Day 1: Deepening connection with the land on which you stand
An important part of tuning into nature is building a strong sense of connection with the land on which you stand. When I feel I have a firm footing beneath me, I feel freer to tune into my other senses
Amazing fact: When its roots are healthy, rhubarb grows so quickly you can hear it.
Day 2: Feeling held and connected to the land & the earth
Earth’s gravitational field has enabled life to evolve here, to sustain us all, just the way it does. As a blind person, I am grateful that whenever I drop something, there is only one direction in which it can fall. What I can’t always count on though, is which direction it is going to bounce.
The gravity that connects us all to Earth is by far the weakest of natural forces. It is so weak that the hydrogen bonding in a single water droplet, can overpower the gravity of an entire planet. Yet gravity also controls the structure of stars, galaxies and the whole cosmos.
Day 3: Expanding your awareness of the space around your body
Sometimes the most subtle of sensations upon our skin can have the most transformational of effects. When I feel the warmth of the sun on my face, my mood can shift in a moment.
It turns out, the human sense of touch is the most sensitive in the animal kingdom. Researchers from the University of Sandiego, have found that human tactile sensitivity is so precise that it can distinguish between surfaces that differ only in their single topmost layer of molecules.
Day 4: Expanding your awareness of your immediate surroundings
As a visually impaired person, when I’m walking around, this is the most critical zone of awareness for me. In this zone, both opportunity and threat can lurk. When I’m paying full attention I can often sense the presence of large unyielding objects before I collide with them. When I’m day-dreaming however… ouch!
You might think that our sense of smell isn’t very sensitive, but you’re in for a surprise!
