I am a big advocate for listening to the world around us. I take time to sit outside and take the world in with all of my senses and my children participate in the calming affects of mother nature as well. So it is with great pleasure that I introduce to you an extraordinary woman with a passion for nature and an equal passion for getting our kids back outside. I love finding something that everyone can do and is good for the soul. I welcome everyone to Nature’s Backpack. Rhonda Ursulak of Nature’s Backpack wants everyone to explore nature, discover nature and connect with nature.
New Prescription Available
When you see a sunrise, what are the first words that come to mind? Go ahead, stop and think about this for a moment….
When I ask people this, the words they share are: inspiration, new, beginning, beauty, stunning, colourful, calm, peaceful, tranquil, the list goes on.
About a year ago, I started to take on a new mission of connecting people to nature. At first it was to just get people out there to appreciate and respect nature, to have a childhood like myself that was full of catching frogs, climbing trees and exploring the local forest with my friends and building forts. I found that between my childhood and my own children’s, something was lost, the comfort of being outdoors.
As I learned more about the connection to nature, I learn just how important it is to our well being. I will share with you how nature is helping me in hopes that you will use nature as your own new medicine. The great thing about this is it is free!
I have stress in my life, medically and from the day to day of just living. I have a disorder that increases as my stress level rises. I have suffered from this all my life and take medication for it. Does this sound familiar? Perhaps you have a similar story or you know someone who does.
One of the things that I started to do in my own connection to nature journey is do a sit spot challenge. What is a sit spot challenge you say? Well it is where you find a spot in nature and sit quietly for at least 20 minutes. You don’t have to go far for a sit spot; it can even be in your own backyard. During this time you just breath and observe nature around you. Noticing the birds, the wind in the trees, the sounds around you, the smells and feel the ground you sit on. Your senses come alive and more aware each day you go. Ideally I would do this everyday, but because it is a new habit to get into, I started with 4 times a week for 20 minutes.
It wasn’t easy at first. I would sit there and think about all the stuff I had to do that day, how I was going to deal with this issue and that, how that person hurt my feelings and so on and so on. My mind was busy thinking ahead in time that I wasn’t being present and experiencing the moment. If I just quieted my mind, nature would fill in the rest.
I had a very busy day, I had a few meetings that day, had to write up my lesson plans for the 7 week session I was offering, and all the after school stuff with my family. It was a full day. But I made a promise to myself to sit in my spot for at least 20 minutes.
As I walked to my spot, I saw a trail made by an animal that lead down to the creek, holes dug by skunks looking for tasty treats and heard the bird alarms calls. I sat down at my sit spot with my back against the tree. After about 15 minutes of sitting still and quieting my mind, a flock of juncos flitted by, landing on the branches 5 feet away and chirping their song. I wasn’t sure if they saw me, but I was enjoying watching them.
Another 15 minutes went by and I started to get antsy. I started to think about my day and was just about to stand up and go home when I heard a whoosh and a flock of blue swooped onto the branches above my head. I sat perfectly still and heard another swoosh and a jay landed 5 feet in front of me. It didn’t even see me at first. But once it did, I don’t know who had the more surprised look on its face, him or me. His expression was one of “WHOA! Where did you come from!”? But he didn’t fly away immediately; he just sat there, looking at his mates and me. We just connected with each other for about 5 minutes, before he flew off. That was a magical moment.
What I experienced when I walked away from my sit spot was very humbling. I was now grounded and much much calmer. I felt that what I had to face that day was doable and that I will have no problems dealing with what comes my way. And that day, I did just that, in a calm, patient and positive manner.
I now prescribe nature to my kids and myself and we all lead a calmer, less stress filled life. I fill my prescription every day and I have left a prescription for you to fill below. Have a great nature experience.
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