The Ayurveda Experience Blog
Earth Day has become a wildly celebrated environmental event across the whole world. It’s about recognizing and appreciating the uniqueness of our beautiful planet Earth and its remarkable biodiversity. Earth Day is a day dedicated to increasing awareness about the Earth, its issues and problems.
We are so lucky to be on such a wondrous planet that is perfectly designed to support life in all forms. This Earth Day, why don’t we show some appreciation for this precious gift that we have been given and unfortunately many of us take for granted.
Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which day events worldwide are held to demonstrate support for environmental protection. It was first celebrated in 1970, and is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network and celebrated in more than 193 countries each year. – Wikipedia
There are a lot of ways to celebrate and appreciate Earth Day. Below are five ways to help you celebrate this special day.
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1. Explore Mother Nature
Mother Nature has a lot of wonders yet to be explored and experienced. Earth Day is about going out there, enjoying, and taking care of this planet of ours. Go for a nature walk, hike, enjoy snorkeling, gaze at the magical star at night, or just sit under a tree.
To reconnect with nature is the best reminder that we really need to work hard in order to protect it. Distressing and getting rid of anxiety and overwhelm are side effects of time in nature, not to forget getting in synch with your circadian rhythms.
Being out in nature will strengthen mental health, increase memory and attention span, increase Vitamin D intake, strengthen immunity, improve eye health, improve sleep quality and self esteem, and last but not least it leads to more graceful aging.
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2. Plant A Tree, Or Two
Trees are a huge part of our planet and planting them will add to the wellness of the world that we live in and will be there to support our grandchildren after us. The more we plant, the merrier and happier our beloved earth will be. Not only do trees make our planet look prettier, but they are also a source of oxygen, they absorb harmful gases, keep the climate cool, control water and air pollution in addition to providing shelter and food.
3. Use Alternatives To Plastic Bottles
There are plenty of alternatives to use for drinking and a copper cup is an excellent one. By using a copper cup, not only will you be saving the landfills from a lot of plastic, but you will also be enjoying the many healing properties of copper.1 Copper vessels help reduce inflammation, bolster brain functioning, aid in weight loss, slow the aging process, and act like an anti-microbial.2
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4. Earthing
When was the last time you walked barefoot in the sand, grass, or anywhere outdoors? This doesn’t happen very often for most people.
Grounding or ‘Earthing’ is a growing practice. It’s about walking outside barefoot with the soles of the feet connecting directly with the surface of the earth. The concept of Earthing is relatively new, scientifically speaking. In different studies, it has proved to promote better sleep, less muscle stiffness, elimination of chronic back or joint pain, feeling more rested upon rising in the morning, and improved general health. Some people also reported relief from respiratory issues, RA, hypertension, sleep apnea, hot flashes and PMS.
So the next time you’re outside, why don’t you take off your shoes and enjoy this simple technique to feel more grounded and to introduce clam and peace into your whole being?
Stand like a tree, with your feet parallel and at least shoulder’s width apart. Keep your head floating above your body, chin tucked, and spine straight. Rest your hands at your side or place them over your navel.
Sink all of your body’s weight and tension into your feet (without collapsing your posture), allowing it to be absorbed into the ground. To support this grounding process, imagine roots growing out the bottom of your feet, extending deep into the ground beneath you.
Stay in this posture anywhere from 1-10 minutes and reap the benefits for the rest of the day.
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5. Honor Your Inner Earth
Last but not least, you must ground yourself to bring balance back into your life. This can done through so many ways, one of which is meditating out side in nature. Listening to the sounds of nature such as chirping birds or running water is a great way of connecting to the outside. It grounds thoughts and emotions. Eating a grounding diet is a necessity as well.
According to Ayurveda there are six tastes: sweet, sour, salty, pungent, bitter and astringent. Of these tastes, sweet, sour, and astringent have the earth element in them. To rebalance the earth element in the body, focus on a diet that is rich in these tastes.
An Earth Day celebration should not be on one specific day, for every single day should be Earth Day. We should dedicate more time and attention to our planet and to Mother Nature and take care of them the same way they take care of us.
Happy Earth Day to all. May you spend it doing what nourishes your soul and heals your body. Go out there and hug a tree, watch the beautiful clouds, listen to the sounds of birds, and hike a mountain or walk a trail. Always thinking with gratitude of how precious our planet is.
Celebrate the gift of each new day, be in the present moment and always empower yourself.
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References
1. Sudha, V.B. Preethi, et al. “Storing Drinking-Water in Copper Pots Kills Contaminating Diarrhoeagenic Bacteria.” Journal of Health, Population, and Nutrition, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh, Mar. 2012, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312355/.
2. Grass, Gregor, et al. “Metallic Copper As An Antimicrobial Source.” Applied and Environmental Microbiology, American Society for Microbiology (ASM), Mar. 2011, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3067274/.
