May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so here’s your reminder to relax your mind and take care of yourself. There are plenty of ways to stay in touch with geology while improving your mental health—no “healing crystals” needed!
Getting Grounded Outdoors
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Sometimes, the solution to a stressed or down-and-out mind is just to go outside. Unwind by immersing yourself in, and engaging with, the beauty of nature.
Riverbank observations:
Take a seat by a river or stream and enjoy the soothing sounds of the water while you watch real-time geomorphological processes. Focus on the water’s movement, how it ripples around rocks and pushes small sediments along.
Think about the grander journey that the water, rocks, and sediments have traveled to arrive at your feet. This can be very meditative and give you a new perspective on the dynamic nature of Earth’s processes.
Photographic rock diary:
Instead of collecting rocks on a hike, take photos of them, noting where you found each one and why it intrigued you. Later on, you can even make a scrapbook to remember each adventure and the treasures you saw there.
Not only does this strengthen your in-field cataloging skills, it’s also a great way to practice Leave No Trace in places where collecting rocks is prohibited. It’s like they say: “Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints!”
Creative field sketching:
Grab your pencil and notebook and draw the scenery around you. Don’t worry, it doesn’t have to be perfect—just have fun! It’s your chance to unleash your creative and playful side.
If you’re a painter, you can sketch on your chosen medium and paint over it later or do it right then and there to get those colors just right. But be careful… One time, I painted while kayaking and kept losing brushes in the water.
The big picture:
These activities should put your mind at ease while also engaging with the things you love and the concepts that intrigue you.
While us outdoorsy types often deem nature the best medicine, know when it’s time to seek help from a mental health professional. Venting to the rocks can only do so much!
Self Care with Geology
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To care for your mind, you must also care for your body. If stress is causing you aches, pains, and more, try unwinding with a geological spa day.
Mineral mud masks:
Extracted from mineral-rich areas, volcanic regions, or ancient lake beds, these muds can contain minerals such as magnesium, calcium, sodium, bromide, and potassium.
The minerals sink into pores and absorb oil, leaving the skin softer and fresher. Dead Sea mud in particular is known for its anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe a myriad of conditions from psoriasis to arthritis.
Therapeutic salt soaks:
Bath salts are sourced from saline bodies of water—Epsom salt from mineral springs, or sea salt from evaporated seawater.
When added to a hot bath, they can help reduce inflammation, soothe aches, and support nerve and muscle function. They also pair well with essential oils and moisturizers for even more relaxation.
Hot stone massages:
Basalt is the most commonly used stone for this practice due to its high iron content which helps it retain heat. The smooth, flatter shape comes from weathering in riverbeds, and allows more surface area to touch the skin.
The heat from the stones helps relax muscles, ease tension, and get you truly relaxed during a massage. It’s an effective way to reduce stress and alleviate muscle stiffness, plus it involves rocks!
The bottom line:
Self-care practices using Earth’s natural resources have been around for thousands of years, largely because they still work wonders.
Be mindful of what you put on your body… Even if you have your own mud, salts, and stones, you should probably stick to the professional-grade stuff because you can be sure it’s the right kind.
I hope this edition of GeoLifestyle inspires you to take some time for yourself this month—or any time of the year! It was certainly a good wake up call for me; I’m feeling the itch to paint again and either refer to my backlog of photos from past trips, or go somewhere new and paint in the moment, like I did here:
This painting I made from a kayak is one of my favorites!
Despite losing a total of four paintbrushes in the process, the landscape I painted in the middle of Mongaup Pond is one of my favorites. Out there on the water with my dollar store watercolor set and what remained of my brushes, I remember feeling so peaceful and in touch with nature.
Y’know what? I think that’s exactly what I need right now, so I’m gonna send this out and go book myself a campsite somewhere nice and peaceful.
Cheers everyone, see you outside!
Cate Larsen
Editor, GeoLifestyle
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