I'm now a natural mindfulness guide.
Here is a report that highlights the evidence-based benefits of nature:
Here is a report that highlights the evidence-based benefits of nature:
Natural mindfulness
I invite you to slow down and notice nature. The slower you walk, the more you will see, hear and feel.
Seven walks with seven exercises to practise: look at things you do automatically and start doing them mindfully
Seven walks with seven exercises to practise: look at things you do automatically and start doing them mindfully
Exercise 1: Mindful breathing
Enjoy each breath.
Welcome each in-breath.
Have a sense of letting go with each outbreath.
=> This helps anchoring the mind so it doesn't keep jumping back to the past or ahead into the future.
Choose between:
1. . Saying these words in your head as you breathe in and out:
Breathing in, say the word SMILE
Breathing out, say the word RELEASE
or
3. Aligning the breath with the rhythm of the seasons
Breathe in spring, refreshing
Breathe out autumn, with a sense of letting go, like leaves falling
Progressing to adding pauses:
Pause, relaxing through summer, lovely and warm
Pause through the winter, slowing right down to rest
So the whole sequence becomes:
Breathe in spring
Pause for summer
Breathe out autumn
Pause for winter
Breathe in spring, etc.
or
4. Be the passive observer of your breath, focusing on feel or sound
or
5. Feel your nostrils getting wider when you breathe in and the cooler air inside your nose or above your lip.
Feel your nostrils relaxing when you breathe out and the warmer air, helping you release tension.
=> do what feels right to you, or try one for a while and see if it suits you.
Welcome each in-breath.
Have a sense of letting go with each outbreath.
=> This helps anchoring the mind so it doesn't keep jumping back to the past or ahead into the future.
Choose between:
1. . Saying these words in your head as you breathe in and out:
Breathing in, say the word SMILE
Breathing out, say the word RELEASE
or
3. Aligning the breath with the rhythm of the seasons
Breathe in spring, refreshing
Breathe out autumn, with a sense of letting go, like leaves falling
Progressing to adding pauses:
Pause, relaxing through summer, lovely and warm
Pause through the winter, slowing right down to rest
So the whole sequence becomes:
Breathe in spring
Pause for summer
Breathe out autumn
Pause for winter
Breathe in spring, etc.
or
4. Be the passive observer of your breath, focusing on feel or sound
or
5. Feel your nostrils getting wider when you breathe in and the cooler air inside your nose or above your lip.
Feel your nostrils relaxing when you breathe out and the warmer air, helping you release tension.
=> do what feels right to you, or try one for a while and see if it suits you.
2. Mindful Listening
Close your eyes and listen for sounds, letting the sense of hearing be the primary sense, then find where the sound came from using your eyes.
3. Mindful walking
I invite you to bring your attention to your feet as you take a step, feel the ground through the sensory nerve endings in your soles. You can keep your shoes on or take them off. You will obviously feel more with no shoes on, but it's not necessary.
You might want to bring your attention to your balance as you let one hip take the weight of your body, then the other.
See if you can make your stride relaxed and natural to the best of your ability.
4. Training your senses
1. Vision - notice what you see close and far, and add another sense, then another:
2. Sound - pay attention to what you can hear, near and far - some pleasant, some less so, the wind in the leaves, birdsong, plane...
3. Touch - feel soft leaves, moisture, bark of trees, etc.
4. Smell - fresh air, cut grass, flowers - whatever enters your awareness in the moment.
5. Taste - slowly eat nuts or fruit you brought with you
2. Sound - pay attention to what you can hear, near and far - some pleasant, some less so, the wind in the leaves, birdsong, plane...
3. Touch - feel soft leaves, moisture, bark of trees, etc.
4. Smell - fresh air, cut grass, flowers - whatever enters your awareness in the moment.
5. Taste - slowly eat nuts or fruit you brought with you
5. Coming alive inside
I invite you to try and feel the aliveness in our hands and feet and then the aliveness in a tree of your choice.
6. Relaxing and reflecting
Allow your thoughts to wander (not the same as negative mind wandering back into the past or forward into the future)
Gain clarity, stimulating insights as you bring your attention back to the present moment.
No rushing.
Gain clarity, stimulating insights as you bring your attention back to the present moment.
No rushing.
7. Using Natural Mindfulness on purpose
Bring the previous exercises together and use natural mindfulness in a way that serves you and your wellbeing.
Consider this question: what choices can I make and what actions can I take in my life right now that help me support my happiness, health and success?
Then, just walk and wait for a thought, a feeling, an insight or a sign or lesson from nature as you practise mindful walking, mindful breathing and opening your senses.
Consider this question: what choices can I make and what actions can I take in my life right now that help me support my happiness, health and success?
Then, just walk and wait for a thought, a feeling, an insight or a sign or lesson from nature as you practise mindful walking, mindful breathing and opening your senses.
