How to mindfully appreciate nature
Mindfulness has become a popular, catchall term for paying attention to specific things. We practice mindful meditation, where we might focus on our breathing to the exclusion of everything else,mindfulness in our work,and mindfulness in our home. Yet when we go out in nature, it's too easy to simply slip into the rhythm of a hike or a day at the beach, and to simply exist.
This has its place, but mindfully appreciating nature can reap big dividends for your health. It can help you relieve anxiety, get more out of your time in nature, and feel better about your connection with the world. Here is a couple of ways you can mindfully appreciate nature.
Think about your relationship to the natural world
You're not just in nature, you are a part of nature. When you walk through a forest, you are carrying small bits of pollen and seed around, helping to do natures work. Bacteria lives on and in you, in thriving colonies that depend on you for survival.
When we think about how we are part of the natural world, it can help us to feel more attuned to it.We're not apart from nature, we are a part of nature.
Notice growth
Look around you while you are on your hike. What is growing? Notice the new pine needles at the tips of a pine tree, the sapling struggling to reach the sunlight, the lichen spreading across bark. By noticing what is living, you can better appreciate the life.
Pay attention to your surroundings
Listen to the bird calls, or if you're at a beach the sound of the waves. Look not just at the colors, but the shades of colors. By paying attention to every detail, you will be more appreciative of the beauty around you.Mindfulness can be used almost everywhere, and mindfully appreciating nature can help you get the most out of your outdoor time.
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