Reflective Journaling

Reflective journaling is a practice for drawing insights from mindful walks in nature. This type of journaling is not about narrating your life, but collecting and reflecting on your impressions while encountering nature in a deeply attentive way. Through reflection, you learn how to listen to your inner voice.

I combine reflective journaling with walks of mindful presence, the core of centering nature, which is a way of immersing in the wild with stillness and awareness to attune every sense to your surroundings and gather impressions.

Getting started with reflective journaling

Here is a simple exercise to get started: each time you walk in nature, keep in mind these three questions:

What do I observe and hear?

What draws my attention and why?

What feelings do I have?

Jot down your impressions: they can be as short as a single word, noting colors, sounds, textures, the feel of the breeze or sun on your skin. If something draws your attention ask yourself why. What feelings arise?

Take time to reflect on your journal notes: What connection can you make to your impressions, feelings, and your life?

Once you get the hang of this practice, you can expand to focus on one sense at time: What do you see close by and at a distance? How many colors can you identify? What shapes and textures do you notice?

Try this exercise with touch and smell. What scents are in the air? Can you tell the season simply by smell? Pick up a pinecone, stone, or dry leaves: What do they feel like? How are they different?

Write down your impressions and then reflect on them. Compare your writing over time. You may begin to notice that your attention is sharpening; your senses have become more acute. All of nature may suddenly come alive to you in a deeper way than ever before.

You may have already guessed that walking mindfully with quiet attention and gathering in through your senses requires stillness. Take your time. Reduce distractions. Breathe. Think of walking mindfully as yoga for the soul. Then draw in all you can through your eyes, ears, nose, and touch. Let your body connect with nature and all its beauty, diversity, and richness.