ARTICLE imprint , she said , and sleeping under the stars feeds our souls . Knowledge from the heavens is right there above us . Indigenous and ancient cultures listen and are awake to this cosmic wisdom . At Star Knowledge conferences , which have evolved in First Nations communities , wisdoms and understandings are exchanged on how the stars nourish and guide the spirit . It ’ s also available to you , right above your head . We may not be able to go to Dark Sky national parks ( places where there is minimal to no artificial light and the abundance of starlight is plentiful and extraordinary ) but we can always go outside and look up . This celestial navigation is more food for the soul .
Cuddles and connection
Children do it naturally when they snuggle up . Partners spoon , dogs rest their faithful heads on a knee , cats sit on laps . But the solitary and the isolated may find that they simply don ’ t get cuddled the way they used to . In hospitals , retirement villages and homes across the land there may not be a lot of life-affirming , heartwarming cuddling going on . A massage could well be the closest anyone might get to the warmth and sustenance of physical contact . In these non-physical-contact , lockdown days it ’ s getting worse . But we all need our cuddles . A lot . When you cuddle , the body releases the hormone oxytocin which calms you down , lowers your blood pressure , soothes you and reduces stress . Humans know this instinctively when we place an arm over a shoulder , stroke someone ’ s hair or put a hand on a hand .
Friendship
Get a pet , find a friend , say hullo to them , or even to someone you pass in the street . In these isolating times small talk can be a victim , yet friends are glue in communities . They can brighten your day or someone ’ s else day . If you take a pet or a child for a walk it comes easily , but regardless , extend your greetings . When the community ecosystem is fractured , it ’ s small talk which helps mend it . This is tonic for the soul .
Faith
Whatever your faith is , then now is surely a time to look to it for reassurance , guidance and strength . There is a lot of evidence in academic literature showing that people who have spiritual or religious beliefs lead healthier , more stable and connected lives . A connected community that looks after each other and works for its collective good is beneficial on many physical , emotional and spiritual levels . Of course , there has been damage from strange cults professing unhealthy and dangerous belief systems , but there is a strong universal need to find meaning in a higher power that exists outside our puny human selves . Such belief can be immensely reassuring . Some are pantheists , and worship nature ; others have more structured ritual for self-care and support . The key is that faith is vital to wellbeing and vital in helping navigate dark times . Find your faith .
Carpe Diem
Carpe Diem means seize the day . If there is one message the practitioner hopes their clients might be finding is that there is no time to waste . With an uncertain future , lockdowns , border closures , lengthy separations from loved ones , the loss of attendance at milestone events such as births , funerals and marriages , there is a greater sense of urgency , and awareness of the preciousness of life . The holistic practitioner can do much to support the spirits of their patients by reminding them of simple and ancient wisdoms that are not expensive , are readily available and nourish troubled souls . Carpe diem is one of these wisdoms .
In this time of social upheaval our spirits can feel very stressed and overwhelmed . There is a strong push toward melancholy and depression . If you have clients sliding toward the sorrows , try these heartfelt , simple remedies with them . Neurologist Oliver Sacks wrote about Biophilia , a love of nature and living things , and how this is essential for us to feel truly well . Now more than ever we need to go to nature for healing and restoration of internal balance . We may not be able to travel far and wide across the world but we can go to our gardens and green spaces , sit and feel the sun and air on our skin , the earth at our feet , and build faith .
REFERENCES
1 . Martens , D ., Gutscher , H ,. and Bauer , N ., Walking in “ wild ” and “ tended ” urban forests : The impact on psychological well-being . Journal of environmental psychology ., 2011 31 ( 1 ):, pp . 36-44 . Available from https :// psycnet . apa . org / record / 2011-03669-004
2 . Stilgoe , J . R ., Gone barefoot lately ? American Journal of Preventive Medicine . 2001 20 ( 3 ): pp . 243-244 . Available from https :// pubmed . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / 11275455 /
3 . Kotera , Y ., Richardson , M , and Sheffield , D ., Effects of shinrin-yoku ( forest bathing ) and nature therapy on mental health : A systematic review and meta-analysis . International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction . 2020 July 28 : pp . 1-25 . Available from https :// derby . openrepository . com / handle / 10545 / 625075
4 . Gantevoort , M ., Hamacher , D . W ,. and Lischick , S ., Reconstructing the star knowledge of Aboriginal Tasmanians . Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage . 2016 Vol . 19 ( 3 ). arXiv preprint arXiv : 1610.02785 . Available from https :// arxiv . org / abs / 1610.02785
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