Mindfulness in nature can help us to feel more peace and a greater sense of connection with ourselves and the planet. We can practice mindfulness in nature by being fully present in the moment when we are in nature.
Try choosing a place outdoors that you can be still for a few moments. You might choose your own backyard, a neighborhood park, a city park, a trail in the woods, a grove of trees, a beach, or a riverbank. Once you have chosen your location and have arrived there, you might try to sitting or standing and then pause and focus the attention on the breath for a few moments. Just notice the breath moving in and out of the body with the inhale and exhale. Notice the way that the chest and belly expand with the inhale and deflate with the exhale.
Bring awareness to your sensory experience in nature. What do you see, hear, smell, or feel? As you bring awareness to this present moment experience of sensation, notice how your body responds. What do you feel in your body? Does your body become more tense or relaxed? Are there particular sensations that arise or come and go in your body? Notice what emotions arise in response to this experience. And then notice any thoughts that arise.
Look around you and see if you see something that gets your attention as you engage in this mindfulness of nature practice — perhaps a flower, rock, feather, leaf, body of water. Are you able to safely move closer to it? Take a few moments to more deeply experience the object or scene to which you feel drawn. Breathe. Notice what it feels like in the body, heart and mind as you connect with something beautiful and precious in nature.
Feel the good sensations, feelings and thoughts expand and grow more intense. Now imagine absorbing all of the good sensations, feelings and thoughts into your body, heart and mind. Take the good energy with you as you move through your day, and pause several times to recall the experience.
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off you like falling leaves. —John Muir
Jen Johnson is a mindfulness teacher, coach, and therapist teaching meditation for healing, creativity, and resilience. To learn more about mindfulness, register for Jen Johnson’s MBSR online course.