Nature Quest

Trees on a misty morning reflected in the canal

You can do this nature quest anywhere and make it as big or as small as you like. Take yourself on a quest around your house, looking for clues in plants, books, magazines or through the window – or take it out into the street, garden, park  - or to the top of Helvellyn!

Use your imagination and take time to savour the things you find. You might take all day to complete the quest.

·      What’s the WILDEST thing you can find?

·      Find something MAGICAL

·      Seek out something very PRECIOUS

·      TOUCH something natural with your eyes closed

·      Find something SOFT and GENTLE

·      Make yourself SENSITIVE and PRESENT to all the things you have stopped noticing. What are you drawn to?

·      Notice how you FEEL

After you complete your nature quest perhaps you can talk to someone about the experience – describe what you noticed, how it made you feel. You might want to write or draw about it. These activities will help you to internalise and integrate the experience.

The science of neurology and brain plasticity tells us that with practice you can get better at becoming sensitive and present, noticing details in the living world and welcoming in any related pleasant sensations.