Nature, Healing, and Going to the Edges of the Self

Attaining what you never dreamed was possible is an exhilarating feeling. If you have been fearful of nature, doubtful of your ability to survive in her, or doubtful of, in fact, anything about your abilities or inner fortitude, it’s time to go to the edges of yourself and heal. The naturalist writer L.M. Browning wrote, “Many a time we believe we must go away from all that is familiar if we are to focus on our inner well-being because we feel it is the only way to escape all that drains and distracts us, allowing us to turn inward and tend to what ails us. Yet we do not need to go to the edges of the earth to learn who we are, only the edges of ourselves.” The simple act of being in nature can take you to the edges of yourself, a space where you have the opportunity to grow and expand — smashing any doubts you once had about your survival abilities. So what does it mean to go to the edges of yourself?

An Opportunity for Growth

You’ve probably heard the phrases “I’ve reached my edge” or “I feel like I’m going over the edge” which mean, in a sense, about to break down, to hit “rock bottom.” In short, we sometimes hear the phrase “edge” in relation to suffering. Think now about the positive ways of using this term: “Cutting edge research.” Kamand Kojouri said: “Life is a concept, like the “universe”, that expands as soon as we reach what we think is its edge.” The edge implies a shift in perspective and an opportunity for growth. When you step into nature and defy your own beliefs about what your limits were, when you truly get into the adventurous mode of wilderness dwelling, you’re exploring your edges. This is where growth happens, where we begin to expand our ideas about what we were capable of — a sort of cutting edge research into self.

RedCliff Ascent is a therapeutic wilderness program, nestled between two mountain ranges in the high desert of Enterprise, UT. We focus on adolescents ages 13-17 who are struggling with various challenges from anxiety and depression, to school abandonment and the need to reconnect with their family. With over 25 years of experience, RedCliff uses a relational model and narrative therapy to drive an outcome and an evidence-based approach. RedCliff Recovery offers an experience like no other through a proven, 12-step, adventure-based wilderness program. For more information, call us today: 801-921-8488.