Finding Calm, Connection, and Resilience in Nature: Shawn Ramsey on Create Harmony
In this episode of the Create Harmony podcast, host Sally Burlington talks with certified forest therapy guide Shawn Ramsey about the many ways intentional connection with nature can support our physical and emotional well-being.
The conversation begins with forest therapy and what participants might experience during a guided session. Shawn describes how practices such as sensory awakening meditation can help us shift our attention away from the constant stream of thoughts, distractions, and demands that fill our days and become more aware of what is happening around us in the present moment.
The discussion also explores the relationship between nature and our nervous systems. Spending intentional time outdoors gives us opportunities to slow down, engage our senses, and experience an environment very different from the fast-paced, technology-filled spaces where many of us spend much of our lives.
But the conversation goes beyond the potential health benefits of spending time outside. Shawn shares how nature can serve as both a mirror and a teacher, offering lessons about change, resilience, interconnectedness, and our own place within something larger than ourselves.
One example is the fascinating network of relationships beneath a forest floor, sometimes referred to as the "wood wide web." Trees, fungi, plants, microorganisms, and other elements of an ecosystem exist in complex relationships with one another. Looking more closely at these natural systems can invite us to reflect on our own relationships, communities, and the importance of connection and mutual support.
Shawn and Sally also explore the growing role of technology in our lives, including artificial intelligence and virtual experiences. While technology can provide valuable tools and even help introduce people to nature, Shawn emphasizes that it cannot fully replicate the multisensory experience of actually being in relationship with the natural world.
And meaningful nature connection doesn't always require a trip to the forest. The conversation includes simple ways to bring elements of nature into our everyday lives, from caring for houseplants and surrounding ourselves with natural objects to engaging with scents associated with the outdoors.
Shawn also discusses phytoncides, natural compounds released by trees and plants that are being studied as one of the possible mechanisms behind some of the physiological benefits associated with spending time in forests. Even familiar scents such as pine and cedar can remind us that our experience of nature involves far more than what we see.
Ultimately, the conversation offers an invitation to think differently about our relationship with the natural world. Nature isn't simply a beautiful backdrop or a place we visit when we have time. By slowing down and paying attention, we can begin to experience it as a source of connection, perspective, reflection, and resilience.
Listen to the full Create Harmony conversation to explore how strengthening your connection with nature might help you find more calm, awareness, and balance in everyday life.