Are we as people damaged by our disconnect from nature? Regular readers may remember a recent piece discussing the human givens approach to treating depression. I listed the givens they believe we need as humans and analysed where my life is lacking. A key area was a connection to a broader group or society. 

In my quest to correct this imbalance, I have decided to look into broadening my spiritual horizons. Of course, any form of religion is a complete non-starter for me as a confirmed atheist, but I am intrigued by the idea of witchcraft.

Why Witchcraft Appeals To Me

When I looked for something to be involved in, something to believe in, witchcraft topped the list for the following reasons:

1. It empowers women. Most religions insist that women know their place and are almost always lesser than men. That does not work for me at all.
2. It can be entirely non-religious. There are many deities that witches connect with as part of their practice, but it is not required. Atheist witches exist.
3. Witchcraft is closely connected with nature and the passing of the seasons. I have never been a flower child kind of person, but I often feel unhappy that we have no actual seasons in my part of the UK anymore. Most days, when I look at the weather, it could be any time from February to November. Clear skies or cloudy, with spells of rain and around 19ºC. It reinforces my worries about climate change and my disconnect from nature. I want to feel that connection again and celebrate it even if the outside world does not mirror it.
4. It is a set of practices, not a religion. There are many types of witch, so I can take a voyage of discovery to learn who and what I am. Any kind of learning and growth is hugely exciting to me. I love that witchcraft is about discovering your own path and power, not following a proscribed list of doctrines.

Is Our Disconnect From Nature Harming Us?

I have had a sneaking suspicion for a while that as we move further toward technology and away from nature, we are damaging our mental and physical health. Here are my concerns:

1. Spending more time inside means we aren’t exposed to natural light. Blue light from electronic devices disrupts our sleep and throws off our circadian rhythms. Poor quality sleep causes a huge number of physical and mental health issues, including depression, trouble concentrating, high blood pressure, a weakened immune system and an increased risk of diabetes. 
2. A study showed that soaking up natural light caused patients recovering from spinal surgery to heal faster and feel less pain. As many people who are ill stay inside, they may stay sick longer.
3. A lack of sunlight reduces the vitamin D our bodies can absorb. Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to osteoporosis, cancer and heart attacks.
4. A YouGov report found that the air inside buildings can be five times as polluted as the air outside. By spending so much time in cities, particularly inside buildings, our lungs never get the benefits of fresh air. This can, in turn, lead to respiratory illnesses.
5. Multiple studies have shown that spending time in nature reduces depression, anxiety and stress levels. Maybe by no longer living with nature, we are actually making ourselves ill. This may partly explain the ever-growing number of mental health issues in society. Perhaps instead of investigating new types of medication we need to fix our disconnect from nature and suggest more time outside?
6. Lastly, I wonder if we are simply meant to live in harmony with the planet and with nature. We did it for thousands of years. Can it really be good for us to cut ourselves off from it now? We hunted and fished and lived off the land. We conserved resources. Are we now just bigger barbarians despite our advancement?

I’m not sure there are any concrete answers to this question. However, reconnecting with nature may be a necessary part of my quest to heal myself. It’s a big part of witchcraft, and I intend to embrace it fully to see how it affects me. I would love to hear about your nature beliefs and experiences in the comments.