“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
- John Muir
Malachy Dunne suggests that being outdoors is beneficial for our mental health because it, quite literally, returns us to our natural environment. ‘As a species, we’ve spent a lot more time walking outdoors, hunting and gathering, than we have either growing crops or making machines,’ he explains. ‘So, we are reconnecting with an ancient memory.’
Nature is always there: patient, non-judgmental, spacious, solid and beautiful - what could be more reassuring? It’s deeply soothing and profound because it reminds me of our interconnectedness with all life. It helps us connect to something bigger than ourselves, fostering a deeper, kinder connection with ourselves, others and the world; increasing a sense of wellbeing.
Today is all about exploring this a little bit.
Lesley
Have a read
Take a read of an article I wrote exploring our systemic connection to nature. It’s a great stimulus / food for thought, for your walk today.
Go for a walk
Take some time outside, ideally in a place that connects you to the world - perhaps leaning against an old tree, in an ancient forest, under the night sky, walking through a vast landscape, next to a meandering river, strolling along a coastline or by a mountain.
Feel yourself connect with what’s around you. Feel your feet supported by the earth, your bottom held as you sit down. Feel the ages of time run through you as you breath the air. Sense the connection between the fluids in your body and those of the land, the water that has been filtered over millenia that runs through us all.
Marvel at a robin or a fossil, the predictable cycle of tides or sunrise and set, the beauty of a flower or the skill of an animal.
Take some time to connect with the natural world.
Journal
No one else is going to read this but you. Be as creative or simple as you feel.
How did you find your time outside today?
What did you become aware of?
How did you feel?
Note down any reflections you had on your life and what that might mean for you and/or your work.
