Mindfulness & Nature Connection

Led by Jo Linden

 

 

Partner walk to forest: what is your experience with mindfulness and a favorite place in nature?

  • Collect cell phones!

Definition of Mindfulness:

  • Responding rather than reacting

  • Three parts: paying attention to the present moment with acceptance and nonjudgment

  • Invitation to be with whatever arises during this time: not necessarily going to be blissful

  • Sometimes when we slow down, it allows uncomfortable or painful emotions to surface

Walking Practice: 

Start walking around the space as if you’re very busy, have lots of things to do, need to be productive, you’re late and very important

  • Start to slow down and see the people around you, start to notice the other people here in the same place as you… make eye contact, greet them.

  • Slow to a stop, close your eyes.

Standing Meditation:

  • Standing in place, three deep breaths…

  • Grounding/rooting: sink roots into the earth, down into the soil…

  • Breath awareness… as attend to your breath, find yourself in this moment, in this place…

  • In the shadow of Mount Hood, the mountain that indigenous people called Wy’East for millennia before this land was colonized: we are standing on colonized land… the place where the little zig zag runs toward the zig zag, into the Sandy River, into the Columbia River, into the Pacific River…

Milling:

  • Open eyes and find a partner

  • Stand in front of another person… when you find this person, you might greet silently, and then just be with them. You can make gentle eye contact, or relax your gaze and open your awareness to the whole person

    • “This person is alive on Earth at the same time as you and has chosen to be here this weekend. There are plenty of other things they could have been doing: resting, playing, connecting with family or friends. Instead they chose to be here, to take the time to learn and grow, to connect with others, to be in this place. Feel your gratitude for your partner’s choice to be here, and offer them that gratitude silently in whatever way feels appropriate.”

  • Walk again around the space, find yourself in front of another person and allow yourself to take them in…

    • “This person in front of you cares. In a world that moves so fast, a world that often seems to be spiraling out of control, with greed and violence and noise…this person is dedicated to work that matters. They are committed to community and to connection, to the value of playfulness and laughter. Recognize that, like you, they hold one small piece of the puzzle, a greater movement to make the world a more beautiful place. They possess incredible strength and unique gifts that only they have to offer the world. Feel your gratitude for their commitment to this work and express it in whatever way feels appropriate.”

  • Walk around the space, find a third partner

    • “The person before you is human. You may not know their story, you may not know them at all, but simply by the fact of being human, like you, this person has experienced loss and sorrow and suffering. They have been afraid. They know what loneliness feels like, and heartbreak. Likewise, this person has experienced deep joy and beauty, feelings of connection and wonder. They have overcome fear, in order to grow and thrive. As you look at this person across from you, know that, like you, this person wants to be happy, to be free of suffering, to live their fullest potential. Silently send this person loving-kindness, send them compassion and understanding…and then express this silently in whatever way feels appropriate.”

  • Sit down with third partner… Each partner speaks for two minutes while the other practices mindful listening: express anything that’s on your heart after that activity. Not listening to respond, but to really hear their words. If you find yourself getting off track, just tack back your attention.

Dennis’ Three-Minute Meeting:

  • 1 minute with breath

  • 1 minute with body

  • 1 minute with brain

Human Camera:

  • Partners: one person is camera, other is photographer

  • Camera has their eyes closed, photographer guides that person to where they want to take a picture. No talking except for “open your eyes and take a picture”. Camera opens eyes for 10 seconds.

  • Take three pictures then switch places, three more pictures.

  • Return to large group: debrief experience

Nature Object Metaphor:

  • Find an object in the forest that represents how you’re feeling after our time together or what this experience was like for you

  • Big group share circle