Gathering Wisdom from Nature

Nature is an amazing source of wisdom and healing, and other than the occasional parking or entrance fee to an established park, it’s free. All we have to do is open our hearts to it, be present and listen. If we take the time to do this, it restores us, reflects back our inner strength and beauty, and gives us nuggets of wisdom and guidance. In our busy lives rushing from place to place, with our attention focused on our electronic screens, it’s easy to get disconnected from nature. If you have lost this connection, just an hour a day can make a difference, and extended time in nature can be transformational.

Here is a practice that can be done whether you are in a city or country environment:
1. Find somewhere nearby with some grass, trees, or flowers. It could be a favorite spot you know of already – a garden or park.
2. Find a place to sit, turn off your phone and start taking in the details – the colors, the textures, any breeze, the sky, and any insects or animals in the vicinity.
3. Become aware of your breathing and allow your senses to take everything in – sight, sound, smell, feelings.
4. You’ll notice your breathing slow down and your body relax.
5. As you relax, something you see may become a metaphor for an issue you’re wrestling with, a new idea may pop into your head, or you may think of someone you haven’t talked to for a while and feel an urge to call. Notice and allow it all.
6. When you are ready to leave, before you turn your phone back on, notice how you feel compared to how you felt when you first sat down. Take some notes. Plan to take action on any guidance you received.

If you can, spend a whole day or multiple days in nature – at the beach, in the woods or mountains, by a river or lake – whatever your favorite nature setting is, plan the time and enjoy it. It will be transformational. If you make this a regular practice, you’ll find you are more relaxed and present, with more clarity and resilience for the challenges in your life. Just remember back to a day at the beach, time spent daydreaming on a park bench or that camping trip as a child and how that made you feel. That magic is still there waiting for you.