Anxiety and Stress

You're not alone.

Really, you are not alone.

With the current state of things in the world and at the local levels, anxiety and panic strikes are happening more frequently.

Make no mistake, your concerns won’t magically go away with any method or technique, but there are ways to help you cope and manage anxiety and stress.

Yes, we know the power of crystals, smudging and meditation, they are very effective ways to deal with anxiety, but there other things you can do as well.

Once again, we strongly encourage everyone to get in touch with nature.

When we reconnect with nature we reconnect with ourselves, that's where our strength comes from.

From Power of Positivity we read:

From Even though we live in a concrete world, we can all find a patch of greenery nearby to clear our minds and refresh our souls. We lead busier lives than ever, but that doesn’t mean we should neglect our basic needs, one of which is breathing fresh air and connecting with the Earth.

According to a study published by the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, people today spend 25% less time outdoors than they did 20 years ago. It comes as no surprise that rates of anxiety and depression continue to rise as we move farther and farther away from the way nature intended for us to live.

Walking in nature doesn’t just give us a break from the hectic city life; it can actually change our brain chemistry, too. 

HERE’S HOW SPENDING TIME IN NATURE EVERY DAY CAN REDUCE STRESS AND ANXIETY:

Related article: 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Walking Barefoot

It’s no surprise that living farther away from nature surrounded by buildings and city noise can increase your risk of anxiety and depression, but spending time in even the smallest patch of land can do wonders for the brain.

New research out of Stanford University found that spending time in nature can actually alter the chemistry in your brain, leading to mental clarity and peace of mind, and alleviating anxiety and stress. As Gretchen Reynolds explains in the New York Times, graduate student Gregory Bratman, who attends Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources at Stanford, analyzed the brains of 38 adult city slickers who went on a 90-minute nature hike. Bratman found that these individuals had lower brain activity in their subgenual prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that focuses on “morbid rumination,” than the participants who trekked along the side of a nearby highway.Those who spent time in nature at least once a day didn’t dwell on the negative happenings in their lives as much, Reynolds reported. These results suggest what many of us probably knew all along – that everyone can benefit from spending more time in nature, and less time in the concrete jungle.

Nature can do wonders for your mental health, so if you have neglected your time with Earth lately, here are a few more reasons to hit the trails again that we didn’t mention before.

1. NATURE CAN BOOST YOUR ENERGY LEVELS.

After spending time outside, have you ever noticed that you feel more lively, cheerful, and refreshed? Well, there’s actually a scientific reason behind that. Several studies have confirmed that spending time in nature increases vitality, and the research finds that just 20 minutes a day out in nature can significantly boost energy levels. Richard Ryan, lead author of the scientific studies mentioned above and a professor of psychology at the University of Rochester, says, “We have a natural connection with living things. Nature is something within which we flourish, so having it be more a part of our lives is critical, especially when we live and work in built environments.”

2. NATURE CAN MAKE YOU MORE CREATIVE.

A study published in the journal PLOSone indicated that immersion in nature can boost creativity by as much as 50%! Participants in the study had to spend four to six days in nature, completely disconnected from all technology. Psychologists explained that because of the gentle, more relaxing stimuli in nature, people’s attentional system becomes rejuvenated and able to function correctly, whereas in modern society, we constantly have to switch between tasks and become bombarded with loud, sudden noises.

If you have been struggling to bring out your creative energy, try spending more time in nature!

3. NATURE ELIMINATES STRESS.

Numerous studies have found that time spent outside can greatly reduce stress. For example, a study published in 2012 in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning revealed that out of 25 healthy adults living in Scotland, those who lived in areas with the most greenery had lower levels of cortisol.

Stress can increase your risk of mental and physical illnesses, but among all remedies, nature is one of the easiest ways to heal the mind and recharge the soul.

