Studies are confirming what many people already know from direct experience; that spending time in nature is both relaxing and restorative. It seems, however, that many people don’t spend nearly as much time in nature as they would ideally like. While nothing beats the real thing, the use of visualisation is a simple yet incredibly powerful way of experiencing many of the same benefits.
Bringing to mind a place in nature that is particularly evocative and peaceful for you is a very powerful way of accessing inner peace. By imagining a place you associate with feeling calm and peaceful you immediately begin to feel calm and peaceful. Described below is an exercise, based on Ian Gawler’s ‘Quiet Place’ exercise, outlined in his extremely interesting and illuminating book ‘The Mind That Changes Everything’. Why not try it for yourself!
How to create your own inner nature retreat:
Find a quiet place to sit or lie down where you won’t be disturbed.
Take three slow deep breaths allowing yourself to let go a little more with each out breath.
When you are ready, bring to mind a place in nature where you feel particularly peaceful and at ease.
It may be a place you have been to many times before, somewhere you dream of going or a combination of a few different places. It might even be a place you create in your imagination.
Allow an image to form in your mind of this place. What can you see in your mind’s eye? Are you in a lush rainforest or in the bush? Are you by the ocean, in the mountains or perhaps you are under a vast sky in the desert?
Pay attention to the details of your surroundings. Is the sky clear or are there clouds? Are there trees, flowers or other plants around? Notice the colours and shading. Does the sunlight make dappled shadows on the ground? Is there a gentle breeze?
What can you hear? Are there birds chirping? Can you hear the sound of the ocean?
What, if anything, can you smell?
What feelings does this scene evoke? See if you can bring to mind how this place makes you feel – peaceful, relaxed, joyful? Allow yourself to stay with these feelings.
Now imagine that you are walking slowly and deliberately. You come across a place that looks particularly inviting – it could be a clearing of soft green grass; a large flat rock; a soft patch of sand; a hammock strung up between two trees. In your mind lie down for a few moments and allow your body to rest and relax completely.
When you are ready, bring yourself gently out of the exercise. Know that you can return to your inner sanctuary in nature at any time as a way of retreating from the busyness and stress of everyday life.
Don’t worry too much if you can’t visualise the scene very well. The most important aspect of this exercise is the feelings it evokes. You might like to record yourself speaking the above words and play it back to yourself as you visualise the scene. Alternatively, you might enjoy playing a track with nature sounds, such as birdsong or ocean waves.
Final note: If you find meditation challenging, beginning with an imagery exercise such as this can be a really helpful lead-in to meditation as it can help you move from a busy mind to a quieter more peaceful state of being.
