The Mundane Art of Connecting to Nature
The internet is really great at telling extraordinary stories. We read these stories and we internalize them as expectation. Stories about connecting to nature are no exception. There has become this expectation that if you stop your mind and sit in a forest for 10 minutes, that you will become enlightened. All your worldly problems will be solved, and you will suddenly be able to talk to trees.
This may be how it works for a select few but this isn’t actually how it works for the majority of people. If you are just an average human who decides to spend 10 minutes in the forest, more than likely your mind will revolt on you. Did you turn the oven off before you left? Did you pay that bill that was due yesterday? What did the tone of voice of your coworker mean? Did you do something wrong? What’s for dinner? What is wrong with the world and how can I solve it?
The inner mind dialogue can be maddening. So you scream to yourself to stop your mind and listen to the trees. You may hear the wind or the birds but not nature talking. So you start to worry that you are listening to nature wrong and then the inner monologue may start again. Does this sound familiar?
Nature works in mysterious ways. There are no sudden answers. Usually, it is more like a slow awakening. It may take months or years and the process unfolds over your lifetime. As you slowly start to connect with the beauty and simplicity of nature you may actually think you are going insane because nothing makes sense anymore. The insanity of the world becomes in stark contract to what nature has to offer.
Your first attempt at connecting with nature will not make you a changed person. At least, not in an obvious way. A very small part of you changed, a part so small you may not notice. When you spend more time in nature another small part of yourself will change. And then another small part. And then another and another and your connection will grow. One day you will likely stand there and look back at your life and realize how much did change.
You will start to recognize the call of the eagle in the distance and notice the small wildflower at your feet by name. You will get sudden realizations. You may realize your coworker is toxically narcissistic and wonder why you didn’t notice before? You may realize that your job is dead end, and you have to do something else. These recognitions and realizations are signs that you are indeed connecting and listening to nature.
Connecting to nature is slow. It is mundane. It is beautiful. Do not put expectations on yourself on how it should go or the timeline it should take. There is no set path so just enjoy the journey.
Photos by @i_am_the_yeet_