One of the most common statements I hear when I ask people whether they have a relationship and connection with nature is that they either they don’t have enough time or they don’t have access to a natural environment to go to.
Nature is in us and all around us. We are nature and we are part of the ecosystem from which nature functions. It is important to bring nature connection into practice in small steps and to build on the awareness of where nature is in our everyday lives. It should not be a chore to have to find the time to connect with nature nor to see nature as a place we need to get to.
One of the first ways to engage with the natural world is starting with our own home environment. Whether it is your front yard, your back yard or your balcony, there are always opportunities to sit with and observe the natural world.
It may be that you integrate your morning coffee routine or exercise routine to connect with nature. Connecting with the natural world for a therapeutic process requires you to connect with your sensory system to observe and listen. An example might be to take your morning coffee out to your garden to observe and listen to what the birds might be doing, noticing the bee’s pollinating flowers, feeling the sun or the wind or maybe perhaps the rain connecting with your skin and hair. It may be that you go barefoot on the lawn and feel into the earth noticing what is happening to your nervous system. We can tune into nature anywhere by firstly bringing awareness to the natural world that exists arounds us and by tuning in to our senses whether it me sight, smell, sound, touch and taste or all of them at once.
Taking even 5 minutes out of your day to notice nature can increase your connection to the natural world. Why is this important? There are many benefits to applying nature connectivity into our lives which include being in the present moment, regulating emotions and giving you a sense of belonging to something much bigger than ourselves. Nature is a living entity, and we must see the natural world as our family and community. This helps us to develop a sense of identity and reminds us that we are never truly alone in the world even when we feel isolated from other humans.
We can build a relationship with ourselves through our relationship with nature. Nature is both a teacher and therapist and can be accessed anywhere and at any time. If you would like to learn more about our nature based therapy workshops and training programs, retreats or counselling sessions please get in touch with me at [email protected].
