By Dr. Matthew McQuaid
Connecting with the natural beauty of the earth is a mindful way to reduce stress, lower your blood pressure and resolve depression. Today is the first in a two-part examination on the health, emotional and spiritual benefits of scenic beauty.
I recently visited the Grand Canyon as a planned experiment to test these theories. What I discovered corroborates the truth that nature provides a healing experience. The Grand Canyon will give you goose bumps and make you cry at the same time. Its beauty is overwhelming.
I noticed while at the Grand Canyon that I was not the only one receiving such health benefits. Part of my experiment was to notice other people and record my observations. What I noticed as I was watching was that no one was distracted or preoccupied. Everyone was present.
There is nothing boring about the Grand Canyon, and I noted that to be a common experience. You can sit on a bench for hours just watching and you will never get tired. There are hundreds of activities you can do at the Grand Canyon, but sitting on a bench and watching is just as satisfying.
Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake.”
The Grand Canyon fits that quotation perfectly. The description of beauty is a challenge because the experience is subjective.
You can’t tell another person what a peach tastes like; one must eat a peach and experience the peach to know its flavor. Another quotation that fits well in this discussion is by Alfred Korzybski.
“The map is not the territory.” In other words, you got to see it to believe it; but when you do, it is unmistakable.
The Grand Canyon allowed my mindfulness practice to be easy. It provided effortless focus and concentration. It reduced chaotic thinking and distractions. You don’t need a desktop computer or an iPhone while visiting the Grand Canyon. You will be just fine without them.
The scenic beauty of the Grand Canyon eliminated the barriers and obstacles to peace that are so commonly experienced in daily living. It provided a break from the rat race of life. Being in nature did this for me without doing anything at all. No doing was required. You can sit for hours on a bench at the Grand Canyon without a care in the world. How therapeutic.
Scenic beauty has the capacity to reveal what is already innate within you, which is a pristine state of internal equanimity. Nature can bring that which is already within you to the surface to be experienced. It opens the dam and allows what is naturally there to be expressed. The sunrise on Clearlake can also do this for you.
Another benefit I experienced at the Grand Canyon was clarity. Problems became secondary and solutions became effortless. This became contagious to all aspects of my life including family and work. I became a better doctor, a better leader and a better employer.
Lastly the Grand Canyon provided an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I was grateful that I was able to see it in this lifetime. While I was visiting, one of the tour guides said about the Grand Canyon, “Its only value is what it is.” This is one of the truest statements I have ever heard.
Matthew McQuaid, DPM is a board certified foot surgeon practicing in Lakeport. He has a particular interest in Mind/Body medicine and its impact on healing. He is an award winning author and teacher. For more information please call 707-263-3727 and visit www.drmcquaid.com.
