Reflections and resources for nature connection practices
Reconnect with the Earth and your self: reflections and practices for self-guided nature practices
Thanks for being here today, where I’m sharing reflections on self guided nature connection. If you’re a regular visitor to my website, you’ll know I’m really passionate about nature, the Earth the natural world. My own connection with nature blossomed (excuse the pun) when, in a period of poor mental health, I started walking. I went from walking short distances around the countryside to undertaking multi-day hikes and this sparked my love of being out in the wilds.
If you’re new here I’m Laura, a counsellor, nature therapist, somatic therapist, meditation teacher and space holder. My work is rooted in guiding people back into relationship with themselves, with their bodies, and with the wider natural world. My work includes nature based counselling and group nature connection and somatics in the form of The Rooted Connection Sessions.
In our increasingly busy, digital, and indoor lives, it's easy to forget the restorative power of being outside. Nature practice and nature based healing is underpinned by intentionally engaging with the natural world to support emotional, mental, spiritual and physical well-being. Whether it's a quiet walk in the woods, the sound of rain on leaves or noticing the rhythm of your breath while you watch the clouds move across the sky, nature offers a doorway into presence, calm and connection.
This connection isn’t just about spending time outdoors. It's about cultivating a relationship with the land, the more-than-human world and yourself. While being held and supported by a therapist to explore your connection to nature can be hugely beneficial, you can also have powerful experiences through self-guided practices that invite you to slow down, listen and reflect.
In this post you’ll find:
Resources and tools to explore your connection to nature and self
Reflections on nature connection
A somatic practice and journal prompts for you to explore
Some of my favourite books about nature, cycles and the natural world
If you’d like to deepen this exploration, head to my Patreon where you’ll find an extended version of this post with journal prompts to guide awareness as you spend time in nature and a somatic nature connection practice to explore.
What can you give back to the Earth that’s always giving to you?
Nurturing our bond with the natural world can bring a deep sense of connection, not just to the more-than-human world, but to ourselves. And while nature can absolutely soothe us, true connection isn’t one-sided. It’s a relationship. The land, the sky, the waters, they’re living, breathing ecosystems. When we step outside, we’re entering someone else’s home. That gives us a chance to show up with intention, humility and appreciation.
So maybe the real question becomes: What can you give back to the Earth that’s always giving to you?
Our relationship with nature isn’t a new idea or a modern wellness trend. It’s ancient. It’s embodied. For as long as humans have existed, people, especially Indigenous communities, have lived in reciprocity with the land. Reconnecting with nature isn’t about learning something new; it’s about remembering something old, something that’s already inside you.
A list of podcasts for exploring nature
I’m adding a small disclaimer that this is my ‘to listen to’ list so I can’t vouch for the quality or information in this list of nature and eco therapy podcasts. I have listened to the first few on the list and I’ve really enjoyed them. The list includes insights from ecologists, nature-based coaches, storytellers and researchers. Topics include trauma-informed nature practices, somatic awareness, and cultivating place-based relationships. Click through for the full list of podcasts around exploring nature, eco therapy and deepening our connection to the Earth.
A somatic practice to connect with awareness in nature
I’ve asked the question above, “what happens when we move away from trying to think our way into connection with the earth and start to focus on feeling it?”. I’ve shared some prompts and a practice below to support you to answer this question.
The practice below invites you to slow down and connect with your bodily experience. By connecting with awareness, we create space to feel the subtle shifts that mirror the changing landscape around us. You can try this practice in nature, to see what shifts. The practice is a sample from a Sacred Somatic Journey exploring the ‘sitting place’ as a way of deepening connection with the Earth through stillness and sensory presence.
By returning to the same spot in nature and allowing the body to settle, we can attune to the land’s rhythms and the conversation between our inner and outer worlds. These practices are designed to help you reconnect with the living Earth and the deep intelligence of your own body with no screens, no travel only presence. You can find my Sacred Somatic Journeys series on Patreon.
Journal or reflective nature prompts
The following prompts can be explored in connection to the practice above. You might want to journal, or hold these questions in your awareness as you walk or rest in the natural world.
How do I feel when I step into this natural space? What sensations do I notice in my body?
