Black Women Find Peace and Healing Through Nature

If someone had told me I might turn out to be the style of one that would snowshoe through rural Japan to see mountains, I might have laughed. But there I used to be, my boots dragging through layers of soppy snow, and a neighborhood guide from the Hokkaido region leading me on a hike around Lake Mashu and taking within the majestic scenery. Despite the cold, I couldn’t help but marvel on the serene fantastic thing about the landscape, which at times seemed unreal. I felt at peace being surrounded by the sounds of nature and allowing myself to soak within the moment.

I might never describe myself as an “outdoorsy” person. In fact, I used to be the exact opposite. As a city kid, my idea of ​​nature was a walk through Central Park. I suppose you possibly can say I used to be a stereotypical New Yorker who was more comfortable surrounded by concrete than greenery. However, my travels gave me an appreciation for nature and a way of wonder that allowed me to feel a euphoric sense of peace I didn’t know existed, whether it was walking through a misty rainforest to find hidden waterfalls in Costa Rica, snowboarding in Aspen, kayaking with a Maori guide in New Zealand, snorkeling alongside dolphins off the coast of Kenya, and topping a beautiful hill in Greenland for an ideal view of moving icebergs.

I actually have struggled with debilitating anxiety and depression since I used to be an adolescent. My newfound love of mountain climbing, running, and the outside has healed me in so some ways. But I’m not alone in feeling this sense of peace. Being surrounded by nature is powerful and can do wonders to your health. Physically, spending time in nature has been proven to assist lower blood pressure, increase your vitamin D intake, and even aid in respiratory. According to American Psychological AssociationSpending time in nature may help with cognitive issues like concentration, higher sleep and reduced stress levels — issues that many black women struggle with.

Due to our experiences with racial microaggressions, family, work, and funds, we frequently find that stress plays an enormous role in our lives and undermines our physical and mental health. Black women address stress otherwise than their white counterparts because of aspects reminiscent of racial discrimination, including within the health care system, microaggressions that may occur within the workplace, and our need for strength and resilience in times of adversity.

But even in natural settings, we also need to face the incontrovertible fact that we are sometimes not in those spaces. It’s rare to see black faces in ads for outdoor activities — but we’re growing in numbers, whether it’s mountain climbing, running, camping and even playing sports like snowboarding. According to External foundationThe black participation rate in outdoor recreational activities increased by greater than five percent in 2022 to 40.7%. Traditionally white spaces, reminiscent of campgrounds, also saw growth on this sector, with more black people taking camping trips and exploring RV travel.

Despite the small increase within the sector by way of inclusivity in the outside, it has not erased the past of hostility and racism. Historically, we’ve often felt unwelcome in these spaces. We are harassed once we are motion AND fishing in our area. Even our national parks are reckoning with their history of racism. That’s why communities designed with Black women in mind are so essential. When Angela Mitchell and Ivory Levert (pictured at the highest of the page) founded Black Women in Nature of their hometown of Columbus, Ohio, their goal was to create a protected space where other Black women could find peace of mind amid the spread of COVID-19.

“While people around the world have felt the impact of the pandemic, Black and Brown communities have experienced disproportionate levels of stress, COVID-related deaths, hospitalizations, and health outcomes due to preexisting structural and societal inequities,” Mitchell tells ESSENCE. “To make matters worse, Black people have experienced what we like to call a ‘double pandemic’ due to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery this year.”

Through their group, they encourage other Black women of their area to explore outdoor activities including mountain climbing, reflective dialogue, yoga, and meditation.

“Systems of racism and environmental inequality have limited black people’s access to green spaces and disconnected us from our ancestral connection to nature,” Levert says. “Black people have always been connected to nature. We’re just helping black women reconnect with our roots and find healing in ways that have always been available to us.”

Levert, who has a background as a licensed yogi and meditator, connected with Mitchell, who shared fond memories of spending time outdoors in Anchorage, Alaska. They each wanted to point out that in times of adversity, the stillness of nature will help us process difficult emotions, something Mitchell experienced when her older brother died at age 39 from Lou Gehrig’s disease. That fueled her desire to create a community where Black women could have the chance for a similar type of healing.

“I have experienced a peace that surpasses understanding through nature,” Mitchell says. “I believe that being outdoors is a privilege that many of us take for granted.”

So next time you would like a break, consider putting your phone down and taking a walk in a close-by park or visiting a spot surrounded by natural wonders in your next trip. Instead of city trips, don’t be afraid to move out to the outskirts for a hike to soak in the attractive nature around you. I promise it would be price it.