Get out & enjoy nature
Most of spend a lot of time inside and are far less aware of what's going on in nature than our ancestors were.
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So, get outside and remedy that! Doing so will help you Steward the Earth and be a great chance to practice Honing Perception. Additionally, research shows that spending time in nature, particularly around trees, can be great for Processing Emotions.
Let's Get to It! | Here's What to Do:
1 - Plan It
2 - Do It
3 - Record What You Experienced
Decide what you will do out in nature. Walk or run in a forest? Star gazing? Camping? Sit near trees in a park? Maybe you just walk around the neighborhood or spend time in the backyard. Just pick something. You could do something by yourself, with other people ,or with a pet.
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Pick a day and time when you will do it. Make an appointment with Mother Earth!
While you're in nature, doing the activity you've chosen, decide to be 5% more aware of what your senses are telling you than you usually are, even if just for a small part of the experience.
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Enjoy the experience. Be really present.
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If you find yourself distracted from being present and fully experience nature, recognize the thoughts and feelings that are distracting you. Thank them for the helpful role they play in your life and then visualize putting them on a shelf. You might tap your sternum or the side of your hand to help those thoughts and feelings pass through your body.
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Smile. You're with Mother Earth. She wants to give you a pleasurable experience. Let go and receive her gift.
While in nature or after you return, record what you experienced being out in Mother Earth. What did you learn about Processing Emotions, Honing Perception, and Stewarding the Earth? Did you learn about any other virtues?
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Also consider how you can take what you learned from this experience and apply it in the future.
Make It a Routine
Consider making it part of your routine to get out in nature every day.
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It might help to do it at a set time. Maybe you go on outside during a work break each day. Maybe you go on a walk or run with someone at a set time each day. Maybe you make an appointment with Mother Earth to look at the sunrise or sunset each day.
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Try experiencing nature with all of your senses at least 1% more deeply than you did the previous day each time you go out.
