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The Role of Nature in Mindfulness

mindfulness and nature

Mindfulness is a technique that enables people to notice - without judgement - their thoughts, feelings and sensations as they occur in the present moment. The technique has its origins in Buddhism and traditional Chinese medicine, but over the last several decades has been integrated into more Western approaches to mental healthcare. This is because mindfulness has been scientifically proven to lower stress levels, increase self-awareness, and enable people to better control their automatic responses to difficult thoughts and feelings.

Many people who suffer mental ill-health benefit from mindfulness, as it creates a space in people’s minds between themselves and their most distressing thoughts. This allows people to not only become aware of their thoughts but also choose how to respond to them, mainly because they are just observing their thoughts rather than reacting to them with uncontrolled emotion. The technique also demonstrates that people do not have to defined by their distressing thoughts, as during mindfulness it is generally noticed that all thoughts come and go. Following this, mindfulness teaches us an important truth not just about distressing thoughts but life in general, namely: “All that exists is impermanent; nothing lasts.”

The Connection Between Mindfulness and Nature

A state of mindfulness requires not only a deeper reflection of our internal experience, but also a deeper connection to our external surroundings. This is because there is an enduring relationship between our mental states and the environment. For example, if you need to complete a lot of work before an impending deadline, the likelihood of you doing this will be nearly impossible if you are in a noisy work environment because you will be distracted. What you need, of course, is a quiet and comfortable space that allows you to mentally focus on what needs to be done, undisturbed.

Exactly the same applies to mindfulness: in order to calmly yet accurately notice your thoughts, feelings and sensations, you need to be in a distraction-free environment that also instils a sense of peace and quiet within you. Otherwise, you’d lack the calmness of mind required to fully focus on your internal experience.

Moreover, mindfulness is not just about noticing our thoughts but also being present in the moment, which has been proven to relieve stress and calm the mind. This requires, however, people connecting to an environment that is far removed from the sources of their distress. Regarding this, being out in nature has been argued to be among the most favourable to those in need of mindfulness – not least because nature has both a calming and energising effect on human beings, both of which are important prerequisites for effective mindfulness.

Firstly, calmness in nature derives from the distance we experience between the ‘great outdoors’ and our everyday lives, which often consists of chronic stress and unpredictability in urban spaces that are built-up, polluted, and densely populated.

These conditions are not only poor for mindfulness but mental health in general, as they leave people distracted and exhausted from constant exposure to multiple stimuli (e.g. crowded places, bright offices, chaotic households, etc.). Especially for mindfulness, what we need is an environment that that enhances our present-moment awareness, which being in nature facilitates. This is because natural environments, such as mountainsides, forests, and coastlines, do not fix our attention on one specific thing (e.g. a television in a living room), but broadens our visual experience to appreciate the whole rather than just the particular.

A sense of calmness is regularly felt during these moments, as we let go our distressing thoughts to allow our senses to be bathed in the quiet beauty and expansiveness of the natural landscape. With this sense of calmness, a powerful variant of mindfulness can take place.

Secondly, with respects to invigorating effects, there is now an abundance of scientific evidence indicating a link between nature and mental wellbeing. For example, a recent systematic review found that nature-based interventions (e.g. outdoor mindfulness) were as effective as counselling in reducing symptoms of depression. This is due to the aforementioned calming effects of being outdoors, but also linked to the natural air being considerably cleaner than is found in urban settings, which is good for our respiratory systems and leaves us feeling more energised.

Moreover, exploring nature usually entails moderate exercise, which releases a flood of endorphins that have a natural anti-depressant effect. With this, a clearer, more energised focus on one’s thoughts, feelings and sensations can occur through mindfulness.

Mindfulness

Reconnecting to Nature through Daily Mindfulness Practices

It has often been argued that our disconnection from nature is a significant driver in the mental health crisis that besets most Western societies, especially the United Kingdom (see Johan Hari’s best-selling book, ‘Lost Connections’, published in 2018). Reconnecting to nature through daily mindfulness practices is a promising solution to this problem.

Outdoor meditation is an obvious example of such mindfulness practices, which can consist of meditation where one can notice one’s thoughts, feelings and sensations in atmosphere instilling peace and tranquillity (e.g. forest), rather than distraction and stress (e.g. family home). It can also consist of more sound-based meditations, which entails sitting, eye-closed, in a natural space and just listening to the sounds that come and go in the present moment (e.g. sitting by a coastline and allowing the sound of waves to-ing and fro-ing to wash over you).

Another mindfulness practice can consist of something relatively small, such as ‘daily mindful walking’ in an outdoor space (e.g. park). This entails noticing your thoughts and bodily sensations as they arise during your walk, as well as reflecting on the sights, smells, and sounds of the natural environment, which, thereafter, promotes a better clarity of thought and calmer focus.

Reconnecting to nature through daily mindfulness practices, however, requires overcoming the barriers that exists between people and nature. This does not have to mean moving to rural areas, although that may be an option for some people. Rather, it can just mean being more intentional with how we utilise our free time, such as scheduling in advance periods of the week where we can be in nature.

Transportation can be a major issue, particularly among those that do not drive. Nevertheless, walking or cycling around nearby outdoor spaces (e.g. a park) is infinitely better than nothing – even if it’s not as transformative as outdoor meditation on a mountainside. However, for some people, being outdoors is a burden too much to bear (e.g. people with physical disabilities or PTSD). In such cases, using natural elements – such as plants, incense sticks, and audio-recorded soundscapes of nature – in indoor mindfulness practices can serve as a close approximation to nature, instilling a sense of connection to something that we need but are unable to physically reach.

Conclusion

The connection between our wellbeing and the natural environment is something that many of us have abandoned across Western societies, which has been proven to be to the detriment of our mental health. Daily mindfulness practices – either in the wilderness or close approximations to nature – have been shown to heal the negative psychical effects of our disconnection from all this is natural in this world. Thus, if you’re suffering or just getting by, seize the moment and embrace the great outdoors with mindfulness.

If you need support with incorporating nature into daily mindfulness practices, please reach out to a counsellor at Health Assured via live chat, online video, or the helpline, who will provide expert, instantaneous advice, guidance and signposting at anytime of the day or night.

Further Reading

Coventry, Peter A., et al. "Nature-based outdoor activities for mental and physical health: Systematic review and meta-analysis." SSM-population health 16 (2021): 100934.

Pearson, David G., and Tony Craig. "The great outdoors? Exploring the mental health benefits of natural environments." Frontiers in psychology 5 (2014): 93642.

Van Gordon, William, Edo Shonin, and Miles Richardson. "Mindfulness and nature." Mindfulness 9.5 (2018): 1655-1658.

Hari, Johann. Lost connections: Uncovering the real causes of depression-and the unexpected solutions. London: Bloomsbury Circus, 2018.

Hanh, Thich Nhat. Touching the Earth: Guided meditations for mindfulness practice. Parallax Press, 2004.

Williams, Florence. The nature fix: Why nature makes us happier, healthier, and more creative. WW Norton & Company, 2017.

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