Nature Heals: A Mindful Approach to Personal and Planetary Healing

After a long, snowy Minnesota winter, last month nature blessed us with two days of unexpected warmth and brilliant, clear blue skies. You could almost hear a collective sigh of relief as nature freely opened her expansive arms, allowing us to be restored and refreshed, to be renewed by the promise of spring.

Nature asks no questions; she welcomes us whatever our mood or circumstance, wherever we live and whoever we are. Whether walking down a city street, standing in the middle of a forest, or admiring a sunrise through a window, we are held in the healing arms of nature.  

Mindful awareness and nature are both always in the present moment and gently call to us to be here, now. When in nature, we are reminded that we are of the earth; each breath we breathe we share with the leaves that rustle on the trees and the fish that swim in the water. If we listen quietly and look carefully, we remember how deeply interconnected we are with the natural world. We are not separate, and mindfulness and nature are intrinsically connected.

Many initially come to the practice of mindfulness to learn to slow down, reduce stress or rediscover peace. Over time, with care and practice, our hearts may open a bit more and mindfulness can begin to feel synonymous with heartfulness. We grow in our understanding that mindfulness is relational, extending to all our relationships, including with the natural world. We may have an increased sense of appreciation or gratitude for nature – its beauty, power and healing properties – or find ourselves moved to protect and honor the earth, this planet that provides our daily sustenance. 

Many of us may have also intuited all along that not unlike mindfulness awareness, there’s something about nature that is also healing: it renews us, allowing us to feel better, to think better, and to deepen our understanding of ourselves and others. There is a growing body of scientific evidence that suggests being in nature reduces anger, fear, and stress, and t increases positive emotions and allows us to broaden our perspective. Exposure to nature not only makes us feel better emotionally, it also contributes to our physical wellbeing, reducing blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones. In one study in Mind, 95% of those interviewed said their mood improved after spending time outside, changing from depressed, stressed, and anxious to feeling calmer and more balanced. Additionally, nature may increase wellbeing through its ability to inspire awe. Natural wonders, panoramic views or even viewing images of nature scenes commonly inspire awe. Research suggests that experiencing awe may also increase our propensity to help others. Adding mindful attention to your time spent in nature can serve to enhance and enrich these many wellbeing benefits.
 

Mindful Tips: Partnering with Nature for Personal and Planetary Healing 

1) Be with Nature: Walking, Strolling or Hiking

Do your best to regularly find a place outdoors where you can connect with the earth, whether it’s in an open meadow, a city park or playground, alongside a quiet stream, on a windy lane through a farmer’s field, on a long stretch of sandy beach, on a walk in your neighborhood or in your yard. Take mindful walks or leisurely strolls and pause frequently to notice the natural environment that surrounds you.   

Mark Coleman, meditation teacher, author, psychologist and founder of Awake in the Wild, encourages beginning a mindful walk by simply standing and noticing what it feels like to be in nature. Without judgment, he suggests noticing any tendencies you may have to want to distract yourself with music, thinking or planning, and instead, just experience the many elements of nature, without an agenda or distractions. 

Then he suggests you go a bit deeper. Using all five senses, mindfully engage with the world around you. Spend time opening up to and receiving the unique sounds in your environment. When you are ready, expand your mindful exploration to include smells and aromas. Then explore what it’s like to absorb this natural setting with your eyes – not looking for anything in particular, just allowing whatever you see to touch you, letting yourself become engaged with whatever draws your attention. Whenever you can, he also suggests taking off your socks and shoes and feeling the earth beneath your feet, feeling the weight of your body as it releases into the earth and changes a bit with each step. 

Perhaps most importantly, make the walk your own by bringing a sense of open curiosity and playfulness to your time in nature. 

Before you conclude your walk, take some time to reflect on what it feels like to be in nature with this quality of mindful attention. Mark Coleman suggests: “Feel into the fact that you are a part of this living, breathing ecosystem, even if you can only sense this truth for moments at a time. Reflect how with each breath, you are intimately connecting to the photosynthesizing plants, leaves and grasses all around you. Be mindful of a simple joy or sense of aliveness that may come with this intimate contact. Notice if you can hold your fears and anxieties with a bit more tenderness, a bit more spaciousness of mind. See if Nature can help you to heal.”

2) Be with Nature: Sit Quietly and Notice

Christopher Willard, a Harvard professor, psychologist and educational consultant, offers what he calls, “Sitting and Noticing.” Discover the rewards of finding a quiet location to simply sit and mindfully experience nature – wherever you may be, with whatever time you may have. Examples include:

• Open your window, feel the fresh air, sit and listen to the sounds of nature.
• Sit until the morning fog burns off the ground or lake.
• Sit until the sun completely sets.
• Sit until the rain ends… or begins.
• Watch an animal, even an insect at work or play until it departs.
• Sit until the puddle dries in the sun.
• Sit and watch a shadow until it has completely crossed your path.
• Sit until the birds finish their song.
• If you can, sit beneath a tree until it lets go of a leaf and you see (or even hear) it fall to the ground.
• If you can, sit at a lake and watch the surface until the wind shifts or stops.
• Or simply sit until that cloud completely changes shape and disappears or passes on the horizon.

Begin by settling into a comfortable, relaxed position and simply being with the present moment experience. Explore the sensations of your body sitting and the weight of the body being held and supported by the earth’s gravity. Then take a few slower, deeper and satisfying breaths. When you’re ready, allow the awareness of the breath and body to recede into the background and rest your attention on being with nature: sitting and noticing. You may wish to conclude your time with nature by acknowledging any sense of awe that may have arisen and allow it to inspire the remainder of your day.

3) If You Can’t Open or Look out a Window or Get Outside, No Worries. 

You can take in nature’s benefits by choosing to mindfully enjoy your favorite outdoor photographs or mindfully taking in the colors, hues and beauty of a much-loved landscape painting. 

4) Giving Back: Caring for, Honoring and Protecting our Planet 

In October 2018, the American Psychological Association (APA) published a research article entitled, “Mindfulness and Climate Change: How Being Present Can Help Our Future.” The article highlighted research on the capacity of mindfulness to not only deepen one’s connection to the natural world but to also increase sustainable behaviors and environmental consciousness. Expressions of gratitude, respect and caring for nature often arise as we bring mindful awareness to our time spent in nature. Some report naturally pausing more frequently to appreciate and silently express gratitude for their natural surroundings. As the APA article suggests, others feel compelled to notice and modify their patterns of consumption, including how they eat and travel and care for the planet’s land, air and water. Some may also become inspired to more actively participate in their local community or more global efforts to protect the earth. 

Earlier this month, we celebrated the 53rd annual Earth Day event, demonstrating worldwide support for environmental protection. Earth Day sponsors report that the event now includes a wide range of global activities and includes 1-billion people in more than 193 countries.