FIVE EXPERT TIPS FOR EMBRACING ECOTHERAPY

Emma Palmer introduces five easy ways to bring the principles of ecotherapy into your life:

1 Research your locality

Set yourself a project to find out about your local area’s unique environment. What sort of soil is your house sitting on? Is there a particular type of wildflower in your immediate area? What birds visit your garden or windowsill? Collect your findings in a notebook.

2 Let your feet walk you Next time you go for a walk, instead of defaulting to your normal route, let your feet guide you and see where you end up. Soften your gaze and slow your pace, allowing your mind to quieten as you tune into your body’s movements, step by step.

3

Find your special place Choose a nearby green or blue space that you can visit a few times a week. Start by going there, switching off your phone and sitting for 10 minutes. Let yourself absorb your surroundings: notice the blades of grass moving in the wind, the shape of the trees, the chorus of sounds. If boredom or restlessness come, feel them fully. Build up to 15, 20, 30 minutes and beyond.

4

Forage and free-associate Go for a walk and gently scan your environment, seeing if any natural objects speak to you, taking care not to overthink why you’re drawn to something. Gather your objects and find somewhere quiet, outdoors or indoors, and give yourself 60 seconds per object to speak whatever comes to mind while holding and looking at the object. You could record yourself speaking or write down notes in a journal.

5

Help your community

Find your local community garden, growing project or allotment and get involved in whatever way you can – be it volunteering once a week, or perhaps offering gardening lessons, anything that allows you to get your hands dirty, while connecting with others in your local area as you work together to look after your neighbourhood. kamalamani.co.uk