An easy-to-use guide that offers a Natural and Mindful path back to yourself. We all live in an ever-changing, fast-paced, busy, world. Over half our population now live in cities where the noise, pressure, stress and anxiety can lead to feeling overwhelmed.

Mindfulness & the Natural World explores what it means to connect with nature and how we can learn from nature to be more mindful in everyday life. Claire Thompson takes us on an engaging journey into the natural world and encourages us to experience its beauty and intrinsic value through the art of mindfulness. Through personal anecdotes and proven insights, she reveals how a deeper awareness of the natural world is key to inspiring us to care about and protect nature, and developing a more sustainable world.

Mindfulness in Nature helps readers separate themselves from their busy lives, and allows them to engage in a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with the natural world around them through meditative practice. Now more than ever, with the constant distractions that abound in modern life—from smart phones to social media—it is imperative we seek the solace and comfort of nature for our well-being. The Japanese have a term for it: Shinrin-yoku or "Forest Bathing". Mindfulness experts Dr. Nina Smiley and David Harp have created a new guide called Mindfulness in Nature which provides a meaningful way to nurture ourselves through a sense of spaciousness, calm, and connection with the out-of-doors. Penned from the breathtaking natural setting of Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, Mindfulness in Nature affords readers access to wisdom from dozens of notable authors, philosophers and poets – including Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman – on the important themes of nature, spirituality, simple beauty and joyful living. More than just a walk in the woods, Mindfulness in Nature is a carefully crafted and deliberate approach to achieve better health and well-being and is ideal for all ages.

“Nature deficit disorder” has become an increasingly challenging problem in our hypermodern world. In Awake in the Wild, Mark Coleman shows seekers how to remedy this widespread malady by reconnecting with nature through Buddhism. Each short (two to three pages) chapter includes a concrete nature meditation relating to such topics as Attuning to the Natural World, Reflecting the Rhythms of Nature, Walking with Compassion, Releasing the Inner Noise, Freeing the Animal Within, Coming into the Peace of Wild Things, Weathering the Storms of Life, and more. Incorporating anecdotes from the author’s many nature retreats, Buddhist wisdom and teachings, important nature writings by others, and nature itself, the book invites readers to participate in, not just observe, nature; develop a loving connection with the earth as a form of environmental activism; decrease urban alienation through experiencing nature; embody nature’s peaceful presence; and connect with ancient spiritual wisdom through nature meditations.

"In The Art of Mindful Birdwatching, Claire Thompson elegantly weaves a narrative full of her own delightfully documented encounters with birds in amongst sage guidance on using mindfulness to help readers become deeply aware of the present moment. Following Claire's clearly described exercises has the potential to lead one from mere identification to making deeply insightful observations into the life of birds." – British Trust of Ornithology Through personal anecdote and expert insight, Claire Thompson of BirdLife International invites us on a mindful journey through gardens, cities, open country, forests, coasts and mountains to enjoy and learn from the magnificent beauty and diversity of the avian world. Who has never gazed enviously at a bird soaring through the sky? Or delighted in the uplifting tunes of nature’s songsters? Birds can do wonders for our hearts and minds – if we simply pay them attention. With The Art of Mindful Birdwatching, Claire Thompson reveals how the practice of mindfulness enriches our birdwatching experiences – and explores how birds are, in turn, the ideal inspiration for the practice of mindfulness. Enjoy the magnificent diversity of colours, songs, flight patterns and behaviours displayed by birds while reaping the benefits of mindfulness: Increased concentration Increased creativity Increased vitality Reduced stress and anxiety Better overall physical and emotional well-being Better sleep Bird flight is a symbol of freedom to soar through life without constraint, and mindfulness similarly enables us to invite freedom and happiness into our own lives. Find even more ways to practice mindfulness with the Mindfulness series: Mindfulness in Sound, Mindfulness & the Art of Drawing, Mindfulness in Knitting, Mindfulness & the Journey of Bereavement, Mindfulness of Work, Art of Mindful Singing, Art of Mindful Crafting, Mindfulness and Compassion, Mindfulness for Black Dogs & Blue Days, Mindfulness for Unraveling Anxiety, Practice of Mindful Yoga, The Mindful Man, Mindfulness and the Natural World and more.

