How to Live by the Rhythms of Nature

When the sky is pregnant with black clouds, and Nature promises to give birth to a torrent of cleansing rain, no one doubts Her authority. Yet, many of us live our lives by the guidance of a different agency- that of "civilized society" as we know it. How is this different from what Nature dictates? How does it affect us to live apart from this? These are questions that no one can completely answer, but we can evaluate our lives and ask ourselves if what we see is any indication of truth. Do you feel well, whole, and rested most of the time? Do you suffer from a legion of tiny aches and pains that you have learned to ignore? Are you calm and self-assured in the face of outside stressful influences? What does any of this have to do with living by the rhythms of nature?

Our universe, our earth, and our own bodies run by a paradoxical mechanism that is simultaneously consistent and chaotic. The sun rises every day, and the sun sets each evening, though not at exact times. When we are in fair health, our bellies rumble when we are hungry, due to the contractions of the stomach walls. Then when our brains receive the signal that certain nutrients are no longer present in the blood, we feel and insistent sense of hunger. When the sun goes down, the hormone melatonin is slowly released in our brains, which gradually causes us to grow sleepy. These are all natural processes, but life in our society can also inhibit and modify our responses to the mechanism. When we subject ourselves to constant artificial lighting, it partially inhibits the release of melatonin, which can confuse our bodies. There are ways that we can learn, though, to live with more body and nature awareness, and therefore help ourselves to live better. We must learn to listen, heed, and give back.

One of the first things that we must deal with in the morning is this signal that our body produces telling us that we need nutrients. Because our metabolism slows down when we are sleeping, the time it takes for our bodies to feel hunger varies from day to day and person to person. Some people have learned to suppress the natural signals because they feel the need to hurry, get dressed, and get started on the work of the day. This can also increase the production of adrenaline, which in turn causes the natural movement of the stomach and intestines to slow down or stop, and the need to eat is suppressed. The body then needs additional nutrients to support the stressed heart, lungs, and limbs, and it draws on those nutrients. Meanwhile, you don't feel hungry, but you begin to feel tired and sluggish. If you press on long enough, you feel light-headed, and you get a headache. Most people relent at this point, and stop to grab some breakfast. At best, you at least stop long enough to sit down, slow down, and eat something nutritious. At worst, you grab a sugary snack to give your blood sugar a boost, and you continue the wild ride of adrenaline into the day. Many of us don't slow down for meals at all, and others only have one or two times when we really sit down and enjoy a nourishing plate of food. A business lunch, shouting over the din of other restaurant customers, talking about the upcoming deadline, stuffing greasy red meat into your mouth and washing it down with a glass of dehydrating wine- this is not what I mean by a nourishing meal. Am I suggesting a lifestyle of plain oat bran and water? No, not at all. The Dhammapada says that "he in whom there is truth, virtue, love, restraint, moderation, he who is free from impurity and is wise, he is called an elder."

So, how do you eat by the rhythms of nature? It is simple, but most of us have been ignoring it for so long that it will take some time to change the patterns. With eating as an example, I can demonstrate the basic threefold pattern that can be used to live more naturally:

1. Listen when your body speaks to you. From the first time you feel stomach contractions or hunger in the morning, to the last time you feel it before you sleep, listen to it.

2. Heed the call of your body. If you need an occasional quick snack or a fattening business lunch to keep going on a tough day, do what you must- but most of the time, slow down for your meal. Sit down, and pay attention to your food as you eat it. GIVE your body what it really needs, not what your emotions beg from you. A daily glass of alcohol is fine and even healthy when you have taken in plenty of water, and an infrequent rich dessert won't harm you. On a regular basis, though, eat the things provided for you by Mother Earth- her generous vegetables, legumes, and grains.

3. Give your body time. Slow down for your meals, and eat healthier. It's worth it for the way you feel, the decreased risk of disease, the inches trimmed off of the waistline.

What else does Nature teach us about our lives? How about exercise? Believe it or not- many people at both ends of the spectrum are not living by the rhythms of nature. Most of us would agree that the couch potato is ignoring the natural urges to use your muscles, heart, and lungs. How about the tanned and glowing bodybuilder on the competition on television, or the trim Olympic gymnast? They look so good; they certainly must be following all of these guidelines. On the contrary, you might be surprised how unhealthy their routines may really be. The body will respond to aerobic and anaerobic activity by forming muscles and losing fat. Whether you are overweight and sluggish, or active and looking good- how do you feel? Are you exercising by the rhythms of nature? When we awaken in the morning, we are groggy and stiff for a little while. This means that if we jump right into a workout without the proper warm-up and stretching, we are asking for an injury. If we launch into a 30-minute bike ride without having taken in adequate calories, we are likely to feel worse after than before. How about the weekend warrior? The guy who sits at a desk all week long, and then on Saturday morning, takes off for the ski slopes. As he ages, he is an advertisement for a heart attack.

