What happens to us when we spend time outside?
Many of us know the feeling. A walk beneath the trees clears something in our minds. Time near water settles us. An afternoon outdoors can leave us feeling more present, creative, and connected than when we began.
For centuries, poets, artists, philosophers, and spiritual teachers have spoken about the restorative power of the natural world. In The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, award-winning journalist Florence Williams asks what science can tell us about why these experiences matter.
Traveling from forests in Korea and islands in Finland to eucalyptus groves in California, Williams explores emerging research at the intersection of nature, the brain, health, mood, relationships, and creativity. Along the way, she considers an increasingly important question: What happens when human beings—who have spent most of our history deeply connected to the natural world—begin spending more and more of our lives indoors?
Join us for our October Retreat House Book Circle on Zoom as we explore The Nature Fix together and consider our own relationships with nature. What restores us? Where do we experience connection and belonging? And how might intentionally spending time in the natural world become part of tending our inner lives?
Come having read the book and ready for thoughtful conversation, reflection, and connection with others.
Monday, October 19
10:00–11:00 a.m.
Online via Zoom - Zoom link is emailed after registration
Grab a cup of coffee, find a comfortable place, and join the conversation from wherever you are.