NIKSEN NATURE - Blog

Forest bathing invitations for Earth Day & beyond

Sun, 23 Apr 2023 23:51:18 GMT

Did you get to celebrate Earth Day this weekend? Many people simply get outside and enjoy nature, while others take steps to protect and preserve the Earth by doing things like conserving energy, cleaning up their communities and recycling, or even working hard to help pass legislation that will help curb the effects of climate change.

For this Earth Day, I want to plant a seed and encourage you to go outside for some Niksen time in nature and “bathe” in nature. The past few years, the practice of Forest Bathing has become more popular in the West (though it was developed in Japan over 40 years ago!). Simply put, it's being in nature, not doing much of anything, letting our bodies absorb the healing properties of nature.

Forest Bathing can be as simple as walking in any natural environment and consciously connecting with what’s around you. For a more structured experience, you can join trained guides for a meditative two- to three-hour ecotherapy excursion. I won't go into the science here, but if you want to learn more, you can check out this link from the Forest Bathing Institute.

In Forest Bathing, you are offered what are called "invitations," which are basically different ways to connect with nature (& yourself). Here are seven invitations for you to consider when trying forest bathing for yourself. You can pick just one or several of these, whatever you feel drawn to. Spend as much time with each as feels right for you.

Get Grounded - Before you start, find a spot to sit or stand, and just take a few breaths. Imagine there are roots below you, pulling you down into the Earth. Holding you steady. Providing support and nourishment. Follow those roots into the ground using what I call your "mind's eye," and notice what's below the ground.
Listen - Once your grounded, start to listen. Perhaps you hear birds, or the wind. Or maybe more human sounds like traffic or lawnmowers. Just take in every little sound, and allow your mind to wonder about its source.
Movement - Next, you can start moving around if you want to because you're going to be invited to notice movement. What do you see moving around you? Perhaps leaves blowing in the wind, and insect or bird, or someone walking their dog.
Colors - Then, start to notice the colors and shades around you. What are you drawn to? Perhaps it's a bright color that stands out, or you notice the plethora of green shades. You may feel drawn to pick it up, take a photo, or even draw it.
Textures - As you get closer to these colors, you may feel an urge to reach out and touch them. Go for it! Texture is the next invitation. How many different textures can you find? Which one is your favorite, and why? Just be careful to not touch things like poison ivy or cactus please!

The last two invitations I will share invite you to go from a micro to a macro perspective.

Micro View - Find a spot that draws your eye or looks comfortable, and get close. Really close. Use your keen observation skills to notice things you didn't from far away. Perhaps you find a seed or tiny insect, or you lift up leaf litter to find a flirt of activity underneath. Don't worry if you don't notice anything at first. The longer you sit there, the more you will notice. Just be patient.
Macro View - After awhile, you might notice your eyes wandering to new spots. Allow this as a transition to start seeing the bigger picture around you. As we move to a more macro view of our environment, think of all the millions of tiny micro movements and discoveries that could exist. It's similar to looking at the stars in the sky, and realizing that Earth is just a tiny speck in the vastness of space.

You, too, are a speck that is held in a greater space. You are connected to all these micro universes that exist without us even realizing it.

It's with this realization that I want to leave you with today, and it is this that draws me to celebrate Earth Day every day. Knowing and wondering about these connections is what drives me to support and protect the Earth whenever I can, and I hope it inspires you to do the same.

Happy Earth Day!

How nature supports healing through transitions

Thu, 23 Mar 2023 01:16:40 GMT

The changing of the seasons is always a rough time for my mental health. Over the years, I’ve learned to plan ahead for this discomfort, and build in some cushion to ease the transition. Like planning easy meals and extra down time.

Why is a change of season so hard, you might ask? For someone with persistent depression, it takes me a long time to get used to new things. Transitions to new schedules, new people, and new tasks seem to take me longer than it takes other people. I’ve learned to be OK with that, and give myself grace and support through these times as I wait patiently for the new normal to set in.

Perhaps it’s my extreme need for comfort amidst life’s chaos, or my emotional attachments to what’s working in the moment and not wanting them to change. Mostly, I just try to make life as easy as possible to conserve my energy for tackling life’s challenges. Like cleaning the house or raising a teenager.

So when the seasons change, I have to say goodbye to the comfortable routines I got into. With Spring’s arrival, I have to say goodbye to cozying up in a cold house with warm drinks and blankets and hygge vibes. Some people don’t like winter, but it’s my favorite season. It mimics my desire to curl up and reflect and slow down, and gives me permission to do so without going against societal pressures to “get out there and seize the day!”

I can’t ever get excited about the flowers popping up in Early February (I live in Austin, and that is WAY too early for Spring y’all!), and pretend they’re not there. So for the first few weeks of Spring, I crank up the AC and try to mimic the cooler temps so I can still cuddle up with my sweaters and tea. I keep my holiday lights up until the end of March, using the excuse that it’s so dark in the mornings now with the time change.

But the warm sunshine creeps in slowly, and the blooms and bright green leaves start to persuade me with their scent, warming my mood. I reluctantly put my winter clothes away, and start to clean the house to get my physical and energetic space ready for the change.

Rituals like cleaning the house and clearing energy have become important to me for these transitional times. Spending time in nature has become an important part of my transitional rituals. I plop myself down outside with an attitude of “OK nature, convince me,” and she never disappoints.

She shows me things like bird’s flitting back and forth to their nests, busy making new life. Or spring blooms turning to fruit and growing until they’re ready to harvest. Or leaves falling in their graceful way, encouraging me to get ready for my favorite season of renewal. She shows me that change is not something to dread or be afraid of, and that it leads to more beautiful things to come, even if I can’t yet imagine them.

