Dear friends,
I hope this finds you calm and safe wherever you are in the world.
I had an idea. Could we make sitting with nature a global practice at this uncertain and challenging time?
Could we explore how the ‘Sit Spot’ practice may support us and influence our response to what’s going on for us and the world in the coming months?
Some of you will be familiar with the ‘Sit Spot’. For those who aren’t, you can find a leaflet with instructions here. It’s a very simple practice you can engage with alone or with others – including with children :-). You can adapt the practice as you like and don’t hesitate to share the leaflet instructions widely with friends, colleagues and family.
I have also uploaded a free recording you can download if you’d like audio guidance as you practice: https://soundcloud.com/claire-thompson-174593464/sit-spot/s-PJsycqMzQo2 .
‘Sit Spots’ are ideal to…
- Give ourselves space to explore our thoughts and emotions.
- Support our mental well-being
- Get to know the wildlife close to our home
- Explore our innate belonging in nature
- Connect with beauty and joy on our doorstep
- Learn from the rest of the natural world – it has lots to teach us about life!
I’ll be practicing my ‘Sit Spot’ in my garden in Cambridge, UK at 8 am every morning from tomorrow – in case you’d like to feel like we’re practising together ๐
I’ve also created an online group as an invitation to practice daily ‘Sit Spots’ at home together during this time of social distancing. Here’s the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/845260472641077/. I’ll share a post every Sunday evening in this group with a suggestion for practice for your ‘Sit Spot’ practice that week. I’ll also use the group to offer short reflections, poems and resources that could be supportive to you all at this time. (I hope I may also find the time to write a few longer blogs here too!)
This Facebook group is a space for you to share your experiences with others practising the ‘Sit Spot’ across the globe. But as always, there’s no pressure to share, you’re welcome to join the group either way!
This global pause could be an opportunity for us to develop our relationship with nature on our door step – in support of our personal and collective well-being. And however challenging life may become for us in the coming months, in my experience, being with nature is always supportive, especially in times of uncertainty.
So, would you like to join me in sitting together with the natural world?
Take care of yourselves and each other,
Love and warm wishes to all,
Claire
I love this! I’m a pastoral lead in a primary school and am looking for session ideas to help little ones when we finally get back to school..they will love this format as we are very much an outdoor learning based school..but they will need some TLC when back I think. X
Hi Fiona! Thanks for your note, I’m so pleased you like this and really hope you can use it with the little ones and hope it supports them in some much needed quiet and TLC for sure ๐