Nature
Welcome to ATTUNEMENT, my monthly blog!
Each month we "tune into" a theme related to mindfulness
and explore a creative practice and tune based on this theme!
This month of April we're TUNING INTO the frequency of:
NATURE.
Intentional time in nature is a creative mindfulness practice.
"The reason mindfulness and nature are such complements to each other", according to the Mindfulness Project of London, "is because in mindfulness we rest our attention on sensory experiences such as the breath or sounds, and nature offers so much inspiration for the senses."
One practice that combines mindfulness with intentional time in nature is called Shinrin-yoku.
Shinrin-Yoku
It means
"bathing in the air of the forest";
in other words, intentionally immersing yourself in nature through the use of your senses.
The term Shinrin-yoku was coined in the 1980s by the Japanese government, who has since spent over $4 million researching the benefits of forest bathing, which is now a widely prescribed preventative medicine to combat stress, lessen the effects of chronic illness, and improve mental health and wellbeing.
During a forest bathing session, a guide facilitates the transition from indoors to outdoors with a guided meditation followed by an invitation to explore the forest area in various sensory-based ways. This period of exploration is followed by a few minutes of seated solitary reflection. Finally, participants reconvene for a tea ceremony and sharing circle.
I recently obtained my certification in Shinrin-yoku, and I would love to guide you and your friends/family/colleagues in this beautiful practice. Send me an email and we'll set up a time to talk details.
Creative Mindfulness Practice: A Mindful Nature Walk
This is an easy one... Go outside!
Enjoy a SLOW walk (even for just 2 minutes), taking in the sights and sounds of the natural world around you--the swaying branches, the budding flowers, the chirping birds, the puffy clouds, the green grass, the scurrying squirrels, etc.
When you see some aspect of nature that grabs your attention, spend a few seconds lingering there before moving on (i.e. watch the ant crawling across the sidewalk, or listen to the cardinal singing).
Silently give thanks to nature for sharing its beauty with you before you return inside.
You might then opt to do a 5-minute free-write on what this experience was like for you/what you noticed that you want to remember and honor. Alternatively (or in addition to your journaling), you could sketch/color a picture of what you saw.
This Month’s Tune:
Each month I'll share a tune that resonates with the newsletter theme.
For our theme of NATURE I've chosen my original song "Holy Earth" which is available on all streaming platforms. Check out the lyric video on YouTube here or see below!
