Remembering that We Are The Earth: A review of The Nature Embedded Mind
- thegivingcypress
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
Feeling that gentle tap on the shoulder from the Forest.
Through a simple Google search for “forest therapy,” the publisher of The Nature Embedded Mind found our website and reached out, asking if I would read and review the book.
At the time, I was moving through a season of loneliness. Struggling to find community in a country that feels more and more divided. I watched communities I belong to build walls, set hard boundaries, turn the other cheek. People are distracted, distraught, feeling threatened — surviving.
Forgetting.
Forgetting interdependence.
Forgetting that we share the same planet.
The same air.
The same blood.
So when that email arrived — I felt what I can only describe as a magic tap on the shoulder from the forest itself. Among the vast sprawl of the internet, the forest threaded us together.
I made it a goal to read the book.
It was an easy yes.
As I turned the pages, I found myself nodding again and again. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Julie Brams shares her humbling journey of becoming a guide — questioning, unlearning, growing. At the same time, I was witnessing the Sea Turtles cohort (a training cohort I partner with ANFT to support) step into their own becoming. Her reflections mirrored what I was seeing in real time: guiding is not a title, it’s a continual softening. A continual remembering.
At its heart, The Nature Embedded Mind speaks to interconnectedness — but not in a theoretical, lofty way. It reads like a pause in the middle of a career. A long exhale. A willingness to question the Western psychological lens that has shaped how we define mental health — often treating the mind as though it exists in isolation, separate from the living world.
It doesn’t.
And yet so many of our systems are built as if it does.
In my own writing, I have often challenged the ableist framing of outdoor recreation and even eco-psychology — the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways healing in nature is marketed as something for the able-bodied, the resourced, the already included.
I return to one truth, over and over:
Nature welcomes all.
Not just the fit.
Not just the fast.
Not just the privileged.
Not just the neurotypical.
Not just the hearing.
Not just the guides.
All.
Challenging the Illusion of Separation
Julie’s work echoes this deeper knowing: that much of our anxiety, our fragmentation, our epidemic of loneliness stems from the illusion of separateness — from Earth, from each other, from our own embedded instincts.
Loneliness is often described as a social epidemic. But what if it is also ecological?
What if we are grieving a relationship we forgot we belonged to?
Remembering an Ancient Truth
Reading this book felt link remembering something ancient, a primal instinct embedded deep within us.. The embedded mind and soul. The instinct that knows how to soften against bark. How to listen to wind. How to sit long enough for the nervous system to recalibrate.
This book reminds us to slow down and listen to the natural world, encouraging a shift from rushing through life to pausing and growing. This call to slow down is especially powerful for those of us who guide others through forest therapy sessions, as it echoes the core practice of mindful presence.
As a forest therapy guide and trainer, I felt both affirmed and gently challenged.
Am I still growing?
Am I still listening?
Am I allowing the forest to shape me — not just guide others toward it?
The cover illustration moved me deeply. It mirrors artwork I once created for my own profile — a world where humans and nature are not separate entities, but expressions of the same living web. That image is not fantasy. It is possibility. It is invitation.
This book stirred something even more personal in me: the desire to write more bravely. To keep weaving science and soul. To continue making healing accessible. To imagine and create a future where reconnection is not a luxury, but a foundation.
The Nature Embedded Mind is not loud. It doesn’t shout.
It gently reminds us:
You were never separate.
You were always embedded.
And the Earth is still here — waiting for you to remember.
Practical Takeaways for Readers
The Nature Embedded Mind offers more than reflection; it provides actionable ideas for reconnecting with nature and improving mental health:
Slow down and be present: Practice mindfulness in natural settings to reduce stress and enhance well-being.
Recognize your interconnectedness: Understand that your mental health is linked to the health of the environment.
Engage in forest therapy: Participate in guided nature experiences to deepen your connection and healing.
Share your story: Use writing or other creative outlets to express your relationship with nature and inspire others.
Support community wellness: Encourage social connections rooted in shared experiences with the natural world.
Why This Book Stands Out
Many books in the field of nature and forest therapy focus heavily on scientific research or the history of the practice. The Nature Embedded Mind stands apart because it blends science with soul. It is a pause, a moment to reflect on what it means to be human in a world where nature is often overlooked.
Brams’s writing is accessible and heartfelt, making complex ideas feel personal and urgent. This book is not just for professionals in the field but for anyone who feels the call to reconnect with the Earth and themselves.
Final Thoughts
The Nature Embedded Mind by Julie Brams is a powerful invitation to rethink how we view ourselves and our mental health. It reminds us that healing begins with repairing our relationship to nature and that this connection is always available if we choose to embrace it.
For those who feel drawn to forest therapy or nature-based healing, this book offers both inspiration and practical guidance. It encourages us to slow down, listen, and grow—not just as professionals or guides but as human beings seeking wholeness.
The forest is searching for us, and through Brams’s words, we can find our way back.
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