Though unfortunately, not everyone knows how to expand their connections with the natural world. So, in this blog, we’ll share some of the most profound ways to do exactly that!
Why Is It Important to Connect to Nature?
Deepening your connection with the natural world can present a host of benefits, including:
- Instilling a sense of calm and comfort within the body
- Improving your overall mood
- Helping you to detach from the constant thoughts of day-to-day life
Though perhaps most importantly, learning how to connect to nature can aid spiritual growth and development. It helps individuals find their true purpose and realise that there is more to life than themselves – something they may not have been previously aware of.
How to Connect to Nature
Spend Time in Nature
One of the simplest ways to connect to nature is to spend time surrounded by the natural world. This could be in a wooded area, by the sea, or otherwise – wherever you feel most drawn to. Try not to view this as something to check off your to-do list, but more so an opportunity to be present and communicate.
Use your senses to soak up the surrounding environment. Here are some questions to consider:
- What can you smell?
- What can you see?
- Are there any sounds?
- How does the air feel on your skin?
- How does the experience make you feel?
These simple observations can help you better your animal communication and feel a deeper connection to the natural world.
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” – Albert Einstein
TOP TIP: Embrace the silence and solitude. Although tempting to keep the mind occupied with music or chatter, it can distract from what’s happening around us. Likewise, find a comfortable space to be still instead of walking. Eliminate all potential distractions to hone in on your connection to the natural world at that moment.
Establish a Routine
Once you’ve found a place where you feel you’re able to connect to nature, keep revisiting that same place again and again. Different seasons, weather conditions, and times of the day will no doubt open your eyes to the subtle changes that so often occur within the natural world. And understanding how plants and animals have to adapt to these changes will subconsciously strengthen the connection.
Observe Animals
If you want to perfect your animal communication skills, observing animals is a great place to begin. And witnessing the lives of species in the natural world, as opposed to the animals we nurture in our homes, allows you to understand them much better.
There’s no need to interfere or cause a fuss – simply watch as they go about their day. Notice their routines, such as birds collecting materials to build their nests, or squirrels hunting for food. Observe their body language, behaviour, movements, and sounds, and see if you can feel their presence. Try this activity with several animals and you’ll certainly connect to nature on an entirely new level.
Find Similarities
When connecting with humans, we often build strong bonds because we share or can relate to an experience had by one another. This same concept can apply to the natural world.
As you take time to immerse in nature, use your senses to evaluate every detail happening around you and find similarities to deepen the connection. For example, you may see plants and other living organisms that have adapted during the winter – a period of prolonged stress and harsh conditions – to ensure they survive until spring. Perhaps you’ve had a similar experience where you’ve overcome a challenging event by making small changes.
Nurture Your Own Plants
You don’t have to go exploring in order to connect with nature. Often, we have everything we need at our fingertips, such as house and garden plants.
If you have seeds ready to be planted, this is an excellent opportunity to connect to nature. As you start the sowing process and watch your plant spring to life, observe how it grows and use your senses. How do the shoots emerge from the soil? What do the leaves feel like between your fingers? Does it have a significant smell? This can deepen your understanding of distinct life forms, but also helps you build stronger appreciation for them.
Play Your Part
Actively preserving, protecting, and caring for the natural world not only brings a sense of feel-good, but helps you become closer and more connected.
Why not gather friends from your local community to implement green spaces where animals and nature can thrive? Learning about different habitats and what they need to survive will also help you connect to nature more freely.
Journal About Your Experiences
The natural world is so incredible that it can present many experiences all at once. Often, we forget some of the most influential encounters, which is why keeping a journal is one of the most special ways to deepen your connection.
Here, you can write about every little detail – how you felt in the moment, what you could see, smell, touch, taste, and hear. You can even log the exact location, helping you revisit in the future. The simple act of jotting down your experience will open your eyes even more to the wonderful world that’s right in front of you.
Are you eager to deepen your connections with the natural world? Why not begin by learning how to harness the power of animal communication?
As an animal communicator in the UK, I help people connect with animals via online courses, workshops, and retreats. Learn more on my website!
You may also be interested in the Conversations with Nature World Summit, 12 – 15 April 2023, register free!
The Conversations With Nature Summit is a free event focused on revitalizing our relationship with nature through animal communication, cosmic consciousness, and energetic activism.
Registration is open for the 2023 Conversations With Nature event. We look forward to welcoming you there with open arms and open hearts.
Pea Horsley is the Founder of Conversations with Nature World Summit and creator of online learning, Animal Communication Made Easy, a proven 5-step method to learn how to communicate with all species of animals. Pea is the UK’s most highly regarded animal communicator, TEDx speaker, teacher, wild animal retreat facilitator and best-selling author. Join Pea’s membership, The Pride, and be part of a modern answer to a global question, where a global council of animals advise humanity in deep listening and real transformation.
