26 September 2024
Autumn Wonder Walk
Mindfulness Outdoors Experiences
Thank you!
Thank you all for spending this special time together on our Woodland Mindfulness Walk at Castlecomer Discovery Park. The threshold of autumn was alive in the space between wind, rain, sun and cloud.
As we took time to practice increasing our awareness and connection with ourselves, each other and the natural world, we enjoyed space for quiet, deep mindful listening and compassionate sharing:
- We honoured the movement into autumn days in the outer landscape as the changing leaves showed us the beauty of change. We aligned with the seasonal shift and invited a pause to acknowledge intentions. In a world that often demands we stay the same all year, it can be difficult to let of spring/summer vitality and allow in the natural shift inward and downward. At this time of year we might ask the questions
- how do we find the ways to nourish ourself as the fall of autumn reaches us?
- what has nourished us this summer?
- and what old way of being can be left behind so that a new way of being may be taken on?
- After wandering with intentions and pausing to notice the vibrant seeds and leaves of the native Spindle tree, we took time for some body warm ups on the green. Surround and held by a host of native trees, we also practised mindful breathing, grounding and gratitude as we entered this land that many more-than-human beings call home, and acknowledged our ‘visitor’ status.
- With mindful walking, we ‘sauntered’ and ‘savoured’ with the senses. Letting a different sense be an anchor for our attention as we moved into the evergreen woodland. Nature as mirror to our everyday life. Opening to welcome all sounds, allowing those less pleasant to inspire us to embrace it all – the delights and the difficulties. To stay curious to the raw sounds as they move and change, our thoughts and experiences also and to look to ‘AWE’ -and what else? can I notice alongside this sound that is dominating my attention? Then exploring sight – patterns, zooming in and widening out. The choices we have in how to pay attention.
- We continued to drop our disturbance and increase our awareness with a shared silent walk, pausing for some hiking with hands moments, Each touch, each step an arriving and a return to our home of the present moment.
- With some fox-walking, we moved into our ‘sit spot’ amidst ancient rocks below and winged creatures all around. We cultivated a collective and deepening stillness, as we opened to the movement all around,
- We regrouped to sit together, under the droplets of autumn mists, sharing stories of our morning experiences of slowing down Closing with seasonal words from Brigit Anna McNeill. We offered compassionate witnessing to difficult moments, noticing the time it takes to allow ourselves to drop into being. How we need to support each other in making time, supporting a culture of collective self-care that can be available in short moments of sensory pauses.
- We closed our time together with gratitude, honouring connections strengthened today and appreciation for each other and all who
Sharing here the poems and words I included on the day.
Feedback is also welcome on your experience of our time together. You can click on the button below to bring you to an online form where data is gathered anonymously.
With much joy and gratitude for a special time together. May this morning serve you well and inspire your future wanders outdoors.
Breathe
Autumn from Brigit Anna McNeill
As nature swirls around us, the effects are felt within us.
As being soft nature, we cannot help but be touched and moved somehow, to feel the whispering, the call of each season’s song in our bones.
Autumn is her, breathing her poems, her stories over everything, reminding all of what they need to do, of the space she is creating so life can be more easeful, should you choose to take notice.
This time of fall, of autumn, is a time when we are being called to shed what no longer serves us.
To start to go inwards and explore what needs to be sacrificed on the altar of autumn; so we can rest more fully in winter; so we can step further more upright in spring.
And if you take notice, you will see looking around at nature, how all that we shed, all that we allow to drop away, will become rich compost for the seeds we wish to plant.
For should we choose to look deeply, at what would serve to let go, we will learn lessons, we will choose ourselves, as our grip loosens and the unbecoming begins. Creating room and nourishment for the becoming.