It’s these cycles of nature that mimic life and give me perspective to free the downward cycle of my mind.

Nature reminds me again and again that whatever I’m missing will come around again, perhaps in a new form. And that whatever I fear in front of me will bring beautiful opportunities to grow into a new person. Each season. Reluctantly.

How a Winter Flock of Robins Lifted My Dismal Mood

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 01:31:09 GMT

A flock of robins came fluttering into the yard suddenly, hopping around, pecking at the ground. I've never seen so many robins in one place before. They were only there for a few minutes, but left an impression of awe & wonder, and I decided to look them up and learn more about them.

Many people think of the Robin as a sign of Spring, but in the Hill Country around Austin, they are active all year round. In the winter though, when food is more scarce, they flock together when they find large food sources. Their food of choice in my yard were tons of Ash Juniper berries. This also happens to be the tree that brings me the most misery in the winter because my body is severely allergic to its pollen.

There I was, with a mask on in delightfully gorgeous Texas winter weather to avoid the dreaded pollen in the air, when these cheerful birds appeared and lifted my spirits, which I learned they're pretty good at! After some quick research, it turns out that they represent optimism and contentment, as well as passion and happiness.

All of these things I was needing in this moment.

I also learned that these large flocks are actually quieter in the winter too, just like me. In spring and summer, they pair up and are noisy and territorial.

But on this cool winter day, they flocked together as one large cloud of cheer that descended onto my dismal mood.

Through this moment (and my quick research) I learned that I can call on the robin spirit whenever I feel like things are too dull or depressing. Their presence encourages me to confront my deeper issues and resolve them as I strive to get back in touch with my inner happiness. Their spirit can also help one adapt to change and get over fears when we feel down and lack the energy to make changes in our lives.

Come to think of it, that sounds like just what we need as we enter Spring, which is a season of new growth and emergence from a dark winter. I guess they DO symbolize the coming of Spring in a way then!

Long Summer - The 5th Season of languishing and waiting for Fall

Sun, 11 Sep 2022 14:27:52 GMT

I heard of a new season today that makes perfect sense to my South Texas soul that longs for Fall to get here already: Long Summer. I've also heard it called Second Summer, so perhaps it was just a reminder of this waiting time. Summer lingers way too long where I live, and it's honestly a bit depressing.

I'm starting to see pumpkins and Fall decor in the stores, as well as pumpkin spiced foods, but it's just too damn hot still to enjoy these...yet. It's this weird in-between time that's made even harder by the fact that I work in an elementary school, so the last six weeks of summer were way too busy to try and enjoy or squeeze any last summer joys out of. I just want to get this damn hot season over and move on to the good stuff.

I'm going to propose bravely that summer is NOT the best season of the year. In fact, it's the worst. If you love summer, don't stop reading yet. Just hear me out. I was born in December, just a few days before Christmas. This was a tough time as a kid cause parties were impossible with everyone leaving for the holidays, but it always meant that I had a two week break from school. In Texas, December is always the best weather of the whole year too, so it became a time to look forward to for many reasons.

Many of us have heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. If you look it up, it will say that "If you're like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody. These symptoms often resolve during the spring and summer months." (Mayo Clinic)

Well, I'm one of those weird people where this depressed state starts in May and ends by October. Really, that can be SAD too! I always thought there was something wrong with me. After all, I've been a teacher for over 20 years, and I don't work during the summer, so I should love it even more, right?! Well no, not for me.

The extreme heat makes me feel like I don't want to go outside at all, and when nature is your healing place, it can get pretty hairy when you don't visit it regularly. Maybe after dinner around 8:00, I can get out to enjoy the sunset hour, if I don't get eaten alive by the bugs who have the same idea. And then there are all my friends and acquaintances who start travelling and sharing their fantastic journeys on Social Media. Not to discredit their much needed breaks and vacations. I'm glad they can get out with their families and relax in places where they can actually wear a sweater in the summer. Unfortunately, I can't afford to travel in the summer (for various reasons I wont' get into here). During a good summer, my son and I will take a LONG road trip to try and find cooler temps, and those are fantastic, but still cost $1,000 for a couple weeks. I didn't even try this summer with the high gas prices.

I think I've finally made peace that this is just how my life works, so in May, I start steeling myself and creating routines that can help support me through these hellishly hot months.

This is something nature has taught me: don't fight the natural flow of things.

I can't force a flower to bloom anymore than I can force myself to enjoy summer. I can adapt and make the best of it though. My summer routines involve making sure I have some sort of structure to my days that usually involves a week of rest followed by a week or two of activity. I need long periods of rest, but I can't rest too long, otherwise I spiral down into unpleasant mental states. It sounds silly, but I've also found comfort in watching nature scenes on YouTube as well. It's like looking out a window at a scene that's more beautiful and peaceful than what I actually see out my window in the summer. I've also decided to keep filling the bird feeder, which I don't normally do in the summer since there is an abundance of food for the birds. But their presence soothes me as well.

OK, let's get back to this Long Summer season. If you're still reading, thanks for hanging in there with me as I wrap up some self-reflection. So this transitional time we're in is a bittersweet time. I read "Bittersweet" by Susan Cain this summer, and it gave me a new perspective, and pride really, around my love-hate relationship with summer. I can both hate it and love the down time. Both hate the down time and enjoy not working. It's OK to have conflicting feelings.

Starting in August, this Long Summer, many people feel both sadness and longing for the long, relaxing days of summer while also getting excited for the beauties of Fall. For me, I'm so excited to leave summer behind, but am sad because it's going to be awhile before Fall really arrives in South Texas.

