Spend Time
in the Natural World
Spending time in the natural world, experiencing its beauty, peacefulness, power, and sacredness will help you to increase the amount of coziness you experience on a daily basis. Being outside is good for the soul. It brings you back to your spiritual roots and makes you feel part of a much bigger world and an even greater universe. It helps you to open your eyes to things you may have avoided or been blind to before. Make time to become cozy in nature and bring those feelings back with you when you return to your home. In this chapter, we’ll discuss the importance of reconnecting with nature and how it relates to finding that sense of coziness. As a reminder, Shinrin-yoku, the practice of forest bathing in Japan, is one form of this kind of practice. Other coziness practices in nature include friluftsliv in Norway and uitwaaien in the Netherlands (see Chapter One).
Connect with Nature
Connecting with nature is essential to living a cozy life. The more you can appreciate the world you live in, the simplicity yet complexity of the forests, mountains, oceans, and other ecosystems around the world, the more in tune you’ll be with your reality on the earthly plane of existence. Because we are intrinsically part of nature itself, it only makes sense that it connects deeply with us on a soul level. When we can get in tune with nature, we can get more in tune with ourselves.
Going outside and doing activities in nature is a choice that only you can make. Some people love the outdoors and spend as much time outside as possible. Other people prefer staying inside. Even if you’re the inside type, finding some time to be outside (other than walking to and from your car) will be advantageous to you. There are many benefits to being outside instead of staying stuck in the house day after day. Being outside improves our mental health and reduces our stress levels. There’s just something about breathing in a deep breath of clean air that helps ground and center us. The negative ions in the air that are found in the mountains and around bodies of water help to calm us, making it easier to connect to our spiritual selves to balance and center our essential core essence. Being outside helps us let go of angry feelings and replace them with feelings of serenity. Doing activities in the sun gives us healthy doses of vitamin D (just make sure you’re protecting your skin against the sun’s harmful UV rays at the same time).
In the summer, if you enjoy running, swimming, or other outdoor activities, you’ll find that doing them helps you feel more alive and more in tune with yourself. You’ll also have a higher level of awareness of the world around you. If you’re not accustomed to being outside, start with short periods of time and then work up to more. Short walks are a good way to get started. You might decide to plant a garden, do yoga outside, or visit a playground and swing on the swing set. To prevent falling into a routine that might become boring and easy to quit doing, change your activities from day to day. If you swim at the beach one day, then the next day go for a hike. Wintertime brings other exciting outside activities like skiing, snowshoeing, or ice skating. Do what you enjoy regardless of the season and you’ll be able to make it a lifelong change.
While it’s fun to do things outside with other people, to deepen your spiritual connection, make sure you do things in nature by yourself, just to spend time communing at a soul level with the feel of the wind on your face, as in the Dutch practice of uitwaaien (see Chapter One), the sand between your toes, the way the ocean breeze coats your skin with a layer of salt, or the way fog feels like a cool mist against your skin. When you’re with other people, you’ll often spend time talking and miss the little things about nature that provides for that deep, spiritual connection. Find a place to sit down and quietly become one with the natural world around you in mind, body, and spirit. As you sit there, let your mind empty of thoughts and ask your higher self to tell you things that you need to know about your spiritual path. Try not to ask about specific problems but instead ask for guidance on a larger scale. You can apply what you learn to the specific problems later.
Rainy Days
South Florida weather can change in the blink of an eye. Since I live in a tropical climate, it’s not unusual for it to be pouring rain across the street and we’re dry as can be. Some days we get a day long drizzle, which is nice, or sometimes it’ll downpour for hours, and then everything floods. Some of us have to work in the rain, myself included, and sometimes getting drenched is good for the soul. Just make sure you’re not outside in the middle of a lightning storm. Safety should always be your first priority.
