The Surprising Power of Being Still Outdoors
In a recent blog post, I wrote about getting more intentional about being outside, seeing it as sacred medicine. But it’s not just that we spend more time outside… how we spend time outdoors matters, too.
For a lot of us, being outside equals moving – walking, hiking, running, swimming, biking. I love these activities, AND from that go, go go, hike, hike, hike, walk, walk, walk, I have begun to really sloooooooow down.
Sometimes using my phone's camera helps slow me down to really be present and zoom in on small details… and sometimes it takes me out of the moment because I’m focused on capturing the moment. I recently bought a good pair of binoculars, and this invites me to pause often and enter the world of birds.
From slowing down, the next invitation is to learn to be still. When we stop our movement, we can be more aware of how the natural world is moving.
This fall, I received training to become a Certified Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide. As part of the training, we were asked to begin or strengthen our Sit Spot practice. This practice is very simple: to habitually go outside and sit for a time, usually between 10-30 minutes.
This practice is not about finding the best place to sit, but rather the closest, a spot that’s just a just a minute or two from home. I resisted that at first, but over time I have seen the wisdom in this piece of instruction. The convenience allows the Sit Spot practice to become more of a habit– that I really can go there every day, sometimes even multiple times a day. As I've done that, I have been so amazed and touched by how powerful it is to go to this place and to simply sit.
Sit Spot is a form of nature meditation. There's no force to it – instead of directed attention (strongly focused), we bring what is called fascination attention, letting attention go toward whatever fascinates you. This happens quite naturally, and it's refreshing to simply allow your attention to be in the present moment naturally, to follow the flight of a bird, to take in the stance of a tree, to wonder about a sound.
By going to my sit spot daily, I feel like I am a part of my community of people, plants, trees, and birds. I have gotten to know my bird and tree neighbors more closely – their habits, the way they move and speak to each other. I feel like I am privy to special secrets that not everyone knows, a world in plain view that we often do not see.
There’s a surprising comfort in the rhythms – the way that the crows fly toward west every morning and toward the east every evening, the way a heron makes a habit of flying to the same tree branch most days. These rhythms spark curiosity, and in a world that changes unpredictably, it feels soothing to be part of the pattern of the natural world.
There is of course also newness – here is a waterbird that I've never seen before passing through as she migrates for the winter, here is a heavier fog hiding the familiar trees, here are mushrooms that sprung up overnight.
(Above: The ever-changing view from my sit spot)
By slowing down and even being completely still, I get to pay attention more closely, and by paying attention, I get to see and hear and smell more of what is actually happening.
Of course, just as things are happening in the outside world, so things are happening inside my mind… processing and wondering about my own internal world. Being still and letting my mind and attention drift allows me space to feel, as I am held by the earth and sky.
I’m wishing you peace and moments of stillness as you live this day,
Katie
🌼 Learn from the Natural World:
Self-Access Resources: Meditations, recommended reading, and more to connect with the Nature World
One-to-One: Contact me to arrange a Mindful Outdoor Experience — either in person in the Monterey, CA area, or via a phone call as you connect more deeply with the outdoors wherever you are.