“Everything exists in relation to its environment, and you can't describe a thing unless you also describe its environment.”
- Bill Harris
Issue #490 – Monday, August 25, 2025
We all know how good nature is for us…
A walk in the woods, the sound of rain, the view of a sunset…
Something about it just calms the mind and soothes the body.
But what if you can’t always get outside?
What if your busy schedule, health or even the weather keeps you stuck indoors?
That’s why today I’m sharing a lovely essay by Mind Power Managing Editor Ryan Standifird that explores a fascinating question:
Can we still get the healing benefits of nature… without physically being in it?
The answer might surprise you.
And if you’re a Holosync user (or thinking about becoming one), this is a reminder that nature and technology don’t have to be opposites!
They can work beautifully together to support your brain, body, and spirit.Cheers,
MaryEllen Tribby
Centerpointe CEO
P.S.
If you’re one of the millions of folks who struggle with chronic pain, we can help!
Scroll down to our Check it Out section below to learn more.
Can “Virtual Nature” Provide a Boost to Your Health?
How Nature & Technology Hold Powerful Potential
By Ryan Standifird
The influence that nature has on our brains and bodies is profound.
Whether you’re practicing shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) in a secluded nature preserve, enjoying a simple walk through your local park, or simply watching the sunset from your back porch, neuroscience tells us that you’re getting benefits.
For example, studies show that:
Experiencing the “awe” of nature soothes the nervous system, triggers the release of oxytocin and improves your ability to express gratitude.
Spending time in nature helps regulate your circadian rhythms (we have two of them) and leads to better sleep.
Being in nature reduces cortisol levels & muscle tension while regulating heart rate and blood pressure.
Those who consider themselves more connected to nature have healthier diets & bodies.
You see, despite the last few hundred years of industrialization and technology, humans have an immense connection to nature on a biological level.
And that connection serves as a powerful balancing force to the stressful, fast-paced 24-hour internet-driven lifestyles that many folks feel trapped in today.
But here’s the problem:
Not everyone has the luxury of living in a place where nature is easily accessible.
And even if you do have a beautiful park just down the road, you still might not be able to enjoy it due to health problems, time constraints or other circumstances.
For those folks, how can you get the benefits of nature without leaving home?
Ironically, technology might actually be a solution!
So what happens when you combine nature and technology together?
Can “Virtual Nature” Still Give You Benefits?
Chronic pain is an issue that plagues more than 20% of the American population. According to the Centers for Disease Control, that’s over 51 million people in the US who are dealing with lingering pain that just doesn't go away - even months or years after the initial injury occurs.
For many folks dealing with chronic pain, it can become a frustrating cycle of visits to the doctor, prescription painkillers (and side effects), physical therapy and lifestyle changes…
…all without ever solving the problem.
So it’s no surprise that scientists have been looking into other ways to relieve chronic pain that can make a difference, whether in conjunction with current practices or as an alternative.
And one interesting therapy for pain holds potential: “Nature immersion.”
A new study from the University of Exeter is one of the first to look into the role technology can play when it comes to nature immersion for chronic pain relief, specifically through the use of Virtual Reality (VR).
The study consisted of four separate visits by participants.
In the first visit, healthy participants without a history of chronic pain were given a mild electric shock on their forearm to create a controlled painful condition.
After these shocks, scientists observed how the brain responded over the course of 50 minutes without any sort of nature immersion. This would give them a baseline on how the pain affected the participants.
They noticed that the brain formed a sensitivity to sharp pricking stimuli, changing how the brain and spinal cord process those pain signals. This mirrors the same kind of brain response as someone with chronic nerve pain.
In the second visit, the participants were given the same electric shocks to simulate nerve pain, and then were shown a 2D picture of a waterfall in Oregon. They answered a questionnaire afterwards about their perceived pain levels, how present they felt in the nature scene, and to what extent they felt the nature immersion helped with their pain.
In the third visit, after another round of electric shocks, the participants put on a VR headset that displayed a high quality, 360-degree version of the same Oregon waterfall for 45 minutes, and were then given the same questionnaire afterwards about their experience.
Finally, in the fourth visit, the participants underwent an fMRI brain scan while having a cold gel applied to their skin to elicit an ongoing pain response. This is so that the researchers could see how their brains reacted to the pain during the scan.
Here’s what they found:
The immersive VR nature experience significantly reduced the development and spread of feelings of pain sensitivity to pricking stimuli, and these pain-reducing effects were still there even at the end of the 45-minute experience.
The more present the participant felt during the VR experience, the stronger the pain-relieving effect.
Those with stronger connectivity in brain regions involved in modulating pain responses experienced less pain.
So, what does this all mean?
Nature & Technology Are a Powerful Combo
The results of the study suggest that the immersive VR nature scenes can help to change how pain signals are transmitted in the brain and spinal cord during long-term pain conditions.
It also confirms that nature itself is a powerful form of pain relief, whether you’re there in-person experiencing it yourself, or you’re using technology like VR or even 3D Audio.
And while this study focused on nature’s effect on chronic pain, its results demonstrate that technology can be an accessible and effective way for anyone to harness the other benefits of nature as well…
…like lowered cortisol levels, less muscle tension, healthier diets, better sleep, improved heart health and more.
So, how can you leverage technology and nature together to improve your life?
You’re probably already familiar with it: Holosync.
Holosync doesn’t just use powerful neuro-audio technology to influence your brainwave states. It also harnesses advanced 3D spatial audio technology to create a realistic experience akin to “VR for your ears.”
And here’s the good news:
If you’re part of the Holosync Solution Program (Awakening Prologue and Deeper Levels) then you’ve probably noticed the soothing sounds of rainfall that come standard in each Dive and Immersion session.
Many of our Holosync suites also come with alternative naturescape listening sessions as an option, so you can get even more benefits from your favorite tracks.
And if you use the MyHolosync App’s Daily Oasis Meditations, you’ll notice that you have a choice between three different nature masking sounds so you can get the most out of each listening session.
Enjoy Nature’s Bounty
However you prefer to enjoy nature’s benefits, there’s one fact that’s undeniable:
Consistency leads to the best outcomes.
Make visiting that park a regular weekend activity. Get out in the garden and water those plants each morning. Listen to your Holosync every day.
The more you engage with nature, the more it engages with you.
And thanks to technology, it’s easier than ever to take advantage of it.
Check It Out!
Painless, Calm & Free
A Mindfulness-Based, Drug-Free Alternative for Pain & Anxiety
A mountain of evidence has proven over and over that…
…mindful meditation effectively eases chronic pain!
How?
There are three key components that you need in a successful pain-fighting meditation practice. It must:
Increase neurochemical production that triggers your natural pain-numbing response
Decrease activity in the parts of the brain responsible for processing pain
Break the pain-stress-pain cycle
That’s what we’ve created with Painless, Calm & Free, bringing effective pain relief to those who need it most.
Ready to finally leave chronic pain behind & take back control of your life?
Wise Words
“The more you engage with nature, the more it engages with you.”
- Ryan Standifird
This Really Happened
"I love the new MyHolosync app, it makes it so easy to access the Meditations with ease whenever I want and it's helping me meditate more frequently and regularly."
~Stephanie S.
MyHolosync User
We Want to Hear From You!
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