Embracing Mindfulness with Nature: A Journey of Simple Awareness

“Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.”  ~ Sharon Salzberg

Before I learned what mindfulness was really about, moments like this would have completely passed me by.

I can remember lying on a bench at lunchtime many years ago, the perks of an office with a rooftop overlooking the city skyline. As I lay there, I looked up at the sky and the clouds, and for what felt like the first time, with awareness.

I noticed the clouds moving slowly, and I found myself mentally investigating the shapes and colours being formed in the sky.

I was able to be present with what was around me, and where I was in relation to that. Like I could observe my body, on a bench, in this space, and how far away the sky was, yet how it was also right here around me.

It is a mindfulness practice that I use, and have continued to adapt to this day.

Mother Nature gives us many, many moments to practice mindfulness each day. #clouds #waves #trees #leaves #insect #animals #sound

The list is endless. And yet we so often rush on by, missing simple, easy opportunities to build our mindfulness muscle.

I invite you to do this each day, find some time - maybe it's a minute to start with, and you aim to build on this over the days and weeks, and during this time bring curiosity with you as you notice what is happening around you in nature.

Pick one of the senses below (you can build up as you practice) and spend a few minutes using Mama Nature to help you be mindful.

Be curious about this sense. Nothing to do, just be with it and how you interact using this sense with things in the natural environment around you.

What do you see in nature? Be curious about the colours and the shapes.

What do you hear in nature? Focus on the sounds around you, maybe it's one sound to start with that you bring your attention to.

What do you smell in nature? Seek out a flower, or smell the freshly mowed grass or pavement after rain.

What do you feel in nature? Maybe it's the warmth of the sun or the breeze of the wind on your skin.

Is there something from nature to taste? Catching rain on your tongue, or fresh fruit from a tree.

This is one of my favourite mindful practices as I can do it anywhere! Walking, at home, or even in my car....!

Written by Stacey Bout - a Holistic Kinesiologist, who works in a variety of ways in her online practice Infinite Balance Kinesiology focussing on wellbeing & Energy Tapping, Mental Health First Aid & Suicide Intervention training. Stacey is also a part of the SJP Wellbeing Education and Workplace Wellbeing team.