What emotions or thoughts arise as I slow down and observe my surroundings?
What elements in nature draw my attention the most sounds, textures, colours, movement?
How does this place respond to my presence, if at all?
What can I learn from this landscape about stillness, resilience, or change?
What might I offer in return; gratitude, presence, care?
For guided somatic, embodiment practices to explore this more deeply check out The Sitting Place in Autumn and Leaning into Darkness.
Some of my favourite books about nature, cycles and the natural world
I’m often asked about the books that have shaped my understanding of the natural world and nature practices. Whether you're just beginning to explore the world of nature-based healing or you're looking to deepen your relationship with the land, these are some of my favourite reads. They offer wisdom, practical guidance and beautifully written reflections on how the natural world can support our emotional, spiritual, and mental wellbeing.
Letting in The Wild Edges by Glennie Kindred
This book feels like being gently guided through the seasons by someone who truly lives in harmony with the land. I have a few of Glennie’s books and I always find them to be the right mix of practical and soulful. She offers advice on growing, foraging, and using native plants, while also inviting us to honour the turning of the year through seasonal celebrations. I often dip into it when I want inspiration for simple, earth-based rituals or remedies. I love this book because it reminds me that connecting with the natural world doesn't need to be complicated. It can start right at the edge of the garden or a quiet woodland path.
Wanderland by Jini Reddy
Reading Wanderland feels like walking beside Jini Reddy as she searches for something elusive and magical in the landscape. Her journey is deeply personal and guided more by feeling than maps. This book explores encounters with sacred sites, wild art and the quiet mysteries of nature. It also explores what it means to be othered, which is really moving. I love this book because it gave me permission to seek my own kind of connection with the land, one that’s emotional, intuitive, and uniquely my own.
Braiding Sweet Grass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
This is one of those books I return to again and again, like a trusted friend or a sacred text. In fact Robin’s voice is so soothing and beautiful in the audio book version that I often listen to it as I fall asleep. Braiding Sweet Grass weaves together Indigenous wisdom and scientific understanding with such grace and humility, reminding us that nature is not just something to study, but something to be in relationship with. Her reflections on gratitude, reciprocity, and the intelligence of plants have hugely impacted the way I see the world. I love this book because it invites me to listen more deeply, live more intentionally, and remember that the Earth is a generous teacher if we’re willing to listen.
Wintering by Katherine May
Wintering came into my life at a time when I needed to be reminded that retreat and rest are not failures but part of a natural cycle. Katherine May’s honest account of her own "winter" was deeply comforting, and I appreciated how she wove in stories of others who had navigated their own quiet seasons. I also loved how she connected the emotional winters of our lives to the rhythms of the natural world. I love this book because it helped me reframe rest as a form of resilience and to see the beauty in slowing down when everything feels frozen.
A playlist to inspire your connection to nature
As my connection to nature has increased so has my interest in folk music and music that explores the natural world. This playlist has some of my favourite tracks including the beautiful Lost Words Blessing.
The Lost Words project is one of my favourite things ever. Originally commissioned by the Folk by the Oak festival, Spell Songs is a musical response to the acclaimed books The Lost Words and The Lost Spells by author Robert Macfarlane and illustrator Jackie Morris. Blending music, storytelling, poetry, and visual art, it invites listeners to reconnect with the natural world and rediscover a deep appreciation for the wild.
In the words of The Lost Words Blessing, “enter the wild with care, my love, and speak the things you see. Let new names take and root and thrive and grow”
There are lots of other beautiful nature songs on the playlist below and I hope you enjoy it.
Some final thoughts about nature practices
I hope you’ve found this post a useful resource to support you to explore and deepen your connection to nature. As you’ll see from what I’ve shared, connection to nature can be really simple. We can start small by cultivating more presence and offering our respect and gratitude to the Earth. Magical things can happen when we pause, feel and listen. Whether you have five minutes with a nature sound track, some time in a park or garden, or time to explore a woodland or the countryside, the natural world is always available as a mirror and a guide.
If you’d like to explore this with support, I offer 121 natural therapy sessions and eco therapy combined with counselling, just outside of South Birmingham, as well as group nature, meditation and embodiment sessions. Check out my frequently asked questions and my values.
