<![CDATA[Nature Therapy - Blog]]>Tue, 30 Apr 2024 06:54:16 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Let's talk about Sedona]]>Fri, 15 Mar 2019 23:50:59 GMThttp://nature-therapy.us/blog/lets-talk-about-sedona
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Sedona is primarily known for it's natural beauty.  It really is a beautiful place with red rocks and the beauty of the area that draw people to Sedona.

Sedona used to be a cowboy town but that changed when the artists and hippies discovered it. They moved in and now it thrives on New Age tourism. Today all the hikers, photographers spiritual groups, meditation groups, psychological conferences, and lastly families and honeymooners flock here but a lot of people are making a lot of money based on a few books that will gladly tell you all about the very special vortexes. Why you can even pay to have someone take you out to each of them. Right after you buy some crystals to be energized by the rocks. In moonlight all year and specially summertime.
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Sedona is also known for Vortexes:  A vortex or vortexes are areas of concentrated energy rising from the earth. Whether you agree with that or not; vortex enthusiasts believe that the vortexes are a portal for celestial and terrestrial spirits, you may feel a range of sensations from a slight tingling on exposed skin, to a vibration emanating from the ground when you encounter a vortex.  Many people believe that Sedona has several vortexes or power spots, making Sedona a highly sought-after spiritual and metaphysical destination. Obviously you may not believe in all that, however you can try experiencing it and see what happens, I believe it sure makes you more relaxed anyway. In a way; by doing that you are practicing being mindful which means bringing your focus and attention to where you actually are.
In Sedona, the plural of vortex is usually vortexes not vortices. So what is a vortex, anyway? Well, you see them in everyday life. The turbulent flow of water makes vortices. If you have ever seen a whirlpool in a river or watched water going down the drain in the bathtub and have witnessed the tornado-like glassiness of spinning water, you have seen a vortex. A vortex is created from a spiraling motion of air or liquid around a center of rotation.


Visitors also explore the healing properties of red rock metaphysical crystals; psychic healers; holistic medicine; alternative healthcare specialists; spas; yoga studios; metaphysical bookstores; meditation groups; renewal programs; and workshops.
Geology of the Red Rocks: Over millions of years, layers of sandstone and limestone were left in the Sedona area by a receding ocean. Iron oxide eventually covered the grains of sandstone and, in a natural process, rust formed. The stunningly beautiful red rocks of Sedona are the result of this process. It is within the beauty of the red rocks that the mysteries of the Sedona energy vortexes unfolds.
]]><![CDATA[What is Nature Therapy (Homayoun Shahri and Max Gezerseh)]]>Sun, 20 Nov 2016 21:31:23 GMThttp://nature-therapy.us/blog/what-is-nature-therapy-homayoun-shahri-and-max-gezersehPicture
Natural settings have tremendous effects on a person's physiology and the way their brain functions. Connection with the Earth and its systems are at the core of nature therapy. Many clinicians who practice nature therapy believe that the Earth has a self-righting capacity which operates through complex systems of integrated balance, and that if people can harmonize with these systems, they may experience improved mental health. People’s lives are therefore seen as part of a greater system of interaction. There is something in the environment that can help the nervous system unwind. Research also is starting to show that creativity, self-awareness, emotional awareness and other positive therapy outcomes can heighten during movement. That may have to do with greater blood flow to the brain, the activation or deactivation of specific brain centers, and probably with some kind of distraction element that allows the mind to become clearer. 

We are created to connect with others and we heal best in relationship with others. We believe that combining nature therapy with embodied group process and therapy can provide the conduit to emotional health and personal growth. Participants heal directly through experience, but also indirectly by becoming a part of other group member's work and by observing the therapeutic process as an audience. After each work, all group members are given an opportunity to share what they experienced and observed. In this way, the group process both respects and supports each individual's growth and healing. Embodied group process and nature therapy gives clients therapeutic avenues to explore old memories and blocked feelings by providing safe, grounded methods. Clients develop the skills of self-regulation and how to use the core strength to give voice to unexpressed experiences in a focused and meaningful way. 

So much psychotherapy takes place within the confines of a consulting room. But what happens when the natural world is invited into the narrative of self and other? In nature therapy we bring together the practices of ecology and psychotherapy to illustrate how engagement with nature is a powerful transformative tool, both in itself and - potentially - when integrated into any therapeutic approach. 

Nature therapy rests on the principle that by seeing ourselves as part of the biosphere, rather than above or beyond it, we can begin to return to a relationship with the natural conditions that once provided us with the core of our psychological, spiritual and cultural sustenance. We suggest that our rapid withdrawal from nature is the source of damaging alienation from a part of ourselves and the inherent context of our lives. We propose that through relationally and ecologically-aware therapeutic modalities, profound transformation of emotional states can occur. This is our mission in nature therapy.
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