How to engage with nature

Engaging with nature can have profound positive effects on our mental health. Whether you live in the centre of the city or in a more remote area, there are small ways that we can all engage with nature, to help us feel more balanced, calm and centred.

To help you get started, we have outlined a few ideas below – they might seem simple, but give them a try and see how it makes you feel:

• walk barefoot on grass
• hug a tree
• spend time in your local green space (e.g. a park)
• lie down and watch the clouds float by
• listen to a body of water (lake, river, stream) or to the birdsong
• use your senses - feel the grass and leaves around you
• look at the flowers close up
• close your eyes and notice your surroundings: what do you hear, smell and feel?