8 easy ways to enjoy more time in nature — plus, a downloadable walking meditation
One of the reasons our bodies, minds, and souls resonate with and attune to nature is that we aren’t humans in nature; we are nature.
Yoga and Ayurveda teach us that well-being is the balanced and dynamic integration between our environment, body, mind, and spirit. And harmonizing ourselves with nature is essential for optimal health — especially right now, as we are contending with our ever-shifting circumstances.
When this balance is missing for too long, we will eventually feel it. It may feel something like boredom, emptiness, possibly a deep craving or hunger. Or maybe it manifests as irritability, sadness, anger, or eventually, illness.
Of course, there are many practices we can do on our mats to help us balance and harmonize in this way, but we exponentially deepen our experience when we get off our mat and out into the world.
Science supports the importance of nature in our well-being and a growing body of research confirms that more time in nature will lead to better overall health, including reducing the stress hormone cortisol. Reducing stress increases our bodies’ defense system, promotes faster healing time, and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression.
In fact, in Japan, forest bathing has become a recommended prescription to decrease stress, increase immunity, and help alleviate chronic illness symptoms.
Summer is the perfect time to expand in this way.
I’ve packed this blog post with inspiration and suggestions on how to get outside a little more, as well as ideas to connect more deeply with friends and loved ones in nature, and techniques to bring your yoga and mindfulness practices into to any summer activity.
1. Dine Outside
You don’t have to pack a woven basket and go on a big picnic (although that would be great!). My family eats breakfast outside in our backyard, even on busy mornings. If we bring our food outside for just a few minutes, it can change the way we feel all day. Try it! Or take your next lunch out and enjoy your meal on a bench with a friend.
2. Spend an Hour at a Farmers Market
Time in the market can feel like a day in nature. Just feasting your eyes on all the colors and smelling all the earth-grown goodies is refreshing for the senses.
3. Forage in Your Yard!
A farmer at the market once introduced us to Purslane, which is a weed that is very watery, sweet, and delicious — and it grows in many of our yards! Here is a list of edible weeds you can dig up in your own yard.
4. You Don’t Have to Dig Too Deep
No big yard? Live in an apartment? Plant some flowers or herbs in a pot. Use your hands to dig the dirt. Take a deep breath, and enjoy the scent on your hands.
5. Ride the Water
Live in the city? Take a ferry ride instead of the subway or a cab. When we lived in Hoboken, we often rode the ferry back and forth to NYC just for fun. For a special treat try an early-morning ride before the world is too awake or enjoy a sunset trip; just sit back, relax and let the wind blow in your hair.
6. Look Up
Grab a friend and lay down in the grass, look up at the sky, and describe the cloud formations you see. Any animals up there? Any cartoon characters? Tell a story with the characters you see in the sky. If you can’t get outside, remember that even just looking out a window at the sky can be a way to connect with nature.
7. Listen In
Stand still in the park or in the woods. Relax and listen. What do you hear? This is a great one to do with children; after several minutes of listening, share with each other the most interesting sound you heard.
8. Take Your Practice Into Nature with a Walking Meditation
Walking Meditation is easy, takes little time, requires no formal training, and offers amazing health benefits. It is particularly valued for its ability to refresh your mind, give you an emotional boost, and help you feel more in sync with nature’s cycles. What I like most about walking meditation is it helps me see things anew. There is really no right or wrong when it comes to walking meditation. And, you don’t have to walk so slow that people will wonder what you are doing. Just walk slowly enough that you can be fully present with your breath, your steps, and the nature around you.
When we slow down enough, any moment can be a potential to wake up, shift our perspective, and connect more.
