7 Ways to Rekindle Your Romance with Nature ...

1. Watch a Flame

Burning a log fire or lighting a candle in the house can be a simple way to rekindle your romance with nature. A fire is really hypnotic and is something that happens naturally in the wild. It helps you realize that the fire inside (be it in your belly or behind your eyes) is the same as the fire outside of us. By watching a flame you realize there is always something new to be watching, and in that moment you can drop inwards to find your own personal connection with nature.

2. Fly a Kite

The simple activity of flying a kite helps you become more acutely aware of wind energy. The strength of the wind is literally in your own hands as you feel yourself being pulled across the ground (if you’re flying a kite in the park) or the ocean (if you’re kite surfing in water).

3. Expand Your Boundaries

There are easy outings you can take to explore the natural world and reset your spirit when you get off work, even if you live in a congested urbanized setting. Go for a run along a river path or walk in an area that you know has more trees in it. Maybe there’s a vague hill nearby that you can climb? Just getting a chance to be in fresh air surrounded by greenery at the end of the day can help rekindle your romance with nature (and your soul).

4. Watch the Clouds

This takes me back to my childhood but I still love looking up at the sky to see if I can make shapes and caricatures out of the clouds. Try doing it in the evening when the sun is setting or on a stormy day when the clouds are rolling in. By noticing the colors, shadows and intensity of light, it can help you reflect on your place in the Universe.

5. Listen for Sounds

Perhaps you’ll hear water babbling in a brook, chirping sparrows or squirrels running along tree branches, if you listen closely. Sit outside on your patio or at your local cafe; you'll be surprised at all the sounds you hear when you really tune in.

6. Grow Flowers or an Herb Garden

Chances are you don’t have a garden, if you live in a city. However, you might have some space inside in which you can grow houseplants, a window ledge that you can plant a window box on or even a small patio area? If you have some space where you can grow something, buy a few planter pots and start your own herb garden! Watching seeds and flowers grow can be another way of rekindling that connection with nature.

7. Walk Barefoot

Taking your shoes off and walking around (your home) barefoot can be a simple way to reconnect with the ground beneath your feet. Obviously, it’s not the same as touching the real thing - soil or sand - but it certainly helps you discover that the natural world is just an extension of our beings.

Connecting even in small ways with the natural world allows us to realize our humanity better. Fire, air, water and earth ignite all our senses. With so much technology out there, it can be super challenging to step away from that world and really connect with all our senses with nature, like we used to decades ago. Ultimately, we’ll be better stewards of our environment when we understand that we’re in fact caring for our larger selves. What are some ways you rekindle your romance with nature?