What’s interesting about the Buddha’s time, about 2,600 years ago, is that most people meditated outdoors. Early monastics meditated in forests and caves, next to rivers and lakes. The Buddha himself was enlightened under a bodhi tree.
In fact, when you look across spiritual traditions, this was the case. The Christian Desert Fathers prayed in the Egyptian desert, Native Americans performed vision quests, and Daoists had various rituals in mountains. They all spent a significant amount of time connecting with nature.
Nowadays, much of our meditation is done indoors. It’s easy to be flooded with distracting thoughts, and tempting to give up and reach for your phone. Indoors, we miss out on the lessons that nature can teach us about impermanence and interconnectedness.
Soaking in the warmth of the sun, hearing the melodies of birds and feeling the earth beneath your feet brings an immediate presence. Your awareness naturally expands to notice the richness of life all around you. I love going for long hikes, alternating between sitting and walking meditation.
When you do, you can try this meditation on the Five Elements.
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