BellaOnline Forums Religion and Spirituality Spirituality Summer is Here - Connecting with Nature and Self

Today is the first day of summer. Now that we have the warm weather and the beauty of the season upon us, it is hard to stay indoors. Interacting with nature helps us to connect with the world around us, and in turn helps us to connect with our selves.

Many like to hike, bike, play tennis, play volleyball, waterski, swim, and more. There are also more relaxing activities to bond with nature such as taking a walk, bird watching, gardening, cooking outside, and sitting with a good book or beverage in hand to listen to the sounds of the wildlife, enjoy the flowers and plants, and to just "be".

What do you like doing in the summer that lifts your spirit and helps you to feel connected with the natural world around you?

I spent a nice time outside in the early evening yesterday. The sun was going down and the air was cool and fresh. I sat on my deck swing with my two dogs, and I listened to the birds and watched them fly by. It was very peaceful to be out in nature, to just "be" and to feel like everything around me was doing the same.

Gardening puts me in touch with the summer seasons. Also yard work, going on walks, and doing crafts outdoors.

I am like you. I love walks, gardening, and other yard work. And sometimes it truly is work, but I do feel good afterwards even if I am tired. There is just something invigorating about being in fresh air with natural things. It feeds the soul.

Yes! It feels useful, and that can balance out intellectual or spiritual work, which sometimes seems to stretch out indefinitely with no results in sight!

I love to visit water parks in summer. Do meditation in the garden area.

That sounds lovely, Jennie, and so relaxing.

I love meditating and sitting above the bluffs at Laguna Beach. It is a slight drive for me but so worth it.

I also love to open my windows in the morning and greet my beautiful lemon, avocado and orange trees! They exhale such an exquisite fragrance and lovely oxygen!

Definitely hiking Debbie, there is nothing like it for feeling at one with Nature. It is so interactive - the breeze on your face, the earth beneath your feet, the warmth of the sun, the sounds of leaves rustling, birds singing, creatures in the undergrowth. So long as the weather is fine, my husband and I go hiking on Sundays and I invariably return home feeling totally renewed.

Thank you Lori and Isabel for sharing your experiences with nature. Being outdoors is indeed cleansing and refreshing. It is a wonderful gift.

I spent a considerable amount of time outside yesterday because the heat and humidity finally broke for a few days. So I go out there to clean out the shed, and I also removed dead flowers and leaves from the flower bed. Everything looks tidy and I feel like I accomplished something. Plus I got a chance to enjoy the birds, bees, and dragonflies. I even saw a chirping baby bird as it waited for its mother to come feed it.

Being outside for most of the day made me feel peaceful and grateful well into the night. The day was a good one for me because I had a good connection with nature and my self. I love working outside, especially in the garden. It is more like play than work.