Connecting Mindfully With Nature
Spring has sprung in Chicago! The days are longer, warmer and brighter. Anecdotally, many people say that they feel their mood is “boosted” when the weather warms up. If you struggle with Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) this may absolutely be the case due to the increased amount of sunlight available (Oren et al., 1994 as cited in McDonnell, 2016). Interestingly, the link between happiness and good weather is less clear for those who do not experience SAD (McConnell, 2016). What is clear, though, is that one of the reasons that nice weather may increase levels of happiness, is that people are engaged in more outdoor activities compared to during the hibernation-mode of winter. Research does show that being in nature is correlated with increased happiness, positive social interactions, a sense of meaning as well as lowered mental distress (Bratman, 2019 as cited in Weir, 2020). Given this, and given the arrival of spring, I invite you to participate in the following mindfulness activity the next time that you are outdoors.
As you begin your walk, take a moment to breathe in deeply through your nose and exhale from your mouth for a few minutes. Let your nervous system relax.
As you take your next step, feel the contact that your foot makes with the grass or the concrete. What does this feel like to you? Is it soft or hard? If you are around grass, maybe take your shoes off and feel the sensation of the grass on your feet. Is it rough? Soft?
Next, orient yourself to the sounds around you: do you hear birds, the wind rustling in the leaves, or maybe kids playing outside? If it helps, you can close your eyes to focus.
Next, pay attention to smells around you. If you are near a plant or flower, maybe breathe in the scent of this and describe it: sweet, musky, woody?
Next, describe what you see around you: what colors do you notice? What shapes and textures? You can zoom in on a particular object if you want to: a flower, a tree, a blade of grass, etc.
The next sense that we can try to engage is the sense of taste: are you sipping some coffee or chewing gum? What flavors do you notice?
Now, take a moment to stand still and practice some grounding: imagine yourself rooted to the earth through your feet and just breathe for a moment.
My hope is that this practice lets you engage with nature and savor it! Happy Spring!
References
McDonnell, A. (2016). Does warmer weather really make you happier? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-social-self/201604/does-warmer-weather-really-make-you-happier
Weir, K. (2020). Nurtured by nature. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature
Photo by 三 点sky: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-girl-wearing-bucket-hat-2344013/
