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| Field of lupines near my house. |
The longer I live here in Israel, the harder it is for me to
leave, even for a few days. I am not sure why this is, but after I return from
being abroad, I am always struck as to how deeply tied I am to this land.
Perhaps being away awakens a refreshing appreciation for this special country.
leave, even for a few days. I am not sure why this is, but after I return from
being abroad, I am always struck as to how deeply tied I am to this land.
Perhaps being away awakens a refreshing appreciation for this special country.
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| Israeli garden in February. |
In Israel, when you travel abroad, you say you are going ‘chutz
l’aretz,’ or ‘Chul’ (an abbreviation for these words). These words first appeared
in the Jerusalem Talmud, written in the 4th and 5th
centuries, and express that when you leave Israel, you are not simply going
away, but are going outside of the land. You cannot use these words when you depart
from anywhere outside of Israel; this ancient expression is reserved only for
when one leaves Israel. Leaving must have stronger implications than we think.
l’aretz,’ or ‘Chul’ (an abbreviation for these words). These words first appeared
in the Jerusalem Talmud, written in the 4th and 5th
centuries, and express that when you leave Israel, you are not simply going
away, but are going outside of the land. You cannot use these words when you depart
from anywhere outside of Israel; this ancient expression is reserved only for
when one leaves Israel. Leaving must have stronger implications than we think.
So I went to ‘Chul,’ traveling to London to celebrate a family
simcha (Mazal Tov Jacob on your bar mitzvah….you were fabulous!) It was
wonderful to reconnect with family as we have no close relatives in Israel.
simcha (Mazal Tov Jacob on your bar mitzvah….you were fabulous!) It was
wonderful to reconnect with family as we have no close relatives in Israel.
Yet this was London in February and someone had turned off the
lights! Permanently. I was shocked at how affected I was by the grey skies and
the damp cold that sank into my bones. I consider myself as hardy seeing as I
can camp outdoors on a rocky desert in the midst of winter; but I am weak when
it comes to light deprivation. And this recent foray into ‘winter’ was a cold
reminder of what made me pack up and leave Canada.
lights! Permanently. I was shocked at how affected I was by the grey skies and
the damp cold that sank into my bones. I consider myself as hardy seeing as I
can camp outdoors on a rocky desert in the midst of winter; but I am weak when
it comes to light deprivation. And this recent foray into ‘winter’ was a cold
reminder of what made me pack up and leave Canada.
I was feeling so terrible when I was away last week, I actually
became quite sick. Still unwell and recovering back in Israel under a deep blue
sky, I thought I would look into the benefits of living in warm sunshine.
became quite sick. Still unwell and recovering back in Israel under a deep blue
sky, I thought I would look into the benefits of living in warm sunshine.
Here is what I learned:
* Light regulates the natural rhythms of our bodies
* We metabolize sunlight into important Vitamin D (and being deficient in
Vitamin D can lead to many illnesses)
Vitamin D can lead to many illnesses)
* Sunlight is beneficial to patients with Alzheimer’s
* There is a strong connection with lack of sunlight and
developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS is more common in populations that live farther
from the equator)
developing Multiple Sclerosis (MS is more common in populations that live farther
from the equator)
* Sunlight heals psoriasis (a study shows that outdoor
sunbathing therapy helped clear symptoms in 84% of patients)
sunbathing therapy helped clear symptoms in 84% of patients)
* Sunlight improves our quality of sleep–when sunshine hits your
optic nerve, it sends a message to produce melatonin which will helps you sleep
better at night (melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant and has
cancer-fighting properties)
optic nerve, it sends a message to produce melatonin which will helps you sleep
better at night (melatonin is also a powerful antioxidant and has
cancer-fighting properties)
* Sunlight kills bacteria and heals wounds
* Sun rays lower bold pressure in those who have high blood
pressure
pressure
* Sunshine penetrates into the skin and cleanses blood vessels (a study showed that sunshine was beneficial
to people with artherosclerosis)
to people with artherosclerosis)
* Sunlight helps increase the oxygen in our blood and gives
us stamina
us stamina
* Sunshine, accompanied by blue skies, offers its very own benefits; blue light has recently been used in the treatment of of
psychological problems, addictions, eating disorders, impotence, and
depression.
psychological problems, addictions, eating disorders, impotence, and
depression.
* People are often more productive in blue rooms so that blue sky must energize!
* Sunlight contributes to enhancing a good mood by increasing the level of a
natural anti-depressant in our brain. Did you know that the brain produces more
serotonin on sunny days than on cloudy days?
* Sunlight contributes to enhancing a good mood by increasing the level of a
natural anti-depressant in our brain. Did you know that the brain produces more
serotonin on sunny days than on cloudy days?
 |
| My garden writing nook. |
Understanding the healing aspect of the sun isnot modern science. The ancient yogis of India called the science of sunbathing
Atapa Snana, while the Greeks called sunlight therapy heliosis. Today, we have
lost the art. Many of us are forced to spend up to 90% of our lives
indoors. Imagine this: noon sunshine offers 100,000 lux, yet when we sit indoors in an office under artificial lighting, we get 150-600 lux.
This lack of light eventually causes a disconnect with natural outdoor cycles. And as Henry David Thoreau wrote in 1862, “In Wildness, is the
preservation of the world.”
preservation of the world.”
I feel blessed to be living here in Israel, to be able to sit barefoot
outside in the heat February under sunny, exhilaratingly blue skies. For here,
I can heal and write and truly connect with the wildness of nature.
outside in the heat February under sunny, exhilaratingly blue skies. For here,
I can heal and write and truly connect with the wildness of nature.
I invite you all to come join me for some Atapa Snana in EretzIsrael.
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