Some great movies deserve a sequel. But the Covid lockdown is not one of them.
Auckland’s Level Three Covid lockdown has brought with it feelings of gloom, anxiety, weariness and a general sense of being ‘over it’. Many of us are yearning for a long walk on the beach, a tramp through Aotearoa’s beautiful bush or a day spent on the water. But while we’re sticking close to home to protect our communities, we can still find ways to connect with nature and replenish our minds and souls. Here are three of my faves.
Catch a sunrise to ease Covid anxiety
Look, I get it. It’s early. I can’t stand those people who advocate getting up at sparrow’s fart, running 30km and drinking 4 litres of wheatgrass smoothie before starting your day. But there’s something uniquely enlivening about seeing that first kiss of light stretching over the horizon, staining the sky pink and orange and bathing your neighbourhood in golden light.
Pick a day, check the sunrise times, figure out which way is east, and head to bed early the night before. Next morning while it’s still dark, prise your weary body out of the warm covers, brew some coffee and settle in somewhere you can see the sky—your backyard, a balcony, or just at the window. I guarantee you won’t regret it. It’ll ease those Covid blues.
Get growing to ease Covid anxiety
The ever-popular hobby from Lockdown 1.0 is back: gardening. Haven’t tried it yet? There’s a bit of a myth that gardening requires special soil and fancy equipment, when in reality, you can probably start growing things using materials you have around home.
Old tops of carrots can be placed in a shallow dish of water and will regrow their lacy green leaves – which, by the way, are edible and make great pesto. Avocado stones require some convoluted toothpick structures to get started, but I have seen whole trees grown using this method (in certain warmer parts of the country, at least).
You can try saving seeds from supermarket veggies, like pumpkins. There’s no 100% guarantee they’ll grow, but it’s worth a shot. Tomato seeds can be germinated by sandwiching them between two layers of moist paper towel. Once the tiny seeds have sprouted a root, gently transplant into some soil. Old egg cartons make fantastic, compostable seedling trays. Watching your tiny plants get bigger and stronger somehow never fails to be fascinating, calming and rewarding. And you can avoid Covid by spending less time shopping for veggies!
Gaze at the sky to ease Covid anxiety
I’m not one for meditating. After the first couple of minutes, I’m itching and twitching and daydreaming about what I’m going to make for lunch. But what I can do—for hours—is lie under a tree and stare at the sky, and I reckon it has the same mind-clearing effect.
Find a tree or a clear patch of lawn in your backyard or in a local park (maintain good social distancing by yelling “THIS IS MY TREE, GET YOUR OWN,” at anyone who approaches). Pop a blanket down and settle back for some premium cloud viewing. Bring some mindfulness into the situation by noticing the noises, smells, textures and colours around you. *meditation teacher voice* Let your body settle against the earth. Breathe in… and breathe out.
And if all else fails, you can while away the time spotting different shapes in the clouds. For advanced sky-gazers, try learning to identify different cloud types (cumulo-what?), or turn it into an after-dark activity by learning a few constellations.
Countless studies have demonstrated how being in nature can improve our mental health. And if there’s one thing this Covid pandemic has shown us, it’s that we’re all connected: to each other, and to the ecosystems that sustain us. Let’s honour that connection and make sure we keep finding opportunities to bring nature in, and ways to treat our earth—and each other—with kindness.
Let’s shift New Zealand to farming that works with nature, not against it.
