Katy Hahn

Life is Stressful. As a society, we are, by and large, stressed out and overstimulated. The world we live in feels like a never-ending onslaught of unique and challenging problems that keeps each of us running through our lives at a steady jog, panting like workhorses and rarely feeling like we have the opportunity or capability to truly stop and catch our breaths. If and when we get those opportunities for refreshment and replenishment, perhaps in the form of a vacation or a long weekend, they are often short-lived and leave us craving more. I believe the best thing we can do to combat the stress and overstimulation is to intentionally carve out more space for peace and rest in our lives on a daily basis. For me, one of the quickest and most effective ways to do that is to simply sit outside and connect with nature.

What’s the point?

Not only is connecting with nature quick and effective for stress management and mental balance, but it’s completely free and accessible to everyone. All you need is you and a place to sit outdoors. Connecting with nature is a proven method to improve cognitive function as well as concentration and attention, and it also helps with memory and sleep quality. There’s a host of other benefits, but I’d say the most compelling among them is the fact that studies show that people with good nature connectedness are just happier. Yes, please.

Here are some simple steps you can follow to connect with nature today through this easy meditation.

#1. Find a seat outside.

You want to find somewhere quiet and safe where you will be comfortable enough to sit for at least 5-10 minutes, and even longer if you feel up to it. You don’t need to be in the middle of a forest to connect with nature. While that would be wonderful, the best place for you to connect with nature is a place that is accessible, inviting, and peaceful to you. Not everyone has access to a private space outside, and that’s okay. Just make sure that the space you choose offers you enough safety to relax and enough privacy to be present in your inner world without being distracted by things that other people are doing around you.

If you have access to your own outdoor space and it’s a space that brings you peace, that’s perfect. Otherwise, a public outdoor space like a local park would be perfect too. I recommend that no matter what location you choose, you choose to sit directly on the ground, whether it be the grass, concrete, dirt, etc. While it’s not required and should be avoided if it will cause you discomfort or distraction during your meditation, I find that nothing makes me feel more grounded and connected than being “skin to skin” with the Earth.

#2. Close Your Eyes.

If you feel safe to do so, close your eyes and keep them closed throughout the meditation. If you’re in a location where you don’t feel good closing your eyes, that’s totally fine. Do whatever works for you. However, removing sight from your experience will allow you to focus entirely on your other senses (sound, smell, touch, and taste). Okay, maybe not taste in this situation…). Since sight usually takes center stage for us, putting it on the. back burner and instead allowing your other senses to guide your experience will open you up to perceiving your environment in new and interesting ways. This will, of course, also help you avoid distractions and will generally allow your mind to stay receptive to that deep connection with nature.

3. Do Some Deep Breathing.

It’s important to get as relaxed as you can. If you’re here now, no matter what your stresses and worries are, you’re safe right now to embrace this moment. One tried-and-true way to clear your mind and shift your focus from those external stressors to the present moment is to do some deep breathing. Start by taking one long deep breath in through your nose. When your lungs are completely filled with air, pause for a few seconds. Allow yourself the freedom to take your time rather than rushing onto the next breath. Count to 3 if it helps…

After 3 seconds, let the air flow out nice and easily through your mouth, allowing your lungs to empty completely. Do this for at least 10-15 long steady breaths. If it feels good and you want to keep going, go for it! As with all aspects of this meditation, what feels good to you is what is right for you.

4. Get Grounded.

Now that you’re hopefully a little more relaxed (even if just a little!), it’s time to get grounded. If you’re seated on the ground already, you’re off to a great start. Either way, “getting grounded” is a way to anchor your mind into the present moment, and it helps you stay focused on the experience you’re having right now. To get grounded, imagine the soles of your feet planted flat against the earth (if they aren’t already). Take a few moments to let yourself surrender to the feeling that the sensation rouses in your mind and body.

Imagine digging your toes down into the dark, moist soil beneath you. Stretch them deep down into the earth, transforming them into vines that twist and wind and connect intricately with the roots of the trees beneath the surface. Let yourself experience the sensations of this imagined experience for a few moments before moving to the next step.

5. Listen.

It’s tough for even the most experienced of meditators to totally clear their mind, especially someone under stress. Instead of trying to clear your mind and shut thoughts out entirely, I encourage you to simply just shift your focus and awareness outside of your internal dialogue and instead onto the sounds occurring in your natural environment. Listen to the bird chirping from the tree in the distance, the sound of the wind blowing around you, the leaves swaying as the breeze rustles through them.

Allow the sounds of your environment to completely guide your mind, leading it from one little sound experience to the next. Notice how the sounds interact and overlap to create one big natural symphony of life. Do this for as long as it feels good and exciting before moving on.

6. Feel.

Place your focus on the skin that covers your body. If that feels too broad and intimidating, focus on your arms. What does your skin feel right now? Feel the warmth of the sunshine beaming against your shoulders. As the warmth reaches you, imagine your skin reaching out towards it in return, connecting with it rather than simply experiencing it. Feel the breeze blowing against your skin. How does it feel? Which direction is it coming from? How does your hair blow in response? What does the ground beneath you feel like? Is it soft and welcoming, rough and hard? Smooth and cool? Notice the sensations you feel beneath your legs.

7. Smell.

Place your focus on the scents in your environment. What do you smell? Can you smell the trees? Do you smell any freshly cut grass? The scent of a particularly fragrant plant nearby? Allow yourself to experience any smells that are present, good or bad, just placing your awareness on them.

8. Recenter when needed.

Throughout the meditation, if you find your mind drifting off to think about something else – a stress or worry, a to-do list item – it’s okay. Gently redirect your attention to the next sound you hear or sensation you experience in your body, and lean back into your meditation. If you find it helpful, take some more deep breaths to recenter yourself, and then start working your way through each of your senses again.

9. Open your eyes, and drink in the moment.

When you feel ready, perhaps once you’ve fully explored the environment around you through your senses, open your eyes and spend a few moments in silence. Observe how you feel, especially in comparison to how you felt before you started. Hopefully, you’ll be delighted to discover that your mind is a little bit more clear and your spirit is a little less stressed.

10. “Rinse” and repeat.

When I find myself particularly overwhelmed, this practice is powerful. It takes my mood all the way from one end of the emotional spectrum to the other in a relatively short time frame. Really, any time at all that you can find a few moments to practice connecting with nature will be good for you, even if only when you find yourself feeling particularly stressed too.

However, I find that it makes the most impact on my life to consistently revisit this practice no matter what my current emotional state, making my connection with nature a priority and incorporating it into my daily (or even semi-daily) routine. While I sometimes get off track and fall out of habit, when I am doing this meditation on a regular basis, I find myself feeling noticeably more happy, healthy, and balanced in my day to day.

Do what feels good to you.

Truthfully, there’s no right or wrong way to connect to nature. Not everything that works for one person will work for the next. Feel free to use this as a point of reference to jump off of as you start or continue developing your connection with the natural world, tweaking and adjusting as you see fit according to what feels good and right for you. I hope you find it makes as much of an impact for you as it does for me!

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