This week I’ve been reading again Pete Jensen’s wonderful book “Lessons in Happiness”. In it he talks about the concept of a Green Prescription – that historically we spent 99.9% of our time connected with nature, and that perhaps in this bustling concrete jungle with which we have become so all-absorbed, the cure for most ailments could be as simple as reconnecting with nature for at least 10 minutes each day. So powerful is it that medicos in New Zealand have been making this prescription for years.

The gentle caress of the wind on your face, the warmth of the sun on your back, the cleansing fresh air in your lungs. I’m sure most of us have taken a walk in a garden, through the bush or along a sandy beach time enough to remember how good it felt during, and for a period afterwards. And the more intense your connection with nature (i.e. getting your shoes and socks off to really connect) the better you feel and the longer it lasts. Such is the power of nature. It has the ability to rejuvenate the body and the soul, and energise us to cope better with stress and disease.

With that in mind I meandered on my morning walk in Sydney today through Hyde Park and eventually to the Botanic Gardens. With my MP3 player blocking out the hum of distant city traffic and less distant leaf blowers, and with the sounds of Windham Hill I began strolling through the gardens, meandering with no particular place to go. I came across a nice green elevated area under hundred year old Moreton Bay Fig trees and this was when the words I’d read in Pete’s book came back to me.

Admiring the view over the harbour – the magnificent peaks of the Sydney Opera House to my left, the historic and battered Fort Dennison ahead and the lush green of Mrs Macquarie’s Chair to my right – I took off my shoes and socks and sat on the ground. The grass felt good in-between my fingers and toes as I leant back to feel the warmth of the dappled sunlight on my face.

In this moment, reconnecting with nature, I felt an overwhelming peace, joy and tranquillity as well as a huge sense of gratitude for this wonderful planet and these beautiful gardens. This was connection at its best.

The funny thing about reconnecting with nature is that it has a flow on effect throughout your day. I find after revelling in the miracle of life I stop taking things for granted, I’m more appreciative of others and more willing to be of service. I’m less rushed, more patient and just downright happier.

I wish I could encourage each human on this planet to take 10 minutes of every morning to reconnect with nature and their sense of gratitude before reconnecting with the world. If we all did then I think we’d look at it through new eyes, with a clearer vision of how we can each contribute our unique and special gifts to our family, friends and our community.