Contact Experience Discussion

[teriseangelina]

I have contact with my friend’s dog, Angel, and she loves me. It feel like the dog loves me too much. It lets me go in her face, just to love on her. It think Angel is sensing something in me.

[tgvance72]

My time spent with the Contact Experience technique was truly extraordinary. I felt an appreciation for nature that I had never felt before. I’m so grateful that I signed up for the Getting Started with Nature Connection course.

[Lisa Dahlgren]

It has been wonderful experimenting with all of these things. There is so much to try, I am really just “sampling” it all.

[ivyhess]

I actually struggled with this exercise. I found myself thinking too much and had to keep pulling myself back into the moment. I have been practicing during my daily walks for about two weeks. I am seeing some improvement, but still have a ways to go. I have to be more aware of the question, what is happening right now?

[Cecelia]

This was the most challenging exercise thus far. Of course, it was the most rewarding, too. As I indicated in my response (part 2 of this exercise), I feel that we are now moving toward developing a relationship with nature. This was deep. My mind wandered easily, but I was able to bring it back to the present via surround sound or open vision. Excellent!

[Jenna]

This exercise is simple yet sometimes very difficult. It can be a challenge to pull myself out of the world going on in my mind and out into the very real world all around me. I know we are connected to everything on the planet, and this helps me to feel in the moment and connected to my immediate surroundings, even just the vegetation life in my backyard and the energy from the sun. This helps me to bring in the feeling out being part of the natural environment, and not just an alien bystander.

[jodycoram79]

This as the other exercises will take much practice to get good at, but it’s such a profound practice. I was out in nature today doing this and I could feel my body buzzing with aliveness. I also felt relaxed and calm. I’d drift off to thinking and come back again. I want to try this every day!

[Kirsten Witherell]

I am enjoying all of the lessons and bringing them all together into the experience with nature. I always feel very peaceful and connected in nature and I like how these lessons allow me to expand the experience, really taking in all the nuances of the senses as well as creating a meditative experience while being in the moment. I have a daily meditation practice and this is very similar but instead of at home on my cushion, it’s out in nature, and I’m emersed in an experience all around me and with all of my senses. Similar to seated meditation though in the way that you bring yourself back to center when your thoughts wander. Enjoyable!

[sara-dalton]

I experienced so many different things about nature that I have never felt before.

[Kristen]

I definitely think that’s the magic of full sensory awareness!

[Lari Jo W. Edwards]

I can’t wait to see what beings speak to me through these contact experiences. I look forward to fully experienceing both flora and fauna where I live.

[brian-bishoff]

Definitely more challenging. I have a busy brain but I am working on being more mindful and in the present. I was in the woods behind our house but their was a fair amount of afternoon coming home traffic.

[Michelle]

Enjoyed another exercise centered around being present and tuning into feeling prior to acting. I noticed that when operating in FSA, I felt an even stronger connection to nature. Fully immersed, more appreciative of myself and surroundings. Of course, life matters and issues do not disappear, but this practice helps them fade away while a reset occurs, allowing me to contemplate in a more relaxed and unencumbered way, thus developing clarity.

[Tisha]

I very much enjoyed this exercise as I spend a lot of time in nature close up with trees and bugs and flowers, and am easily able to get lost in looking at their geometry and patterns. This was an easy exercise as I am able to stare at running water and just be in the moment. Watching as the fish swim into my vision and as the birds and locust make noise all around me. I love looking at the bark of the tree for many long moments. I am always trying to anticipate for nature going on all around me. Nature responds to me in ways that are beyond describing sometimes. Just recently I was gifted an owl pellet and an eagle feather from nature. I can spend hours on end searching for crinoids on the banks of a creek. I love nature!!

[Pam]

Just heading out for a walk and excited to try this new way of moving through the environment

[Alex Soto]

As I sat in total nature awareness, at first it was difficult because the monkey mind was getting distracted. But as I breathed in the air and relaxed my whole body I gave into the awareness. The sounds were being amplified, the birds, the overhead plane, the people walking behind me on the park path. The sounds were a symphony of sounds mixed in with the winds as the leaves danced and swayed to the rhythm of the earth. The birds were singing a lullaby from far to as close to being in front of me. The darting spots in the distance were all different types of birds. Then I asked myself how does this makes me feel? The answer was that I was being cradled like a baby, the wind was showing me that there is rain coming as I felt moisture all over my body. Before I started I voiced a prayer of thankfulness and guidancing. I ask to lead me to the path and to be patient with me along the journey. I totally surrendered to whatever Nature had to share w/ me at the present moment. I allowed everything in, each time the mind would go into thought I reached again to the sounds of Nature and would go right back to being present w/ nature. In reciprocity back to the land I thanked it and send it my total unconditional love. Once l felt I was done, as I walked home 2 white butterflies were dancing around me to grab my attention, I also felt it was telling me that we noticed you and that you should come back more often like you had in the past. I obliged and told it I would, this thought just popped into my head at that exact moment. So I took it as a sign. In NYC we have millions of house sparrows, they are normally fast and always moving. Before I left, one came right in front of me and took a look at me while it picked on something but always knowing that I was there. It was a magical moment, since i know they are curious but would never stay that long in one place at a time. I felt seen and acknowledged by this little messenger, letting me know that I was welcomed at anytime.