How to Practice

This meditation has been adapted from one in my book "A-Little-Birdie-Told-Me, Meditations From Nature."

The Forest says, "Your relationship with nature is bounded on all sides with as many opportunities to interact as you could possibly imagine, but one way in which nature can help to heal you is by being an unending source of unconditional love, non-judgement and stability in times of emotional turmoil or upset. "When you are angry or upset, you can use our energies to help you find your centre again."

To do this:

1. Leave the vicinity of the upset and get as close to nature as you can and as soon as you can.
2. Walk your frustrations. As you notice how your thoughts are still unhappy or upset or full of frustration, walk, knowing that in a short while, you may want to feel better.
3. Notice how your thoughts stray occasionally to the sounds and sights around you. Allow yourself to be distracted from your frustration. Continue like this until you realize you want to let your anger and frustrations go.
4. Stop then and really notice what is going on around you. Listen to the birds, the wind, the sounds of the leaves in the trees. Smell the earth or the freshness of snow or water. Notice - really see - what is going on around you. Take it all in, in as great a detail as you want to. Let it fill you.
5. Now, what was that you were angry about? Notice how your anger holds little heat.
6. Stay as long as you need to or as long as you can, letting Nature renew you.

Notes

The most fun I have with this one is the moment when I realize that I have to want to let the anger go. That's when I discover how badly I like to keep the juices running. It makes me smile.