Mindfulness + Mother Nature: How Nature Boosts Joy, Acceptance, Calm and Kindness

Although I have learned to love the heat and intensity of our short-lived summers in Southern Ontario, I must confess that I have been thoroughly enjoying the cooler and more crisp mornings and evenings over the last week. While taking an evening stroll with my family after dinner a few days ago, I was graciously reminded by Mother Nature about the inevitability of change, as we find ourselves less than a month away from cusp of Fall.

Just as a formal mindfulness meditation practice enables us to sooth and nourish our internal systems, so too can connecting with nature (especially in the current context of stress and uncertainty). Carving out time to enjoy and be in nature is a simple and effective way to help us feel calm, rejuvenated, happier and more grounded. Simply taking a few moments to walk on grass barefoot, to watch the clouds pass overhead or to observe a tree as it dances in the wind allows us to connect with the universal life force which is within us, yet so much bigger than us.

The reason mindfulness and nature complement each other so well is because mindfulness requires honing in to our sensory experiences, such as our breath, while nature offers countless inspiration for our senses. Feeling the coolness of morning dew on the bottoms of our feet as we walk through sharp blades of grass, absorbing the warmth of sunshine on our cheeks while being tickled by a light breeze, taking in the intoxicating smell of petrichor after a rainfall, or watching the wind blow fervently enough to bend and crack the branches off a majestic tree ~ these are the kind of moments where we practice (sometimes without even being aware) coming back to our senses, thereby accessing the restorative benefits of both mindfulness and nature.

There are many benefits of connecting with Mother Nature that are supported by research. Simply taking a moment to be in and enjoy nature has been proven to result in positive emotions, to activate our parasympathetic nervous system (which has a calming and restorative effect on our minds and bodies), to improve attention and focus, and to promote general psychological well-being. Mindfulness further enhances our ability to connect with nature, thereby reinforcing these benefits.

In order to reap the maximum benefits of practising mindfulness in nature, it can be helpful to set an intention to connect and simultaneously be present with the external world, as well as our internal experience. When your mind wanders (and it will!), gently redirect your attention back to whatever you placed your attention on. Try to maintain an attitude of curiosity, allowing, and non-judgemental awareness to enrich your experiences in nature with profound and insightful moments.

One great way to spend time being in and enjoying nature, especially with little ones, is to create mandalas. I was inspired by a story I recently saw on the Little Yogis Instagram page, where children and adults alike were focusing their attention on this therapeutic activity. 

Mandala is a Sanskrit word for a geometric configuration of symbols that originated all the way back in the 4th century. The circular design represents wholeness and can be seen as a model for the structure of life itself— a cosmic diagram which demonstrates how infinite and connected life is and that the world extends within and simultaneously beyond minds and bodies.

This activity can be enjoyed during any season to support your little ones to interact with nature and to connect to it. Simply collect any specimens of nature that you find in your back yard, garden or even on a walk, such as rocks, flowers, leaves and branches, and then use them to create special geometric patterns. 

This mindful activity helps teach, via demonstration and experience, that although leaves and petals change (they lose their colour or shape as they wither) they are still beautiful and useful as they change and transform. This underscores the notions of change and impermanence, which can help normalize feelings of sadness or anxiety and make them less intimidating. 

Monks actually spend days creating mandalas and then destroy them, so as to emphasize the point that nothing is permanent. This is an especially important lesson to learn and teach, as it can help children remember that everything is connected, that difficult times with all their challenges will also pass, and that although there are worries and difficulties in life, there are also many beautiful moments and opportunities that arise during challenging times.

While completing this mandala activity, you can further connect with one other, as well as the Earth, by thanking each other for sharing your time and efforts, as well as the Earth for its abundance, invaluable life lessons and beauty.

Although there are many ways that nature can help us to practice and cultivate mindfulness, by increasing our ability to connect with and experience its benefits more efficiently, I am hoping that this one idea, which can be explored individually or with loved ones (regardless of age or artistic ability), may inspire you to seek out and partake in many more.

If you go give this activity a try, I would love to hear about your experience and to see your Mandalas, so please share them in the comments below, email info@kindfulliving.ca or tag me in your images on Instagram @kindful_living.

Thank you!