Listening to Nature

Listening to Nature.

My own story of listening to the longing goes back to when I was 13 years old and my Father died. I felt so alone then and had no one to talk to about this loss. I learned to listen to the trees and the fireflies and the birds, as I spent time outside longing to talk to my Father and connect with him; longing to have someone to talk to. I learned to listen to myself, and from this experience, decided to become a social worker so that I could help other young people who had experienced loss and who needed someone to talk to. This started a long love of listening, not that I have always been perfect at listening to my inner wisdom and longings. At times I forget, but usually after a short time, I am drawn back to the wisdom of listening and find my center again.

My love of Nature, and the awareness of how being in Nature can calm and soothe me and how it did soothe me through the time of grief in my adolescent years changed me forever. I knew the power of Nature and the healing that could happen there, because I experienced it.

It has always been my passion to bring this awareness to others, and have young people and adults feel connected to Nature and the healing that can happen there.

In most of my programs, we spend a large amount of time outside meeting in a circle for sharing and teachings. Then each participant is given an invitation to walk with a question or intention and find a place in Nature that is alluring and inviting, and spend time there observing Nature, their mind, their body and the interrelatedness of everything. The participant is invited to journal, meditate, daydream, basically follow their own inner compass and observe what comes up for them as they do this. Most people return with a sense of calm and peace, maybe an “AHA” moment, and some greater insight about themselves and their life.

Charlene Ray Blog Categories: Inspiration, Life Transitions, Nature Therapy, Poetry, Soul Wisdom, Transformation