Meditating in nature is beneficial. All five senses are awakened; bringing increased awareness of the present moment. When practicing meditation, it can lower our anxiety and stress and decrease depression.
When trying to practice meditation at home it can be difficult. There are a lot of distractions that can occur. Yelling kids, the sound of the dishwasher or the tv volume being too loud can really pull us away from the inner peace we are so desperately seeking.
For this reason, try practicing meditating in nature.
Having the big and open sky above you, may calm your mind sooner than being indoors. As mentioned above, all five senses are being awakened and therefore has a greater effect of putting you in the present moment quicker.
What is Meditating in Nature?
Benefits of Meditating in Nature
How to Meditate in Nature
What is Walking Meditation
Tips on Meditating in Nature
Meditating in Nature Vs Indoors?
What is Meditating in Nature?
Meditating in nature is finding an area outdoors and quieting down the mind. It’s taking time to become aware of the present moment, by focusing on the breath and allowing our thoughts to pass by, like clouds in the sky.
Benefits of Meditating in Nature
- Calms Anxiety
- Reduces stress
- Lowers anxiety
- Enhances self-awareness
- Decreases Depression
- Feeling more inharmony with the natural world around you
How to Meditate in Nature
There is no wrong way to meditate, but there are options to discover. The point of meditating is to quiet the outside world and bring your awareness within. This can be done numerous ways.
- Sometimes just finding a quiet spot in nature and sitting still can work.
- It’s difficult to calm the mind on command. Instead, begin by slowing down the breath and focusing on it.
- Pay attention to the rise and fall of your chest. Try to inhale to a count of 4 and then exhale to a count of 4 or 5. When we do this, think of it as a “warmup” to the meditation.
- By counting, It’s transferring the minds attention to the breath giving the mind something in the present to focus on.
- After a few moments of doing this, you can choose to begin to breath normally again – or keep counting. It’s up to you. Again, there is no wrong way to meditating in nature.
- Focusing on the sounds around you also calms the minds. Especially when meditating in nature, we get the beautiful sounds of nature. The sound of leaves blowing in the wind, birds chirping, the insects fluttering around, it all can have a calming effect.
- Or, if the nature sounds are too distracting –bring along some earbuds with you and listen to a guided meditation or some soothing music.
20 Minute Guided Meditation to Connect with Nature
Sitting down, not your thing?
Then you can try walking meditation.
What is Walking Meditation
Walking meditations can be done by having the mind focus on each footstep you take. From the feeling of your heel lifting off the Earth to the arch and toes lifting up, and then coming back down. Focus on the muscles in the foot and how it feels with each step.
When doing this it can be trance like and calms the mind down.
Tips on Meditating in Nature
Find a quiet space
Bring allow a lightweight blanket or cushion to sit on
Bring ear buds if you prefer to listen to a guided meditation or music. (Sometimes this can also help drown out noisy hikers nearby)
Relax and just breathe
Resist your thoughts. Be aware they are there; however, let them pass over you like clouds in sky. Don’t indulge your thoughts.
Be kind to yourself.
Meditation can be difficult. Even the most advance person who’s been meditating for years will experience rough days when it’s harder to quiet the mind. On those days, be particularly kind to yourself, as you need it most.
Mediation is a practice not a destination.
Meditating in Nature Vs Indoors?
What if after a few times practicing meditating in nature, you discover that it’s just not working out for you?
That’s completely fine.
Again, there is no wrong way to meditate. If this is the case, try mediating indoors.
Indoor Meditation
Feel free to sit down, lay down or do a walking meditation.
If it helps, here is a guided meditation that also incorporates visualization of being outdoors. This way, you can feel like your outdoors, yet feel safe from the comfort of your own space indoors.
5-Minute Grounding Meditation
Conclusion
Stepping out onto the trail we become more aware and our body begins to attune itself to Earth’s vibrations. In nature, we find simplicity. Our attention shifts away from the daily grind and begins focusing on the present moment. That makes meditating in nature, a truly authentic experience.
