Nature Connection

Nature connection practices are simple ways of awakening our innate, empathetic and natural connection to Nature.

Nature connection practices reconnect us to our fundamental rhythms and habitat. Through continuous and repeated observation of the surroundings and the interrelations within. These practices provide the opportunity to retune to the frequency and rhythms of the natural world, returning us to a much needed sense of belonging.

Attention to Sensory Awareness

Bringing attention to our sensory awareness of the present moment and engaging in soft fascination, allows us to disengage from stuck and cycling patterns of thought, behaviour and perception. This practice opens an array of possibilities for interaction and engagement with the world around us.

Attention Restoration Theory

According to Stephen Kaplan, that put forward the Attention Restoration Theory, involuntary attention requires no mental effort, it just comes naturally. This is the kind of attention we use when we are in nature. The soothing sights and sounds give our mental resources a break, allowing our minds to wander, to reflect and therefore restore our capacity to think more clearly.

We Feel Good and at Ease in Nature

We have evolved in nature for millions of years. and this is why we feel relaxed and at ease in nature. Edward O. Wilson put forward the Biophilia Hypothesis suggesting that humans possess an innate tendency to seek connections with nature. This is Biophilia, the urge to affiliate with other forms of life.

Nature is Good for our Health

Science is rediscovering that Nature Connection is fundamental to our integral health. With alarming increasing rates of non communicable diseases, health professionals are looking closely at the positive impact of nature connection practices, with Health authorities like the World Health Organisation (WHO) Europe and others issuing more and more reports that support this.

Human Beings are Natural Beings

We have evolved in nature over millions of years

Throughout evolution, human beings have thrived more than 99,99% of their time in a natural environment. Our bodies have adapted to nature over thousands of years of evolution making Man a Natural Being. The first record of the Homo Sapiens on the planet is from 200,000 years, they lived fully immersed, dependant and relying on their natural environment. It is only since the advent of the Agrarian age or Neolithic Revolution some 12,500 years ago that humans started forming settlements, abandoning their hunter gatherer way of life. Only more recently, with the Industrial Revolution at the turn of the 19th Century, only 250 years ago, that cities all over the world have become densely populated and our connection with nature greatly diminished. It is now commonly agreed upon that this great change in lifestyle and the environment that surrounds us has affected us deeply.

Remembering how to Connect with Nature

Over these past 10 generations due to living within the confines of concrete jungles we have lost our nature connection skills and the natural world has become alien to us. Using simple sensory and observation skills we deepen our experience of being in nature and recover our relationship to it. Through simple and effective practices like Sit Spot where we sit quietly in nature over a determined period of time, connecting to our senses and simply being present; through Wandering gently through trails in nature staying connected to the present moment; with Wildlife observation of the inter-relations of all beings around us.