Many people don't like in-between places. Places of waiting. This is when I need my Niksen Nature practice the most. Just BEing outside, watching for any signs of beauty that can get me through this time of languishing brings me peace. I always walk away from nature with a feeling of calm groundedness. Like I'm right where I'm supposed to be. Yes, watching the ecosystem "die off" for the year can be a bit depressing, but for me it's a hopeful time. I don't see it as dying off. I see it as shifting it's energy internally, where it can rest, heal, and get ready for new birth. God I need new birth. Every. Day.

Nature teaches us to embrace the bittersweet nature of life. Every death and setback leads to a new beginning. We can both grieve the losses behind us while remaining hopeful for the new seasons ahead of us.

Perhaps that's why I love this changing of seasons in particular. I finally have permission to slow down and reflect and connect with myself. Each time of transition allows us time and opportunities for this. During this long transition to Fall, I will try to appreciate the lessons that summer brought me, and wait patiently, watching, for that time and permission to rest.

Niksen as a Form of Minimalism

Sun, 17 Jul 2022 02:40:10 GMT

I’ve always struggled to call myself a minimalist. It conjures images of barren rooms with only a couple pieces of furniture. Not cozy to me at all. Over the years though, I’ve begun to look at it not as getting rid of everything, and having as few items around you as possible, but as keeping the things that “spark joy” or “add value” to my life. As I started to pay more attention to my values and get rid of things, I began to feel more at ease just sitting on my couch. There weren’t tasks nagging at my brain to be done.

I recently learned of a concept from Fumio Sasaki that describes this nagging as a “silent to-do list.” Every item in our house is sending us a message, and it’s not always a good message! A plant could be telling us to relax and ground ourselves, or it could be yelling at us to water it. As I got rid of more things, especially the things in my line of sight from the couch, I was able to relax more, and not feel like I should be doing other things.

During the pandemic, this was no longer enough to help me relax. I (and many other people) got sick of looking at things in my house that previously brought joy. There was a constant desire to add or change my surroundings. Since my home is so tiny, and I didn’t have the budget to change it, I started enjoying walks around the neighborhood to relax instead of my usual couch time. Outside, there was no silent to-do list for me. I have no yard or garden calling to me, or any landscaping to care for, except for a few potted plants. Occasionally there were some yards I saw in my neighborhood that sent me stressful messages, but they weren’t my problem to deal with, and I could just walk on by.

I realized that the times in my life where I felt truly relaxed and connected to myself and the world around me were when I was out in nature. I still have my favorite cozy spots in my home where I like to relax, but by far nature does a much better job of turning my mind off, or at least slowing it down or redirecting it away from any to-do lists. It also connects me to the bigger picture of life and its natural cycles, which is comforting to me.

Then I discovered Niksen, or the Dutch art of doing nothing. Doing something without a purpose, like just letting our mind wander. I realized that these pandemic walks were a form of Niksen, as was my favorite couch time.

Niksen was very similar to my minimalism tendencies in that Niksen time also removed my silent to-do list. If I could truly enjoy Niksen time, which involves letting my mind wander rather than focus on all my thoughts, I would feel more relaxed. My mind would simply notice what was around me, or enjoy some music or the sounds of birds. Sometimes it was challenging, which is when walking came in handy. If my brain is too distracted to sit, a walk would eventually quiet it.

These slower times of letting my mind wander not only left me more relaxed, but also reminded me of what’s important to me. I would see that the world didn’t end by sitting on the couch for 30 min, which gave me perspective to lend towards other things that I could perhaps do without. Sometimes it simply brought clarity to a situation or decision I was putting off or avoiding. Or sometimes it just acted as self-care, allowing me to rest.

I think 99 times and find nothing. I stop thinking, swim in silence, and the truth comes to me.” - Albert Einstein.

These are all things that minimalism has brought to my life as well: a sense of calm and clarity that reminds me of my values and helps me focus on what’s truly important. While minimalism helped me get rid of physical clutter, Niksen has helped me get rid of some of my mental clutter. Of course, the clutter always returns, but each time I’m better able to see it for what it is, and let it go more easily. This in turn paves the way for creating time and space for more things that matter to me.

How Doing Nothing Has Given My Life More Meaning

Mon, 17 Jan 2022 19:38:17 GMT

If you haven’t heard of the term Niksen, let me introduce you to this Dutch term that has made my life more exciting and more meaningful. Niksen is a Dutch concept of “doing nothing,” or “doing something without a purpose.” During the pandemic, many of us did a lot more, well, nothing. Some of us handled this down time better than others, but ultimately we all learned to slow down, which has led many people to reset their priorities in life. This is one of the superpowers of Niksen: finding more of what brings more meaning into our lives. Let me explain further…

Imagine that you decide to sit with your coffee and just let your mind wander for a few minutes. Maybe your thoughts start spinning, or distractions try and draw you away from your peaceful moment. But let’s say you just stick with it for a little longer...

You look out the window and notice some birds chattering and flitting around, and you start to watch them with interest. Maybe this reminds you of something. Perhaps an argument with someone, or a playful interaction with your children.

You start to compare the two interactions (yours and the birds’), which ultimately gives those moments in your life a greater purpose. These birds are behaving on an instinct that has driven them for thousands of years, and suddenly you feel like you’re a part of a bigger picture.

It’s like looking at the stars and realizing what a small part of the whole universe you are. This perspective brings a sense of calm and connection to your body, and your muscles start to relax. There’s less pressure to perform and be productive with this perspective of the greater world and the passage of time.

