If you want to see harmony at its best, find a way to spend some time with nature.  It’s a feast for all our senses, making us discover our clarity of thought and invigoration to make better choices.

Make a commitment to spend some time with nature in this upcoming week, regardless of season or location, and tap into all your senses as you appreciate how awe-inspiring nature can be.  If you’re in the city, find a park; if you’re in the country, well—you have lots of options!  Just plant your body in nature, and start your appreciation journey.

• Sight:  Look around at all the brilliant colors that you see in nature, and how everything finds a way to work together.  The birds use the branches of a tree as a perch.  Many animals use trees for their home.  There are so many shades of green to be found, or earth tones if you are not in the summer season.  It’s incredible, and it helps remind us that we are a part of nature, too.  This is a lesson that is easy for many of us to forget.
• Hearing:  The sounds of nature are some of the most soothing and  comforting sounds we can find.  This is why they are on many meditative recordings—they bring out a sense of calmness and safety.  Absorb those sounds, and let them flow through you, making you feel calmer and safe; more aware of what’s around you.
• Smell:  Grass, leaves, soil, trees, and everything else in nature has a scent to it.  Take a deep breath in and smell it.  It’s natural, not full of anything toxic, and it is very rejuvenating—a wonderful way to remove stress and welcome in contentment.
• Touch:  Nature offers a plethora of textures, and each one is curious to the touch, and almost reminiscent of human characteristics.  Some things are soft and velvety, such as a baby’s skin.  Other things are a bit prickly, like that person who doesn’t seem to have joy in their life.  And then there’s the textures such as bark, which is protective and allows a tree to grow strong and mighty—able to weather the storms.  I love the comparison in thinking of humans as trees.  We’re able to grow and weather a great many storms if we allow ourselves to grow stronger, and stay connected to what is important.
• Taste:  Many of us may not be willing to taste something in nature, especially if we are not an expert in what is edible.  However, we can still enjoy the way animals taste nature, and how delighted they are by it.  Squirrels love acorns.  Birds love berries on a bush, or the earth worms in the soil.  Maybe you’ll be fortunate and find a place where a wild blackberry bush is growing, or some strawberries.  Indulge in a taste, because it is truly delicious.

We are a part of nature and connecting with it is therapy for the heart, mind, and soul.  Keep yourself connected with the best ways to discover the beauty of you at www.LeadingTheSpirit.com.