Serenity in a Time of Crisis

Nature has a way of soothing us, calming our emotions, helping us to feel grounded.  Intentionally connecting with the nature that is around us helps us to let go of the “what if’s” that produce fear, and the sense of overwhelm which creates stress.

Let me share with you how to draw comfort and serenity from the nature around you.  You can benefit form nature by being outside, looking through a window, or focusing on a plant in your living space.

As you start putting this daily practice into your life, you will start seeing a change for the better.  You will experience being less stressed, having less fear, enjoying greater serenity.  Remember, start slow and let the process work.  It’s all about letting the process develop in your life at your own pace.

Mindful Consciousness

Learning to be conscious, or mindful, is an effective way to reduce stress, put fear in perspective, and boost your immune system.

When you’re fully conscious of your surroundings and all of your senses while in nature, you’ll more readily tap into the healing power of nature. Your mind may struggle with letting go of stressful thoughts. However, the more you practice mindfulness in nature, the better you become at focusing on that which supports and nurtures you. Think of your mindfulness practice like you would a muscle that you want to strengthen—your mindfulness muscle.

Mindfulness is not about letting go of all thoughts, it is about focusing your thoughts on just one thing.  Mindfulness lets you focus on what you can control, what gives you pleasure, not on everything you cannot change.

The whole concept of mindfulness equates to being in the moment. Becoming aware of all that’s happening around you. You want to build awareness of the sensory input coming to every one of your sensory organs. Acknowledging this awareness without judgment.  Merely let the consciousness of this sensory input come into your mind and savor it.

It’s common when practicing mindfulness for your mind to wander. Thoughts pop in and move rapidly in your mind from one thought to another. You’re not doing something ‘wrong’ when this happens. It’s normal and you can expect for this to happen.

The more you fight these ‘unwanted’ thoughts coming up, the more frustrated you’ll become. Let the thoughts be—that’s what your mind does. It thinks!

Acknowledge the thoughts and then let them go. Return to the present moment without judgment. Return to focusing your mind on the here and now while being in nature. You do that by repeatedly concentrating on what your senses are experiencing in each moment.

Become Aware of Each of Your Senses

Try this the next time you’re connecting with nature, tapping into the healing properties of Mother Earth. Notice first your breath — whether it’s at the beach, on a trail in the forest, in a green park in an urban setting, or enjoying nature while indoors. Be aware of your breathing in and out as you observe the nature around you.

If you cannot actually be outside, use your imagination and become absorbed in  imagining you would experience each of your senses .

What Do You See?

Next, focus on what your visual senses are taking in. Be aware of the colors you see, the shapes and textures where you walk. Notice the visual changes that occur throughout the season that you’re in right now, especially if this is a recurring space you enjoy for you throughout the year.

What Do You Feel?

Turn your attention to your tactile sense. What is the feel of the air on your body as you move through nature? If you’re moving slowly, you can visualize your movements as swimming motions through the air. What does the sun feel like?  Feel the sensation on your face, hands and any exposed skin areas.

Notice the textures of the different types of trees or plants. Some of the trees will have smooth bark on their trunks and some will be rough and rugged. Some trunks will have bark that crumbles easily when you touch it.

Plants will sometimes have fuzzy, soft leaves and other plants have barbs on their stems.

What Do You Hear?

Can you hear the wind, the rustle of leaves, the sound of waves lapping nearby when you’re at the beach? 

Listen for the sounds of wildlife. Try to identify the different bird songs and locate

where they might be coming from. Combine your visual and auditory senses to find the wildlife and enjoy their abandon, there connection to nature.

What Do You Smell?

Identify the odors around you. The earthy smell of the dirt, the smell of grass or flowers, the salty air at the beach. There are no judgments for these odors. There is only awareness.

Healing Time in Nature

Next time you’re enjoying the outdoors, consciously drop your stressful thoughts as you absorb the nature around you. Consciously activate your senses one by one and allow the wonders of nature to be revealed to you.

Being mindful in the moment and allowing your senses to feed you all their glorious input is the way to tap into the healing properties of Mother Earth. Be assured your stressful thoughts will try to intrude. Simply acknowledge them and release them for the time being while you’re enjoying your time in nature.  In time, you’ll find that the stressful thoughts will interrupt you less and less while you’re in nature. And you’ll notice that even when you’re not in nature, you’ll find yourself more calm, relaxed and less fearful in general.

That’s when you’ll know that you’ve fully tapped into the healing powers of nature.

Enjoy!

I’m bestselling author and Certified Energy Healing Practitioner Larry Burton.  I have been helping people to move forward with greater ease for over fifteen years.  Reach out to me if I can be of help to you.

You can find more resources, and contact me, at www.rebuildingafter.com/store