Connecting With Nature
What comes to mind as you look at this photo?
If this were me, I would never be up that high! (Just sayin’-lol!) Seriously though for me I would be sitting here connecting with nature and clearing myself of all that may be hindering my mind, body, and soul. Just by looking up and saying, “I release all my worries, all my fears, and all that I cannot control to the Universe now.”
We are all part of the world around us; the nature is in us whether we connect to it on a regular basis or not. Some might call this mindfulness-being in the present moment. I like to practice mindfulness every day. Feeling happy or sad doesn’t matter to me when I sit still and just be. I turn my mind off as I close my eyes and breathe. Then I start to relax and as the thoughts come in, I don’t let myself attach to them, I let them meander on through. It takes practice but this is what happens to me: here I am sitting with my eyes closed, focusing on my breathing, oops here comes a thought. Ignore the thought, don’t let it form and refocus on my breathing. Whew-that was close! (Believe me, it took a few dozen times to get to the point where this actually works for me. But I accomplished it and use it every time I meditate.)
You can see here that she is sitting on a mountain top. Now you do not have to do that to connect with nature. I like to sit on my deck when I connect with nature. The morning time is the best for me because the sun isn’t extremely hot, the birds are singing, the neighborhood is quiet. There are other ways I like to connect such as walking outside, gardening, decorating the yard, etc.
I lived in an apartment for so long that when we finally bought our forever home, I was ecstatic to have the space to put flower beds! My husband and I have been very fortunate to love learning new things and this is how we have been building on our flower beds and veggie garden! I find planting to be very soothing, I don’t know what it is about it, but I feel myself connecting to Mother Earth and nature. By the time I get done, I feel reborn somehow. The feeling is amazing, and it makes me feel so accomplished and then to see them grow is like watching my own children grow!
How do you connect with nature? What practice do you do? Do you connect alone or with others? How does it help you? Get you journal out and write down your answers. Include new things you can add to your practice.
Until next week, remember to connect with nature somehow. It could be bringing home a new plant, a bouquet of flowers, opening the door and inhaling the fresh air if it is too cold outside to sit outdoors.