The keys to exercising by the rhythms of nature are again- listen, heed, and give. What is your body telling you? Do you feel stiff all day? Is your neck sore when you get home every night? Do you calves cramp up from lack of use and dehydration? Are you muscular and trim, but your heart still races out of control when you go up a few flights of stairs? Listen to your body. When your bones and joints pop at every movement- give them more movement to make use of your natural internal lubricants. When your muscles feel stiff, heed that feeling and warm them with more movement, and then stretch them. Give your body what it needs. If your legs get tired if you park in the distant parking spaces, park there on purpose so that walking longer distances becomes a habit. Do you have a grocery store or other place of business near your home? Walk there regularly to pick up items that you already need or do business that you would have done anyway. Are you sore after a weekend of gardening or recreation? Find more work or recreational activities that you can do during the week that will work and build those same muscles. These things will make you feel better than sitting in a recliner anyway.

Whatever you believe about God or a Higher Power, most people would agree that since ancient times, man has been drawn to certain activities of contemplation and/or worship. There is much disagreement about what form this should take, and about whether or not it is necessary for a whole and healthy life. That process of being silent for awhile and letting things become still is a natural thing for all beings, regardless of the focus of your contemplation. You can listen to your own inner voice. It will offer you guidance as to how and when to engage in the practice that is right for you. You can heed this voice, and act upon it even when your emotions tell you that you do not "feel" like being meditative. You can give your spirit what it needs, by feeding it with positive words and images, reading positive material, and paying attention to things that are sacred to you.

When the sun rises, the pineal gland in the brain begins to produce an important neurotransmitter called serotonin. When the sun goes down, the pineal gland slows production of serotonin and gradually begins to release melatonin. Sitting in an especially dark room during the day can trigger the early release of melatonin. Exposure to artificial lighting can cause inhibition of natural melatonin release. One of the fascinating things about this natural procedure is that if nature is trying to tell us to wind down for sleep by the functions of light and darkness, this also means that the old adage about 8 hours of sleep may not be accurate. During the winter, sunrise could be at around 7:00 a.m. If living by the rhythms of nature, we would do best to rise at around this time of day. The chemical release is gradual, so the time does not have to be exact. During the winter, the sun might set as early as 5:30-6:00 in the evening. Most evidence says that the change from one brain chemical to another is also very gradual, so to live within the rhythms of nature, you might want to begin extinguishing artificial lighting within 2-3 hours of natural darkness, or perhaps even earlier. Then listen to your mind as it starts to quiet down. If you have been living by artificial means for quite a long time, it may take weeks before you will begin to really "hear" the proper rhythm. Those who have kept going on adrenaline, caffeine, and artificial lights will suffer from a sort of "jet lag" or "society lag" for a while. In time, though, you should notice that the reduction of artificial light will help you to sense your natural need to sleep. Perhaps you will feel sleepy quite early, at around 7:30 or 8:30 p.m. If so, heed the call, and lie down and rest. You may soon find it easy to drop off, or you may have trouble due to your long time lag. Either way, give your body what it needs and rest or sleep as best you can. In the beginning, you may have to set an alarm clock to go off near the expected time of sunrise in order to give your body clock a boost. Gradually, though, you should naturally begin to feel sleepy within a few hours of sunset, and wake up rested close to sunrise. In the winter, this might be a fairly long sleep- for most people 8-9 hours may feel right. Others may actually need as much as 10 hours of sleep during the winter. Some doctors believe that many of us live in a constant sleep-deprived state, especially in the winter. In the summertime, sunset may not arrive until 8:30-9:30 at night. During each season, continue listen/heed/give pattern and adjust with the rhythms of nature. It may also help to alter the type of artificial lighting you are exposed to, especially if you are not outside much during the day. Using "full-spectrum" lights which mimic natural sunlight may be very helpful. There are exceptions and adjustments to be made for some. Additional research is still being done on those who live in areas of the earth where there are unusual amounts of sunlight during parts of the year. Another area still under study is that of sleep patterns in people who work night shifts. While these people may be able to adjust in time, indications are that it is healthier to sleep during the night hours.

If you feel rested, clear-minded, energetic and happy most days; have few aches and pains; are rarely taken down by a cold or flu; and you sleep well most nights -- you may not need the suggestions offered here. If, like many of us, you have trouble with any of these things, why not give Nature a chance? My cat always seems pretty happy with her life!