Virtual Nature walk

Take my hand. We will walk. We will only walk. We will enjoy our walk without thinking of arriving anywhere. ―Thich Nhat Hanh

👥 Serves: 1 person, 11-25 people, 2-10 people, 26-40 people, 41+ people

🎚 Difficulty: Easy

⏳ Total time: 11-30 minutes

🥣 Ingredients: Internet connection, laptop or phone, headphones

🤓 Wholebeing Domains: Bioempathy, Digital Consciousness, Positive Emotion

💪 Wholebeing Skills: Awe, Calm, Contemplation, Digital relating, Joy, Nature kinship, Nature sensitivity, Peacefulness, Serenity

Virtual Nature walk

📝 Description

A virtual walking meditation to bring calm and relaxation.

Connecting to Nature is needed now more than ever, for our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. Especially at times where we cannot access parks, forests, deserts, or mountains, virtual Nature walks can provide a mental escape.

According to Psychology Today, “Studies suggest that viewing even an image of a tree or a forest canopy bolsters the parasympathetic division of the central nervous system that naturally induces calm.” Research also shows that people who are connected to Nature, rather than simply exposed to Nature, experience increased wellbeing and are more likely to do things that benefit Nature.

Nature bathing or walking is an opportunity for people to take a time out, slow down, and connect with Nature, and this is a recipe that guides you on how to do this digitally, whether alone or in a group.

👣 Steps

Step 1 – Preparing the space (5′)

Turn off your devices to give yourself the best chance of relaxing, being mindful and being able to focus on your sensory Nature experience. Find a comfortable place to stand or sit – perhaps by an open window or in your garden.

Step 2 – Selecting your walking route (5′)

Start by selecting the route and experience that you would like to immerse in. There are many virtual walking trails online, and here are just a selection:

Step 3 – Walking with intention (20′)

As you start on the virtual walk, try to focus on your breath. Take long deep breaths into the abdomen, extending the exhalation of air to twice the length of the inhalation – this sends a message to the body that it can relax. As the walk unfolds, visualise yourself in the scene that you are watching:

What can you smell?
What can you hear?
Take in your surroundings using all of your senses. How does it feel?

You can stay in that meditative space of the walk as long as you like and return whenever you wish. When you’re ready to move on and close, take another deep breath.