Sitting outside on the back patio, I listen to the chimes resonating their melody of music vibrations and healing, a choral desert masterpiece. The feeling of lightheartedness penetrates my body with each note. The tree branches sway to the sound of the wind. Nature is expansive. As my eyes rest on clouds, birds in flight and the scene before me, my mood changes.
Most of us have felt closed in this past year. Attention is drawn into a tiny cellphone screen we can hardly do without. We look down at the phone so physiologically our eyes are cast down as they would be in a depressed state. To counter- balance this effect, I recommend walking in nature. Go to a park or someplace awe inspiring that begs your eyes to look up. The effect on the brain is immediate. A twenty minute walk will affect your state of mind.
Or take a drive. 5O miles out of town you’ll have an attitude adjustment. Try it, you’ll see. 5O miles out! Look at the clouds passing overhead casting shadow shapes along the earth.
Just like Yoga, which creates space in the body and mind, Nature opens us up to the influences of the 5 elements: earth, fire, water, air and ether. Those very components make up our constitution as taught in Ayurvedic Medicine, the healing modality originating in India. The Ancient Yogis’ developed asanas (poses) by observing Nature. One can experience all of that by being outside under the sunbeams breathing in fresh air. It’s mandatory during these times of the daily news cycle. Information overload gets normalized, stress becomes a habitual state. So, to balance home and work life, get outside. Watch how it affects your state of mind. Pay attention to your mind, THE mind. Give it some Nature to rest upon.
Now the trick is to be in the present moment and really see the 5 elements at play around you. When the mind drifts back to work or relationships or unfinished stories you tell yourself over and over, STOP! See beauty around you. Feel it and breathe it in. Store this in your memory bank so when you are stressed out you can pull this file out and relive your experience in Nature. It will heal you. Find a quiet place outside and take some time to balance yourself. Breathe in, relax your shoulders, the neck and jaw. Breathe out releasing mental tension. Notice the habit of hurrying that will pull you out of the present moment of beauty as you sit still. Bring yourself back to the beauty all around you and immerse yourself in it for at least 20 minutes. Yes, your mind will jump around because of the nervous system’s habit of always being “on.”
Like a little puppy dog, one needs to train the mind over and over to focus attention on a treat. That treat for you is Nature. Sit still. Calm the nervous system. The physiology of the body will adjust to the new habit over time. It is a great way to begin to train the mind as you combine it with the feeling you get from being in Nature. All you do is sit still and look at the world around you. The flower buds, grand mountains. Weather changing. Breathe it all in as you look up. Breathe out and feel the release. Time to get started! Walk outside.