‘get out of your head’ and open yourself up to feelings and senses. However, Earthfulness includes being more aware of the natural world around you. One could say that mindfulness has more of an internal focus, whilst Earthfulness has more of an external focus, aiming to experience connection with nature. This can be a very calming and deep experience, feeling connected to something bigger can have profound effects on the quality of your life and how you live it.
What is the difference between Earthfulness and Forest-bathing (Shinrin Yoku)?
The new Japanese tradition of Shinrin Yoku is a great concept, becoming more popular all over the world. Forest-bathing is closely linked to Earthfulness, sharing the ambition to include scientific insights. Where Shinrin Yoku has been developed to reconnect with forests, Earthfulness has a broader ambition. Earthfulness is about practicing your skill to connect to nature in daily life, in your own environment. We do see that Forest-bathing is now being practiced outside forests as well, which we think is great. We believe you can feel more earthful by doing shinrin yoku exercises on a daily basis.
Who is Earthfulness for?
Earthfulness is for everyone, for people who are curious and open to create a better quality of life for themselves. The practice of Earthfulness can be used by different people, from different backgrounds and from different age groups. The main focus of Earthfulness initially is to (re)connect people to nature who have urban and busy lifestyles, because they risk losing connection with nature the most (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0169204616302729) However, of course that does not exclude others from Earthfulness practices.
Can Earthfulness assist me to relief my stress?
Yes, practicing Earthfulness can help you with feeling better, improving your wellbeing and decreasing your stress levels. By being out in nature, being aware of yourself and your environment, there is more than sufficient scientific proof that you can improve your physical and mental wellbeing. Earthfulness can support you to take time for yourself and to decrease the level of stress and anxiety that you might be experiencing.
How do I know that I am doing Earthfulness correctly?
There is no perfect way to practice Earthfulness, because it is a very personal experience. There are some small indicators that one can use to identify if Earthfulness is being useful. Simply said, you are on the right track if you experience one of the following indicators: more awareness of your environment, feeling more connected to nature, feeling more connected to the one’s around you, feeling like you belong in nature, feeling content or satisfied when in nature and a overall better feeling of wellbeing.
Now that I know about Earthfulness, what’s next for me?
The next step after learning about Earthfulness is to start to practicing! To understand Earthfulness is a good first step, but implementing Earthfulness into your life is where real change kicks in.