Rain is essential for all life. It cleans everything, it gives the earth the moisture it needs so that plants can grow, and rainwater is still caught in many places around the world for drinking water. Doing something constructive on rainy days is a way to embrace cozy living and the joy found in doing something you’ve been putting off or spending time inside with family or friends. Rainy days are often times of great productivity, of immense relaxation by pampering yourself, or of trying something new. You might have people over for a hygge event of watching a movie marathon or to binge-watch a television show on demand.
Have you ever paid attention to the smell of the air after a rain shower or thunderstorm? It smells fresh and makes you feel calm and relaxed. The reason this happens is because the air is filled with negative ions, which have a positive effect on us. Negative ions can help relieve stress, boost our mood, feel more alert, and give us more energy. Negative ions are also found at the beach, in mountain mist, around waterfalls, and in the morning dew. That’s why these places are often vacation destinations. They are relaxing, peaceful, and instill a sense of well-being within you because you’re in the presence of negative ions. They are also known to purify the air, kill bacteria, and stimulate plant growth.
On the other hand, positive ions have the opposite effect and make you feel ill, grumpy, aggravated, and in a bad mood. When earthquakes or other natural disasters happen, there are positive ions in the air prior to the event and the uneasy feelings that they cause make animals flee the areas before the event takes place. Electronics, like our computers and cell phones, produce positive ions. With the abundance of positive ions around us in our society, it’s a good idea to expose yourself to negative ions routinely. You could get a negative ion generator for your home to help balance out the positive ions created by your electronic devices, computers, and televisions.
What kind of things can you do on a rainy day? In Norway, they practice koselig (see Chapter One), which is coziness without borders, so anything you do can add to the coziness in your life. A rainy day is a perfect time to enjoy a koselig day. When I was young, my favorite thing to do was stand in the yard and spin around, arms opened wide, and laugh in the rain. Sometimes I still do this. It’s a great stress reliever. Other days, I cozy up with a blanket and a bowl of popcorn and watch a movie. Rainy days are great for relaxing or doing things you don’t take the time to do on a regular basis. You can choose to be productive and get a lot of cleaning and organizing done in your house, or you can have a home spa day for yourself. Open a window and let the negative ions flood into your home to get an extra positive boost from nature itself.
Gardening for the
Mind, Body, and Spirit
I grew up on a farm where every summer we planted a huge garden that consisted of tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, onions, strawberries, okra, watermelons, cantaloupes, cabbage, corn, string beans, squash, lettuce, and butter beans. We had apple trees and grape vines, too. Some of my fondest memories are of making apple juice with a manual press, except for the yellow jackets, who also loved the apple juice–making process. As a kid on a farm, gardening was a fun way to pass the time, digging in the dirt and planting the seeds, tending the garden for weeds while feeling the sun on your back, and then harvesting the food.
Gardening is easy to do, is healthy for your body because you’re moving, and helps to quiet your mind so you can contemplate things. Gardening calms you, brings a sense of peacefulness within even if you’ve had a very hectic day, and gives you something you can control, even if the rest of your life feels out of control. You’ll be proud of your accomplishments in growing and tending to a garden. It’s a living thing that needs your attention, and when you give it, the garden will flourish and you’ll reap the benefits from your effort. You can also grow small indoor gardens of herbs and spices to add to the food you’ve grown and stored.
Not only does gardening help your mind, body, and spirit but it can also save you money when you freeze or can the food you grew. Organic food is expensive at the grocery store, so the savings can be considerable. Food you’ve grown yourself also has a richer taste than what you usually find in the store. Strawberries are a great example. When you grow your own strawberries, they’ll be a vibrant red throughout, taste sweet, and, well, you could just eat them for days if you like strawberries. To find them like this in the store is a rare occurrence where I live. Usually the strawberry is white on the inside and red on the outside. This happens to many fruits and vegetables because they are harvested before they’re really ripe so they don’t spoil too quickly. Eating food you’ve grown also leads to a healthier diet and lifestyle.
