Return to Nature - by Emma Loewe (Hardcover)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

Discover the new science and ancient wisdom on why nature makes us healthier and happier in body and soul from the co-author of The Spirit Almanac and mindbodygreen's Senior Sustainability Editor.

For centuries, we have known that getting outside is good for us. Yet we have become increasingly disconnected from the earth that nourishes us, with most of us spending 87% of our days indoors. In response, writer and environmentalist Emma Loewe demonstrates the power of nature's healing properties in a guidebook organized by eight landscapes. In each chapter, you'll find research-backed ways to explore that landscape right now and protect it in the future, so that it can be healthy and nurturing for generations to come. Drawing off modern science and innate wisdom, she uncovers:

Why being by the ocean makes you measurably happierHow living near greenery helps you lives longerThe staggering, illuminating statistic that forests can make you more relaxed within 90 seconds of walking among trees.

Alongside beautiful four-color illustrations that inspire us all to get outside in big and small ways, this stunning book--more urgent than ever--will appeal to anyone looking to connect with the world around them, whether in their neighborhood park or on a backpacking getaway.

Review Quotes

"Forests teach patience, snow embodies silence, deserts spark reinvention, rivers give flow, and cities teach reciprocity. ... The common threads in these explorations is a heightening of the senses and a willingness to accept nature's gifts. The book has a thoughtful message, so relevant in this time of virtual meetings and six-feet separations." -- Booklist (starred review)

"The ultimate map for mindfulness in Mother Earth. Proof that the outdoors can help to heal us." -- Emma Mildon, bestselling author of The Soul Searcher's Handbook and Evolution of Goddess

"Reading RETURN TO NATURE is an antidote to burnout and a gentle invitation to expansive possibilities for awe, restoration, and gratitude right outside your front door. This gorgeously illustrated, beautifully written book invites you on an immersive journey through eight landscapes, combining fascinating insights into how nature restores our minds with accessible rituals to engage all your senses to experience and enjoy nature's healing benefits for yourself. Along the way, you'll learn simple but profound mindset shifts to appreciate our own role in the web of life, including solid practical advice on how we can better care for nature in our everyday lives as consumers and citizens, to protect and expand its gifts." -- Kimberly Nicholas, PhD, author of Under the Sky We Make: How to Be Human in a Warming World

"Emma's book reminds us of the beauty and health that is at stake on our planet and ourselves if we don't get off our devices and go outside. She invites us lovingly to remember our greatest source of health and wellness...nature." -- Alexandra Roxo, author of F*ck Like a Goddess: Heal Yourself, Reclaim Your Voice, Stand in Your Power.

"I couldn't stop thinking about this book. Do yourself a favor and go read it under a tree. Then prepare to head to your next city planning meeting to ensure more greenspace access for everyone." -- Kathryn Kellogg, author of 101 Ways to Go Zero Waste

"Emma helps us channel what we already know: we all have an inherent connection to the natural world and it's increasingly urgent to understand, protect, and experience what it has to offer. By breaking down the science and putting it into practice through do-it-at-home exercises, Return To Nature provides you both the door and the key to unlock the magic that's available to you out there: all you have to do is step outside to discover it!" -- Gale Straub, Author of She Explores: Stories of Life-Changing Adventures on the Road and in the Wild

"Emma Loewe's clear and powerful words will inspire any reader to integrate their surroundings into a more conscious daily routine, no matter what climate they live in. Using science and spirit-backed literature, Return to Nature is a testament to the inherent connection we have to all life on earth and the benefits that come when we decide to walk out the door. Everyone should read this book to truly understand Emma's loving and thoughtful view of the world." -- Marci Zaroff, ECOlifestyle pioneer, Founder/CEO ecofashionCORP and author of ECOrenaissance: A Lifestyle Guide for Co-creating a Stylish, Sexy, and Sustainable World

"Packed with fascinating research and packaged in an engaging way, Return To Nature is the ultimate road map to finding your healthiest, happiest self outdoors." -- Jason Wachob and Colleen Wachob, co-CEOs of mindbodygreen

"I grew up immersed in the natural world--and can say that those connections to nature never left my brainstem--even when living in the city. In this intimate read, Emma Loewe shares how reconnecting to our environment is like the warm, welcoming embrace of a long lost loved one. She takes us on a journey through the landscapes of the world while simultaneously weaving stories of psychology, science, spirituality, and personal practice to help us Return to Nature." -- Summer Rayne Oakes, author of How to Make a Plant Love You: Cultivate Green Space in Your Home & Heart

"In Return to Nature, Emma Loewe has gifted us a practical, informative guide. It left me becalmed, inspired, and hopeful." -- Florence Williams, author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative

"Engaging, informative, inspiring. This book will change the way you see the natural world. On her tour through eight landscapes, Emma reveals the healing power of nature and our shared responsibility to protect it." -- Ruby Warrington, author of Material Girl, Mystical World and Sober Curious

"Return to Nature is a perfect justification for how important advocating and protecting nature is: it enables us to be our happiest and healthiest selves. Emma's words are the friendly nudge many of us need to get outside, see the trees, stand in the snow, swim in the sea. A fantastic reminder that not only are we a part of nature, we are healed by it." -- Lauren Singer, CEO of Package Free and founder of Trash is for Tossers