Jon Kabat-Zinn, who is one of the foremost thinkers in the field,
describes mindfulness as "paying attention in a particular way; on
purpose, in the present moment, and non judgementally". Those three
elements form the core of mindfulness practice; focused intention,
being in the moment and accepting whatever is in your awareness without
judgment.
But what's the point?
Mindfulness developed as a way to understand what it is to be alive
and to reduce unnecessary suffering. Although it's been practiced
for thousand of years, Western science has only recently started to
appreciate how powerful mindfulness is. Research
has shown that mindfulness helps promote well-being and is useful
in managing stress, depression, addiction and many other aspects of
mental distress.
It's warm, peaceful and comfortable indoors, so why would you want
to take your meditation practice into nature? I practice both indoors
and in nature, and I find that each approach offers different gifts.
Mindfulness in nature often uses the same exercises as indoor practice,
but involving nature can make a big difference. Some kinds of natural
environments can help you be more more mindful: Birdsong, the wind
in the trees, or the gentle sound of a stream provide sensory stimuli
that are effortlessly fascinating and support quite contemplation.
Nature provides ample opportunities to practise your mindfulness
skills. Mindfulness is concerned with focusing our attention on the
present moment and nature provides a rich variety of sensory experience
Nature can also offer us lessons in acceptance, help us become less
judgemental and - by revealing our profound interconnectedness - facilitate
greater compassion.
The Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh explains that the purpose of our
existence is "to awaken from our illusion of separateness." I've spent
many years trying to find ways to help people awaken from that illusion
and to realize the glorious truth; we are profoundly connected to
nature. Simply being in nature can help deepen awareness of our interconnectedness,
but mindfulness exercises are immensely helpful. After years of facilitating
nature connection workshops, I've realized that almost everything
I teach involves mindfulness.
My PhD research found that meditation was
a common pathway to deep nature connection and that it inspired environmental
action. Other researchers have found similar
results: Mindfulness enhances the impact of our experiences in
nature and strengthens nature connectedness. Indoor meditation practice
doesn't seem to have the same impact. Although it encourages people
to 'think green', that often doesn't translate into pro-environmental behaviour.
If you're already involved in environmental activism, I'd highly
recommend trying mindfulness in nature: It can help support you and
your work. Contact me to find out more.