The Art of Spending Time in Nature

We all have tendency to constantly search for something new to make us happy, peaceful and satisfied. But does this search ever end? Feelings like peace and contentment are so necessary to us but we search for them in the wrong places and most of the time in temporary places which leaves us more incomplete than before. Amidst the chaos of busy lives and irrespective of where we are, there is one thing which is easily available to all of us and which guarantees us all the motivation and peace that we need. But do we ever have time and mindset to stand still and feel the bliss of this beautiful, serene and calm environment around us - NATURE - which inspires us constantly in unlimited ways.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends 93% of their life indoors. That's only 7% of your entire life outdoors. Research also indicates that time spent in nature is connected to cognitive and mental health benefits, as well as improvements in mood and emotional well-being. It can lower blood pressure and stress hormone levels, reduce nervous system arousal, enhance immune system function, increase self-esteem and reduce anxiety.

The simple way to enjoy everything that nature has to offer us is to spend few minutes atleast 3 times a day (morning, evening and night) even if it is from your home, workplace or any other place (whether from indoor or outdoor). While meditating on nature, just forget everything for few minutes and empty your mind and just cherish the beauty, silence and everything that nature has to offer. Let's see below how Rose (one of my dearest friends whom I know since many years) spends her time in nature:

It was New Year's Eve and we were all partying together to welcome the new year. It was when someone started asking about Rose, I realized that she was not there in the party. Upon asking my other friends, I came to know that she had gone to see her parents who were staying in a small town in another city. Few weeks later I had met Rose for lunch on one of the weekends and she had requested me to join her for lunch at an open beach restaurant. After gossiping for a while, I asked her about her trip to meet her parents for the New Year and why she had chosen those days when we all had planned to party together. She told me that this was more of a ritual she has been following since past many years and that she always spends the last week of every year in her home town which is near the mountain side. She showed me the beautiful pictures she had clicked there and told me that 1 week of time spent in mountains every year is her yearly rejuvenation strategy strictly followed every year. She had totally disconnected with the world (except for her parents) and not used technology during this 1 week. I believe this was the reason why she appeared very calm, blissful and happy after returning from there. Apart from this yearly strategy, she spends time in nature on a daily basis. She told me that spending time in nature is the most easiest and beneficial meditation technique for everyone. As a part of her daily routine, Rose spends atleast 30 minutes every morning in nature. She tries to have her lunch in an open place and most of the times exploring nature. She has to see the sunset every day and admire the colour and the design of the sky any everything else at sunset. Before going to bed, she will make sure that she glimpses into the sky to count as many stars as possible. None of her weekends are completed without going for a walk or a drive to a beach or a garden and most of her vacations are spend in serene nature.

Rose told me that the indirect result of having a ritual set in your daily routine to spend time in nature is that you get more focused and also avoid spending unnecessary time on unproductive habits (such as excessive sleeping, watching television or browsing social media unnecessarily). Apart from this, the calmness that she has experienced despite having a hectic work and personal life is unbelievable. I was really touched by the things that Rose told me and I decided to start spending some time daily in nature. Rose also promised me that she will take me with her to the mountains when she will go for her next yearly rejuvenation.

There is a very old saying that we do not value what we already have. Well, we have all been blessed to receive the 'Gift of Nature' to calm us down in this fast paced life. However, it is upto to us whether we value and utilize this gift and share peace with others or just run a rat race and affect the mental health of not only ourselves but everyone around us.