Mindfulness in Nature

The start of Spring is a great time to begin. It’s the time of the year when I think many people are more aware of how nature is turning. and preparing for a new season of warmth and growth. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate that?

One of the earliest signs noticable in the grey, misty and mild woods of the English Lake District are the bright red dots of Scarlet Elf Caps scattered across rotting branches on the woodland floor. I always delight at this first visual sign, this year at their best in February close to my home. This is the starting gun. After this, gradually the woodland floor turns green, each day more obviously as lesser celendines and bluebells push their green leaves up through the brown leaf litter. Then around St David’s Day the wild daffodils burst into glorious colour, so classically captured in Wordsworth poetry, but visible to anyone who alerts their senses.

To me, purposely, deliberately, consciously focussing on the natural world whenever I am outside, is core to the health benefits of being outdoors. In particular I try to keep my ears open to birdsong. You don’t need to know what you’re hearing, just listen and notice. At this time of year the song thrushes are loudly calling out their re-established territories, while robins and dunnocks trill more quietly from the lower bushes. In proper woodland areas, you are more likely to hear bullfinches than to see them. But actively listening and noticing is the key to personal health and wellbeing in this context, and in my view enhances the quality of everybody’s outdoor experiences.

So put your phone away, or even better, leave it at home; and pull out the earphones; and activate all your senses, whatever you are doing in the outdoors.