The Importance of Nature Essays

Submitted By Mari-Fenex
Words: 5788
Pages: 24
Open Document
As far back as humans have existed we have been evolving, thanks to nature and the wild. According to Darwin’s theory; survival of the fittest, which is based on how we evolved in nature to become the people we are today. In terms of five hundred million years, it seems reasonable to believe we have grown in intelligence and shape through survival. But it’s hard to imagine four billion years ago particles of this earth clanged together randomly to form proteins and DNA molecules, which somehow grew into single-cell life forms. As science indicates we are who we are because four billion years ago some particles clanged together and managed to create life. It is no wonder we have a special connection with the natural world that created us --it has shaped us into the most evolved species in the world. Nature has always been a vital part of human existence so it would make sense that it is still very beneficial to human’s well being. Many authors and studies have explored the benefits of nature and proved it is crucial in human being’s lives.
Henry David Thoreau is one author who truly believed in the powers of nature and explored them thoroughly in his book Walden. “I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived” (59). Thoreau wanted to improve on himself to become a different type of man and to be happy with the life he lived so he went to live alone in the woods. This was a very successful experience for Thoreau, who grew and learned through nature. It helped him with his problems and left him a happier person with a new insight on the benefits of nature.
Nature is tremendously effective in taking care of and straightening out the problems encountered within our selves. Being in the wilderness can give new perspective on problems through its ability to clear the mind as well as calm and relax us. Studies have indicated that being in the wilderness can lead to less negative states of mind, such as anxiety and depression. It also leads to healthier development in children. These benefits of wilderness have long been known by wilderness advocates, such as Thoreau and John Muir, who often wrote about the positive power nature has on people.
Gerald May, a writer and psychiatrist, wrote about the calming effect he experienced in nature in his book, The Wisdom of the Wilderness: Experiencing the Healing Power of Nature. He refers to this calming essence as the “Power of Slowing” (May 53), and often talks about how it calmed him when he was feeling anxious or worried. For him nature immediately rids him of his worries and anxiety. He describes it as “Then, as if it were a immediate response to my concern, I am moved to stop the car…looking at the trees, the mountainside, the sky. The welcoming feeling is here again, powerfully reassuring, holding me ”(May 129). May feels that nature comforts him and relieves his fear leading to less worry and anxiety. For May he experiences peace as soon as he reaches nature. Just being there calms him. However, others need the physical aspect of nature to direct attention away from worries, and find peace.
Jon Krakauer often preaches about the benefits nature has on him. In his book Into the Wild he explored the peace he finds while climbing:
A trancelike state settles over your efforts; the climb becomes a clear-eyed dream. Hours slide by like minutes. The accumulated clutter of day-to-day existence—the lapses of conscience, the unpaid bills, the bungled opportunities, the dust under the couch, the inescapable prison of your genes—all of it is temporarily forgotten, crowded from your thoughts by an overpowering clarity of purpose and by the seriousness of the task at hand (143).
Some might think that climbing is the exact opposite of calming. Dangling hundreds of feet from the ground on the edge of the mountain does not seem
Show More

Related Documents: The Importance of Nature Essays

Transcendental Beliefs

Transcendentalism is the act of going against the norms of society in order to live a simple life. Throughout the points of individualism, self reliance and the importance of nature Transcendentalism views are not supported by the Bible. Transcendentalist views show the importance of relying solely on oneself and not on others, including God. A great example of this is in the text “Self Reliance” which states: “Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string” (Emerson 270) This states the…

Words 515 - Pages 3

Essay about Wordsworth And Nature

Wordsworth uses nature and connects it to three major aspects of life. The Prelude uses nature to first connect to childhood innocence, followed by self-growth of men, and most importantly the presence of the Devine. TS Wordsworth connected nature to the innocence of childhood. ETS Wordsworth believed in childhood being the most innocent time in the life of a man. Children were born by an act of nature, and form an intense bond with the natural world based on their simplistic needs. Nature is also simplistic…

Words 1011 - Pages 5

Role Of Nature In The Lion King

the strongest connection to nature . The Lion King’s theme is the circle of life. The movie connects all of the creatures and plants, similar to Avatar, and makes them dependent on one another. In the movie, Mufasa utters to his son, Simba, that “Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand to balance and respect all the creatures, from the crawling ant to the leaping antelope.” (Berman 1). Here, Mufasa tells his son all nature is important and connected…

Words 176 - Pages 1

Jon Krakauer

Wilde's 'The Importance of Being Earnest' reveals a captivating exploration of identity, isolation, nature, and societal norms. By examining the literary techniques employed by Jon Krakauer and Oscar Wilde, a deeper understanding of the human experience depicted in their respective works can be gained. Through analysis, the complexities found within both narratives will be uncovered." In discussing thematic connections between Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild” and Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being…

Words 1061 - Pages 5

Does John Updike Use Figurative Language In The Great Scarf Of Birds

(3-4) and goes on to make comparisons in the nature around him, the flock appears like “a cloud of dots, like iron fillings which a magnet underneath the paper undulates” (16-18). The speaker also compares the flock to a rock stating, “a flock of starlings as much one thing as a rock” to contrast the erratic nature of the flock with the fact that the flock flies as a single entity. The speaker constantly compares the flock to describe its ever-changing nature finally deciding on “a lady’s scarf” (45)…

Words 1295 - Pages 6

Indigenous Religion: A Fascination Religion

everything is considered to be alive and a person and that they live as one with nature. The reason they say indigenous religion is spoken is that there are no books or written scripts to pass from generation to generation. Instead of written words it is spoken by elders from generation to generation and by Shaman which are considered as the indigenous priest or sacred person. The second feature I feel to be of importance to indigenous religion is…

Words 244 - Pages 1

Hobbes And Locke Compare And Contrast

necessary to maintain a sustainable society, they disagreed on the role that government should play. Hobbes believed that a strong government is needed to protect individuals from their selfish nature. Locke believed that government should serve the people. The philosophers’ different views on human nature influenced the expectations they had for their government. Also, the events surrounding each philosopher at the time of their reformation had a great impact on the value that they placed on their…

Words 1048 - Pages 5

The Lorax: The Flaw In Human's Nature

The Flaw in Human’s Nature Anyone who has ever watched or read the story, “The Lorax” by Dr. Seuss, would know the importance of nature mentally, physically, and spiritually. In the story, the Once-ler cut down all the trees in Thneedville so he could make a profit with his thneeds, leaving Thneedville a polluted wasteland. This fable happens to be more realistic than we think; over the years, humans have drastically altered their environment to meet their never-satisfied, acquisitiveness needs…

Words 1751 - Pages 8

Essay Article review: a tapestry of brown and green

government funding of science, the reasons for high biodiversity in the canopy, and the importance of non-vascular plants in forest nutrient cycles. To connect the urban youth with science and fieldwork, Nalini invited a young rapper named C.A.U.T.I.O.N. to come out to the field to sing about the trees, clams, and bugs to the middle school children from Tacoma, Washington, which also opened her eyes to the many colors of nature that the students saw with fresh eyes in the familiar forest of her own college…

Words 1214 - Pages 5

Transcendentalism In Anthem, By Ayn Rand

The Transcendentalists hold many beliefs and principles, many of which revolve around nature, that are expressed throughout several different works. Transcendentalists believe that nature is in all surroundings and within every individual, and can therefore provide that individual with spiritual insight. It is also believed that people are at their best when they are self-reliant. Furthermore, the concept of nonconformity is another belief held by the Transcendentalists, which can be shown in Anthem…

Words 587 - Pages 3