Nature & Spirituality: The Role of Nature in Spiritual Awakening

The journey of spiritual awakening is rewarding but also challenging. Spiritual seekers find bliss, wisdom, and growth throughout their path, but as humans, they are also susceptible to feelings of vulnerability, exhaustion, negativity, etc.

Consciousness awakening is a long journey with ups and downs. However, there are many spiritual tools and energetic practices available to promote healing and propel us forward.

Ancient cultures and spiritual traditions have always revered Mother Nature as a sacred being and a source of healing. Spiritual practitioners can find solace in nature and a means to connect with the divine.

This article will explore why spending time in nature can contribute to spiritual awakening, healing, and energetic release.

According to esoteric and occult teachings, our bodies exist in numerous dimensions. The physical body is the material aspect we can experience with our physical senses.

However, other energetic aspects of the body exist in higher dimensions, which can only be perceived with spiritual abilities like clairvoyance. These include the ethereal body, also known as the aura, and the astral body.

The subtle bodies are purely energetical, absorbing, and radiating all sorts of energies. They absorb the negative energy from the places we visit and the people we encounter, making us feel tired, stressed, and gloomy. Besides, these energetical fluids can also affect the physical body, promoting illness.

Crystal cleanses, smudging, and sound healing are popular and effective ways to cleanse subtler bodies. But nature is by far the most powerful way to release negative energy.

For a deep energetic cleanse, try immersing yourself in the river, let fire purify you by safely jumping over a bonfire (approach with caution), or connect with the earth element by partially burying yourself in the ground.

Immersing yourself in nature is a remarkably calming experience and a natural remedy for stress.

Being in nature relaxes our bodies. It reduces cortisol levels and muscle tension and lowers heart rate and blood pressure. Besides, it has a soothing effect on our minds, allowing us to release worries and fears.

Relaxation is key to achieving a state of contemplation, the foundation of spiritual awakening.

For a full relaxation experience, consider falling asleep under a tree or sinking into a natural hot spring. For a more daring adventure, let a waterfall massage your back.

Spending time outdoors makes you pause for a moment and acknowledge all the forms of life that surround you. It makes you realize you are not alone. Everything is connected, from the giant tree to the small creatures hiding beneath a rock.

This experience allows us to see ourselves from a less self-centered perspective. This view on life connects us with the universal consciousness, the transcendent and immanent Cosmic spirit.

Do you want to feel one with the universe? Try meditating in nature or contemplating the night sky.

Thich Nhat Hanh, the famous Buddhist monk and mindfulness teacher, said, “Life is available only in the present moment.”

Spending time in nature is a wonderful experience because it mutes the constant inner chatter and helps you enjoy the present. Only in the present moment, with a receptive mind, can we get in contact with our inner wisdom.

Besides, overactive minds can find peace in nature because it improves our focus. This is a great practice for those struggling to meditate or practice mindfulness.

Nature grounds you, moving your focus from incessant thoughts to your physical body and the present moment. A Yoga session or other harmonious forms of exercise, such as qigong can help you to connect with your body.

Do you often find yourself overthinking? Try contemplating a bonfire and imagine how each thought disappears between the flames. Or try active meditation—run uphill to clear your mind.

Nature is a wise teacher because it makes you reflect on the small things. You can discover many priceless teachings by contemplating the flowers, the river, the animals, and everything surrounding you.

The ecosystem reveals how simple life can be: plants and animals coexist in harmony without needing much to be happy. Being in nature and observing everything teaches us to find joy in the small things.

Research shows that spending time in nature can make us happier. It enhances our mood, provides calmness and joy, and improves mental health.

Negative emotions are part of the human experience. However, vibing in a constant state of anger, fear, and despair can lower our energetic frequencies. Positive emotions like peace, joy, and love have higher frequencies and can raise your vibration.

Our subtle bodies are full of energetic channels where energy flows freely. Nevertheless, pent-up emotions and traumas can create energetic blockages.

It’s vital to process emotions, understand their meaning, and release them. However, consider that nature can be a great ally in releasing stagnant energy and emotional blockages.

Like our bodies, the earth has many energetic paths to absorb and transmute that energy. It’s an excellent way to channel hard-to-process feelings.

If you need an emotional outlet, hug a tree or walk barefoot and feel the soil beneath your feet. They are powerful techniques to get those thoughts and feelings out of yourself. These practices will allow you to release those emotions and feel a profound sense of relief.

Nature is full of plants, minerals, and animals that carry a high vibration. Many energetic healing techniques use gemstones and herbs, relying on that principle.

For this reason, being in nature not only cleanses you but also raises your energetic frequency.

There is no specific practice to achieve this. The simple fact of being in a natural environment will elevate your vibration, but being fully conscious during this experience will have more powerful effects. Prolonged periods of exposure to natural settings will also yield better results.

Natural settings are extraordinarily sacred places—they are the temples of Mother Nature. Many cultures performed their rituals in forests, lakes, mountains, etc. They are portals to spiritual realms and, therefore, perfect for spiritual practices and mystical experiences.

When you visit one of these sacred places, go with respect. Do not disturb the peace of the creatures that have their home there. Instead, go in silence, in adoration, offering your devotion to the Cosmic spirit.

Nature makes you realize that divinity is not only hidden in temples. Instead, it’s everywhere: the universal consciousness penetrating every atom, every living being, including yourself.

The spiritual path is about finding balance in all facets of life. 

Just as the Buddha expressed, it is the philosophy of “the Middle Way.”

When you are out of balance in any aspect of your life, spend time in nature. It is a restorative experience for spiritual seekers and anyone yearning for healing.

In the nurturing shelter of nature, Mother Earth will bring you back to serenity and realign you with the harmonious essence of existence.