Happy Earth Day!

April 22 is Earth Day. It’s an opportunity to revisit our relationship with the natural world. This year, I’m taking that opportunity to a new level. I’m going on a multi-day nature retreat.

The inspiration for this retreat comes from one of my business contacts, Osbert, who runs the Sustainability Leadership Programme. It’s a six-day retreat in Scotland for sustainability professionals. The concept is that immersion in nature with like-minded people can help participants shift their mindset and clarify the purpose behind their work.

Humans benefit from interaction with the natural world. So many of us, though, spend most of our time indoors. Even a brief walk outside where we can see trees or lakes or mountains helps us feel better. The more time we spend in nature, the more we appreciate it. That appreciation can inspire us to donate our time and money to environmental causes. It also increases positive emotions, like gratitude and joy.

I live in a suburb of Seattle. The built environment—houses, apartment buildings, streets—surrounds me. But when I look out the window of my home office, where I am right now while writing this blog post, I see trees. These are the evergreens that give the state of Washington its nickname. They are so tall that even when I step right up to the window and crane my neck upward, I cannot see to the tops of the trees.

A mile or so to the east of the trees is Lake Sammamish. I’ve always felt drawn to water. I love being in or on a lake, river, or sea.

Osbert encouraged the members of his online community to take part in a five senses meditation. Go to a quiet spot outdoors, he wrote, and walk slowly to get a feeling for the place. Then sit or lie down and take the time to observe. What do you hear, see, smell, feel, and taste? (Yes, if you breathe in the air, the smells can create a sense of taste.)

A few weeks ago, I ran down to a park on the edge of Lake Sammamish to try it out.

Although I spend time outdoors nearly every day, I’m usually walking, running, bicycling, or swimming. I’m thinking about where I’m going, keeping track of my pace and mileage to measure my progress toward my triathlon training.

This time, once I reached the park, I slowed down. Not the fast walking that I usually do, but a gentle stroll through the park. I stopped at a spot near the edge of the lake far enough away from other people. It was a cool, cloudy weekday, so the park wasn’t crowded.

I lay down on the ground, closed my eyes, and just observed. There was a gentle breeze. Birds chirped. Waves splashed along the shore. I opened my eyes and watched the clouds move across the sky. When I sat up, I saw the hills beyond the far shore of the lake. Near me, a row of ducks paddled by.

Ducks on Lake Sammamish. Photo by Julia Goldstein

After my meditation, I walked the two miles back uphill to my house. I was in awe of the calming effect of just a few minutes of stopping to take in the beauty and sounds of the lake.

I want to experience nature this way for longer than a few minutes or even a few hours. Flying to Scotland, however, is not practical. I need to find something closer to home.

I’ve wanted to go to Olympic National Park for years. It’s on the Olympic Peninsula west of Seattle, about 3 hours away from me by car and ferry. Although I’ve lived in the Seattle area since 2014, I haven’t been to the Olympics since a trip as a child with my parents.

What better time than April—Earth Month—to create my own nature immersion retreat? I rented a cottage near Olympic National Park with a view of Puget Sound.

My normal inclination would be to plan a trip with strenuous hikes of many miles each day. That’s not what I’m doing. Instead, I will spend hours just experiencing the natural world around me. Yes, I’ll drive into the park and do some hiking, but not with the goal of challenging myself to reach a particular destination.

There’s another important aspect of nature immersion, and that is unplugging from electronics. My laptop will stay at home. I am bringing my phone, but I will turn off notifications for everything except texts and phone calls. (Yes, in the 21st century, I should let family be able to reach me in case of an emergency.)

Perhaps I will return with new inspiration for how I can help my corporate clients improve their environmental sustainability. Maybe I will come up with new ideas to share with my readers. Who knows?

Regardless, I will focus on the experience and not expect any particular outcome. If you decide to plan a nature retreat, I invite you to do the same.