The Healing Power Of Nature's Therapy

The pandemic has shone a spotlight on our mental health, but Barry Stoffell says that rural pursuits can help create perfect peace of mind

- Barry Stoffell

It is so often the case that you don’t fully appreciate something until it’s gone; life teaches us this time after time. With clay grounds closed, shoots canceled and many field sports activities severely curtailed for much of the past 15 months due to COVID-19, many of us lost, albeit temporarily, access to the sports we love.

In my case, this led to some serious reflection on how much I take field sports for granted. And I’m certain that I won’t be the only one left with a far greater appreciation of the role that these activities play in my life. But what is it that makes them so very important for our mental and physical well-being?

The importance of field sports extends far beyond the ‘fresh air and exercise’ trope, despite the undeniable feeling of joie de vivre that a hard day’s rough shooting and a good dose of vitamin D induces.

In a BASC survey published in 2016, 84% of participants said that shooting was important for their physical well-being, while a whopping 95% said that it was important for their personal well-being.

Prescience

With unwittingly gloomy prescience, 86% of those surveyed said that their ‘enjoyment of life’ would be negatively impacted were they prevented from taking part in shooting activities.