Looking out over your garden from somewhere in your house or from your porch is oftentimes just as calming and relaxing as getting out there and digging in the dirt tending it. You get to watch the plants as they grow, to see a section of your yard change from what at first appears to be just bare dirt into an area flourishing with plant life. The natural beauty of a garden can brighten your mood, and it can give you a feeling of coziness and of being settled and grounded.
Creating a raised garden bed has also become popular. If you have back or knee issues, this could be the perfect way for you to still reap the benefits of gardening without putting stress on your knees and back. Whatever method you choose for your garden, you’ll experience the mind, body, and spiritual benefits that come with planting, growing, and harvesting your own food. And if you have more than what you need, you could also donate it to others or sell it at the local farmer’s market.
Bringing the Outside In
There’s nothing quite like bringing the natural world inside your home. Not only does this add a tremendous amount of hominess and coziness to your life, but it connects you with the natural world without your having to leave the house. This is especially helpful in the winter months when it’s difficult to move around outside due to inclement weather. There are so many ways you can bring the outside in that I honestly don’t know where to start. So, I’ll tell you some of my favorite ways to do it and let that be your starting point. Then you can turn on your creativity and find even more ways to create a natural atmosphere inside your home.
Bringing plants inside is a great way to add the natural world to your daily living space. Plants not only add oxygen to your home but they are lovely to look at, require minimal upkeep, and looking at them gives you a feeling of peacefulness.
If you like to collect things when on nature walks, you can create art with your findings and use them to decorate your home. Seashells, dried leaves, cool-looking pieces of wood, rocks, and any other items found in nature that you feel will make a good decoration for your individual space are great to use. The patterns, colors, and designs all add to the overall sense of coziness within your home. If you want to go for bigger items, large round stumps can be varnished and placed around your home so people can sit on them, you can bring a large tree inside, or, if you’re constructing your home, build your home around the trees on your property. This gives your living space a one-of-a-kind flair. Or maybe you’d like to use a natural slab or rock for a sink or a bathtub made out of stone, wood, or even crystal. Granted a crystal bathtub is nearly a million dollars, but wouldn’t that be cool to bathe in?
When you’re decorating, consider using natural wood flooring or creating a wall out of stones and rocks. A staircase built around the trunk of an old tree adds a sense of coziness, uniqueness, and charm instead of just having a regular flight of stairs in the house. Using natural light by having lots of windows is a great way to bring the outside in as well. I think my favorite idea by far, though, is having a large skylight above your bed so you could fall asleep while looking at the night sky. I can’t tell you how many times, as a kid, I’d lie on a blanket in the yard at night while watching for shooting stars and end up falling asleep outside.
For the wall decorations, you might choose a variety of sizes of framed photographs. These can be as large as a wall or a small 3 x 5 image. Paintings on canvases also work. It’s your preference as to which one you’d like to use. Or you could put paintings in one room and photography in another. Wallpaper that depicts images of the woods, the beach, or the mountains is a way to offer feelings of inspiration to anyone who looks at the wall. Photography is a wonderful way to show different areas around the world, to bring the peacefulness of the mountains or the beauty of the ocean into a location where you can view it daily, especially if you don’t live near either place. Any way you can bring the outside in will help you live a cozier, calmer, and happier life.
The Energy of the Natural World
Energy exists all around us. It is in every person, place, and thing. It runs through the rivers and streams, it is in the air and part of the earth, sky, and stars. It exists in our galaxy and beyond. It is in the spiritual realm, in our minds, and part of our dreams. Energy is everywhere. To live in the coziness of the natural world, you have to be able to connect to its energy and feel it as a living presence. To do this you have to go outside, preferably to a forest, the beach, or somewhere that has a lot of plant life, where it is quiet and you can be alone. Then begin by noticing the little details in the natural area around you. What do you see? Are there boulders nearby? Do you feel compelled to sit on them? What do you hear? Maybe the babbling of a brook, the cry of a hawk, or something that is rustling around in the leaves on the forest floor? What do you smell? Maybe you smell rain, the dankness of the forest floor, the scent of pine, or an indescribable freshness in the air. And lastly what do you feel? Does the area make you feel happy, refreshed, peaceful, or contemplative?
