I’ve always been a big fan of trees and other green growing things, as well as mountains, rocks and minerals of every kind.  Whenever I encounter a particularly beautiful tree or rock, I inevitably take time to tell it so, to thank it for its beauty and feel gratitude for its presence in my world.  I think I shared recently about how I stop to say hello to a tree friend each morning as I walk across Central Park to my office.  It’s a bright spot in my commute, and I am always grateful to have that moment to rest my hand on the trunk of the tree and look up into its branches.  The green that I see somehow fills me with a deep sense of well-being – the same feeling I have when I hold a beautiful rock in my hand and feel its solidity.

These are some of my particular loves in nature.  Most of us have our own special place where we connect with our natural world in a way that nourishes us.  Perhaps you’re one of those people, as I am, who relaxes pretty immediately when you see a large body of water, or when you’re floating along on water in a kayak or canoe, or in some other way experiencing the beauty and presence of water.  Or, you may be someone who loves a storm and revels in lightening flashes and cracks of thunder, or maybe you’re someone who gets a thrill facing the flow of a strong wind across your body.  Or, you may be a person who simply loves the feel of dirt, of earth, in your hands.

Whatever your relationship with nature, this week’s experiment invites you to take time to notice the pleasure you receive when you encounter a plant, tree, rock, lake, waterfall or any other element of the natural world.  Then, take time to express gratitude for the beauty and presence of what you’ve encountered and notice how it feels to hold the idea that the tree or rock or lake actually receives your gratitude. At the very least, notice what happens to the quality of your experience when you take the time to acknowledge your enjoyment of the nature around you.

Also, notice the sensations you experience in your body when you take time to experience your relationship with nature and with the elements of your world that bring you pleasure.  If the sensations are comfortable, take some time just to hang out with them and allowing yourself the gift of bringing that pleasure even more deeply into your lived experience.

As with all the experiments, there’s no right way to do this one, and you couldn’t possibly do it wrong.  I hope you’ll use it to play with your relationship with the natural world around you – even if you live in the heart of a big city the way I do.  I have quite active relationships with the plants in my office and apartment, so remember that you can find nature in all kinds of places.