Visualizing nature connectedness

If you have been following Earth Converse you will know we are advocating for a daily future visualization practice.

To help us step into life-affirming futures for ourselves, each other and the earth that is our home.

As part of it, there is a bonus series of short guided contemplations on the #earthconversepodcast.

This visualization takes us back to basics about our connection with nature. Drawing on research led by Miles Richardson and the Nature Connectedness Research Group, it brings alive the 5 pathways:  senses, emotions, beauty, meaning and compassion.  Research that also shows (as our hearts know) the more connected with nature we feel, the greater our life satisfaction and wellbeing, and the more likely we are to take actions which care for the planet.

Listen here on your favourite platform (visualization starts at 3:25).  Or read it below.

Visualizing Nature Connectedness

So let’s take some moments to visualize our pathways to nature connectedness from a place of calm and connectedness.

I invite you to get comfortable.

Maybe take a few long, deep breaths.

Invigorating on the in breath, relaxing on the outbreath.

Breathing as all beings do. 

And coming to your natural breath, connect to, as poet Mary Oliver would say, with your soft animal body.

Let it relax.

Maybe soften your brow a little bit more, unclench your jaw a little bit more, drop your shoulders a little bit more, unclench your buttocks a little bit more.

Surrender a little bit more.

And connecting with your senses: what can you feel right now?, what can you see? what can you taste? what can you smell? what can you hear?

Closing your eyes now if that feels right..

What emotions are stirring within you?

Can you bathe in your own beauty, right now?

Putting your hand on your heart, feel into your own meaningful life.

Give yourself compassion and feel it ripple out to the wider world.

What is your connection with wider nature?  What being or non-being, or what place comes to your mind and heart for you?

Activating your sense pathway: what does nurturing that nature connection look like, sound, taste, smell and feel like to you?

Visualize yourself looking closely at moss, listening to birds, smelling flowers, feeling your own skin and the textures of different leaves, tasting the plums from a tree.

Bring alive your senses.

Activate the emotions pathway, to recall those moments of awe, wonder, joy, calm and delight you have experienced in nature.

Visualize yourself actively seeking, noticing and reflecting on the moments and feelings that nature offers.

Feel the aliveness in your own body as you access those positive emotions you experience when you are with nature.  

Visualize being in awe or calm in nature, noticing how nature makes you feel, and finding joy in watching wildlife.

Feel the intelligence of your emotions.

Activating the beauty pathway, bring to mind nature’s beauty. 

Marinate in the memory or image which comes up for you.

Visualize the ways you can experience, notice, appreciate and celebrate nature’s beauty.

Visualize yourself taking a photo of a tree, drawing a majestic mountain, exploring the beauty of wildflowers, looking into a mirror at our own reflection, and sitting in a place with a view.

Bathe in beauty.

Activate the meaning pathway by contemplating what nature means to you.

Access the double meaning universe, as you recall the powerful symbols and signs that nature’s reflected back to you about your own life.

Visualize yourself sharing myths and folklore about certain plants or animals, celebrating natural events,  reflecting on your stories and experiences and those in literature, poetry, songs and art .

Visualize celebrating the moon cycles, solstices and equinoxes, telling someone about your favourite tree, listening deeply to your intuition and being open to what nature is communicating in signs and symbols.

Marvel at your meaningmaking.

Activate the compassion pathway, by immersing yourself in your love of nature.

And listening to your heart about what you can do to look after it, even more.

Visualize yourself taking actions that come from a deep sense of love and care. 

Whether that be amplifying indigenous voices, facilitating truth and justice, reducing your consumption, caring for river beds, rewilding, restoring land, collecting litter.  Whatever it is for you.

Luxuriate in love.

Visualize yourself noticing, seeking out and feeling happy in wider nature.

Where you feel in relationship with it, as you do your friends and family.

Where you are in deep and intimate communication.

Where you notice and understand passing moods, expressions and quirks.

Where you notice how they stir feelings from great joy to deep grief.

And where you know your fate is bound together – what happens to nature, happens to you. Happens to us.

Breath into your nature connection.

Breath into the possible pathways you can take to deepen it every day.

Breath into them with every cell of your body. 

Coming back to your senses, open your eyes and carry this nature connection in your service, for the wellbeing of yourself, each other and the earth that is our home.