Spring Equinox Mindful Nature Walk

Go on a guided nature connection walk to celebrate the Spring Equinox! You can do this walk any time from mid March to mid April (northern hemisphere). The recording will give you prompts for what to notice, then you can pause and press play when you're ready to continue. Give yourself 30 minutes or more to complete this walk. You can be in a park, woodland or just around your neighbourhood.

Transcript

Hello,

Thank you for choosing this Mindful Nature Walk recording.

I'm Natalie,

A counsellor,

Mindfulness teacher and nature therapist.

Today we're exploring the theme of the Spring Equinox,

Which takes place around the 21st of March in the Northern Hemisphere.

You can do this walk anytime in March or early April.

There's a modern pagan celebration for this time of year called Ostara.

You don't need to be a pagan to do this walk,

We're just using it as a theme to guide us.

Some practical things to get started.

You don't need anything special to do this walk,

Just outdoor clothing and shoes,

Something to listen to this audio on and somewhere to walk where there are trees and plants.

A woodland walk would be ideal,

But your local park will do just fine.

After each prompt,

You'll hear a bell.

I recommend pausing the recording here and then taking as much time as you'd like before pressing play and listening to the next part.

Use this recording as a guide.

Do what feels right for you,

Taking what you need and leaving anything that doesn't resonate or feel helpful.

Pause now and hit play when you're outside and ready to walk.

This walk is your time.

There are no requirements of you other than to walk and to notice.

You do not need to feel a certain way or try to have a particular kind of experience.

If you're sleepy,

Sad,

Happy,

Worried or calm,

Then we're going to allow that to be the case as we walk.

Maybe it will change and maybe not.

Let's begin by noticing the pace that you're walking at.

Try to do this without judgment,

But with curiosity.

Notice the sensations of walking in your body.

Then begin to slow your pace gradually,

Noticing how it feels to do so.

Find a pace that feels like a nice balance of forward motion and relaxation.

The spring equinox is a transition from winter to spring,

A time when light and dark is in perfect balance before the energy of the sun builds and nature fully awakens.

See if you can reflect this concept in your pace and movements during this walk.

Now let's notice the space around you.

What can you see?

Take in your environment from the sky to the ground.

Pause to turn and see all around you.

Take a moment to acknowledge where you are.

Remind yourself what day it is,

What month and year.

Know that you are really here in this exact moment.

This is a moment of presence,

Of being fully in yourself.

This is your life.

As you walk on,

Know that your attention will wander away from this moment to other things.

Stuff you've got to do later,

Conversation you had yesterday,

Or what you're going to have for dinner.

This is totally normal.

When you notice this,

Just bring your attention back to this moment by noticing your surroundings.

There is no need to criticise or judge yourself for this.

Let's gather our attention now to focus on what we can see in nature as we walk.

Start to really notice the trees,

Plants,

Birds,

Animals or insects around you.

What seasonal shifts do you notice?

At this time of year,

Buds are starting to appear on branches and some early flowers such as crocuses and daffodils are blooming.

Different species of trees will come into bud at different times and at different rates.

Explore the variety of trees near you.

You don't need to know their names,

Just bring some awareness to the shapes,

Colours and textures that you notice.

Get up close and take in the details of any buds that you can find,

Exploring gently with sight and touch.

Notice how seeing this new life come into being makes you feel.

Is there a particular tree that you're drawn to?

If so,

What do you like about it?

Does it reflect something about you or your life right now?

You can be playful in this interpretation or just walk with this question in mind.

You don't need to have an immediate answer.

Now let's turn our attention to listening.

As you continue to walk,

What can you hear?

It's likely you'll hear birdsong at this time of year or raindrops or the breeze.

There might also be people's voices,

Dogs barking or traffic sounds.

See if you can listen to it all as if it were music and notice how these sounds make you feel.

As you are walking,

Bring your awareness to your body.

Notice the ground beneath your feet and breath moving in and out of your body as you breathe.

Enjoy this simple,

Pleasant moment.

Take some deep breaths,

Perhaps syncing up your steps with your breathing.

Are there any scents that you can pick up as you're walking and breathing?

Know that as you're walking,

You are breathing with the trees.

Taking in the oxygen they produce and exhaling the carbon dioxide they absorb.

If you come across any flowers or blossom trees,

Take a moment to pause and take in their scent.

The spring equinox,

Also known as a starrer,

Is an opportunity for a moment of rest in what can be a busy time of year.

It's a transition moment,

Leaving winter behind and welcoming the spring.

Nature is between seasons and as part of nature we are also at a threshold.

These seasonal shifts are a good time to pause,

To celebrate,

To reflect and set intentions.

It's common for people to find the change of seasons unsettling.

If this is the case for you,

Then extra grounding practices such as this walk can be really helpful.

At a starrer we see both the stillness of winter and the signs of new life and fresh growth.

Can you see both of these as you walk?

What feelings are evoked in you?

You might consider the ways in which you are two things at once,

Or perhaps one thing and another.

And this is okay,

It is natural.

To help you move from one season to the next,

Take a few moments to walk and reflect on the winter that you've just had.

Consider what gifts winter gave you,

Literal or metaphorical.

Then choose a tree nearby,

Place a hand on its trunk and tell it what you're thankful for.

You can do this out loud or just silently,

Whatever feels right for you.

And if you've not spoken to a tree before,

Why not try it?

It's okay to feel self-conscious or even silly.

If you choose to do this,

Be open-minded and simply notice how you feel.

Know that trees are connected underground by a network of roots and fungi.

Telling this one tree will spread your message of gratitude all through the earth.

Once you have done this,

Continue your walk when you're ready and look for some blossom or a flowering plant.

Maybe a daffodil,

Hyacinth,

Primrose or crocus.

You don't need to know the name of the plant.

When you've chosen one that you like,

Stand still for a moment and explore it with your senses.

Notice its colours and patterns,

Its texture and scent.

This is your welcoming spring moment.

A new season is arriving.

What do you need from it?

Make a wish for spring and imagine the flower is the keeper of this wish.

You might want to take a photo of the flower or simply pay it attention and keep it as a memory and a reminder of your wish.

To conclude our walk together,

We will simply return our attention to the breath and the body.

Being with the motion of walking and the sensations that you feel right now.

Noticing the space around you as you move through it.

You can choose to keep walking for as long as you like or if you need to bring your walk to a finish now,

That's fine too.

Before you go,

Notice how you're feeling.

Take a moment to recognise what made you feel calm,

Happy or connected today on your walk and know that you can return to this moment in your mind whenever you need to.

I'm glad you've taken the time to connect to yourself and to nature.

I wish you a very happy Equinox and a beautiful balanced spring season.

Thank you for walking with me.