Christopher Willard, a Harvard professor, psychologist and educational consultant, offers his students a practice that he calls, “Sitting and Noticing.” Discover the rewards of finding a location, indoors or outdoors, where you can pause in a way that works for you and mindfully experience nature – wherever you may be.
Devoting 10-minutes or more to this practice may prove most beneficial. If you’d like, start small and build up your time spent pausing and simply noticing. Examples include:
- Open your window, feel the fresh air, pause and listen to the sounds of nature.
- Pause until the morning fog burns off the ground or lake.
- Pause until the sun completely sets.
- Pause until the rain ends… or begins.
- Notice an animal through sight, sound, movement, or another sense available to you - even an insect at work or play until it departs.
- Pause until the puddle dries in the sun.
- Pause and watch a shadow until it has completely crossed your path.
- Pause until the birds finish their song.
- If you can, pause beneath a tree until it lets go of a leaf and you notice it fall to the ground in whatever way you can.
- If you are able, notice the surface of a lake or its sounds or smells until the wind shifts or stops.
- Or simply pause until that cloud completely changes shape and disappears or passes on the horizon.
Begin by settling into a comfortable, relaxed position and simply being with the present moment experience. Give yourself the grace and time you need to transition from a busy day into this practice.
Explore the sensations of your body being held and supported by the Earth's gravity. Then, if you’d like, take a few slower, deeper and satisfying breaths, allowing the exhale to fully release. When you’re ready, allow your focus on the breath and body to recede into the background and rest your attention on simply being with and observing your chosen object in nature.
You may wish to conclude your time with this practice by acknowledging any sense of ease or awe that may have arisen, and allow it to inspire the remainder of your day.