The Tonic of Wildness

My friend William experiences the "Tonic of Wildness" hiking his 1st mountain at Shenandoah National Park

(Photos by Mark)

Someone once said that the Big Bend is so large, you might get lost out there. I say Big Bend is so large, and so diverse, you just might "find" yourself out there. 

From 1988 through 1999, I served at Big Bend National Park, TX with one of the most amazing backyards anyone could ever imagine: Chihuahuan Desert, Rio Grande, and Chisos Mts. I return many times and each time, the sights and sounds and smells of this place come flooding back. It is truly a place for people to discover, and re-discover, what our national parks are all about.

A long-forgotten cowboy once wrote that Big Bend is "…where rainbows wait for rain, where the river is kept in a stone box and the water runs uphill, and the mountains tower into the sky except when they disappear to visit other mountains..."

One attached image shows a desert thunderstorm with rainbow ("where rainbows wait for rain") at Persimmon Gap - where I lived for 11 years at Big Bend. Except for the constant breeze, the yip of coyotes, and the fragrance of creosote bushes, my nearest neighbor was 24 miles away. 

Another image shows the Rio Grande and Santa Elena Canyon ("where the river is kept in a stone box"). The sheer canyon walls rise 1,500' over the river. Because the geologic layers slant, my mind interprets water flowing upwards and I smile every time seeing the illusion.  

The Chisos Mountains ("tower into the sky") at 7,825' in the heart of Big Bend National Park (where they "disappear to visit other mountains") around them. From anywhere in Big Bend, you can see the Chisos. From the South Rim of the Chisos, you can see everywhere! 

You see, we do need “the tonic of wildness.” When we quote naturalist Henry David Thoreau, we often reach for his assertion that “in wildness is the preservation of the world.” His writings emphasized the importance of nature as a source of renewal and inspiration. He believed that nature provides a tonic for the soul, offering a sense of connection to the natural world. He expressed that we need to immerse ourselves in wilderness to experience the mysteries and vastness of the earth, which can rejuvenate our spirits and broaden our perspectives.

Thoreau’s ideas elicited little response when he first read them during a lecture in 1851. A century+ later, however, they have become a guiding mantra for the American environmental movement; and psychologists; and social behaviorists; and brain chemists; and even national park rangers. 

We know that opioids are some of the most powerful painkillers. But what you may not know is that your body is capable of producing natural compounds with similar effects. They’re called endorphins. These chemicals bind to receptors located on cells in the nervous system, triggering a cascade of changes within and between neurons, producing not only pain relief but get this – a feeling of pleasure, calmness, and relaxation – a “runners high” from something as simple as a rainbow waiting for rain, river flow in a box canyon, and mountains towering in the distant sky.  

Exposure to nature has been shown to alter this brain chemistry. Here are some ways:

-       Nature positively affects serotonin and dopamine levels, which are crucial for mood regulation, emotional balance, and pleasure rewards.

-       Natural environments decrease activity in the amygdala (fight or flight) leading to feelings of restoration and improved attention.

-       Natural surroundings reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex, promoting a state of relaxation and reduced stress.

-       Prolonged exposure to natural landscapes increases levels of dopamine which supports motivation and pleasure, and GABA, which calms neural activity and reduces anxiety.

-       A pleasant environment may also lead to positive changes in brain structure in the prefrontal cortex, involved in cognitive control.

According to The Marginalian, “The concept of the ‘Tonic of Wild[er]ness’ resonates with the idea that nature can provide a mental health boost and improve cognitive function. Research indicates that spending time in natural settings can lead to enhanced attention, lower stress, better mood, and increased empathy ... The more time spent in nature, the greater the health and wellbeing outcomes.”

Although human endeavors commonly change over a span of time, another wonderful commonality of national park areas is that they remain eternal – their gifts, their values, their “tonic of wildness.” At least until this year.

What happens when the current administration, The Heritage Foundation, and Project 2025 continue their path of demolition against our country’s national park areas? 

The scars of vandalism and graffiti, trash piles, and front-country shabbiness are headlines every day. Landscape specialists, air and water monitors, climate scientists, and trail maintainers have been fired. There is no one to stop the algae blooms or the invasive species. Even wildfires have the upper hand. Since January, the National Park Service has lost at least 24% of its permanent rangers and employees. The rainbows are disappearing, the rivers run down, and the mountains no longer seem to play. 

Recently, at the 10^th Anniversary of former Pope Francis’ Encyclical Letter “On Care For Our Common Home,” the current Pope Leo remarked that the challenges from the Letter are even more relevant today, stressing a conversion of heart to move from date to caring and a discourse to action … highlighting the need for climate action … urging world leaders to listen to the “cries of the Earth” … and to build bridges for ecological justice. Maybe some leaders do understand the “Tonic of Creation.”

Where Rainbows Wait for Rain

Where the river is kept in a stone box

Where mountains tower into the sky