Listening to Nature

A favourite mindful activity for me is walking along the Esplanade at Cronulla. The water, the sky, the sand, the bushes and trees provide endless beautiful sights; but for my husband, it is the sounds that inspire a mindful state – the shooshing of the water as it ebbs and flows on the shore particularly. 

One of the overlooked joys of nature is how it sounds. It is never silent, although sometimes it is quieter than the other noises around us. So, we have to listen for it, to notice the noises of nature…the birds singing, wind sighing, dogs barking, leaves fluttering…

If you possibly can, get right out into nature and immerse yourself in its sounds. If that is hard to do, step outside and close your eyes, allowing the sounds of nature to make themselves known to you. By listening to nature we can take our minds to a more peaceful place. This activity can even be done using the internet and searching for a recording of nature sounds – in fact, with your eyes closed, listening…you could actually be there.