Nature-Mindfulness Techniques Using the Changing Colours of The Seasons

Written By Hugh Asher

25th September 2022

Nature provides a kaleidoscope of different colours, and you can anchor yourself in the present by mindfully focusing on these colours. Here are two mindful nature-connection activities that use colour.

Fifty Shades of Green

Green trees and blue skies

This is a nature-mindfulness activity that you can engage in almost anywhere that you have a view of nature. This might be when you are sitting comfortably in your Sit Spot, during a pause whilst you are taking a walk in nature, or just looking out of a window.

Soften your gaze and scan you line of vision from left to right and back again, noticing the dominant colour that you see or that attracts your attention most.

Now spend 5 to 10 minutes exploring how many different shades of that colour you can identify. If this is a nature-mindfulness activity that particularly resonates with you, you can pick a different colour each day. You can also reflect on how different colours affect your feelings and emotions.

Sit Spot

Autumn Leaves

Sit Spot is a practice of sitting quietly in nature, mindfully using your senses to engage and connect with your surroundings. Many people who practice Sit Spot have a location that they sit in regularly to connect with nature. When practiced over a long period of time, this can give a real insight into, and greater appreciation of, the changes that occur over time as the seasons change. There will be a time when you notice the first leaves start to change colour and as all the deciduous trees begin to transform into their Autumn colours.


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Hugh Asher

I’m Hugh and I’m a Certified Forest Bathing Guide and Forest Therapy Practitioner, having trained with the Forest Therapy Institute and the Forest Therapy Hub. My purpose in life is to inspire people to improve their wellbeing, and to help people to help and inspire others to improve their wellbeing. I do this through promoting greater nature connection as I am a passionate believer in the benefits to health and wellbeing that nature and increased connection to nature can bring.

Professionally, I have worked for over twenty years supporting people experiencing: mental health problems; autism; learning disabilities; school exclusion; experience of the care system; and a history of offending behaviour. Currently I am the ‘Recovery Through Nature Lead’ in a residential rehab for people experiencing drug and alcohol problems.

I have a PhD in Therapeutic Relationships, but Dr. Hugh makes me sound too much like a Time Lord.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugh-asher/
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