Meditation and the Outdoors: A Natural Fit
Summer brings a chance to reconnect with nature. Too frequently, however, our own modern lifestyle habits -- e.g., our goal orientation, tendency to classify and judge -- inhibit us from really experiencing nature.A new book, Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path of Self-Discovery, by Mark Coleman, is not only a pleasurable and soothing summer read, but also provides easy meditation practice tools to reconnect both with nature and our essential nature.
Mark Coleman, who leads meditation and wilderness retreats, at Spirit Rock in Northern California, clearly loves and is inspired by nature. Awake in the Wild, carries an important message for the world about how we have lost our connection to nature. More practically, he also gives us a clear set of meditation practice tools for how to reconnect with our nature in a way that is both highly accessible to both meditation new comers and experienced practitioners alike. Even experienced nature lovers will appreciate his instruction on how to "practice participating in nature instead of simply observing it." Coleman also speaks to how environmental activists can maintain an open heart in the face of the pain of environmental destruction.
In Awake in the Wild, Mark Coleman invites us to meditate as the Buddha instructed, under a shady tree in the woods. So buy the buy the book, turn off your computer, and step out of the enclosed confines, to reconnect with the natural world. This can just as easily be a local park as a pristine wilderness. Spending time in nature, not only reduces stress and improves physical health, but also gives us keen insight into how to develop a mindful awareness that is at the heart of every spiritual and religious tradition.
Coleman sums the relationship between nature and self:
When I wander alone in the vast openness of the desert, I notice how the small, contracted self, so apparent in everyday living, begins to soften and open, and how a sense of peace and connection with life emerges. Any problems or suffering I brought with me fade in those moments, and I have a strong sense of the natural order of things, that everything is as it should be.
Reading this book -- even in indoor confines -- sooths the soul and brings a dose of spaciousness. Coleman delves into how our relationship to the environment reflects our own state of mind, such as in his aptly titled chapter “Surrendering to Imperfection”. He illustrates his message with a story about a friend or client and then presents meditation practice tools to allow us to understand the particular message with mindfulness techniques. In this way, not only does he illuminate profound principles that can change our lives, but he also gives a practical prescription for applying each principle through attention and insight.
Comments
sound really good