[Melanie]

Today, I asked questions of a small tree that is in my sit spot. As we were conversing, I was taking notice of all the details of its being and noticing how they interact with the sunlight, the earth and the surrounding plants and insect life. It is surprising how connected I felt to this little tree afterwards and how I am looking forward to seeing it again the next time I’m in my sit spot–just to see what, if anything, has changed and if there is anything else it wishes to communicate. In my own life and with future clients, I am now more aware of the value in asking questions to stay in relationship and to gain a deeper understanding of the being I have this connection with. This was also a powerful practice in using full sensory awareness to stay present to the interaction as it was proceeding.

Looking back at it, I am really surprised at what a profound exercise this was.

[Melanie]

I am currently participating in a 30 day sit area challenge. I have time set aside each morning to practice, and if my morning gets away from me, I have so far been successful in setting aside time at night. My sit areas are my front porch and a wooded area adjacent to the land we live on. Both are easily accessible and quiet. I traveled to a beloved spot this weekend and was able to sit in a couple of areas on that land, and this week, I have in mind to go to another secret spot that is nearby. This secret spot is on land that surrounds a reservoir and has a small brook running through it. In the past, I have not been near the water, but I now intend to find secluded spot near the brook. This sit area challenge has solidified a practice I started when I did a forest bathing program last year. It also gives me ample opportunity to integrate with my earth-based spiritual practices, which help me to connect with the elements in an even deeper way. Loving this!

[Melanie]

I find this practice to be very grounding and expansive. When we finally sink into the 360 listening and focus on the silence in between the sounds, my surroundings feel lighter and more accessible. As I become more adept at sinking into this awareness, I can see how it will keep me present to whatever is going on around me, even if that is uncomfortable at times. That presence gives me tons of space and is invaluable in informing how I respond to my circumstances.

[Melanie]

This practice was a little hard to get started with. I had trouble making my movements a “trigger”, as I think of a trigger as something that is disruptive, and since I am always moving, I don’t think of it that way. I finally decided to take note of my triggers (a timer, brushing my teeth, spending time in my garden) and then integrate the FSA into my slower movements. Semantics aside, it’s been a great practice for me, and I’ve been able to drop into this heightened state of awareness at many different times to help me connect more deeply with whatever is going in my surroundings. Excellent tool!

[Melanie]

I wandered around the very small flower bed in my front yard and took the time to look closely at the flowers and all the activity of the bees and other insects that is taking place right now. I so appreciated their dance with the flowers of the plants! I notice that I have a do have an different sense around different trees in our yard, and it is largely based on my visual perception of them. I would very much like to learn to feel the different trees based on my other senses! I suppose it is not as hard as I am making it in my head–realizing that I need to stay in my body to practice this more. I love practicing the contact experience! It imparts peace and groundedness.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Melanie.

[Melanie]

I spent a lot more time with this practice, and I am really impressed with how it helps me to integrate more fully with my surroundings. It has been my morning meditation for several weeks, and I am still working to utilize the practice at other times, such as when I am walking to and from work or when I am out hiking. I feel a sense of actually “being nature” rather than just being an observer.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 3 months ago by  Melanie.

[Melanie]

I’ve been practicing this for a couple of weeks now. When I started, it was very easy to get distracted by any little movement. Gradually, I started being more aware of my tendency to bring every little movement into focus to find out what it was, then get lost in continuing to follow the activity. Over the course of time, I came to find that as I was more familiar with the movements that were normal activity, it was easier to pick out the movements that were less ordinary. What an incredible practice! It feels like I am honing that particular skill and at the same time, I am noticing that I have more opportunity to relax into the awareness that takes place at the most basic level of the practice.

[Melanie]

Surround sound listening is similar to what I practiced during forest bathing in the past, and I have thoroughly enjoyed resurrecting these sessions. The birdsong right now is over-the-top joyful, and I am noticing how grounded and even-tempered I have been feeling since starting the daily practice last week. The challenge for me will be to stay in my body and start making connections to what I am hearing and see if it affects me in more specific ways.