Now, using your intuition, reach out to the area and see what kind of information you can pick up by sending out your thoughts to the various things around you and see if you receive a response back. You might feel strange asking intuitive questions from a mountain, but if you get a thought back that helps you move in the right direction, then say thank you. When you can feel a connection to the energy of the things that live in the natural area, whether it’s a plant, an animal, or an inanimate object like a rock, then you’re moving forward and progressing toward a deeper spiritual connection to the natural area you’re in. If you also decide to try to obtain a more complex and even deeper level of understanding, then try visiting the same area over and over again to see what kind of new impressions you receive each time you visit. Oftentimes, you’ll experience deeper connections to the energy of the place.
The energy of the natural world can help you in ways you might not expect. If you’ve been having problems sleeping, spending some time in nature helps soothe you at a soul level, which brings about a better night’s sleep. In Norway, friluftsliv means “free air life” and it is a practice that says being present in nature is good for the mind, body, and spirit, which helps you on all levels including sleep (see Chapter One). If you participate in hikes or other physical activities, these will also help you sleep because you’ve expended your energy in the energy of nature.
One exercise I like to do when I’m in nature is to take the time to breathe in its energy. I first sense the essence of the place intuitively, then I breathe it in, allowing it to fill my entire body, not just my lungs, by imagining it flowing all through me when I inhale. I keep this energy inside me as I exhale, and then bring more in during the next inhalation. Imagining my body filled to overflowing with the energy of the natural world restores balance and positivity within me. This is an especially good exercise to do if I’m upset, angry, or frustrated. The negative emotions just vanish even though I’m not trying to send them away on an exhale. Try this exercise the next time you’re in nature to see how it works for you.
Try It Now Exercise
Being aware of your breathing is a common way to connect to mindfulness, especially in the natural world. You can control your breathing, increase or decrease it as you desire, and when you’re mindfully aware of your breathing, you’re not focusing on anything else.
When I was a kid, I saw a show on television that talked about someone who could slow down their breathing until it looked like they weren’t breathing at all. Well, as a kid I thought this would be a really cool thing to try to do. So I started practicing. I’d lie down on my bed and become very aware of how often I took a breath. I timed myself for a minute, counting to sixty by saying one Mississippi, two Mississippi, and so on. Then I would raise a finger every time I took a breath until I ran out of fingers then I would lower them one by one with each breath. Once I figured out how many breaths I took in a minute, then I started trying to slow down my breathing and making it shallower. In the end, I got the number of breaths down to about six in a minute. I didn’t know it then, but I was using mindfulness to become aware of my breathing and to alter the way it happened. I never could accomplish my goal of looking like I wasn’t breathing at all though.
For this exercise, you can try my little experiment above if you want, but I’d also like for you to do another exercise as well. Find a comfortable chair, couch, or bed or sit outside beside a tree and lean against its trunk. Now take a deep breath. Feel your lungs expand and your chest move outward. Using mindfulness, become very focused on the air coming in through your nose and leaving through your mouth. Don’t push the air out, just let it flow from you. If you’re outside, notice how the air and earth smells as you inhale and exhale. Now inhale deeply again. And exhale. Do this several times until you feel in sync with your breathing. On the next breath, imagine the air traveling through your entire body, not just your lungs. Consider how this feels to you. Does it make you feel tingly all over? Maybe it has a calming effect on your limbs and they now feel heavier and more relaxed. Notice the sensations the inhalation has on your body but don’t dwell on it. Continue breathing in and out slowly. Now I want you to give your breathing the purpose of making you relax. Feel your body getting heavier with each exhale. Keep doing this until you’re completely at ease and feel peacefulness all around you.
