June 9,
In everything I do, I strive for deepening my sensory and spiritual experience. I’m pretty sure you do too!
I’ve picked up on some techniques from John Muir Laws (his real name!) through his Laws Guide to Nature Journaling. Two years ago, I launched a program at the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Visitor Center to provide a platform to practice what I’m learning.
Notice and Wonder is now a frequent listing in the Park’s Interpretive Schedule. In it, I offer five simple techniques to
- observe more closely,
- remember what we see, and
- stimulate questions for further consideration.
Visitors love the deepening experience! And, I get to enjoy a couple hours of pure delight doing it, fulfilling my mission of enticing people to come outside and invigorate our hearts and minds, deepening our connection with nature and ourselves.
One of my challenges with Nature Journaling is having supplies on hand when I’m out. Cumbersome notebooks and pencils get left behind! As a backpacker, all of my gear has to be lightweight! I’m happy to report that on this week’s trip to Big Sur I had something that worked! A tiny bag with tiny pencils and a stack of tiny papers to draw and paint on. Oh, and one fine ink pen!
The tiny papers limited my focus to a small part of the expansive landscape to focus my attention. John Muir Laws calls this a landscapito.
I’m so impressed with myself for doing ten landscapitos on the trip! Here are two favs:
These tiny watercolors are valuable, not for what they are, but for what they do for me: deepen my observation, strengthen my body memory of my nature experience, and stimulate questions to consider!
What practices for deepening do you have? If there’s one you teach & want to share, by all means tell me about it!
If there’s a practice you wish you were doing more, tell me that too! We can support each other in doing it!
And, here’s another question! If I offered a virtual week of sharing Nature Journaling techniques with supplies included, coaching and support, would you consider it? Reply to this email and say yes or no!
To your deepening!
In joy,
Regina
Hi, Regina. Thank you for your blogs. I enjoy reading them. This past weekend I was at a conference for the Religious Society of Friends. On Saturday afternoon I recognized i had been in my head too much & got out on the trail to get into my body! When i got back one of my friends looked at me & said I looked energized!