Then maybe your brain thinks of that argument or that play time with your kids, and you now see that in this larger context. You begin to prioritize your relationships, and maybe start thinking of how you can strengthen them. Maybe, like me, you even think of how you can bring these new realizations and groundedness into your community, or your job, to share with others.

All this from just sitting with your coffee for maybe 15 minutes. Our brain works a lot faster than I can type or you can read, but all these thoughts happen in just seconds for me. And I oscillate from my thoughts to the birds, for instance. Back and forth, just noticing, thinking, relaxing.

I have had Niksen time that relaxes and calms me, and I have had Niksen time that inspires me with new ideas and wonderings that I then follow up on. It is in both of these instances that Niksen creates more meaning in my life. It helps me set my priorities, and helps me take the next steps in my life with more of a sense of purpose and groundedness. In mindfulness terms, it helps me to be more present and get clear on what’s important, so I can make more time for those things in my life.

In a sense, I am creating something out of nothing. In physics, it’s called “creatio ex nihilo.” In many religions, it’s only God who can do this, which can make Niksen a strong spiritual practice. Whether you believe in Science or in God, or in both, doing nothing really does create, or at least open space for, something new. Maybe it’s a new idea, or a new feeling, but I walk away from Niksen time just a little bit different than I was before. My step is a bit lighter, and calmer, and more aware. It’s like walking away from a meditation session, but with more energy (for me at least, meditation puts me into a sleepy trance).

Scientifically, doing nothing actually activates more parts of our brain. When we’re focused on one task, the part of our brain needed for that “lights up.” But when we do nothing, several parts “light up,” which I see as our whole brain working together. It’s easy to see then how doing nothing can help us see things differently, or come up with new ideas or thoughts.

Have you ever been trying to think of someone’s name, or another detail, and can’t seem to remember it until you’re zoned out driving home, or in the shower? When our brain relaxes, we see more, know more. Or maybe you’re a writer like me, and you get stuck on what to write. But after a walk around the block or some sort of break, an idea comes to you, and the words just start flowing.

This is why taking breaks is so crucial to productivity. We tend to think we have to be productive ALL the time in our society. Whether it’s striving to complete our work, be a good parent, or finish household chores. But by taking breaks, we’re not only getting the rest we dearly need, but we’re building up reserves of energy and thought that will allow us to be more productive and creative.

As an introvert, I’ve always enjoyed a little more down time than the average extroverted or type A person, and so relaxing and doing nothing wasn’t new to me. Somehow during the pandemic with all the extra down time though, I was able to really sink into doing nothing, and learn more about why it’s important. I was able to see my mind making new connections, my body not just relaxing, but feeling more energized. I was able to shed the guilt of feeling “lazy,” and embrace the benefits of doing nothing. I got to create many, many new things, both professionally and personally, and I am so grateful for this time and all the different ways it has brought meaning to my life.

Winnie the Pooh is my Spirit Animal

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 01:32:44 GMT

As I’ve settled into more Niksen time, my life has slowed down tremendously. So when I watched the film Christopher Robin with my son recently, I was reconnected with the wonderful world of Winnie the Pooh. I grew up reading his books and watching his shows, and I remember in college reading the book “The Tao of Pooh,” and so I also associate his character with a Zen way of life. I’ve never adopted a fictional character as a Spirit Animal before, but after all, he is a bear!

The bear is a very powerful spirit animal that represents (from spiritanimal.info):

Strength and confidence
Standing against adversity; taking action and leadership
The spirit of the the bear indicates it’s time for healing or using healing abilities to help self or others
The bear medicine emphasizes the importance of solitude, quiet time, rest
The spirit of the bear provides strong grounding forces

So why adopt a Spirit Animal? How can they support us? The following is the definition of Spirit Animal from dictionary.com:

Spirit animal refers to a spirit which helps guide or protect a person on a journey and whose characteristics that person shares or embodies. It is also metaphor, often humorous, for someone or something a person relates to or admires.

In short, a Spirit Animal is someone or something that you can turn to for inspiration or support throughout your lifetime. They can add meaning to your life, and give you a deeper understanding of who and why you are. Sounds pretty existential, huh?

Well, Winnie the Pooh got me thinking about who I am and how I want to present myself to the world. Besides feeling connected to the bear spirit animal meaning, I also find myself drawn to his Zen-like qualities. He has a very playful, childlike outlook on life, and I tend to take myself too seriously most of the time. So I need his humor and lighthearted outlook on life most days. He doesn’t judge, and just loves his friends for who they are, and I need help with that too. When I look back at his stories, I see so, so many gifts he has given me over the years.

Pooh teaches us gratitude, empathy, positive thinking, taking pleasure in the small things, getting along with everyone, taking time to do nothing, and the importance of friendship & community.

It kind of reminds me of the phrase “everything I need to know I learned in Kindergarten,” but Pooh trumps Kindergarten almost any day.

One thing I’ve always loved to do with my students and campers out in nature is something called a Sit Spot. A place that you can return to regularly to do nothing but look around and let your mind wander. While looking around, you start to notice things that you wouldn’t have noticed had you been walking by, or chatting with your friends, or looking at your phone. You notice smells, colors, textures, and small movements of creatures going about their daily tasks. And if you continue to return to this spot, you notice how it changes with the seasons. The animals will even start to get used to you, and you’ll see more of them too, and maybe become part of their community. All this wonder from sitting in one spot.

Did you know Winnie the Pooh had a spot like this? He called it “Pooh’s Thotful Spot.” Of course, he tried to think, think, think in this spot, but he also relaxed and enjoyed this spot in the same way we would enjoy a Sit Spot. My Sit Spot is in a hammock chair on my porch, and it’s my favorite spot to watch the birds and squirrels. Perhaps Pooh can inspire you to find a spot to sit in and enjoy a little Niksen time too.

