Nature’s Portal to Peace: The Surprising Truth Behind Transcendent Experiences

Imagine yourself swaying gently in a hammock on a remote Caribbean island with a population of just fifty. The soundtrack of your day is the hush of waves rolling toward the shore and the soft hum of music drifting through the salt-kissed air. There are no distractions here—only two offerings: diving into the deep blue and watching whales breach the surface in slow, sacred arcs. No television. No internet. Just you, a handful of kindred spirits, and a couple of feral donkeys roaming freely.
As the sun begins its descent into the horizon, something shifts. You’re still in the hammock, still hearing the quiet murmur of conversation nearby—but suddenly, you’re somewhere else. Not physically, but spiritually. You’ve entered a new reality, one that defies language. The closest you can come is to call it complete peace. Perhaps this is what they mean by nirvana. You long for nothing. You want nothing to change. You simply are.
This moment happened to me in the year 2000, on the island of Salt Cay. I’ll be sharing more about this experience in the book I’m writing, but for now, I can tell you: it was life-changing. And I’ve come to learn—I’m not alone.
Even Oprah has spoken of her own transcendent moment while walking in Hawaii. In this podcast, she and physicist-philosopher Dr. Alan Lightman explore the profound ways nature can dissolve the boundaries of self and awaken something eternal:

Listen here: /own-podcasts/dr-alan-lightman-how-to-lead-a-less-hurried-life

Meanwhile, scientists are beginning to map the contours of these ineffable experiences. Bethelmy and Corraliza (PMID: 30918493) developed a tool to measure what they call “sublime emotion toward nature.” Their findings describe a state of inspiring energy—feelings of vitality, joy, oneness, freedom, eternity, and harmony with the universe.
This #SoulFULLSummer, as we deepen our relationship with the natural world, we invite you to share your own otherworldly encounters. As we like to say: it’s no longer Woo-Woo—it’s WOW-WOW. And now, even the science agrees.