Everyday adventure: go on a ‘nature knows’ walk
You don’t need to be wealthy, or take a sabbatical, to go on an amazing adventure. Morwhenna Woolcock explains how she has found time to fit adventures around her daily life, and shares this idea that anyone can try
By 
Psychologies
Here’s a guide to going on a ‘nature knows’ walk
What you’ll need:
- Paper
- Pen
- Something to rest on – a clipboard or piece of hard card is ideal
- Camera
This walk will help you to find out what nature knows and how she can help you with some problem-solving. Start with a question, such as, ‘What do I need in my life right now?’ Taking your paper with you, go on a short walk. You can do this in any green space: a park, garden or nature reserve.
As you begin your walk, really take notice of what you are drawn to, and jot it down on your piece of paper, either by drawing what you see, or writing a short description, for example, ‘I noticed a small red leaf on the ground. It stood out.’ If it sparks any other thoughts, write them down, too – perhaps it could be something like, ‘I used to like wearing red.’
You could also take a photo of what you witness, but make sure you note any thoughts you have as you see these ‘clues’. Keep walking and noting what you view, until you feel you’d like to stop (ideally after about 20-30 minutes, or longer if you are enjoying yourself). Come back to your home or office and look at all the clues that you’ve collected.
From what you have observed, can you see a pattern? Ask yourself what things really stood out? Ask how that relates to your question? Jot down everything that springs to mind so, if you’ve come across lots of bright colours, consider how you are using colour in your life, and whether you need to explore being brighter or standing out more. If you’ve noticed how lots of leaves are rotting away and new shoots coming through – think about what unhelpful habits you need to let go of to enable new, brighter possibilities to grow.
It’s your interpretation that’s important here – so go with your gut and with what comes to mind as you look at the evidence you’ve collected from your ‘nature knows’ walk.
Once you’ve had time to reflect on the clues and what they mean to you, commit to a small action that responds to your question and follow it through.
Photograph: iStock