What is Niksen Nature? How doing nothing in nature supports our wellness

Sat, 06 Nov 2021 16:10:56 GMT

As someone who has suffered from depression for over a decade, I have read SO many self-help books, and followed the wellness trends from many holistic sources. They all have one thing in common: they require me to DO something about my life. They tell me how I can improve my life in a myriad of ways. Some of them have been helpful, don't get me wrong, but if you're familiar with depression, not wanting to DO anything is quite common.

Niksen, or the Dutch art of doing nothing, offers an alternative: doing nothing. I'm a pro at doing nothing! In fact, it's in my nature. Believe it or not, it's in our human nature as a species as well. Even in our hunter and gatherer days as a species, we found time to rest and do nothing. And we did it outside in nature, which offers us so many insights and connections. Nowadays, we turn to screens to relax more often, instead of tapping into more natural rhythms that can truly sustain us.

Mother Nature has always been an expert at going slow, evolving over Millenia. We can get grounded and tap into this slower pace of life by being outside as well. Nature gives us a greater perspective of the arc of life on this planet, which helps us see the challenges of our lives more clearly in the grand scheme of things. If this practice of niksen in nature sounds appealing, and you're eager to slow down and connect with what's important for you, read on my friends.

What is Niksen?

Niksen is much more than just doing nothing. To be a little more precise, it's actually doing something, but without a purpose. Just idling along, staring out the window, waiting in line, or enjoying a cup of your favorite beverage. And for those folks whose bodies consider it torture to sit and do nothing, a leisurely walk or run works too. But there's no goal in mind. No destination. Your brain is not necessarily engaged, except for the involuntary functions that keep you alive and safe. For some people, niksen could even mean knitting or doing the dishes. If you can zone out and daydream while you do it, it can be called niksen.

Benefits of Niksen

Have you ever tried SO hard to remember a detail or event, only to think of it later while in the shower? Or while driving home? Believe it or not, when we engage in Niksen, there are actually more neurons firing in our brains. When we are focused on a task, only the parts of our brain that are needed for that task are engaged. But when we rest, more of our brain is "lit up," allowing us to think of things and make connections that we won't when we're focused on a task. In this way, Niksen helps foster creativity and problem solving. In a sense, doing nothing can actually make us more productive in the long run!

There is a playful aspect to doing nothing. When we're doing nothing, we engage with the things around us in a curious way, which can create awe or wonder. This yields a playful experience in our brains and bodies. Imagine how a child lights up when they're walking along and discover a ladybug with just one spot, or a camouflaged lizard waiting and watching them. We are tapping into this childlike playfulness when we engage in a little niksen out in nature as well.

What Niksen in Not

Niksen is not work, or even thinking about work, and it's definitely not worrying. Both can look like nothing to an outsider, but inside, you know your mind is racing. It's also not mindfulness or meditation, which take more awareness and effort. Nor is it simply boredom, during which we tend to wish we were doing something else. It's not reading, watching TV or browsing social media, which all demand your brain's attention, or at least prevent it from wandering and resting fully.

Niksen Challenges

Doing nothing doesn't come naturally to many people. We strive to be efficient and multitask, aiming to be successful, whether that's at home or work. In most societies, there is a stigma around doing nothing, and hence being lazy. We often feel guilty when we're doing nothing, thinking of what we should be doing, or comparing ourselves to others and their "superior productivity." In our western (OK, mostly American) culture, people who are constantly busy are more valued and sought after. So it's no wonder we feel guilty when we slow down.

If you're having trouble justifying niksen time (also called time to niks), first notice how you're using the term "doing nothing." Do you say you're doing nothing when you're really doing something, like reading, watching TV or browsing your phone? Do you feel anxious about doing nothing because of any pre-conceived notions about being productive? If so, put down your screens and try reframing niksen in the following ways:

Is Niksen for Everyone?

There are some people for whom niksen may not be beneficial. Those with depression and other mental illnesses may benefit more from putting themselves out there and doing something to stave off the dark cloud hovering over them.

This has been a struggle for me, determining whether I need to get out there or retreat into self-care and doing nothing. I've learned to try getting out there, and if I feel like my heavy cloud is still with me and not lifting, then I know I need to retreat and focus on some self-care, like niksen.

Ruminating and excessive daydreaming can also be dangerous to some people's mental health, and both of these things can happen during niksen time, so please be aware of this and stop if feel yourself getting dragged into your thoughts or unhealthy ruminations. Like in meditation, notice them and then bring yourself back to your present surroundings through tuning into your senses.

Make Room for More Niksen Time (in Nature)

Like any other practice or skill, it will take some time to understand and reap the benefits of niksen. Start by looking for times during your days where you may already have some down time to try niksen. Do you sit with a cup of coffee every morning? Could you take some time during your lunch break? Perhaps taking time to watch the sunrise or sunset? Or maybe you sit in line or traffic, or ride public transportation, and could allow yourself a little time to put your phone away and just look around and niks? Once you've tried it, you can create more of it in your daily life. You definitely don't have to wait for the weekend or vacation time to allow yourself time to niks.

I cannot get into all the benefits of nature in this post (that'll be a whole separate post), but I'm sure you've heard of how beneficial time in nature can be for our wellness, and especially our mental health. I choose to niks in nature exactly for this reason, and because it's easier than other strenuous outdoor activities. If I niks inside, it's hard not to see all the tasks that need to be done around the house. But outside, my mind is always able to wander more easily. And there's much more to see and engage with, and get curious about.

