Mindful Nature Activities for Connecting with Nature in the City

mindful nature activities for connecting with nature in the city

Mindful nature activities to try in the city

Have you been thinking about trying out some mindful nature activities? In today's busy, fast-paced world, it is easy to feel disconnected from the natural world. We spend most of our days indoors, staring at screens and rushing from one task to another, forgetting to notice the power and beauty of the natural world.

But taking the time to connect mindfully with nature can have a profound impact on our wellbeing and sense of peace. In fact, research has shown that connecting mindfully with nature can reduce stress, anxiety, depression, improve focus, attention and creativity and even boost our immune systems.

So, how can we connect more mindfully with nature? Here are a few ideas to help get you started.

Go for a mindful nature walk

This might seem a really simple thing to do, but just going out for a walk - even round your neighbourhood, is a great way to get outside and appreciate the natural world.

Make sure that instead of marching along with your head down and your headphones in your ears, you try to be present and really notice the sights, sounds and smells around you - and if you struggle finding plants or wildlife, turn your gaze up and appreciate the clouds, breeze, sunshine and sky.

Engage your senses and tune in to nature

As you move through and interact with the world, take the time to tune in and engage your senses. Take of your shoes and feel the grass on your toes. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds of a nearby stream. Pick up a leaf and study its shape, texture and colour.

By engaging your senses, you will not only begin to deepen your connection to the natural world, but you will also learn about and develop a deeper understanding of the plants, animals and ecosystems in your neighbourhood.

Be grateful for your nature experience

As you spend time noticing nature, take a moment to think about and feel grateful for all the wonderful things around you. Maybe for the warmth of the sun on your face, the chirrping birds, or the way the leaves rustle in the wind.

By focusing on the positive aspects of your surroundings and the beauty and wonder you experience, you will begin to cultivate a deeper sense of appreciation, joy and connection.

Summary

As we have seen, it is more than possible to enjoy mindful nature activities even if you live in the city. Not only that, but by connecting mindfully with nature, we can tap into the healing power of the natural world and cultivate a sense of peace and wellbeing within us.

So, the next time you are feeling stressed or disconnected, take a moment to walk outside and engage with your surroundings. You will be amazed at how quickly you can unwind when you decide to notice and enjoy nature.

If you enjoyed this tutorial, feel free to leave a comment below and let me know how you get on and don't forget to subscribe below for new articles and nature connection resources.

See you soon and happy nature walking,

Leila x

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Breathing the Magic of Nature - A Tool for Stress Relief

breathing the magic of nature - nature as a tool for stress relief

Nature as a tool for stress relief

Stress is a common experience for too many people in today's world - whether at home or at work. We all face negative, high-tension, stress-filled situations.

However, prolonged stress can have a negative effect on our mental and physical health - and this is where nature comes in.

You see, spending time in nature has been shown to have numerous benefits, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood and boosting creativity.

In this blog post, we will explore how nature can be used as a tool to help with stress relief and mental health.

The benefits of nature for stress relief

Numerous studies across the world have now shown the benefits of spending time in nature when it comes to managing stress and improving your mental health.

For example, being in nature can lead to:

  • Lower stress and anxiety
  • Happier mood
  • Increased creativity
  • Mindfulness

So, let's see how this happens.

Why nature is useful for stress and anxiety

Both qualitative and quantitative studies have now proven that spending time in nature can directly help our bodies to relax and de-stress by promoting lower cortisol levels and increasing secretion of parasympathetic hormone.

Cortisol is the hormone responsible for the fight or flight response by helping our bodies to tense up ready for action. While parasympathetic hormone helps in switching off the sympathetic drive so we can rest and relax again.

Together, these two actions lead to reduce our feelings of anxiety and put us in a more relaxed frame of mind.

How nature makes you happy

Just as spending time in nature can reduce our feelings of stress and anxiety, it can also have a directly calming effect on our brain and improve our mood. This effect happens in two ways.

First, being in natural environments stimulates the release of endorphins, or  special chemicals, such as serotonin and melatonin that help us relax and make us feel good.

In addition, the body itself also releases these feel-good hormones in response to the excitement and joy we feel in the presence of a beautiful environment or when engaging in outdoor activities.

The beauty of nature for creativity

On top of the directly calming effects that being in nature has on our minds and bodies, being in nature can also helps us by enhancing our powers of creativity.

Because, we soon as we begin to relax and slow down, we also give our brains permission to relax and wander. This allows us to think about solutions to problems that may be bothering us, or consider new perspectives and ideas.

