Key points

The ability to commune with nature involves more than simply looking at what’s in front of you.

New research tests the idea that communing with nature works on emotions via mindfulness.

Learn to immerse yourself in nature, and you can gain the inner benefits that the outer world can provide.

When your days are filled with nothing but the media's onslaught of messages, images, and must-see posts, it can feel good to take a breather. Maybe you’ve recently figured out a way to carve some “me-time” in this constant search for your attention from all of these online sources. You close your eyes, think about a recent pleasant encounter with a friend, and for one precious moment are transported away from reality.

Rather than relying on your mind to do the transporting, though, n

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