Now I’d like for you to give your breathing the intention of lifting you up, giving your body energy as you come back to an awakened state. Gradually increase the pace of your breathing until your inhalations are closer and closer together. By the time you’re back to a fully alert stage, your breathing will be like you’re panting. Mindfully increasing the pace of your breathing is very energizing and will make your awareness tingle. Open your eyes and take one long breath in and one long exhale out. Do this three times. This exercise is equivalent to taking a power nap. You’ll feel energized for the rest of the day but very calm inside.
Spiritual Growth through Nature
As spiritual beings, we crave the connection to the spiritual realm, the calm, cozy feeling of complete and unconditional love that we feel when we exist in spirit. One of the ways to achieve this feeling is to find ways we can grow spiritually through nature. Spiritual growth means to become more aware of your own inner essence, to understand your own spiritual truths, to connect to your core life purpose, and to share your light with the world. When you’re living within your own spirituality, then your life becomes more simplistic and cozy.
While you’re searching for your spiritual truths, spending time in nature can help you attune quickly to the truth within your soul. There’s just something about looking at a huge snow-capped mountain or the vastness of the ocean that puts life in perspective. You may feel small in comparison, but your energy, your core essence, is just as big and just as inspiring. When you look in a mirror can you see the universe in your eyes? It’s there—you just have to connect with its energy.
When you’re growing spiritually, you’ll examine what you believe in and why you believe the way you do. If you spend time in nature contemplating your beliefs, the stillness of nature can help you to see your belief system clearly. Sitting quietly on a rock or tree stump and thinking about why you’re on the planet while hearing the flutter of leaves in the wind can really strike a chord within you. Examine if your beliefs are aiding your spiritual growth or if they are holding you back. Do they flow as freely as the wind through the pines or do you feel blocked? Do you have ideas you’re unsure about or that you’re questioning?
If your beliefs are helping you grow spiritually, then you’re on the right track. If they’re raising questions that help you sort through your beliefs, then you’re still on the right track. But if your beliefs aren’t serving the purpose of helping you grow as an individual and in spirit but are instead holding you back because they’re fear-based beliefs someone else has placed upon you, then now is the time to reexamine them and decide if you should let them go or change them in some way.
There is a magical quality about being outside at sunrise, at sunset, or at night with millions of stars twinkling overhead. These are excellent times to connect with your inner spirit, expand your ideals, or consider new paths to venture down, all while watching the majestic beauty of the world around you. Quite simply, being in nature helps you think. It gives your mind what it needs to settle down, to quit working overtime for just a few moments and to just be one with the world, breathing the fresh air and feeling the elements of nature all around you. Experience friluftsliv (see Chapter One) to its fullest.
As you spend time contemplating your own spirituality while in nature, take the time to really look around you and notice nature. Pay attention to the insects, plants, animals, smells, and the way you feel about all of the things you see. Each time you’re in nature, look for something new and contemplate how this could be a message for you to use in your everyday life. The amount of spiritual growth you can achieve by spending time in nature is unlimited. Spend as much time as you need to reach the level of spiritual growth you’d like to achieve in life.
The Allure of Being in the Forest
Have you ever considered why the forest has such a fascination for a lot of people? Being in the woods, deep in a forest, has a mysterious power that we’re drawn to. Maybe this comes from days gone by in the history ofour species when humans lived, hunted, and survived deep in the forest. Not everyone would choose to live in the woods, although many people do. For some, they’re used to living in towns and cities because it’s easier to find work so they can support themselves. Even if you live and work in the city, taking time to visit a forest can give you a new perspective, and then you may begin to feel drawn to being in nature more. Even for those who don’t enjoy a stroll through the woods, if you connect spiritually and intuitively, then you can learn from the energy of the woods. I believe we’re drawn to the forest because it touches us deep inside at a primal level, connecting Earth to Spirit and Spirit to Earth. It is the essence of home, of what is natural to this planet. It is the adventurer within us that seeks to discover the secrets of the woods. It is a pathway to the spiritual, to the divine, if we’d only sit, listen, and learn from the energy that is within. This may be why the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, “forest bathing,” (see Chapter One) is gaining in popularity.
