Nurtured by Nature

Welcome to the July Mindful Mama Carnival: Mindfulness and Nature

This post was written for inclusion in the Mindful Mama Carnival hosted by Becoming Crunchy and TouchstoneZ. This month our participants have shared their experiences of mindfulness and the natural world. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

***

I remember spending countless hours outside as a child.  Bike riding, playing tag, roaming through the woods, catching various bugs and tiny fish in the creek. My time outside looks much different now that I’m an adult…but I enjoy watching my kids do all those things I mentioned above.

I started a garden at the beginning of summer. I have plants and flowers on my front porch. And a house plant hanging by the window in the living room.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed tending to my garden(I’ve always wanted to say that).

Every morning I go out front to see how the flowers and plants are doing. Then I head around back to see how the garden is growing. Touching them, smelling the flowers, watering them all.
Sometimes I sit outside knitting or reading while the kids play.

I notice the different types of gardens when we’re out driving. Can’t seem to go into a store without making a stop in their garden center lately.
There’s so much that can be done…I may not get to it all this summer and that’s ok.

You know how I love the beach, and sadly we’ve only been a few times since the weather really warmed up. I am in love with the sound of the waves crashing. Digging my bare feet into the sand Staring out into the ocean thinking about the continents that are on the other side. My ultimate happy place.

I also really enjoy looking at the sky and taking pictures of the different scenes it puts on display.

Remember lying on the ground and watching the clouds drift by…making out animals, dolls, or food in the shapes of the clouds?

When was the last time you sat in the dark and made out as many constellations that you could? The Moon, Venus, and Mars showed off recently this past Spring.

Doing these things makes me feel like I have this connection with past centuries of men and women.
It just makes me feel good!

Being in touch with nature is definitely nurturing to this mamas soul.

***

Visit The Mindful Mama Homepage to find out how you can participate in the next Mindful Mama Carnival!

On Carnival day, please follow along on Twitter using the handy #MindMaCar hashtag. You can also subscribe to the Mindful Mama Twitter List and Mindful Mama Participant Feed.
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

• Zen and the Art of Raising Chickens Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction has found a connection to nature in her very own backyard, thanks to her chickens.
• Healing Gemstones and Crystals for Children Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama discusses which genstones and crystals are best used by children to support physical, emotional, and/or spiritual healing.
• A Gardener’s Meditation Andrea at Tales of Goodness shares how she finds peace and renewal through gardening.
• Weeding My Thoughts Amanda at Let’s Take the Metro discusses how nature keeps her in the moment and stops her endless stream of thoughts.
• Grounded in Nature Rani at OmSheSaid shares her walk in nature, and through expressive words, shares this journey to coming home.
• Embracing the Magic of Moonlit Nights Lucy at Dreaming Aloud shares ways to embrace the magic of moonlit nights with your children and as a woman.
• Meditation for a Mindful Mama Alinka at Baby Web guides you through her research on the science of meditation, its numerous benefits, and presents to you a life changing meditation exercise.
• The Wild Within Naturemummy at Motherhood: My Latest Adventure reflects on the soothing qualities of wild places.
• Nature’s Lessons in Mindfulness Tat at Mum in Search wants to bring the same mindfulness that comes so easily in nature to her relationships.
• On Manicured Nature: We Roam in Small Spaces Featherstory at The Aniweda Dream shares her gratitude for her limited natural settings and her plans to expand her children’s experience with the natural world.
• Garden (Time Out) Meditation Do you ever need a time out for yourself? Amy at Anktangle finds that during a difficult parenting moment, taking pause to spend a few minutes outside is just the thing she needs to be able to experience renewed patience, focus, and energy.
• Nature Makes Me a Better Mother Terri at Child of the Nature Isle could not imagine parenting without Mother Nature.
• The Healing Power of Sunshine Karen at Playful Planet shares her experiences of reneweal in the natural world.
• Natural History Kenna at A Million Tiny Things gets out into nature, 200 years ago, and isn’t sure she likes it there.
• Nurtured by Nature Darcel at The Mahogany Way shares with us how being in nature helps her feel centered and connected.
• Mindfulness and Nature Zoie at TouchstoneZ explores the connection between mindfulness and the natural world.
• A Sense of Awe and Wonder Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares the feeling she never fails to get from the natural world and how it guides her to the mindfulness she craves.