Culturally, we are increasingly required to deliberately connect with nature—the “outdoors” has become an industry. How have we gotten so removed from the rhythms of the planet? Enter ecosomatics, an emergent field of study in which the body is in constant dialogue with the environment. After all, we are made up of the same elements as the Earth; the personal and the planetary are one. And the curse of modernity (or capitalism) is that, as author Cheryl Pallant writes, “we end up at odds with ourselves and our surroundings” far too often. How many of our modern plagues and social inequities can be linked to this fact?

Pallant is a gifted energy healer, writer, and dancer, and this book is a conduit for these gifts. Here, “body” is not just a noun, but also a verb and process: We embody. Sheer effusion of poetic grace guides this propulsive book; it feels more like an immersive experience than a cerebral exercise, and it is a delight to read.

Pallant’s perspective: Self-care strengthens our relationships, which nurtures community, which stabilizes the planet’s health. Without relying on prescriptive or alarmist advice, she guides us through dozens of practices that help us liberate our vital energy.

But where are the boundaries of ecosomatics? Ecosomatics encompasses psychology, energy healing, poetry, quantum physics, intuitive intelligence, the uniting of gender polarities, and environmental stewardship. When everything is connected, everything is included.

In Pallant’s graceful hands, we are guided toward insights about how the mind, body, and spirit thrive when we develop responsiveness to both our inner and outer worlds. And we must pay attention: As Pallant writes, “There is no elsewhere. There is only the here and now.” For both self and planet.