This helps us in an indirect way by letting us see ways out of our stressors - or to think of other ways we can handle them.

The art of mindfulness in nature

Finally, being in nature helps promote mindfulness - the feeling of connecting to and being part of our surroundings and environment, which helps us feel grounded and more content.

Because, being out in nature provides many opportunities for us to focus on and enjoy experiences in the present moment and momentarily forget about our troubles.

For example, when you are out in a natural environment, you cannot help by focus your senses to listen to bird song, smell a beautiful flower or feel the sun or wind in your face and the grass beneath your toes.

Spending time in nature

There are many ways you can try to bring more nature into your daily life, from walking, to active mindfulness, to gardening and outdoor activities.

Nature walks can be done anywhere, whether in your back garden, in a local park, or out in the countryside and they are a really simple and effective tool to help you relax and clear your mind.

Gardening is a great stress reliever too and working with plants, caring for them and watching them bloom and grow, also provides a sense of accomplishment and acievement.

As for outdoor activities... just choose the one you fancy! Hiking, camping, kayaking, cycling or horse riding are a few of the many, many examples. Just remember to relax and enjoy it - competitive activities may not be that effective at stress reduction!

Summary

As we have seen, being in nature can be a powerful tool for stress relief and improving our mental health and by enriching your life with outdoor activities and mindfulness, you can achieve some wonderful benefits.

So, take some time to breathe in the magic of nature and improve your wellbeing today... and don't forget, if you enjoyed reading this blog post, sign up below to recieve email notifications of new blogs and articles x

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The Benefits Of Mindful Foraging

the benefits of mindful foraging

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links, so I may recieve a small commission if you choose to purchase any item. This will not affect the price you pay, but it will help me keep this site going x

The Benefits of Mindful Foraging

Have you ever stopped by a hedgerow or patch of scrubland in late summer or early autumn to enjoy some wild blackberries, or stooped to savour the taste of a sunripe wild strawberry? If you have, then you have enjoyed a spot of foraging!

Sometimes there is a tendancy to think of foragers as electic, rebellious folks who tramp around the countryside with baskets, trowels and pruning scissors to return with their baskets and pockets overflowing with leaves, nuts, seeds, fruits, roots, shoots and fungi...

But even little moments like nibbling a blackberry in passing straight from the bush, can be considered foraging. And if done with mindfulness, can give us as many, if not more benefits than tramping with dogged and single-minded 'foraging' intention.

So, I thought it would be nice to pause a moment and consider some of the many benefits of foraging.

Foraging is enjoyable, relaxing and meditative

For me, I think one of the best reasons to engage in mindful (and spontaneous) foraging, is the sheer joy of finding something deliciously wild and edible and having been given the gift of that opportunity to enjoy its wildness and flavour.

Mindful foraging with intention is also enjoyable in a different way - it is fun and thrilling. A bit like playing a treasure hunt, where you must pay attention and use all your senses to find what you are seeking.

Once you find your treasure, whether it be sought after or spontaneous, touching and reaching out for the gift offered to you is therapeutic, relaxing and meditative in itself; requiring rapt concentration and focus to nose out the healthiest leaves or the biggest, juciest berries.

Foraging connects you to nature

When you forage, you connect. You recognise the plant, touch it, smell it and taste it and in this way you get to know it. In fact, often this is the closest we get to interacting with and getting to know our wild trees and plants.

Over time, if you are mindful, you get to know the plants throughout their life cycle and in the different seasons of the year. You see how they grow, mature and develop... How they change from seedling to young plant, to flowering plant and to seed heads.

If you are very, very mindful, you will find you knowledge growing as start getting to know their particular quirks and habits, dislikes and preferences too! You will begin to notice which plants like the sun and which like the shade, or which enjoy really damp soil.

Not only is it nice to connect so deeply with trees and plants by getting to know them in this way, but it also makes your future foraging experiences easier - you either know exactly where a particular specimen in growing, or you know what habitats you should be looking for to find the species you are after.

A few considerations when foraging

While it can be tempting to rush out and start foraging, it can be helpful to keep a few things in mind:

When first starting out, only aim to forage one or two specimens which you know you can identify with complete confidence. And, if you have any doubt about a plant's identity whatsoever, seek the advice of someone who has botanical or foraging knowledge - it is better to be safe than sorry.

