Article by Josh Lane, ConsciousNature.net
One common challenge I hear from novice meditators is, “How do you stay so concentrated for so long?” Practicing mindfulness in Nature is an engaging way to develop the concentration skills that will support your deeper meditations, whether outdoors or in the yoga studio.
Concentration is classically practiced as a first step towards unifying the mind with the object of meditation. The mind focuses on the breath, a visualization, or a mantra, and gradually “merges” with the focal point. With practice, the initial sense of subject/object and observer/observed dissipates, and a sense of unified oneness begins to appear. In certain deeper meditation practices, the focal point may then be released, and a pure and undifferentiated sense of beingness arises.
However, these deeper practices depend upon the ability of the lucid awareness to remain rooted and attentive, immersed in the rhythm and flow of the now (i.e. not past, not future, but being right here, right now). This attentiveness implies the skillful concentration and direction of the mind into the moment.
Engaging Our Natural Mindfulness Skills in the Outdoors
A well-known way to cultivate concentration is through the practice of mindfulness. In this practice, we invite the awareness to settle upon what is happening in the moment: the in-flow and outflow of the breath, the posture of the body, the movement of the thoughts, and many other possible sensations.
For new meditators, however, stably transitioning the mind from the outer realm to the inner landscape can be a challenge at first. Going from the often hectic pace of daily life, and right into the subtle patterns of the inner realm, can be like trying to shift a fast-moving car on the highway from 5th gear, all the way down to first gear in one fell swoop.
In this situation, concentration on the mind may not be the ideal starting point. For this reason, a number of meditation systems use breath practices and posture alignments as ways to soothe the mind and prepare it for inwards concentration. However, we can also turn to Nature to support this attunement process.
Because the human brain is adapted to notice and flow with Nature’s changing patterns in each moment, Nature offers us an engaging “outdoor meditation studio” for attuning the senses and calming the mind.
Therefore, regular mindfulness in nature and outdoor meditation is a great addition to your existing practice, or as an awareness pathway on its own.
Further, what if paying attention to the moment (i.e. mindfulness) in Nature isn’t just a way to release stress and anxiety, and to hone concentration… what if mindful awareness in the outdoors has the potential to become a doorway to something much larger and even more transformational…?
Nature & Outdoor Meditation as a Springboard for Awareness Cultivation
In my own explorations, I’ve found that Nature provides a rich tapestry of sensory experiences that invite us into the moment. The practice of meditating in Nature is, in fact, synergistically complementary to the more well-known breath and body practices of Yoga, Zen, and other meditative traditions.
Nature’s patterns effortlessly fascinate the senses, restoring attention and boosting memory and alertness, while reducing stress and improving immune function.
Meditating in Nature provides a wonderful springboard into mindfulness, and vice versa.
As we immerse our senses, Nature ably demonstrates the many cyclical and interdependent relationships we are part of. Though we may begin an outdoor mindfulness session with listening to the wind rushing strongly through the trees, we could end up our session “internally” by connecting with the same air element in a personal context, as manifested through the breath flowing gently into the body.
After all, where does a breath truly begin and end? How many lives has that movement of air inspired? Whose feathered wings have been granted lift by those molecules over the ages, what hidden jungle tree has expired that oxygen for us to enjoy? What unknown ancient sage savored perhaps even an iota of that same breath of life?
A Nature meditation may start as an observation of an “outer” process, but observation easily shifts into a participatory awareness, as our felt sense of the world transforms the outer perception into a comprehension of an “inner” cycle, for everything is related. Along the way, we realize our inherent connection with the world around us.
[Note: see my 4-Part Outdoor Meditation Cycle article for practices and more information on how mindfulness in Nature supports well-being].As the senses first awaken and then settle skillfully onto aspects of the outer environment, they gain clarity and precision, building a capacity to then settle within towards the more subtle activity of mind and breath. By attuning to the elements in Nature, we find an engaging field of connection that ultimately leads us into deeper rapport with our own inner sensations, feelings, and intuitions.
Whether we already have a practice of attuning to breath or sensation, or we are looking for an engaging and accessible pathway into the practice of meditation, expanding our awareness in Nature is a fun and healing way to cultivate mindfulness and attention.
Exploring Mindfulness In the Great Outdoors
Recently, I was invited back to the Mindful show on Radio Kingston to share what I’ve learned about the intersection of mindfulness in Nature, mentoring a deep sense of place, and outdoor meditation.
On the show, we explore lessons from Nature in the winter season that we can draw upon in our mindfulness cultivation. I also outline a mentoring framework that we can engage with to intentionally develop our own sense of connection with the land, the animals, and even with the patterns moving in our own inner landscapes.
I’ve listed some show notes below. Check out the complete episode on the Radio Kingston website:
Show Notes:
Join me in the Blue Ridge Mountains,
at the Art of Living Retreat Center…
Deepen Your Journey Into Nature
Experience mindful meditations for connecting more deeply with the Nature within and around you
Expand your senses as you relax into Nature’s patterns
Feel more at home in the outdoors, and more grounded in your body wherever you go
Learn how to harness the Five Key Brainstates of Awareness for well-being and creativity
