Restoration Through Nature-Based Mindfulness Practice

When the topic of attention restoration was first introduced in this course, I was eager to discuss and learn more about it—particularly, the idea of embodying mindfulness in the interactions we have with our environment. In the past year, I have begun to deeply explore and extend my knowledge on meditation and mindfulness-based practice. I was excited when I realized that much of the research we have discussed in both lectures and discussions of this course—namely, Directed Attention Fatigue, and the ability to restore it in a soft, involuntarily fascinating environment—are topics and ideas I’ve been able to experience first-hand in my own personal practice, as well as in the nature-based mindfulness course I’m currently taking.

 In the latest discussion of this mindfulness class, our professor brought up the idea that a large part of being mindful in nature is recognizing the reciprocal relationship we all have with the elements. It takes more than simply being outside; part of the experience is understanding that the elements are there, greeting them, and appreciating their presence in the world around you. In the past week, I’ve specifically focused on water; noticing how it’s in the air, in the clouds, on the leaves, in our bodies. It’s there whether we take the time to notice it or not, but the restorative potential it has increases when we step back and center it in our awareness. Mindfulness exercises have become the most restorative parts of my week, and I am working on extending and applying this consciousness to my everyday routines and interactions.

I’ve noticed that many of my friends and people I know seem to shy away from the concepts of meditation and mindfulness, saying things such as, “it’s just not my personality,” or “I have too many thoughts to meditate,” or “I tried, but I just fell asleep.” While I absolutely agree that sitting meditation is difficult and takes an extended amount of practice (and admittedly, a certain amount of directed-attention), I believe that it is possible to experience the restorative effect that we have been discussing in this class simply by making the commitment to heighten our awareness of the world around us.

How many times, as students on this campus, have we crossed the Diag going from class to class with our headphones in, our eyes diverted to the ground, and our minds in a separate world? We’re fortunate to be surrounded by nature and the elements essentially everywhere around us. It becomes a challenge to ask yourself to pause and identify that, and observe the overwhelming effects it has on our mood, attention, vitality, and overall appreciation for the environment in which we live.