Nature Connection Articles
Our Most Recent Articles
Walking in the Field of Autism — Experiences of being nurtured by nature
One hundred and seventeen steps from my front door, on an overcast day in early July, my feet come to an abrupt stop, and the knees above sink into the grass below. The neighbours’ house with its elegant portico evaporates from my peripheral vision and the hedge cutter’s convulsive droning recedes from my auditory consciousness. Instinctively, my right hand reaches out and my head juts forward in familiar fashion. It’s not the first time this has happened this week and nor will it be the last. Yet, I am strangely calm. This is not the onset of a shutdown that paralyses my body, sets speech on mute and eliminates rational thought. It is a rare moment of inner peace allowing the usual whirl of thoughts to settle like flakes in a snow globe.
Autism and Nature-Connection
Autism is a 'neurodifference' that affects the way that people process information and how they perceive and interact with the world around them. People with autism may appear socially awkward, distant or aloof. They often experience difficulties with making and maintaining relationships and may have difficulties understanding and relating to other people and social situations and this can lead to frustration, anxiety or social isolation.
This article looks at how increased nature-connection could be beneficial for people with autism and the potential role that the hormone oxytocin could play.
Autism and Barefooting
Tyler lives in Des Moines, Iowa and has autism. He started the Barefoot Autism Challenge to encourage people, whether autistic or not, to take their shoes off and experience the pleasures of walking barefooted.
Me and Nature. An autist’s connection to Nature
Autism and Nature - a connection that some have said is stronger in autistic people than in neurotypical people. Others say that it’s the sensory input imbalance that neurodivergent people often experience that makes a connection with Nature stronger and more profound once you find it. Others yet point to the many studies showing that everyone, no matter how your brain is wired, benefit from being in and close to Nature.