1. Find a park, forest, beach, nature preserve, or reservoir. 
2. If possible, remove your shoes. Walk around for a few minutes until you come to a place where you feel like pausing. 
3. Stand still for a moment and take in the natural elements around you. Take 10 deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. 
4. Notice how your body feels. What feels tight, tired, achy? What parts feel loose and easy? Take five more breaths, directing the breath to the tight places and relieving the tension as you exhale. 
5. Begin walking again, for as long as you’d like. Allow yourself to be completely absorbed by nature. 
6. When you are done, notice how you feel, such as whether your breath is easier, your body feels more relaxed, and your heart is more connected to what’s around you. 

adapted from Body + Soul, January/February 2010

 

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