10 Practitioner Tips for Healing In Nature
Tom’s Tips for Healing In Nature
1. Start Your Day Outside, Even for Just Five Minutes
Before the world wakes up fully, step outside with your morning drink and simply be. Feel the temperature on your skin, listen to the birdsong, and watch the movement of the trees. Even on grey or rainy days, nature has something to offer. It’s not about doing, but noticing.
2. Walk Barefoot on Natural Ground
Whenever you can, kick off your shoes and feel the earth beneath your feet. Grass, sand, soil, even cold, dewy moss. This isn’t just grounding in the metaphorical sense; it reconnects you physically with the land and helps slow your pace to the rhythm of the natural world.
3. Choose One Place and Visit It Often
Find a woodland corner, a river path, or a patch of green nearby and make it your own. Return to it regularly and observe how it changes. The light, the smells, the wildlife. A deeper bond forms when we witness the same patch of earth through the seasons.
4. Sit and Listen With No Agenda and No Distractions
Leave your phone behind and simply sit. Let your senses take the lead. The rustle of leaves, the texture of bark, the movement of ants or the chatter of squirrels. This kind of listening isn’t passive, it’s being present. Over time, you may find yourself feeling a part of something greater.
5. Use Your Hands To Touch, Gather & Create
Whether it’s foraging a few nettle tops for tea, weaving willow, or collecting interesting leaves and stones, engaging your hands in nature deepens your connection. These simple acts remind us we are participants in nature, not just observers.
Sonia’s Tips for Bringing Nature Into Your Daily Life
You’ve read about the healing power of nature, but how can you bring that into your daily routine? Let me tempt you with these simple, easy steps that you can start today to reconnect with nature and boost your well-being, no matter how busy your life gets.
1. Open the Windows and Breathe in Fresh Air
Let some fresh air into your home or office, even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. It can help clear your mind, refresh your energy, and lift your mood. If you’re working at a desk, try to open the window, even just a crack, and let that outside air refresh you.
2. Enjoy all kinds of Weather
Instead of waiting for the ‘perfect’ day, try stepping out because it’s raining or windy or misty. Weather wakes up your senses. Let drizzle land on your cheeks or feel the wind whip around you. Being in nature as it is, (not just when it’s comfortable) builds resilience and a real bond with the elements.
3. Move Your Body Outdoors
Exercise outdoors whenever you can. Whether it’s a morning walk, a stretch in the park, or a quick jog, nature’s gym is always available. Getting your body moving in the fresh air boosts your mood, circulation, and energy.
4. Catch Some Sunlight
We don’t get enough sunlight in the UK, but when the sun does come out, make sure you make the most of it! Step outside, soak in those rays, and let it give your body and mind a natural boost. Even if it’s just a quick tea break outside, sunlight is worth making time for.
5. Mark Time with a Natural Ritual
Create a small seasonal practice that connects you with where you are. It might be lighting a beeswax candle as the sun sets, drinking a herbal infusion made from something nearby, or placing a stone on a pile each time you pass a familiar spot. Simple rituals help stitch meaning into our days.