One week of nature walking everyday, no distractions so that means no music or podcasts. I really did feel the benefits and now I want to share how it went so you can also enjoy the mental clarity, mood boosting, calming/grounding effects I felt.
I noticed the beauty of the world around us, the birds, trees, sun, wind. Things I usually don’t notice with my earphones in. I felt like part of nature, not me witnessing it but me being apart of the bigger picture. It made me notice how small my problems are but also how my mind chatters and how I cause myself suffering. It’s like Buddhism, you can’t escape the suffering in life but you can be mindful about it.
I noticed my breathing, how I was anxiously taking shorter breaths throughout a normal day. How a deep breathe of fresh air and longevity soothes the body. I noticed all the dogs and how the little things such as a dog saying hello makes you feel smiley. I saw a squirrel jump awkwardly from a branch and saw a uncommon bird I haven’t come across for years. What I saw made me laugh and awe. I noticed how walking past people raised my heart rate and how I sped up my walking pace just to get by quicker.
The aim is to walk a bit slower, pay attention. To your thoughts, to your breath, to your surroundings. Sometimes all three at once. Listen to the natures signs and the metaphors at which you can decipher to learn about your life experience.
Now this may seem like something you just don’t have time for but my walk was literally a small nature reserve nearby which takes 20 minutes to walk around. The weather makes a big impact on your ‘can I be arsed’ but I still went out within the gaps of no rain. And for doing so I witnessed sunshine. My mental health didn’t want to go out on some days and that was tough. But it also helps that I’m not working at the present moment but a short walk in a park is definitely fit able into a working day. My creativity thanked me, my mental health thanked me, my body is probably thanking me for some exercise. I wonder if even spending 20 minutes sitting in a park surrounded by greenery has the same effect (not even wondering I know it feels good). Was it the nature or the paying attention.
There is much research into natures effect on health and here’s some books I recommend reading;
How to connect with nature – Tristan Gooley
The Nature fix- Florence Williams
Last child in the woods : saving our children from nature-deficit disorder – Richard Louv.
This week has given me practical and philosophical views on my life and reminded me of the importance of being in the moment. There is beauty just around the corner and I’m glad I spent the time finding it.
Earthly Luna Wellbeing 