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“In wildness is the preservation of the world." ~ Henry David Thoreau

Welcome to Week 2, and Day 8!

You are learning how Nature helps you become a better person, in every area of your life – body, mind, and soul.

Before we continue, take a moment and think about what first drew you to the idea of doing a 21-Day Nature Challenge? What did you hope to accomplish, receive or benefit from it as a result?

Are you finding what you were looking for? Are you making new discoveries about yourself and the world around you?

Last week we focused on using our senses to become aware of and absorb the benefits and beauties of the natural world all around us.

This week we are going to zoom in a bit on individual aspects of Nature and hopefully develop a deeper appreciation for the gifts we’ve been given in our natural community.

Whether we realize it our not, we are one with Nature. In fact, we are Nature and the sooner we understand this, the sooner we begin to return to our authentic selves. And this is where happiness and hope and health and healing originate and forever reside.

It has been noted that people are more caring when they are around Nature.

In his book “The Nature Principle”, Richard Louv points out that “Species diversity, like cultural diversity, enriches our lives and gives us hope…The more species that live in a park, the greater the psychological benefits to human beings.”

That is why maintaining an awareness of the bio-diversity where you live is so vital.

So today in your 20+ minute outdoor wanderings, mindfully do a nature count, actually keeping track of every living thing you see. Depending on where you live, this could be overwhelming. You may want to take a small notebook or your journal with you.

You definitely won’t be able to count all of the trees, plants, flowers and shrubs you see, so just make a note of the ones that stand out to you – maybe your favorites.

Don’t worry if you can’t identify everything you see. In fact, you probably won’t be able to.Just make a note of it and its characteristics – size, shape, color, etc.If it’s a bird, you can note the size and length of its bill, sound of its song, and other unique characteristics. You can try to identify it later if you like when you get home. For instance, if you see a flock of small birds in a tree, note – “flock of 20 or 30 small brown birds in the oak tree on Maple Avenue.” Birders refer to these kind of birds they can’t identify as LBB’s, (little brown birds), very scientific wouldn’t you say? Linnaeus would be proud!

The point is, notice and count as much wildlife as you can observe in a twenty-minute trek outdoors and simply write it down. That is your mission for the day.

So as you step outside with Beginner’s Mind, allow yourself to become a kid again.  Have fun and enjoy the process! Treat it like a Scavenger Hunt, or a Treasure Hunt. You may be surprised at the biodiversity within a quarter mile of where you live!

Checklist for Day 8

☐ MEDITATION: Day 8 – Doing A Nature Count (A scavenger hunt for Nature-lovers) (You can listen to this active meditation on iTunes or here at Mountain Zen.)

☐ NATURE WALK: 20 minutes with Beginner’s Mind taking note and counting every living thing you see.

☐ JOURNAL: Nature Count – What and how many did you see?

Take a moment and think about what first drew you to the idea of doing a 21-Day Nature Challenge? What did you hope to accomplish, receive or benefit from it as a result? Are you finding what you were looking for? Are making new discoveries about yourself and the world around you?

That wraps it up for Day 8. Well done Grasshopper!

See you back here tomorrow!