4. NATURE CAN IMPROVE DEMENTIA SYMPTOMS.

Along with all the other benefits of nature, a bit of greenery can go a long way in helping those who suffer from dementia. Researchers at the University of Exeter Medical School discovered that when gardens were placed in nursing homes, the patients showed less agitation, more relaxation, and appeared to be more stimulated mentally.

Bay leaf burning has been used a way to relieve stress for centuries. The combination of chemicals in the leaves creates a smoke that, when inhaled, calms the body and mind.

Sage Burning

Burning sage is is a powerful ritual.

The ritual of sage burning has its roots in Native American tradition.

Today, people burn sage and other sacred herbs to cleanse a space or environment of negative energy, 

to generate wisdom and clarity, and to promote healing.

WHEN TO BURN SAGE?

Here’s a sample of smudging choices...

The Witches Broom

The White Witch

White witches are those who practice with the elements of nature.

They aren’t as concerned with rituals as they are with healing and positive vibrational energy.

While there are many similarities in Witchcraft, especially between the White Witch and the Green Witch, we will focus on the White Witch in this post.

You are connecting to your spiritual consciousness 

You have a connection with your higher consciousness.

You are learning to trust the promptings of your sixth sense.

You just ‘know’ things intuitively.

This certainly points in the direction that you may be a white witch.

You have ancestors who were herbalists or healers

Many cultures believe that the gift of being a white witch is inherited and can be passed down through several generations.

But not having ancestors as herbalists doesn’t mean you haven’t uncovered these gifts within yourself.

You feel called to help animals and humanity 

Fueled by compassion, you often find yourself looking for ways to help animals through rescue centers, donating or volunteering.

Helping people, offering a shoulder to lean on, is always driven by the impulse to serve and give assistance.

You want to help create a positive change in people’s consciousness which is in fact what the whole world needs.

Your energy is positive

Your body/mind/soul energy is positive. When trouble looms, or you feel negatively, you try see beyond that.

Moreover, you understand that we must experience negatives in order to appreciate positives. Maybe you feel down or sad sometimes, like everyone else, nevertheless, it just never leaves you permanently marked.

You Have Vivid Dreams

Some dreams will give you ideas about what may possibly happen.

You think that whenever you do this, this is a coincidence, however, it is because you can access information from your higher consciousness, much easier than others.

You Hear Voices And Feel Impressions

You hear voices or whisperings, but there is no physical source.

It is very likely that you have a clear vibrational connections with things most people ignore.

You Feel A Strong Connection To Nature

White witches understand our connection with nature.

White witches understand everything on the physical plane is deeply interconnected through vibrations and energy.

From an early age, you have felt connected with nature.

You understand the old religion is the magic of the Earth itself. 

earth and respecting the elements: the air we breath, the soil we use to grow food and exist upon, the air we breath and fire we depend upon for spiritual and physical needs.

These things are the essence which binds all things together.

You capture people’s  vibes instantly 

White witches tend to have levels of insight which are much higher than the average person.

They have the ability or capacity to understand the situation of another, experiencing the opinions, ideas, and emotions of that person.

When they are with people, even if they do not read their facial expressions or know them very well, they can still determine what vibrations they are letting out.

You have a well-developed intuition

Intuition is that strong hunch or gut feelings. 

Your body, everyone’s body, is actually an antenna, your reception is sensitive to this energy. 

Every individual can tune into their intuition, however, most people choose to ignore it.

You don’t make decisions logically, although you do consider that your way is logical. 

You have learned that your intuition has guided you well throughout your life.

Try this: test your intuition.

Next time you have to make a decision, place your hand on your solar plexus (found in the pit of the stomach) and become aware of the feeling in your body when you consider each choice laid out.

You are content with alone time

While many people constantly need to be surrounded by other humans or crave attention, you are happy to have time by yourself.

You tolerate people, but you are content spending time alone. Actually, time spent alone is what typically “recharges” you as it gives you space to connect more deeply with your inner world.

You are self aware

White witches are not only aware of their emotions, but also their actions and thoughts, and how those things affect both the people around them as well as their outlook on life...That is powerful magic.