The forest is a living thing, one of purity, simplicity, honesty, and love. How can you get all of this from plants and trees? It’s more than that—it’s the spirit of the place that embraces these emotions, and when you’re connected with that spirit in your own core being, then you can carry these feelings and anything you’ve learned from the experience back home with you. Being in the forest creates feelings of belonging to something bigger than yourself. In fact, I know that being in the forest really makes me feel small and humble when I consider myself in the grand scheme of the universe.
Some people dislike the forest because they are afraid of it. For these people, the allure of the forest isn’t there, but it could be if they’d take a moment to give it a try. The forest is often depicted as a place of evil in movies. It’s a place where insects, reptiles, and big animals live; there’s dirt that smells weird, spiderwebs, and, well, the list could go on and on if someone was looking for an excuse not to try a walk in the woods. These types of fears can prevent people from experiencing the beauty of the forest and the spiritual connections that can be made there.
One thing I want to mention is, if you decide to take a walk in the forest, don’t just grab your hat and go. Make some preparations to ensure your safety and well-being. Always let someone know where you’re going and approximately how long you expect to be gone. Take your cell phone and a backup battery and turn on your GPS so you can be found easily if you get turned around. If you don’t have a smartphone with GPS then learn how to read a compass and carry one with you. Make sure you also take plenty of water, a watch, and some snacks. It’s easy to get turned around in the forest, and even the most avid forest-goers take these precautions to ensure that if they do get lost, they can be found easily.
The Spirit of Animals
If you’re spending time in the forest and in nature, you’re sure to come across animals during your explorations. Communing and communicating with animals you encounter can help you achieve a greater depth of understanding of the animal kingdom and also lead to spiritual growth.
Animals often come to us when they have a message that can help us along our spiritual path. You may have heard them referred to as totem animals, spirit animals, or animal spirit guides. I call them energy animals because I work with the animal’s frequency. Being able to connect your frequency with their frequency is a step into the divine. I go into great depth with this topic in my book Animal Frequency. Our connection to the animal kingdom is deep, pure, and spiritual. This is especially true when you hear, feel, or simply know what their message is and what it means in regard to your life. Energy animals often appear when you’re in need of guidance but don’t know where to turn. They’ll deliver their messages through pictures, thoughts, words, or a feeling like the answer has been draped over you like a warm blanket. Acknowledging that animals have feelings, emotions, and messages they can share with you is a way to gain a deeper understanding that all living things are an integral part of the whole Universe.
As you’re spending time in nature, pay particular attention to the animals you encounter. Notice what they’re doing, how they react to your presence, and what you intuitively feel while in their presence. You might encounter a deer on a trail, see a groundhog, or spot some wild turkeys. Birds are plentiful in the forest, so notice their colors, the sound of their songs, and their movement. If they get close and stare at you, they probably have a message for you. You can also receive messages from animals that aren’t around you. If you are sitting quietly in nature and suddenly imagine a beautiful moose walking along the edge of a lake, even though moose don’t live where you’re at and there’s not a lake nearby, then give the moose your inner attention, ask if it has a message for you, and then wait for an answer.
The spirits of animals can come to you at any place and any time. They’ll often come to you in dreams because it’s easier for them to communicate with you when you’re sleeping. When we’re awake, we often put up barriers that block them. If the message is important, they will continue to appear in a variety of ways. You might see an advertisement with the animal in it, then see it on television, there may be mention of it on the radio, or you might encounter it in person. If this happens repeatedly, it’s time for you to really pay attention to that animal and the message it’s trying to convey.
Animals, at their core, are positive creatures that follow their instincts to stay alive. They react to situations in their environments to maintain balance in their world. We can relate to animals, and it is within this connection that we can learn great lessons that can be applied to our own lives.
As you spend time in nature, seek out the animal life. Watch them from afar, send your energy to them, and ask that they connect with you so you may learn from them. The information you receive is often extremely enlightening, is specific to your own situation, and will help you along your spiritual path.
