Thursday, July 16, 2015

The Soothing Sounds of Summer


by Judy


Every summer morning I take my cup of coffee out to my patio, put my feet up and ease myself slowly into the day. As I sit, I listen to the melodious sounds of bird song surrounding me.  I love how each bird has a different sound, and I marvel at the fact that, although there are many different birds chirping at the same time, it still sounds so lovely. Giving myself this time to sit and listen to this beautiful sound of nature allows me to begin my day in a peaceful, relaxed state.   


Another sound of nature that soothes my soul is the sound of the ocean.  I can sit for hours, not only watching the waves crash, but listening to them crashing against the shore. It's amazing isn't it, that the roar of the ocean can be so calming?  The repetition of the sound of the crashing waves is truly hypnotic, and I look forward to my time near the ocean every year. I leave with a sense of peace and rejuvenation.  


Another of my favorite places to listen to nature is in the woods.   Of course I hear the birds that I love, and I hear squirrels scampering by, but what really relaxes me is the sound of the breeze in the trees.  Leaves rustling and branches swaying.  The wooded sanctuary near my home has always been a favorite place for me to shoot photos, but it's much more than that.  The sounds of the woods calm me and I leave there a more refreshed and relaxed person, in both body and soul. 

There's real science behind all of these things I'm experiencing. There are studies that show that the sounds of nature have real healing powers. The soothing sounds of nature have been found to help lower blood pressure, and to overcome insomnia and depression. Our heart rates lower, our muscles relax, and our stress levels are reduced within 5-7 minutes of listening to the sounds of nature.  

Whether you can spend just a few minutes each day listening to the birds sing, or you can spend a whole week hearing the waves crashing to the shore, get outside and listen, truly listen, to all of the soothing sounds that nature brings to us.  Your body and mind will thank you.  



"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order."
-John Burroughs-










5 comments:

Carol said...

I couldn't agree more! and these ohotographs are truly beautiful. I can't even pick a favorite -each one made me go OH ' Thanks for starting my day so beautifully!

chasing the sun said...

Count me in! I also love my coffee-wine time on the patio..My idea of heaven is spending a week at the beach! I also love the idea of walking, even camping in the woods, near a water fall or babbling brook, lake or river :-)

chasing the sun said...

Beautiful pictures!

terriporter said...

I too am a lover of the sounds of nature. When I was little, my mother taught me to recognize the different bird calls and I still remember a lot of them. So beautiful, as long as it's not 5AM! The sound of the ocean is one of my favorite sounds of all. Yes, amazing that the loud roar can be so soothing. Your photos are beautiful and inspire me to get out there and capture some of my own!

Anonymous said...

I love these sounds of nature, too. To your examples, I would have to add two more personal favorites: running or trickling water in a brook or stream, and (perhaps my favorite of all) RAIN!

Post a Comment

Thank you for sharing part of your day with us. If for any reason you are unable to leave a comment here on this post, please leave your comment on our Facebook page or in our Flickr discussion group. We love hearing from you!

 
© Focusing On Life