So now you know where the term Niksen Nature comes from! I hope you've learned to appreciate the joy and benefit of doing nothing, and that you'll get out and try it yourself to see what connections and inspirations come your way. If you're ready to dip your toes in, and try taking some niksen time in nature, click here to get my free 8 Day guide to Niksen Time in Nature!

What I learned from 28 days of Niksen in Nature

Sat, 28 Aug 2021 14:55:33 GMT

Halfway through summer, I was already starting to stress about going back to school. I'm a K-5 P.E. teacher (which I actually call Health & Fitness), and was looking at two weeks of summer camp, then two weeks of teacher prep. So basically, I felt like my summer was already over, and it was only July. As a proactive measure, and to keep myself accountable to it, I started a 28 day challenge of sorts to get myself out in nature for some niksen time, and posted my progress to Instagram & Facebook.

It started off fairly easy, as doing nothing in nature comes pretty naturally to me at this point, but the Texas heat made it much harder. I started going out after 8pm, when it was cooler, but there were days where I was too tired at this point and needed to start dinner and get my son ready for bed. So I started by just sitting on my porch or in my hammock for a little while. Each time I did it, I was grateful for the calmness that it brought me before the hectic evening routines.

It wasn't as easy as I thought though, because of the swarm of thoughts in my head. It felt like a meditation practice at times, where I would notice my thoughts and come back to my surroundings. Sometimes this felt like too much mental effort, which is NOT Niksen, but if I stayed with it for more than 10 minutes, it started to subside. By 15 minutes, I was finally starting to relax. Thoughts still came of course, but I was able to brush them aside more easily and tune into nature. Sometimes there would be a really cool thought that I would think "ooh! I should come back to that later." That's my favorite thing about Niksen: the inspiration and creativity it brings me. Not in a "one more thing on my to-do list" kind of way, but a "I'm grateful to feel inspired" kind of way.

I usually niks on my couch with a cup of tea, looking out the windows. This is especially nice for avoiding the Texas heat, but I realized it's actually WAY easier to niks outside because there are so many pleasant things to tune into. Inside, I get distracted by the dirty windows I should clean, or the next chore that needs to be done. Outside, there is a plethora of bird behavior to watch, or movements to watch (wind is my favorite), or colors to notice. As a Montessori trained teacher, I approach life through my senses, and follow where they lead me.

These sensory experiences in nature are a much more effective distraction from my thoughts. "

Halfway through this challenge, it became a chore that I was too tired for. So I started walking during my niks time. Just a loop around the block, but it was impactful. Not only did it get my blood flowing, which I needed, but it gave me new things in nature to notice. I thought back to the beginning of the COVID quarantine, when I walked these streets every day, and it was like coming back to an old friend. Reconnecting with the plants, and sometimes the neighbors.

Even though it was now August, there were so many things blooming and growing! I also thought back to the crazy "snowpocolypse" we had earlier this year, when I thought there was no way anything would grow back. But it did, and it did with more gusto. As if the plants were realizing how short life is, and they put all their energy into growing and reproducing. I started to tune in to all the colors and shades of colors that I hadn't noticed before. It inspired me to revisit a nature illustration course on Domestika that I had purchased months ago and never started.

Looking back, these four weeks were more challenging than I thought. Like exercising, or any other healthy habit we try to incorporate more of in our lives, there were many days that I didn't want to do it. There were days were I gave myself the grace to modify and do less, and days where I looked forward to it. Ultimately, tapping into nature and slowing down created small sparks of inspiration in my brain that helped build gratitude, patience, perspective, and ease, while quieting those pesky negative thoughts. It really has been the best (& cheapest!) support for my mental health, and acts as both therapy and self-care.

Grounding into the New Moon

Wed, 12 May 2021 04:26:55 GMT

Do you ever feel exhausted for no obvious reason? You're not sick, over-stressed or menstruating, but yet you feel exhausted? That happened to me again this week, and the first thing I looked at is the lunar cycle. Sure enough, there's a new moon this week.

I always feel completely drained near the new moon,
physically and emotionally.

This may sound familiar to some of you, but for most humans, we don't notice the lunar cycles much. We live in mostly urban areas with so much artificial light that it's hard to even notice the light or presence of the moon most nights. Yet for centuries humans have noticed a connection. After all, the word "lunatic" comes from a Latin word for "moonstruck."

When we learned how the moon affects the tides, the connection was made that the moon could do the same with our bodies on a smaller scale. After all, the human body is mostly made of water. There have been promising studies on a plant whose root growth matches the moon's orbit, but most scientists believe that the gravitational pull on such a small amount of water would have little to no effect.

There have also been studies on how the full moon affects our sleep. It was found in one study that it took longer to fall asleep, and that there was less time spent in deep sleep. However, the results could not be replicated in subsequent studies.

There are some interesting studies on magnetic fields though, and how exposure to magnetic field changes have been shown to lead to a decrease in brain alpha wave activity, which upsets circadian clocks and sleep patterns. For instance, there is a protein in fruit flies that may function as a magnetic sensor, which lead to observable alterations in the timing of their sleep. However, it's unlikely that the same proteins in humans are sensitive to magnetic fields, but there could be other molecules that are.

The moon has been shown to affect other organisms though, like coral, who appears to time their spawning on the moon's cycles. In general though, there just isn't enough evidence to prove that the moon has any affect on us physically or emotionally.

Then why does my experience say otherwise?