Always make you sure you have permission to forage on the land you intend to forage upon - sometimes foraging on public land such as nature reserves is forbidden. And remember not trespass upon private property. Also, before you pick anything, make sure there is no restriction or prohibition about picking that particular plant. Sometimes it might look like there is a lot of it - but there might only be a lot of it in that one location and it is actually scarce elsewhere.

Take only as much as you need for your own use and where possible, only harvest the parts of the plant that you need to use. For example, do not pull up the whole plant just to use the flowers, seeds or leaves. Follow the foraging rule of only harvesting from one in ten plants (for common plants) or one in one hundred plants (for less common plants).

Lastly, be aware of your surroundings and try not to foraging in dirty or polluted areas. If you are near running water, think about what might be upstream of that water... And, always be mindful of your plant's neighbours too - you do not want to end up scratched or stung by briars or nettles while intently engrossed upon your target.

Would you love to learn more about foraging?

There are many ways to turn your interest in foraging into reality and sustainably harvest and use wild-foraged plants, trees and fungi.
 
Books are a great way to start learning more about our most common edible fungi or plants, but until you become confident in identifying what you find - and knowing they are in fact truly edible and not a poisonous look-a-like, it is best to find a guide or mentor.
 
If you are looking for online courses with experienced, friendly mentors, The Herbal Academy is a fantastic place to check out. They have some fabulous courses all about botany, foraging, mushrooming and wild-crafting, with in-depth videos, books and recipes to help you learn about, identify and use our most common edible plants.
 
Curious? Why not check them out by clicking the links above or below - and don't forget to subscribe if you enjoyed this post and would love to receive updates about future posts and tutorials x
Botany & Wildcrafting Course by Herbal Academy

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Engaging Your Senses Mindfully in Nature

using your senses

Engaging Your Senses In Nature

In this article we will consider how to begin engaging our senses to help us tune in to and connect with the natural world - and the man-made world, in a conscious and mindful manner. A way that helps us to feel a part of and one with our surroundings and to notice the beauty and wonder of nature.

Awakening your sense of touch

The objective of nature awareness, is to start acclimatising your senses to notice the world around you and engage and interact with nature. We have five wonderful senseswhich can helps is tune in to our surroundings. But one of the best ways to begin awakening our senses to notice the world, is by using our sense of touch.

Often, we think of vision as our most important nature awareness tool. Afterall, there is so much going on in Nature. It is beautiful, magical and awe-inspiring. But, I think the most important of our senses to apply when we practice mindfulness in nature, is our least-thought-about, but most important connection sense - the sense of touch.

Because, whether it is running our fingers over the bark of a tree, or sinking our toes into the warm sea sand, touch is important for us. Think about how a young child explore the world. They first and foremost use their sense of touch.

So, when you are out and about in nature, close your eyes and feel instead. Feel the wind, the sun, the raindrops, the temperature of the air. Feel the grass, stones and gravel beneath your feet, or the plants, trees, grasses and mosses growing around you. Really pay attention to the sensations, the textures, the temperatures - and how they make you feel.

Using your senses of taste and smell

Now, we will move on to awakening our sense of smell - yet another rarely-thought-about but very important sense.

In fact, this sense comes as a two-in-one package, - both taste and smell together, because, we need our sense of smell to enhance our sense of taste. And, while we might not at first associate these two senses with Nature connection, there is definitely something satisfying about the smell of Nature.

Just thinking about the smell of wild flowers, herbs, cut grass or rain-dampened earth immediately transports and makes you smile. See, it is true, isn't it?

So when you are out and about, practice using your sense of smell. Smell and taste the wind and the air, the scents and perfumes carried on the currents. Notice the smells of damp moss and running water or the salty breeze. Savour the tastes and smells of mint, pine and cut grass. Enjoy the smell of flowers and wild berries.

Your sense of hearing in nature

After waking up our senses of touch and smell it is time to begin tuning your ears to awaken your sense of hearing. Because, even in seemingly peaceful places, there is often much to hear - wind, water, trees, grasses, birds, insects and even animals.

Of course, there are the sounds of human activity to listen to as well. (While you might wonder why listening out for people is important, they can tell you where trails or settlements or landmarks are, which helps in wild wayfinding).

So pay attention to all the little and large sounds, where they are, who they are and what they are doing. For example, notice the sounds of the wind as it journeys towards you through the trees. Listen to the roll and crash of the ripples and waves.

