Nature is the medicine. Besides my daily dose of caffeine, I don’t take any other substances, not even alcohol, which is essentially a criminal offense according to some people. I get all I need from nature.

Which isn’t to say you shouldn’t do what you enjoy, I’m not one to point fingers. What I want to say is that nature is how I like to rewind and refresh, and it certainly does a good job at that.

My wife says that often when I come off the mountains my demeanor changes and it’s like I am a different person. I also feel it myself. I don’t get as worked up as I can at times, and it helps to keep me calm.

The problem is when you can’t get out, and feelings and emotions bottle up and it gets overwhelming. At those times, you really need to make getting out into nature a real priority.

There is one important difference as well though. Since becoming a Yamabushi I have better understood the importance of showing appreciation to nature through prayer. That’s all. Just acknowledging nature’s existence and your existence, and how they intertwine, that in itself is enough.

If you ever feel worked up, feel unlike yourself, or feel that you need to unwind, a dose of nature might be just what the doctor ordered.