Earthbound (A Year of Mindful Connection in Nature)

An inspirational gift book, Earthbound invites readers to rekindle their innate bond with the earth and its web of lives through weekly devotionals and mindfulness practices.

We are not individuals but ecosystems, yet as we have drifted farther from what Thoreau called “the actual world,” our physical, emotional, and spiritual health suffer.

A growing body of research shows that simple “nature exposure,” time spent outdoors, can ease ailments ranging from high blood pressure and ADHD to depression and a loss of empathy. Rekindling this cell-deep bond with Earth’s living community is essential to the health of both humanity and the planet. In Earthbound, author Susan J Tweit invites us to heal and revitalize our frenetic modern lives, and the planet itself, by restoring human wholeness through terraphilia: our innate connection to, and affection for, Earth and its web of life. Earthbound is a devotional that guides readers through the seasons, offering simple yet profound practices, gorgeous nature photography, and haiku to orient us to the natural cycles of the year. In so doing, she reminds us that to be human is to be part of nature.

The practice of terraphilia is neither difficult nor distant. It requires no special equipment or wilderness trek. The invitation lives in a nearby tree, the coo of city pigeons, or a single star piercing the night sky. As Earthbound teaches, a practice of daily, mindful connection to nature restores wonder, belonging, compassion, and purpose. Earthbound calls readers home to their essential humanity, and to a living Earth that depends on their return.