Don't necessarily have to touch the grass, directly, with your hands. That's kinda gross. Animals poop there. But like...walk on a trail somewhere. Or a park. Fresh air. Nature.

As an entirely non-spiritual person, it kind of does "mend the soul", as they say. Not a literal soul, but your metaphorical, metaphysical, psyche.

I suddenly feel real bad for people who don't have adequate "nature" an accessible distance from their home. That must be actual torture. Humans need to move, to explore. We need to breathe fresh air. Being stuck in a concrete jungle a few blocks wide is no different than being a caged hen, or a bunny in a tiny hutch...with the outdoors surrounding you constantly....freedom taunting you openly.

Or maybe I'm just high. Idk.

[–] cynar@lemmy.world 7 points 1 day ago

Humans evolved to be in nature. We can function without it, but it's very easy to throw our minds out of kilter. Spending time in a natural environment provides a mental reference. It's a level and type of stimulation we are optimised for. It's a lot easier to later hang onto that balance, back into modern life, than re-establish it under those stresses.