Outdoor meditation and kids don’t really go together but we tried this anyway to celebrate the longest day of summer.
All we did was find a peaceful outdoor spot, lie down, look at the clouds, listen to the sounds around us and take three deep breaths. I say we. I did this. My kids just wanted to run around, which was fine too.
There’s a new buzz around ‘forest bathing’, or Shinrin-yoku in Japanese, and I was interested to understand more about what it was. It’s more than just being in nature (though that alone is hugely beneficial for mental and physical wellbeing). It’s about really being present where you are, listening to the sounds, smelling the fresh forest air and concentrating on the textures and shapes that the trees make. Basically being more present in the environment you are in.
I’m sure you are supposed to do outdoor meditation for more than a few minutes, but a few minutes was all my kids allowed me to have, and it really was very nice to just lie still and look at the clouds and listen to the wind in the branches. Why am I not doing this daily?
The perfect meditative view
