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A Meditation for Watching Nature

March 9th, 2017

Those people in the yoga advertisements looking perfectly zen sitting in lotus position next to a lotus flower? Good for them, but that's not your life, is it? You have a cell phone, you have kids, you have noise in your life. But you also (we swear) have time to meditate. Join us for a weekly meditation you can incorporate into your life, anytime, anywhere.

:iStock: A Meditation for Watching Nature

"There is no Wi-Fi in the forest, but I promise you will find a better connection." ~ Unknown

As the weather starts to warms up, the world around us can help to shed our unnecessary layers. These are not external, but rather internal layers: the build-up of arguments past, of unsolved hurts and of long-suffering stress. This is a lot to shed, but being in the present moment along with nature can help us to feel freer.

A tree doesn't reminisce of its youthful past. It stands strong and proud and happy. And happiness does not have to be an elusive state. The next time you are outside, take a look around.

Choose something that you can be 100% present with, such as a bird, a tree or a flower. Watch this object with your full, rapt attention.

When a thought comes into your mind, let it pass and redirect your awareness to your object of choice. Let yourself be inspired by the presence of your chosen focal point. In this moment, let your past experience and future plans melt away and feel a sense of oneness with the object.

Once you are finished, notice your mental state. Are you reflecting on an emotion or event, or are you feeling a simple and clear state of mind?

It's a skill to realize that in this moment, all is well.

With nature around us, we have constant inspiration.

Courtney Sunday from Toronto, Ontario

Courtney Sunday is a writer, yoga teacher, Pilates instructor and Thai massage practitioner. She teaches corporations in Toronto the fine art of breathing deeply, and travels too much for her own good. She likes to cook meals from scratch using ingredients from her garden, and would mill her own flour and make her own butter if she had more hours in the day. You can find out more about her at www.courtneysunday.com.

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