Spending time in nature can provide valuable benefits to your mental and physical health.  Penn State’s campus offers beautiful outdoor locations such as the Penn State Arboretum and the duck pond at the Hintz Family Alumni Center.    There will probably be some days when you just cannot get outside or it may be raining.  On those days, find a quiet spot indoors and try the following excerpt from “Calm; Calm the mind, change the world” by Michael Acton Smith.

Nature meditation

Begin by sitting comfortable in a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed.  Take a few breaths, allowing your mind to relax.

With your body planted firmly on the ground, feel the earth beneath you.  Picture yourself in a field or forest beneath a large, leafy tree with strong branches.  Smell the rich soil and clean air.  Listen to the wind rustling through the leaves and notice if you hear any birds or animals stirring within.

Visualize the tree’s leaves, ranches and trunk, then picture yourself reaching out to touch it.  Fell the texture of the bark. 

Be aware of the shade the tree offers, the wood it provides, how it cleans the air, and its beauty.

Appreciate the tree as a living organism.  Imagine it drinking up the water through its complex root system.  Visualize the lengthening, spreading branches, and the leaves opening toward the sun.

Smith, M. A. (2016). Calm; Calm the mind, change the world. New York: Harper Design.