[clayton-bartczak]

The first time I practiced this activity I was led through it by my EBI Nature Based Coach. I found it helpful to slightly close my eyes to start, making it so my eyes were not focused on anything. The soft gaze made the objects in front of me in the mountains (trees, large boulders, sky, clouds, ground, and grasses) look more like puzzle pieces in a two dimensional puzzle. Instead of being distinct objects, separate from each other, they morphed into a group of shapes and patterns that melded together. Viewing my surroundings in this way helped calm my mind and feel the togetherness of the forest rather than the separateness.
I am very interested to try this activity somewhere there are less objects, like out on the plains. I’m curious to see if/how that blocky, togetherness view will be apparent in an environment that’s basically just ground and sky.

[clayton-bartczak]

The first time I practiced the Surround Sound activity, I found it to be an experience that was both very grounding and promoted a quiet mind while also being very engaging and active. It felt like a true “Flow” experience, similar to what I feel when I am snowboarding or biking, though without the adrenaline that accompanies those activities. I really appreciate the idea of “listening with anticipation” and found it amazing how many sounds I found when listening with that intention. Often, a common experience in life is one of passive acceptance of sounds, sights, smells, and less about seeking them out. I found this to be a valuable distinction and will continue using the Surround Sound activity as much as I can, whether in a natural environment or in the city where I live.