Sankofa And The Roots Of Wellness Part 2: Get Outside

Sankofa is all about reaching back to the past to remember and reclaim what we have left behind so we can move forward and thrive. I believe this is a vital part of our wellness journey as well as in other areas of our lives. We have forgotten the true Roots of Wellness and have been convinced that what is “modern” is better. In Part 2 of my Roots of Wellness Series, I focus on why spending plenty of time outside is important. I also share ways you can make sure you are taking advantage of these health benefits. Click here if you missed Part 1: Diet

During the almost 5 years that I have been living in Northern Tanzania I have seen and experienced many things that have shown me or reinforced the idea that the truth about what we need to be healthy in mind, body and spirit can be discovered in the ways our people have lived for hundreds or thousands of years. The current trend for ever more fancy, expensive, “modern and advanced” solutions has not made us healthier. It has in fact led us further from health and happiness as is evident from the skyrocketing rates of disease, discontent and the current state of the world.

This Roots Of Wellness series explores, in the spirit of Sankofa, what we need to remember, to reach back and pick up, to be able to move forward with strength, vision, and power so that we can recenter on the truth of who we are.

Sankofa is an Akan word from Ghana. It means: Go back and get it. A symbol of the wisdom of learning from the past to build for the future. From the Akan proverb, “Sɛ wo werɛ fi na wosan kɔfa a, yɛnkyiri” meaning, “It is not taboo to go back for what you forgot (or left behind).” (From the website Adinkra Symbles and Meanings at https://www.adinkrasymbols.org.)

This video explores the importance of spending time outside in nature and ways to incorporate more time outside into your life. Getting outside connects you to the healing powers of nature. You can breath fresh air, get exercise, get sunshine, tap into the Earth’s energy and more. It’s something I make sure I do everyday, no matter the weather.

Now I’d love to hear from you. How can you start spending more time outside? What do you think we can learn from our ancestors? What questions do you have? Leave a comment below.

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Ama Opare

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Sankofa And The Roots Of Wellness Part 2: Get Outside

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