Hear the birds singing - what do they say? Why are they singing? Are they in conversation with other birds? Listen to the hum and buzz of the insects. Notice the sounds of the animals - what are they doing? Why emotions or messages are they conveying? Really tune in and pay attention.

Honing your sense of sight

So, we have practiced waking up our touch, smell and hearing and now it is time to start awakening our sense of sight and tuning our eyes to notice the subtleties and movements of Nature. Because often, even though we think we are walking around with our eyes open, but once we start mastering nature awareness and really begin to pay attention, we realise just how much we gloss over and how much we do not see.

Start by taking a big breath in and out, then shrug and roll your shoulders to help you relax; smile a beautiful smile and this time, keep your eyes wide open.

Look carefully around you - up, down and all around. Notice movement, colours, the play of sunlight and shadows, the way colours merge into one another or the way they are demarcated. Notice the large things and the little things, the overall picture and the tiniest details.

What do you notice? What can you see?   How are things moving - and why are they moving? How does observing nature make you feel? Really pay attention to your environment. Then, reflect on the thoughts, feelings, mesages and emotions they envoke.

Now it is your turn!

What do you think about this exercise? Do you practice any of these activities when you are out and about in nature? Why not share in the comments below. I would love to hear your thoughts and feelings about them. And don't forget to subscribe by clicking the pink betton below to be notified about new blog posts, quizzes and tutorials x

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What are the benefits of nature awareness?

the benefits of nature awareness

What is nature awareness?

Nature awareness is the ability to open your heart and open your mind to notice all the wonderful things around you - and to be one with the wonderful world around you. It gives you space to breathe, find your calm, discover your inner balance and walk with peace and serenity.

Have you ever been on the road somewhere, or waiting around at a bus stop, and you suddenly realise - the time has simply disappeared and you have no idea how many things you have passed - or how many things have passed you? Imagine how much you could have missed - birdsong, wild flowers, sunbeams, rainbows or butterflies...

Because you were lost inside yourself. Your awareness was directed inside of you. Instead of travelling with awareness, you were decidedly unaware of the world living and growing around you.

Why walking with awareness matters

Now, imagine you could walk through the world with your awareness open to the world. By mastering nature awareness, this whole magical world could be yours. The dancing butterflies, the sun-dappled leaves, the scents of wild roses and honeysuckle, the warm, gentle breeze.

Instead of life passing you by, you would be a part of life - beautiful, vibrant and alive. With a smile on your lips and a skip in your step. By walking with awareness, you turn everything around. Now, you become a part of the landscape you are traveling through.

You become a part of Nature. By walking with awareness, you lift the walk from a mere walk into a magical experience. A walk accompanied by birdsong, brightened by butterflies and flowers, touched by sunbeams and raindrops.

Wouldn't this nature walk experience be so much more enjoyable and rewarding? This is the joy of nature awareness. Are you ready to try it?

Nature for health

We have all been told that spending time outdoors is good for us and spending time in nature is even better. In fact, research has shown that even spending as little as 20 minutes a day or 2 hours a week in nature can have a huge impact on our physical, mental and emotional well being - benefits that even trickle down to our social and community well being.

In some countries, medical doctors have even started giving their patients 'nature prescriptions' in an effort to increase motivation and empower health benefits from spending time outdoors.

But have you ever stopped to wonder what 'being in nature' means? Is simply being 'outdoors' or in a 'greenspace' good enough to qualify as being in nature? The answer is both yes and no.

Participants in the studies mentioned above did achieve positive benefits simply from being outdoors and in a greenspace. But, just 'being' in nature is not enough. To truely benefit from being in nature, we need to actually 'be' in Nature. That is fully aware of, in tune with, interacting with and connected to her.

Nature for relaxation

So, we know that being in nature has physical, mental and emotional benefits. It is refreshing, relaxing, rejuvinating and calming. But, why?

Well, being in nature helps to soothe and calm us activating or supressing the hormones that control our nervous systems. It lowers our heart rate, blood pressure and stress responses, which in turn, helps to reduce anxiety, control depression, boost self-esteem and induce feelings of positivity and joy.

Because, being in Nature helps to reduce the stress hormone, cortisol (which is responsible for inducing our stressed, tensed and anxious fight or flight response) and induces secretion of the relaxation hormone, parasympathetic hormone (or PSH, which effectively counteracts our cortisol response by reducing heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate).

In addition, PSH helps in regulating our bodies' inflammatory and immune reponses, thus enhancing  immunity and improving healing. In fact, studies have shown that even having access to images or scenes of nature can improve healing time in patients following surgery.