"We cannot rule out the possibility of its role among various environmental factors that might affect our sleep, moods and vitality,” - Niall McCrae, author of The Moon and Madness

I tend to be drawn towards more esoteric explanations. Those that recognize the new moon as a time of high vibrational energy that opens us up and leaves us vulnerable. Vulnerable to old hurts and emotions that were hidden in our cells. It purges the old, and leaves us feeling fatigued and unmotivated, scatterbrained and disorganized. My new mantra is "It's OK. It's a time for thinking and feeling, not action."

As a systems thinker, I love looking at the whole cycle of life, including the lunar cycles, and relating them to my life. This awareness brings clarity, hope and connection within myself, and with humans all throughout time. Here's the cycle I choose to follow:

This week, when I started fading into exhaustion, I chose to sit and look at rocks with the children at school. I found hearts, moon shapes, "teeth," fossils, and more. As I dug through the pea gravel, I began to relax and see clearly. I began to connect with the children around me. And the fog began to lift. I began to feel inspired again. Little did I know how important this type of grounding is during the new moon...

Moving Through the Cycles of Life

Sun, 02 May 2021 01:08:47 GMT

One thing that has always connected me to nature and brought me comfort is knowing that life moves in cycles. There are low times, but I have complete faith that it will come full circle to good times again. The native cultures knew this better than any of us, and used these cycles to improve their lives, so for years I have looked to their wisdom and teachings for guidance.

Many, if not all, native and ancient civilizations oriented their daily lives around the seasons. They honored the cardinal directions of North, South, East and West, and built their lives around them. Here are some examples:

Native American Medicine Wheel
Chinese Baqua (seen most often in Feng Shui)
Celtic Seasons (and whoever built Stonehenge!)
The Christian cross is seen by some as marking the cardinal directions
Ancient Egyptian pyramids
Pacific Islander excellent sea navigation
San bushmen of South Africa live by the time of sun and rain
Dutch colonial homes that maximize sunlight distribution

Each of the directions has a symbolic association or characteristic and energy as well. For instance, one direction may represent fire, or one of the elements, while another direction is good to face when praying. These associations are clearly seen in cultures all around the world, and are seen as a way to guide us through the Cycles of Life.

"The Natural Cycle is an Orienter, for its directional arrows tell you both literally and metaphorically where you are, not only in geographic space and in time, but also in terms of cultural identity and life wisdom."
- "Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature," p.200

It could be that direction-based cycles affect us more than we realize. How do you feel in the morning? After lunch time? Watching a sunset? These daily times coordinate with the directions as well. Below I will share some meanings behind these directions that I have found useful in noticing and embracing the cycles of my days, months and years. I use these mostly when I reflect on my day, week or month, but also when I plan my nature camps. Whether it's a two hour class, or full day or week of camp, we flow through our time together in the same ways.

I’ll start with the East, where the sun rises. Think of how you feel in the morning (unless you’re like me and hate mornings, I guess). Most people feel a sense of newness, like the birth of a new day. This direction is also associated with Spring and new life, as well as the excitement and inspiration that comes from this burst of energy.

Then we move into our Southeast time of day, which is like mid-morning, when you’re starting your work for the day. This time is representative of childhood and rapid growth. We play, learn and grow, and we orient ourselves around our work and focus on it

South is an intense time. It is the period of mid-day, where we’ve overcome inertia and are in full swing. This is a period similar to adolescence, when our growth is exponential, both internally and externally. We are working hard to take advantage of daylight hours, and to build our identity and sharpen our focus.

After reaching our peak, we settle into the resting period of the Southwest. This is our “Siesta” time of day, our rest after work or school. This time is similar to late summer, when animal parents watch their children go off on their own, and plants are now looking internally to build their support systems to get ready for fruit. For humans, it is the period between adolescence and adulthood, where we find ourselves more independent and are in a period of slowing down and internalizing all the hard work of adolescence.

As the sun sets, we move to the West, or the end of the day. It is Autumn, or harvest time, and we gather and share a meal with our friends and family. We are fully into our adulthood now, and bear fruit, such as children, families, or careers that we’ve been building. We gather with our communities to share our bounty.

In the Northwest, we begin to settle down and reflect on our day (or our life) as twilight approaches. It is now late Autumn, and many plants start to decay back into the Earth. The feeling is of letting go and death. Perhaps this is why Halloween and Dia de los Muertos fall at this time of year. Our adulthood is winding down, and we turn from focusing on our accomplishments to focusing on our place in the community and how to support it.

Next is a time of deep darkness in the North. It is the middle of the night, the middle of winter, and we have entered our human role as an elder. We now aim to take our experiences and pass them on to younger generations. The reflection in our late adulthood has left us with what we feel is essential to our lives, and to the community. In nature, seeds and egg sacs have become dormant, waiting for the next, and last, part of the cycle.

The last part of the cycle represents death, but also conception of new life to come. In the Northeast, we mourn the death of life, but there is also a twinkle of new light on the horizon. It is the pre-dawn hours, and there is mystery and wonder around what is coming. Winter is starting to thaw, and new life is stirring.

"Perhaps once we tune into these natural cycles with our conscious awareness, we will see - just like watching a magic trick with wiser eyes - subtle happenings that we've been subject to all along but never fully appreciated. Perhaps then we can say, 'Hey, let me see that deck of cards...' and perform magic ourselves." - "Coyote's Guide to Connecting with Nature," p.201

Tuning into things we don't normally notice in nature, honing our senses, and opening our eyes to wonders we didn't know existed helps us grow in so many ways. Not only do we connect with ourselves, but to one another, to the environment, and to our ancestors that carried this knowledge for generations. As I move from North to Northwest, and get ready for bed, I'm reflecting on all of the things that nature has taught me over the years, and I'm hoping to bring some of that to the community around me.

