Nature as Teacher

Choose one place in the natural world, and return to it again and again. A tree, a bench by a stream, a patch of grass behind the house. Sit there with no plan and no purpose. Over time the place will begin to teach you, and you will find you are not a visitor at all.

OriginsThe Root of the Practice

Peoples who lived close to the land have always known this way of learning, and teachers like Jon Young have given it the modern name sit spot. The Taoists of old sought the mountains and the streams, the desert fathers sought the wilderness, and Jesus withdrew to quiet places to pray. Creation is the oldest cathedral, and its doors are never locked.

The WayWhat the Practice Teaches

At first you notice little: the sky, a bird, the sound of traffic. As the visits accumulate, the details open. You learn which birds arrive at dusk, which way the wind turns, how the light changes from season to season. You begin to read the place as a book. Your own moods are mirrored in the weather and the growth of things, and the great pattern of change and renewal becomes visible, and it comforts you.

BeginHow to Practice

1. Choose a place within walking distance that you can visit often.
2. Sit quietly, leaving the phone behind or switched off.
3. Let the senses open: sight, sound, smell, and the feeling of the air.
4. Soften the gaze so that you take in the whole scene, not only single things.
5. Stay at least twenty minutes, and longer when you can.
6. Return at different times of day and in different seasons, and keep a short note of what you see.

HarvestThe Fruit

A deep sense of belonging grows. Anxiety quiets in the company of trees and sky. You become more observant, more patient, and more tenderly connected to the whole web of life.