Listen to Nature sounds as a calming practice

In an increasingly noisy world, where we are bombarded by artificial sounds all day long (think: cell phone alerts), our patience, clarity, peace of mind, and joy diminishes.

You might find that its hard to get away to take a break, so here’s something simple you can do.

Focusing on your senses, brings you “back to our senses” and to the present moment. If you focus on something you touch, see, smell, taste or hear, you are focusing on the things right in from of you. It reels you back from time traveling to the future worries or past regrets, and into this moment where life can be lived.

One sense is hearing. Listening to nature sounds can soothe your nervous system, and brings you back to a calmer state where you can be more present, can think more clearly and in a better mood. It gives our analytical mind and brain to take catch its breath and rest momentarily.

Research has found that listening to nature sounds is beneficial to calming your nervous system, increasing positive feelings, and improving creativity.

It’s easy to get pulled into the urgent, constantly-doing energy of our world, so it’s necessary to intentionally create space in your day.

It’s like like rebooting one’s computer, or shutting it down at night, so that it clears it’s memory and ready to do it’s work of computing with more speed.

We can do a short reset.

You can sit in the courtyard at your office

Here’s one way: Listen to Nature’s Symphony

What: listen to the sounds around you, focus intentionally listen to various sounds made from varying distances and directions.

Where: Listening spot: step outside to a spot you can stand or sit for 5 minutes of more. Find a place that is furthest away from a busy street or other loud area if possible.

How long: as short at 3 -5 minutes, or as long as you desire. You can set a timer if you’re not sure what 5 minutes feels like.

How: Listen for the sounds around you,

1. notice each sound without judging them as “bad” or “annoying”— just notice… For example: “car…. Plane… person talking…” Slow your breath as you listen. Try for 60 seconds

2. Now, listen for the sounds that are farthest way. You can close your eyes to help focus hearing and reduce the visual distraction if you are able to do so. Try for 60 seconds.

3. What are other sounds can you hear when you listen for the softer and/or closer? Try for 60 seconds “Bird…. Dog in the distance…my breathing… wind blowing my hair… truck in the distance.. bird again…”

No judging, no need to identify the kind of bird, just noticing…..bringing intentional awareness to what your ears are picking up

Continue listening and be aware of the direction the sounds come from. Keep listening to the symphony until you are ready to return to work.

Closing eyes helps to focus other senses

Reflection:

What did you notice during listening?

How do you feel after taking a break to listen to nature?

What is it like when you return to you work?

Can you make 5 minute breaks each day for listening?

Add-on activity:

Bring your nature journal. After listening, jot down what you heard, noticed and felt.

What awarenesses if any, did this bring up? What does this make you think about?

Are you willing to incorporate this in your schedule? Why or why not?

Sketch one of the things you heard.

You can "draw" sounds, just make it up.

Alternatives:

If you can’t find a listening spot here are some alternatives:

• A walk outside: Take a short break and walk around the outside of your building.

  • Take your time, be thoughtful of each step you take- you’re not focused on the destination- but receiving during the walk. Do the listen practice from above while walking slowly- you can keep eyes open so you don’t trip!

  • Notice the sound of wind flowing over your ears, the faintest sounds in the distance,.....

• Open a window and listen from indoors.

• Just sit indoors and listen to the sounds indoors. You can often hear some nature sounds mixed in with other noises.

• Find a recording of nature sounds online, though the real time real sounds have more benefit, recordings are also helpful way to reset.

• if you think you have no nature, talk a stroll at a garden center or community park

Visit a garden center

Even if your listening spot has a lot of artificial sounds, the practice of listening on purpose has value. You give your attention intentionally, focus your ability to hear the things that we unconsciously tune out all day long so that it gets easier to notice nature.

Focusing on your senses brings you back to the present moment- instead of living in your head where it might be cluttered with all the tasks that need to be done in the future, or worry about things that haven’t happened yet, or concern about things in the past.

This reset is not just 5 minutes of your day. As a practice (something you do repeatedly at some interval) it improves your productivity so that you end up SAVING more that 5 minutes!! You’ll have more time to do things you WANT to do because you’re working more efficiently.

Let me know how this practice feels for you!

More in Sacred Self Book:

If you want to read about using all your senses in a Nature Reset sit spot practice, you can read it in my co-authored book, Sacred Self: Everyday Rituals for the Modern Woman. This is not just for women, but anyone who’s open-hearted with a desire to discover some practices that will ground you and bring you back to your authentic self.