5 Ways Nature Can Help With Grief + New Eco-friendly Memorial Favors

Calm and serene, nature has the power to bring peace, clarity and moments of reflection for people who spend time breathing in the fresh air and being among the presence of natural, earthy elements. While the calming and spiritual effects of nature can benefit everyone, they’re especially powerful for those dealing with the loss of a loved one. If you’re currently in the process of grieving the loss of a friend or family member, we want to send our deepest condolences during this difficult time. While nothing can completely absolve the pain of this loss, spending time in nature can help in a variety of powerful ways.

Here are 5 ways that nature can help with grief:

• Fresh air breathed in from being outdoors can affect your overall sense of well being because high levels of oxygen are tied to serotonin, the neurotransmitter that affects your mood, appetite, memory, etc.
• Being in nature while walking, hiking or running can help grief because endorphins created by these exercises can alleviate depression that can often arise after the loss of a loved one.
• As a symbol of the circle of life, seeing trees, leaves, soil and flowers will remind you of the natural progression of human life which can help put things in perspective after a loss.
• The effects of nature can lower stress hormone levels which are naturally high when dealing with the loss of a loved one. In fact, according to this study, one group of people was asked to read indoors after completing a stressful task while the other group was instructed to garden for 30 minutes. The gardeners not only reported being in a better mood than the readers but also had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
• Quiet moments in nature will give you time to reflect and remember your loved one. It’s also a low-stress opportunity to talk with a friend or family member about feelings while enjoying activities like long walks and hikes.

Planting seeds & watching them grow can help the healing process

Take a look at our NEW eco-friendly memorial favors inspired by nature:

Created to complement the calming essence of the outdoors, we’ve created a new collection of eco-friendly memorial favors that will give those grieving a symbolic way to remember their loved ones. Since memorial services can be overwhelming, the Nature’s Leaf Memorial Favors can be taken home so guests can plant the seed paper leaf as a private moment for grieving in the comfort of their own homes. Made with post-consumer materials, the paper will compost away while a beautiful garden of wildflowers bloom as living memories of the person who has passed. Whenever you spend time in the garden, the power of nature and the symbolic wildflowers will remind help the healing process in a calm and peaceful way.

Inspired by the simplicity of natural elements found in the great outdoors, the Nature’s Leaf Memorial Bookmarks will honor the life of your loved one in a heartfelt way. Since the eco-friendly favor includes a beautiful woodgrain bookmark with a seed paper piece attached, recipients can use the bookmark as a keepsake and plant the paper to grow a garden of colorful wildflowers like Bird’s Eye, Clarkia, Black Eyed Susan, Sweet Alyssum, Catchfly and Snapdragon. Whenever you look at the name on your memorial bookmark, you will remember the life and love of that special person.

Since nature has been proven to provide healing effects for those who are grieving, choosing a memorial favor that can grow wildflowers is a great choice to give friends and family. Available in 10 designer shades like the deep green, mustard yellow, sky blue and latte shown above, you can make these Nature’s Leaf Memorial Flat Cards more personal by choosing a custom color and a heartfelt quote. As mentioned above, gardening has beneficial effects so planting the seed paper in your garden will help you heal in a variety of ways. If you’d like to grow an even bigger garden of wildflowers, you can plant some of the heart-shaped confetti as shown above.

Are you looking for more memorial resources? Take a look at these helpful posts:

Creating A Memorial Garden To Honor & Remember Loved Ones
Remembering Loved Ones – Quotes & Poems For Seed Paper Memorial Favors
How Planting Wildflowers Can Help With Healing After The Loss Of A Loved One

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