by Sophie Playle

Created on: May 07, 2009

Life is chaotic. Full of distractions, people crowded round us, problems to deal with. Sometimes we just need to get away from it all to re-charge our batteries, physically and mentally. The best, easiest and most inexpensive way to do this is to seek a few moments of solitude by immersing yourself in the stillness and beauty of the natural world.

Take a walk through the woods. Watch the sunshine shimmer through the dancing leaves. Feel the cool breeze on your skin, through your hair. The light plays across you, warming you. The air is fresh. The birds are singing peacefully, tunes that are not pre-written, but a melody from the heart, singing just for you. Feel the soft earth beneath your feet, the satisfyingly rough bark on the palm of your hand. Perhaps you'll catch site of a startled deer, weaving gracefully through the trees. It's likely you'll see a few squirrels darting into branches, or some beautiful wild birds. This is the time to quiet your mind and all the thoughts running through it, and relax. Even the act of walking is releasing exercise-induced endorphins into your blood, lifting your mood. You're exercising your heart and lungs, and walking your way towards a better night's sleep.

Sit by the ocean. Listen to the hypnotic rhythms of the sea caressing the shore. Sink your naked toes into the sand and take a deep breath of cool salty air. Look across the horizon, at where the sky meets the sea. It is so vast, so beautiful. You feel small in comparison, but not in a bad way. You can appreciate that there is a whole world around you, full of experience and beauty. Your problems and worries are washed away by the tide. In this moment you feel solitary, calm, powerful.

Climb a hill, a mountain if you can find one. Feel the burn in your legs as you power onwards. Feel the air becoming lighter as you ascend towards the sky. Feel elated as you reach the peak. You look around you, down at the vast landscape, the patterns of roads and fields and patches of buildings, perhaps a lake or two shimmering like glass. Here you can be completely by yourself. You can appreciate what it is to just be alive, to be in your own skin and to experience the world through your eyes alone.

We are part of nature. Sometimes we forget that. Reconnecting with the natural world is always a solitary experience. It reminds us of our own place in the wider picture - that is often an empowering and invigorating thought. Nature's beauty and natural rhythms and sounds can sooth us, calm us, and ignite a warm sense of happiness deep within us. Whether we climb to the top of Everest or simply take twenty minutes to sit in our back gardens and watch the sun set, we can all appreciate the benefits of seeking a moment of solitude by connecting with nature.

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