You’re not alone to feel alone. We may be more digitally connected than ever before, but the connections aren’t real. The conversations are all Facebook or Twitter (or X if you want to gag) or maybe BlueSky if you’ve made the transition to anti-fascism. Fewer conversations and interactions are taking place in real life.

And it’s killing us. As our lives become increasingly focused on the Concrete Jungle as well as the Matrix of our digitized age, we spend less time immersed in nature, and more time confined in the walls of buildings, the trappings of social media, and the Tron of synthesized computer connections.

A 2017 study found that heavy social media users were three times more likely to feel socially disconnected than those not as obsessed. People who spend at least two hours daily on social media are twice as likely to experience perceived social discord compared to those who use it for 30 minutes or less each day.

It turns out that having a connection with nature can counteract social disconnection and help us feel like a meaningful part of this universe again.

“People with poor social connectedness still showed high levels of wellbeing if they reported high levels of nearby nature, and there was a lower likelihood of levels of wellbeing associated with depression among those with poor social connectedness if they had high nearby nature,” researchers at the European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH) concluded in a study.

Spending time in nature offers profound mental health benefits, helping to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while promoting overall well-being. Connecting with nature has been shown to lower cortisol levels, the hormone associated with stress, and enhance mood by boosting serotonin and dopamine production. The calming effects of greenery, fresh air, and natural light contribute to improved focus, creativity, and cognitive function. 

Outdoor time does wonders to encourage mindfulness, helping you to disconnect from digital distractions and reconnect with the present moment. 

The good news is it doesn’t take much nature to have a profound impact. A simple walk-about in a nearby park, some recreational gardening, or practicing mindfulness after a smoke under a tree can do wonders for the brain and the soul. Simply sitting in a green space can open up your mind and heal loneliness and isolation. 

“There is mounting evidence, from dozens and dozens of researchers, that nature has benefits for both physical and psychological human well­being,” says Lisa Nisbet, a psychologist at Trent University in Ontario, Canada, who studies connectedness to nature, tells the American Psychological Association. “You can boost your mood just by walking in nature, even in urban nature. And the sense of connection you have with the natural world seems to contribute to happiness even when you’re not physically immersed in nature.”

Smoking herbs can be a great way to relax and retune your body in alignment with nature. An herbal smoke can serve as a vital and natural link in an automated world, reconnecting us to our sacred heritage, the rituals of our ancestors, and the wisdom of the Owl and the Coyote. Spiritual smoke is a communion with the herbs and nature – a reconnection to our divine spark of energy.

And yes, it can save your goddamned soul.

Nature is part of our consciousness because it is conscious – it’s intelligent and interconnected in profound amazing ways we are only beginning to discover. We are participating in that world. Part of its antidote to loneliness is teaching us we are a part of something bigger, grander, and magical. The abundance of nature teaches us to be part of the whole of the universe, breathing, bleeding, and being.

Grab your friends, your family, or your soul family, and set out on an adventure. Hike into the wild, sleep beneath the stars, and savor nature’s gifts. Gather around the fire, roll some Bear Blend, and pass it to the left. Inhale the sacred herbs and reconnect with the ancient traditions that flow through our veins. This is our birthright—our primal evolution. It’s time to set down our screens and reclaim it together.

Let’s howl at the moon and listen—maybe it will answer. The wild is calling us home, inviting us to dance beneath the stars with the tribe we call Humanity.