Go outside and Ground yourself.

West Dean, West Sussex

I could write to you about the many benefits of being in nature, especially the Forest.

I could quote findings from the many research papers on Forest Bathing, Grounding or the goodness of the soil.

Yet I'll leave you to find this out for yourself if you're interested in knowing the facts before you give it a try. It's so easy these days with search engines and their built in ai...

Instead, I'll just invite you to go out and get back to your senses. Go to your nearest park or woodland to ground yourself.

We're so much in our heads these days, glued to a screen or another, that our brains are in overdrive. They're so fried they need a break.

So go out and let Mother Nature calm you down and soothe your nervous system.

Use all your senses to reconnect with the natural world.

Autumn is a wonderful time to do this.

🍁 Observe the change of colours in the trees: the greens turning to zingy yellows, bright oranges or flamboyant reds. Notice how the light is changing too as the days are getting shorter, how much softer it is, as it dapples through the branches.

🍁 Hear the crunchy and crackling sounds when walking on the dry leaves and snappy wood sticks. Listen to the last song of the crickets in the tall grass of the clearing, the buzzy chirps of the blue tits in search of seeds, or the ravens and the magpies bickering in the trees.

🍁 Smell the sweet scents of the berries in the brambles, of the ferns rusting away under the canopy, or the distinct aroma of the mushrooms sprouting in the humus.

🍁 Feel the breeze on your cheeks, the soft bounce of your soles when you walk on the fertile soil. Touch the rugged bark of the mighty oak and the smooth branches of the sinuous yew. Run a discarded feather through your fingers, giggle at the tickles.

🍁 Pick and taste a ripe and juicy blackberry, crack open the earthy walnuts and hazelnuts. Bite a leaf from the wild thyme growing by the path, or grab an apple from a forgotten orchard.

Get back to your senses. If you're not used to it, choose one to start off with - see, hear, smell, touch, or taste. Then gradually build upon it.

Give your busy mind a rest. Give yourself permission to get lost in the moment.

🍁 Ground yourself in Mother Nature. Do it often, not just once here and there.

I promise you, you won't regret it.