Meditation is a lot like getting 8 hours of sleep every night or drinking water, we know we are supposed to do it, but don’t always make it a habit. I believe a lot of people struggle with meditation because we didn’t evolve to sit in a quiet, darkened room completely devoid of sensory input for 10, 20, or 60 minutes. Learn how meditating in nature can increase your nature connection and provide all the benefits of mindfulness and nature combined.
Why Meditate?
Meditation provides many benefits:
- stress reduction
- helps control anxiety
- lengthens attention span
- increases kindness
Mindfulness practices have been incorporated into many of the world’s religions for thousands of years. In a day and age where technology has shortened our attention spans even further, now is the perfect time to begin a meditation practice.
Why Our Ancestors Practiced Mindfulness in Nature
Mindfulness is also effective because we evolved a need for it. By being aware and present, we could hear the tiger sneaking behind us or tell that a thunderstorm was brewing, and we needed to take cover.
By meditating in nature, we are able to more closely replicate the experiences of our ancestors when they practiced mindfulness in nature as a means of everyday existence.
Another evolutionary bias of humans is that we are social creatures and more likely to survive with the help of our social group. Sometimes, meditation can feel like the antithesis of connection and deprive us of the social connection we long for.
However, meditation is not a practice of isolating—it is a practice of giving and receiving.
By viewing your meditation practice as a time to experience the uncertainty of nature and form a relationship with it, you can meet your evolutionary needs for mindfulness in nature and social connection.
You might be surprised how quickly meditating in nature can take your meditation practice from an “I need to do that” to something that you look forward to everyday.
Here are 10 more reasons why you need to meditate outside:
10 Benefits of Meditating in Nature
#1 Meditating in nature is more effective
Think about a serene monastery or retreat of any spiritual tradition. What are you envisioning? A bustling apartment building in a city or a small, quaint cottage isolated in the middle of the forest? There is a reason why humans have retreated to nature for mediation and contemplation for thousand of years, it is ingrained in our intuition—because it works.
#2 Humans need to spend more time in the sun
There are many physical health benefits to spending time outside that can become additional benefits to your meditation practice. 9 out of 10 adults in the US are Vitamin D deficient and the most effective way to absorb your daily recommended dose of Vitamin D is to spend 10-20 minutes in sunshine. Sunlight is also an important factor in regulating our circadian rhythms and developing a healthy sleep and wake cycle.
#3 Mindfulness in nature links us to our roots
“If you are depressed you are living in the past.
If you are anxious you are living in the future.
If you are at peace you are living in the present.”
Lao Tzu
This well known quote is often used as evidence that a clear mind is one at the most peace. While being free of ruminating and worrying thoughts is certainly a recipe to be happier, being in the present moment also calms our flight or fight response. Mindfulness ultimately helped keep early humans alive by being able to respond to the threats around them.
Even today, our bodies know that mindfulness is a practice that will help keep us alive. Though today our threats are more likely to be a car accident or walking into a pole while texting, spending mindful time outside can help calm our nervous system.
#4 Being still outside allows nature to approach you
Just as we are trying to avoid being eaten, so is the rest of nature. But when you remain still and calm in the forest it allows the animals the space to go about their daily lives while you are observing. This may lead you to experience some things you have never seen before!
#5 Nature provides sensory input
Unlike meditating inside in a quiet room, being outdoors enliven the senses. We feel the breeze, hear the birds, and smell the nature around us. This sensory aliveness can make it easier to reach a meditative state and being fully immersed and aware in your sensory experiences is a mediation experience all to itself.
#6 It provides uncertainty and excitement
Many people complain about meditation because they find it boring. How often though, is boring just another word for predictable? Being in nature provides the right level of uncertainty that won’t disrupt your meditation practice. Having to deal with all the little differences of nature from day to day (like changing weather or different animal visitors) may just be the little bit of excitement you need to look forward to your meditation practice every day.
#7 We soak in the energy of the forest
There is a lot of current research that the forest is communicating constantly through various means of underground networks, smells, and sounds. While there has only been early research on how this affects humans, so far it does look like we are subconsciously perceiving some of these communications, especially smells. This raises a lot of interesting questions, like is spending time in a healthy forest more effective at calming our bodies than an unhealthy one that is sending of stress signals?
Science hasn’t provided an answer for this question, yet, but it does appear that spending time in a struggling forest certainly won’t cause you to leave feeling more stressed but there may be additional benefits to walking among healthy, happy trees.
#8 Mindfulness in nature increases nature connection
A sense of oneness with the earth around us is an important factor in reaping the vast mental health benefits of nature. Mindfulness is one of the three pillars of nature connection pedagogy. Just simple mindful shifts, like ditching the headphones on your morning walk can have a powerful effect on your connection with the world around you.
#9 Incorporate movement into your meditation practice
While many people assume meditation is all about sitting down and being perfectly still, that is only one way to meditate. Walking meditatively is a wonderful practice and may be perfect for you if sitting still is not your thing. Being in nature provides many more opportunities to experience different types of meditation.
#10 It benefits nature
People who have higher levels of nature connection are more likely to make pro environmental decisions. As we have shown earlier, meditating in nature is an important aspect of fostering your own connectedness to nature.
But beyond making choices that benefit the environment, I believe spending time in nature mindfully observing and expressing positivity and gratitude benefits nature as well. While there is no research to support my specific hypothesis, research keeps evolving to support the theories that we can subconsciously communicate and send energy to the beings around us.
So why not be ahead of the research and spend some time expressing gratitude to the beings we share the planet with. After all, there are so many proven benefits of meditating in nature that it certainly is not going to hurt.
How often do you meditate in nature? What has been the biggest benefit for you?
Learn More
Here is some further reading to inspire you on your journey meditating in nature:
Conscious Nature-The Art and Neuroscience of Meditating in Nature by Josh Lane digs into the fascinating research of how our brains function in nature. Listen to an informative podcast with Josh here.
Rewilding, Meditations Practices and Skills by Micah Mortali is a beautiful book full of meditations mindfulness practices to help you connect with your wild self.
50 Mindful Moments in Nature by Rachel Williams is a wonderful book for children or adults. It has beautiful illustrations and descriptions of small, magical moments in nature that are happening around us everyday.