This awareness allows us to continually grow and deepen our connections, and through a little Niksen time in nature, I hope you will start to feel this spark of connection as well.

Get Used to Ugly

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 07:00:00 GMT

It's been a slow, cautious entry into spring this year. Usually I'm not ready for it cause we never really get winter in Austin, and I love winter. But this year, after TWO big snow storms, including a crazy polar vortex that left us below freezing for days with no power and no water, I guess I'm ready for spring.

The problem is, it didn't come at first. I saw a few signs of spring before the freeze, but those quickly died from the cold. After the freeze, everything, and I mean everything seemed dead. I resisted the urge to cut down and clear the ugly brown landscape because more experienced gardeners said to wait.

Just wait. Get used to ugly for awhile and let nature do its thing.

Because nature is so good at "doing it's thing." I know I should have more faith, and deep down I knew that the landscape would adapt somehow. But after a year full of disappointments, I wasn't hopeful. That's what spring is supposed to remind us of, hope, but I wasn't there yet.

Watching the landscape slowly emerge over the next few weeks, I was constantly reminded of the importance of patience. Nature works on a timeline, but it's a very LONG timeline that has spanned billions of years on this planet. As I see more and more green around me now, and more green than brown, my hope is returning.

Nature's timeline makes me realize that one year of life as a brown, ugly landscape is not that long.

My son's spirit animal is a cicada. He was at nature camp with me five summers ago, my first summer camp actually, and he had a moment with a cicada that stopped him in his tracks. Me and 10 other children all stopped and silently watched him pick up the cicada and put it on a tree. It was a short interaction, but it was magical. When we got home, I looked up the meaning of the cicada spirit animal. It was perfect for him. If you ever have an interaction like this, I highly recommend doing a quick search to find the organism's meaning.

Annual Green Cicada freshly emerged.

These songstresses can teach you the commonly neglected art of communicating with yourself.

Cicadas are strong communicators and inspire the same trait in people through their songs. They have a very distinct sound that is all their own, which symbolizes the need to channel your own voice and march to the beat of your own drum.

The Cicada spiritual totems thus help you to understand and be in tune with yourself by aiding in uncovering deep truths and thoughts that have been forgotten. After putting you in touch with your own voice, they aid in connecting it with your most heartfelt desires.

We went on to learn about periodic cicadas, like the 17 year Brood X that is emerging this year. They lay their eggs on a plant, and the larvae emerge and crawl down into the soil, where they stay for 17 years until they emerge. They then crawl up the tree, molt out of their exoskeleton, spread their beautiful wings, and enjoy a few weeks of life above ground. It's truly amazing when you think about it. How do they know when to emerge? Why do they spend almost their entire life underground?

Yes, they're gross, and ugly, and these red-eyed versions are a bit scary looking,
but be patient.
Take a moment to learn about things that disgust you. Gain insight into their life story. It is a great way to overcome your disgust and connect with the world around you.

To me, cicadas embody patience. They guide us to dig through the layers and layers of gunk that life has piled on us, to help us uncover what is true. The pandemic has had us all cooped up, like these cicadas, just waiting to live life again. And just like these cicadas, our time "underground" has uncovered some truths that I hope we can appreciate and carry into this new kind of spring and summer season. There is hope, but there is still a lot of ugly in the world to put up with, so be patient, and stay open and curious.

The Wisdom of Squirrels

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 08:00:00 GMT

A polar vortex hit Austin hard this winter, and I was holed up in my house, and in my mind, like a squirrel safe in its tree. My mind frittered away, furiously trying to determine what I needed to survive. No matter what life throws at me though, I look to nature for solace. Every. Single. Time. I force myself to go out and just observe and feel, and support always comes, even if I don’t get any answers. So this is what I did, in short, freezing bursts.

Nature's silence returns me to a calmer baseline.

From that calmer place, I was now a witness to my thoughts, instead of trying to juggle them all and make sense of them. Like nature, we are in this life for the long haul, and I’m reminded that I don’t need all the answers now. I just need to do the next right thing (Anna, from Frozen II). Especially in emergency situations, survival depends on one step at a time.

During this nearly unbearable vortex of cold weather that shut everything down for days, I slowed down and started noticing what was showing up in my life. Niksen is great for showing us what’s important, and drawing us to create or bring more of it into our lives.

One thing that showed up that I followed was a phrase in my inbox: “If you want a reminder of what’s important, ask the squirrels!” This link lead me to an article that reminded me to just turn my brain off and listen. “(nature) will gladly remind you that your anxiety and outrage aren’t helping you stay present.” Again, nature returns me to a more neutral baseline.

This lead me to notice when I ran across squirrels several more times that week. From the ones under my bird feeder outside, to chapter books I read with my son, to a new movie on Disney+, squirrels all around me were reminding me what was important. So I did what I always do when I run across something repeatedly: I looked up its meaning.

As a spirit animal, squirrels teach us that this moment is temporary, and we should enjoy it and appreciate it. If we listen and watch, we can find it’s strength and its lesson that it has to teach.

Squirrels of course are also practical, and teach us to prepare for a rainy day and work hard for our future. This was fitting for this polar vortex that we were in, and I was glad we had prepared with enough food, water, batteries and camping gear.

So my mind continues to be a bit scattered, and I feel like I’m holding too many acorns, but I’m slowly saving them and planting them, observing, and preparing for what life brings next. You never know which acorn we plant will actually turn into a tree and bring us the abundance we seek.

“Like any natural born cynic, I say do not hope, observe. Because when you do, you’ll see how much wonder the world actually has. And you won’t be a cynic any more.”

- Flora & Ulysses on Disney+