Connecting With Nature
A lot of people find it difficult to really connect with nature on a daily basis but making time to rejuvenate and energize yourself is truly beneficial to your body, mind and spirit. The longer you can spend outside or touching the earth the better, but even brief interactions will make big impacts in your life.
Here are some ways you can enjoy connecting with nature:
Earthing - go outside in bare feet and walk around OR just stand or sit in a chair with your feet in the grass, on dirt or gravel. Try for at least 5 minutes. Work up to 15-30 minutes.
Take in the Air - take an Air Brake during the day. It can reduce stress on the job or in school to step outside and take some deep, cleansing breaths.
Take a Walk or Hike - getting outside and moving your body is a terrific way to feel grounded and improve your physical health.
Lie on the Ground - getting as much bare skin on the ground as possible feels amazing! You can feel like a kid again! Watch the clouds. Take a 5 minute nap. Feel the earth’s energy vibrate through your body.
Go to the Beach - listening to the calming sounds of the ocean can work wonders on your soul. Watching the waves move in to shore and retreat back into the deep relaxes our body and mind. You can follow the waves with your breath to feel a closer connection to Mother Earth.
Pick Wildflowers - go out in a field or by the road and drink in the beauty of the plants growing wild & spark that wild, natural instinct inside you! Thank the earth for it’s beauty and choose some flowers and weeds to put in a vase on your porch, patio, balcony, or by the kitchen sink to remind yourself of our beautiful world.
Go Swimming - swim or lounge in a lake, pond or river and let your body relax as it is held and comforted by the frequencies of the earth. Visualize your body being energized and healed by the water.
Hug a Tree - this is an awe-some practice because you can physically hug nature. Choose a tree and really hug it - thank it for cleaning the air, providing shelter to wildlife, giving shade… if you can’t hug a tree, start off with touching it; stand by it and send your appreciation for it pulsing through your hand. Reaching out to nature like this can be emotional so don’t be surprised if you tear up.
Sunbathe - when you are sunning yourself, take a few minutes to be mindful of the sun’s warmth, the gentle breeze, the sound of birds or children playing. Feel gratitude for the beautiful day and the time you have to enjoy it.
Thank your Food - blessing our food is a healthy practice. Being grateful for fruits and veggies that we farm or buy at the farmer’s market is an excellent way we can all connect to nature. Some days this may be the only way we have of making that connection.
Collect Shells or Rocks - looking for special pieces that we find beautiful is an easy exercise of meditation. Collecting shells, rocks, leaves, pine cones, etc gives us a focus as we mosey along - very beneficial on many levels and it’s a fun activity we can do alone or with family.
Photograph Nature - another way to feel the power of nature is to look at it through a lens. It is an amazing way to draw your focus and train your eye and mind to see ‘more’ than you would if just looking around. Plus you have the saved images to remind you of the experience and you may even see more and appreciate more when studying the images later!
There are lots of ways to connect with nature. The main thing is to have the intention of making that connection. The act of having the intention will create more opportunities for you to be outside. It will give you a greater perspective of how everything is connected. It may even inspire you or heal you!
TRY THIS! Rock Painting has become a fun trend. If you haven’t painted a rock yet, now is the time to start! It’s easy, fun, meditative and can be done alone or with others.
Find a Rock - go outside and hunt! Take time to find one that speaks to you or be spontaneous and just go grab one! The flatter, smoother ones work best for this craft but sometimes I like the odd ones.
Clean & Prepare - wash it well. You can use a mild soap and a soft brush (toothbrush) to get into the crannies if you like. Dry it. Spray it with a sealer if you want your art to stay on it - but I like to let them breathe ;-)
Art It Up! get your paint, markers, chalk or whatever you want to use and start creating a pattern, an image or writing a quote. If you are using sharpies you may want to use that sealer in that area so you don’t ruin the tips… there are lots of how-to videos you can follow if you feel non-artistic but you can easily paint a background color then sketch some flowers or write words with a marker to create ‘with’ nature.
Preserve - you can seal with a top coat of Mod Podge or a spray sealer if you like. If I do this, I leave the bottom al naturele (unpainted and unsealed)
Remember to ‘feel’ a connection while you are finding your rock, cleaning it and decorating it! Be thankful for it. Tell it that it is beautiful, special or chosen as a healing stone. It will remind you to connect with nature more often - if you gift it, thank it for making your recipient happy.