Not only that, but walking among trees (and the reason forest bathing is so popular) is because the oils and hormones secreted by tree leaves actively promote the release of PSH, increasing its benefit even more.

(It is important to note that this effect can only come into play when we feel safe enough to breathe and allow ourselves to relax and enjoy being surrounded by nature. Otherwise, your fight or flight reponse will overwhelm any attempts at relaxation. So always try to find somewhere where you can feel safe and secure enough to stand still and be peaceful without worrying about your safety or potential dangers around you.)

Nature for knowledge

Okay. So, we have explored some of the pathophysiology underlying the benefits of being surrounded by nature. But, what about the other benefits of being in nature? Specifically, how does being in Nature with mindful awareness help?

Aside from its health benefits, spending time in nature with awareness helps in other ways too. For those interested in growing their knowledge and deepening their nature connection, awareness provides a fantastic tool to achieve this.

Because, as soon as you start spending time regularly connecting to and aware of the nature in an area, you will begin to recognise and identify individual species, their quirks, their changes and their personalities... and even individuals. This encourages you to get hands-on and interact with them on a much deeper level.

As you pay attention, you begin noticing how they change over time too and grow and mature throughout the year, helping you to understand and identify them throughout the changing seasons.

Nature for connection

Imagine, you always see a fuzzy red flower, which is surrounded by bumble bees. They seem to love it! Then one day, you decide to bend down and take a closer look. You bring it to your nose to smell it and turn it over in your fingers. It is made up of lots of little flowers! And, its leaves are all in bunches of three.

 Somewhere in your memory, you remember that clovers have three leaves. So, you go home and look it up. It is indeed a red clover - and beloved by bees. Now, every time you think about this plant, you can immediately recall its smell, its texture, its colours and its identifying features. It has changed from a generic 'flower' and taken on a name and personality.
 

Not only this, but now whenever you encounter a similar flower, you will know in the back of your mind that it resembles the red clover you met before, which will help speed up the identification process. And, by knowing that it is related to the red clover, you will already have an idea of any potential culinary or medicinal benefits - and its value to local wildlife.

What do you think?

So, what do you think? How important is nature awareness in your life and how does it help you? In what ways do you practice nature connection in your day to day life? Drop me a comment below and share your thoughts - I would love to hear from you. And remember, to subscribe to My Nature Nook below for notification about new blog posts, tutorials, quizzes and products x

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Why being in nature won't help you de-stress

why being in nature won't help you de-stress

Why being in nature won't help you de-stress

Have you ever heard that being in nature is good for you and is one of the best things for stress? Well, what if I told you that this is not true and simply ‘being’ in nature is just about as good as not being in nature at all and in fact, being in nature won't help you de-stress.

Well, okay. Being in nature can help you de-stress, but only if combined with mindfulness and connection. 

Imagine for a moment that you are walking through a park. But you are wandering along with your eyes glued to the screen and your headphones in your ears. You flick glances occasionally this way and that around the screen, your thumbs absently scrolling, while your thoughts ruminate over worries and stresses, frustrations and anxieties. 

How would you feel by the end of that walk?

I’m guessing that by the end of this walk, you would be feeling just as stressed as you were when you started it. In fact you probably would not have been aware that you had just completed your walk and wondered how you arrived at the end of it!

How to de-stress in nature instead...

Now, imagine walking through that same park. But this time, with you phone safely out of the way in your pocket and your senses turned outwards. You turn your head towards the sounds you hear - bees humming, grasshoppers strumming and birds singing vibrantly in the trees. You breathe deeply, enjoying the inhaled perfume of roses, lilac and hyacinths, cut grass and recent rain. Joyfully, your eyes wander this way and that, delighting in the sunshine and clouds, the dappled leaves, the fluttering butterflies and the beautiful flowers.

How would you feel by the end of this walk?

I’m guessing you would be feeling pretty good. Definitely less stressed and perhaps more hopeful, energised and content.

These two walks were both in the same place, but the results are so different. This is because while doing the second walk, you were present and aware, using your senses and noticing all the amazing things happening around you. But during the first walk, your attention was directed inside your own head, leaving you unaware of what was going on.

I believe it is this mindfulness, which makes the difference in helping you de-stress when in the presence of nature. Not simply the act of being physically in nature. What do you think?

Why not try it the next time you are out and see if you notice a difference.

Goodbye for now and happy nature walking,

Leila x

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