Pick a Power Place
There are many sacred sites around the world that draw people to them every year due to the intense powerful energy associated with the location. Some of these sites have existed since ancient times and are filled with legend and reports of miraculous experiences by those who visit them. Some sites are believed to have healing powers, while others offer energy that aids in spiritual enlightenment and are inspirational. Many are surrounded in intrigue and mystery as to their origin and how the people who lived when they were created were able to accomplish such grand building achievements. These sacred sites are often referred to as power places due to the energy in the area. Stonehenge, Mount Olympus, Machu Picchu, the Pyramids at Giza, Easter Island, Chichén Itzá, and Angkor Wat are some of the most popular sacred sites, but there are thousands throughout the world, millions if you include the unknown but naturally occurring power places in nature.
While many power places are often ancient and are viewed by many people during tours or while they’re on vacation, the powerful energy of the earth can be found at any place where the energy is positive and transformative. You probably have a power place close to where you live. If you’ve ever visited a place and suddenly feel the energy of the area change, then you’re probably in a power place. In this area, the air may feel electrified, you might feel more energized, or you suddenly feel uneasy, lightheaded, or as if the ground beneath your feet is pulsing. I’ve often come across power places while taking walks in the woods. The energy is drawing, as if you must stand in that particular place for a moment, and when you do, you’re overcome with a feeling of calm peace, of heightened awareness, and an increase in your intuition.
If you encounter a power place while in nature, take a few minutes to still your mind. Allow yourself to feel the energy of the place and notice how it is affecting you. Do you feel a chill, goosebumps, or a tingling sensation? This is an indication that you’re connecting to the energy of the place. Feel the energy of the earth as it moves upward from the ground into the air. Notice how the air feels to you. Is it cooler, warmer, and more energized or does it feel calm and balanced? Pay attention to any impressions you receive while in the place. When you feel you’re ready to move on, thank the earth for sharing its energy with you. As you leave a power place, you’ll often feel the change in the energy of the air as you walk out of the vortex of the place’s energy.
Once you’ve felt the energy of a power place, you’ll know what to look for in the future. This is why it’s often a good idea to visit a well-known power place near you just so you can feel how it is different than other places. It’s an awareness you’ll never forget. Once discovered, you can visit the power place anytime you need an energy boost or want to develop your own spirituality through energy work.
Frequency of Seasons
for Spiritual Growth
Spring, summer, fall, and winter—what did you think of when you read each of those words? Each season is associated with specific attributes that are important for the life cycles on Earth. The four seasons each have a unique individual frequency. When I wrote those words, I thought of living in Virginia and watching how the seasons change there. In South Florida, because it’s a tropical climate, you see very little seasonal changes. Sure, we might get a few cold fronts that drop the temperatures to the low 40s but it never gets any colder than that here. I miss the changing of seasons and like to return home when I can to experience them.
The seasons change because of the amount of light we receive from the sun. These changes affect us emotionally, mentally, and physically. For example, it’s harder for us to absorb vitamin D in the winter, which can bring on the blues. But if you choose to connect with the frequency of the seasons, you can bring about spiritual growth for yourself. Let’s take a look at each season to see how we can benefit from connecting with its frequency. While connecting to its energy during the season is more powerful, you can connect to its frequency at any other time of the year as needed too.
Spring is known as a time of rebirth. Animals are born in the spring, plants start to grow again, and the earth turns green with this new life. Flowers bloom, rainbows form after spring showers, and even the rain itself feels fresh, new, and alive. It is a time of transformation from the bleakness of winter to the brightness of spring. The frequency of spring feels like a happy laugh or a quick, playful kiss; it is overflowing with joy, bursting with energy, and it makes you want to smile and dance. Connecting with the energy of spring can help you any time you need to begin a new project, want to kick start a new health regiment, or if you need inspiration.
