Parked next to this beautiful Alder tree on the northwest coast of Scotland for a couple of days I feel her rooting into my consciousness and dreams. I am trying to be more mindful of thoughts when around certain trees: what emotions am I experiencing? What memories are surfacing? What fragments of conversations/films/books/songs/poems are needling at the mind? Dreams have been turbulent but I cannot remember any details – I know this is also something that needs work. I am…
I’ve started documenting a daily connection with nature over on the OUTSIDER Instagram account (#dailyconnectionwithnature). It’s not always going to be something huge and life-changing but it is about pausing at least once a day to immerse in nature, and by taking time to record these moments I’m encouraged to meditate more on what these connections might mean. As we already walk the dogs in the woods every day this isn’t about that, it’s about exploring one step further, making…
I sit with a large winter tree. I choose this tree because they are clearly signalling me. Or perhaps it is an arbitrary decision. All I can say is that this tree is the one I sit with. Firstly, I stand facing them and enact the ‘connecting with winter trees’ poem gifted by an oak in Bala last autumn. This has become my main way of connecting with the trees in winter months as it offers the space to really…