fact melts away the fear…
Attending: A Day In Nature
by meditative - September 4th, 2016.Filed under: Attending Meditation Exercises.
Inspired by Mark Coleman’s “Seven Meditations for Connecting with Nature”
Here is a simple “attending” practice to help you reconnect with your natural surroundings…
Take a day to be alone in nature. Select a location where you are not likely to be interrupted by many people. You might divide the time of this practice between periods of contemplative sitting and gentle walks. In sitting meditation, we cultivate an open & gentle attentiveness toward the present moment. To do so, you can simply focus on the inner experience of breathing and the sensations of the body. Or you can pay attention to the experience that arises from sitting outside—the touch of the breeze on your skin, the physical connection with the earth, the sounds of birds, animals, and the wind, and any noticeable fragrances in the air. Try meditating with the eyes open, allowing the eyes to be soft and receptive with a wide field of vision while maintaining awareness of the other senses, especially hearing.
While walking, let go of any goal-orientation. Simply let yourself walk slowly, carefully, with full awareness of the space you are walking in. Let go of any intention to get anywhere. Listen to whatever draws you in the landscape—a particular tree, rock, stream, or a vast open vista. Or perhaps an encounter with one of nature’s wonderful creatures might draw your attention. Let your senses be wide open and receptive. Give little attention to your thoughts and instead keep turning to your inner and outer environment. If you begin to feel spacey or unfocused, resume sitting meditation, centering attention upon the breath. The less you do outwardly, the more will open to you…
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