Nature video of the day: When was the last time you closed your eyes and let nature sink into you?
Blue sky above, green grass below, somewhere between the aether & the land, there are you. Laying on the ground, not sure if you are asleep or in Heaven, the birds sing out from the branches above, an insect lands on your sole down below. In between the clouds & the dry mud, you exist in human form, allowing nature to take its course, with eyes shut tight, not for a nap, nor for a night, simply to experience the wild in which you love, laugh and cultivate kinship with those who do not speak your tongue yet, understand your energy & your eternal shining light. - Cheryl M.
As I laid out in the sun the other day, straight on the grassy lawn (no blanket in sight), it dawned on me that I haven’t closed my eyes in nature for quite some time.
So I did it again the very next day, with even more intention than before.
What I heard with my eyes shut tight.
As I took the video above, I did in fact have my eyes closed (for most of the time), and I actually lost track of time, so I shortened the video to be more pleasing to the eye - the image of what I saw looking up resumes at 2:55.
While my eyelids were closed, my other senses were on alert. As soon as we shut our eyes, the sense we usually rely on next is our hearing.
In the case of laying under a walnut tree down by the creek, I could hear the gently flowing water over the sound of the neighbor’s three cows. But I only knew there were three after I went to check! I could not distinguish their individual voices over the other sounds of nature. I sensed that some songbirds were close by, but I could also not tell in which tree they had landed.
What I smelled with my eyes gently closed.
Beyond sight and sound, we also have our noses to tell us where we are - or who we are. In general, people have commented that we smell of woodsmoke, which is quite different than smelling like a certain perfume or laundry detergent. We’ll take it as a compliment!
While I laid with my back to the ground, I could literally smell the roses, about ten meters away. The stronger aroma of the honeysuckle and elderflowers too. I could also discern the scent of hay on the breeze, as well as the fresh manure of the ladies above. Altogether it was a pleasing blend of rural summer essence.
What I felt as I laid on the grass beneath a walnut tree.
As the filtered light bounced between the wavering leaves, I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face. A couple of bugs, probably an ant and a hoverfly crawled/landed on my bare feet and lower legs, as a grass blade caressed my thigh. I did not jump in fear, for I had experienced the same sensation the day before.
Closing my eyes in nature gifted me with the opportunity to become more aware of the breeze, how it cooled the bright summer day with gentle breaths of endearment, not only for me, but for all the wild animals and plants who needed it.
Would I do it again? In a heartbeat.
Now, it’s your turn to try it! The next time you get outdoors for your daily dose of nature, I encourage you to find your inner courage and lay down in a safe and comfortable place where you are all alone, even if it’s only for five minutes. Start noticing what you hear and what you smell as you let yourself melt into the Earth, relaxing into a much needed reconnection with the land.
When I opened my eyes, I saw what I could not see with them closed.
I saw a few green walnuts growing in the tree above, as well as a bird that came to sit near them. I saw a hornet fly right over my head as it was checking me out, perhaps figuring out if I was friend or foe.
I saw the flickers of the sun through the leaves, and I saw that I am never alone, not in nature anyways. For the cows were there, mooing in the field above, the crows were in a nearby tree and the ants and the spiders were invisible, yet all around, no matter where one lays.
As for the journal prompt of the day:
What happened the last time I shut my eyes in nature?
What did you see? What did you hear? What did you feel?
Were you scared, of what did, or what might happen? Or did you find the experience entirely uplifting?
I hope it was something both delightful and memorable, and that you trust Nature enough to never harm you while your eyesight (your trusty guard) is down.
With gratitude for leaves of green - even when you can’t see them,
If you’d like to experience this nature immersion together, please come and join us for a workshop in Breb, Romania. 💚
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