Mindfulness in Nature helps readers separate themselves from their busy lives, and allows them to engage in a deeper, more fulfilling relationship with the natural world around them through meditative practice. Now more than ever, with the constant distractions that abound in modern life—from smart phones to social media—it is imperative we seek the solace and comfort of nature for our well-being. The Japanese have a term for it: Shinrin-yoku or "Forest Bathing". Mindfulness experts Dr. Nina Smiley and David Harp have created a new guide called Mindfulness in Nature which provides a meaningful way to nurture ourselves through a sense of spaciousness, calm, and connection with the out-of-doors. Penned from the breathtaking natural setting of Mohonk Mountain House in New Paltz, New York, Mindfulness in Nature affords readers access to wisdom from dozens of notable authors, philosophers and poets – including Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, and Walt Whitman – on the important themes of nature, spirituality, simple beauty and joyful living. More than just a walk in the woods, Mindfulness in Nature is a carefully crafted and deliberate approach to achieve better health and well-being and is ideal for all ages.

A funny and engaging guide to finding awareness in daily activities beyond sitting meditation—from a rising leader in the Insight Meditation community Meditation is great, but it's not what Buddhist practice is all about. Deep insight and liberation from suffering can be found in any ordinary activity—from sorting the laundry to data entry—as long as we approach them with the necessary awareness. Such is the teaching of Buddhist monk Sayadaw U Tejaniya, who himself learned to cultivate awareness in the raucous years he spent in the Burmese textile business before taking his final monastic ordination at the age of thirty-six. In this refreshingly modern guide, Sayadaw U Tejaniya teaches us how to bring awareness to all activities. By training ourselves to be aware of the clinging and aversion that arise in any situation, calm and deep insight will naturally follow. “The object of attention is not really important,” he teaches, but “the observing mind that is working in the background. If the observing is done with the right attitude, any object is the right object.” The flame of wisdom can be kindled in the midst of any life, even one that might seem too full of personal and professional commitments to allow for it.

Reconnect with Your Body and Nature to Heal from Trauma As psychologist and mindfulness teacher Rochelle Calvert explores in this powerful book, one of the greatest sources of healing from trauma is all around us — nature. Dr. Calvert shows how to relate to and connect with nature through the practice of mindfulness to calm and relax the nervous system, tune in to the somatic wisdom of the body to face lingering trauma and rewire it, and work with painful experiences to transform them in ways that heal the individual and contribute to healing the wider world. Healing with Nature pioneers a path not just to recovery but to lifelong healing and resilience.

A practical guide for experiencing natural awareness—an effortless and spacious state of resting in the depth of our being. Do you recall, as a child, being enthralled by a drifting cloud, a rain-soaked leaf, a wandering ladybug? Or suddenly having a sense of timelessness, contentment, and ease? If so, then you've already had a taste of natural awareness. Known and revered in many traditions as a complement to focused mindfulness training, natural awareness transcends even these wondrous childhood moments. Some describe it as a profound “awareness of awareness”—an effortless, boundless state of resting in the depth of our being. For those new to meditation and experienced meditators alike, these 72 “mini-chapters” guide you on an in-depth odyssey into natural awareness, illuminated by many simple and enjoyable insights and exercises. The Little Book of Being invites you to explore: The spectrum of awareness practices, from focused mindfulness to flexible mindfulness to natural awarenessHow classical mindfulness and effortless natural awareness enrich and shape each other, and how to practice bothThree ways to move into natural awareness—relaxing effort, broadening awareness, and dropping objectsA treasury of “glimpse practices” to spark natural awareness anytime, in just a few momentsHow to bring this way of “simply being” into your daily life, into your connection with others, and into the world“At first natural awareness may seem far away, just a whisper, but then it will begin to grow and expand and permeate aspects of living. Over time we may feel more peace, more connection to ourselves. We may find ourselves taking life a bit more lightly. We may feel a sense of relaxed ‘beingness’ throughout the day, and when we do get caught in our dramas, we may find ourselves moving out of them quicker than we imagined we could.” —Diana Winston

Whether you're in the therapy office, a classroom, in the city, or the countryside, using nature-based activities with children is always possible, and incredibly therapeutic. By integrating these activities with mindfulness, therapists and educators can harness the power of both treatments, and help children become calm, alert and happier human beings. Mindfulness and Nature-Based Therapeutic Techniques for Children provides evidence-based, practical, accessible and FUN activities to promote: Self-regulation Cognitive and emotional development Physical development Sensory regulation Play and creativity Empathy Resilience to cope with trauma and grief Dozens of activities for children of all ages!