Summer is a time of getting things done, taking action, and living with abundant energy and positivity. The frequency of summer means that nothing is hidden in the shadows; everything has come to light. The days are longer, hotter, and filled with unlimited possibilities. This is a time to move, to enjoy life to its fullest, to sweat, to sing, to play, and to travel. The frequency of summer is joyful, fun, and exciting. It feels refreshing, as if you dove into a swimming pool on a hot day. It sizzles with possibilities and joy. The frequency of summer can help you finish projects in a timely manner, increase your productivity, and harvest and enjoy the fruits of your labor.
Fall is a time of transition, of letting go, settling, and getting ready to rest. It is a time of reflection, of contemplation, of planning, and of slowing down. Animals are getting ready to hibernate or are stocking up on food for the winter, the leaves on the trees brighten the world with their death, and a chill sneaks into the air. Connecting to the frequency of fall aids you when you’re releasing something from your life to allow something new to come in, when you’re planning and preparing, and when you need to stock up on supplies or get ahead in your work.
Winter is when the earth sleeps. Plants have gone dormant, the animals are hunkered down, and it’s cold, icy, and snowy outside. The wind may blow cold and frigid, and it’s a time to stay inside where you can turn up the heat and enjoy the coziness of hygge (see Chapter One). Winter’s frequency is bold, harsh, and feels strict and strong. It can help you when you’re rebuilding, or when you’re out of balance and need the strength of being grounded to bring you back into balance. It is also a time of family, friends, and comfort around a fire or internally created light. It is celebration in the heart of night. It is the darkness before the light.
Try It Now Exercise
When was the last time you went for a hike or went camping? Usually you’d do these activities during the summer, but you can also enjoy a hike during the winter even if you’re not camping. For this exercise, consider doing it during the summer months or choose an outdoor winter activity prevalent in your area.
It’s been years since I’ve been camping, but I remember going like it was yesterday. The sound of the water lapping against the shore of the nearby lake, the whisper of the wind through the trees, the sound of crickets, night birds, and owls that lulled me to sleep inside of a great big red tent. Camping is a great way to get back to nature, to reconnect to your spiritual self, and to experience the joy of the forest. Whether hiking or camping, when you’re around a lot of trees you’ll breathe in more oxygen, which helps your overall health and makes you feel happier and less stressed. You function better with more oxygen in your system.
You can choose to go hiking or camping or to do both in the same outing if you prefer. For this exercise, let’s look at it as if you’re doing the two things separately. If you’re going to go hiking, the first thing to decide is if you’re going to go alone or if you’re going to hike with a friend. If you’re hiking with a friend, it’s a good idea to set some ground rules so that there is a minimum amount of talking going on. That way you both can enjoy the spiritual benefits of hiking.
Next, choose the trail you plan to hike. There are many different trails to choose from that are open to the public. I highly recommend hiking public trails with a friend or two just for the safety factor. Also consider your athletic ability when you’re selecting the trail. Some have a higher level of difficulty than others, so don’t overdo it. Make sure you take plenty of water on your hike so you don’t get dehydrated.
For a camping trip, planning is essential. You’ll need to make sure that you’re taking everything you’re going to need with you to the campground. Granted many campgrounds offer amenities that you can purchase on-site, but if you’re roughing it in the middle of the woods, you can’t run down to the snack machine to grab something before turning in for the night. Make a list and check it multiple times. You might even compare your list to an official camping list online to make sure you haven’t forgotten anything. You’ll need to plan your meals, buy the ingredients, and make sure they’re stored so they don’t spoil or are in cans. Don’t forget the marshmallows because toasting them over an open flame is a lot of fun. Or you can camp near a lake, go fishing during the day, and have your daily catch for dinner. There’s something to be said about catching and eating your dinner like our ancestors did. It helps you get back to basics, to feel a connection to the earth and our history as humans.
You can also choose to plan a camping trip that encompasses hiking in your daytime adventures. Remember that no two camping trips are the same. Weather plays an important part, and a sunny camping trip is a lot different than one where it’s raining the whole time. Still, the experience is one you’ll never forget.