Boost Your Creativity through Nature
Nature is one of my greatest sources of inspiration. It nourishes my soul at the deepest levels and nurtures my sense of connection with all that is.
In the process, immersion in the natural world boosts my creativity and inspires my writing to flow like the chattering stream endlessly coursing over and around the rocks in its path.
And this isn’t just a quirk of my individual nature.
In 2012, researchers from the University of Kansas discovered an impressive 50% boost in creativity and higher levels of insight and problem solving in people who’d spent extended periods of time in nature.
In fact, the proven benefits of making nature a priority as an integral part of the creative process led me to include it as one of the five core practices of Conscious Writing.
The Healing Power of Nature
I’ve always loved the multi-sensory sights, sounds and smells of the natural world which combine to restore my sense of wholeness and balance and enrich my experience of life in unquantifiable ways.
Yet it wasn’t until I found myself in an extremely fragile state in the weeks and months following a head injury that I truly discovered the immense healing power of nature.
At a time when I was too broken to function normally or think clearly, being out in nature gradually brought me back into internal alignment.
In time, this led me to write, create and eventually teach others about the significance of nature as a source of healing and unlimited creative inspiration.
The Birth of the Creative Cycle
Along the way I realized just how magnificently the natural cycle of life, death and rebirth echoes the creative cycle.
One of the most significant aspects of the model I teach is that the whole creative process begins in stillness, silence and space – internal and external.
When you observe the natural world it seems obvious. Many perennial seeds, for example, won’t germinate unless they’ve been through the harsh conditions of winter.
The same is true with your creative ideas. Your deepest insights arise when you pause (however briefly) for stillness, silence and space because this allows you to access the realms beyond the limitations of your conditioned, thinking mind.
This is the source of unlimited creative potential and the space out of which the first sparks of inspiration truly arise.
Boost Your Creativity
So nature leads by example and provides a wonderful way to inspire and boost your creativity.
Engaging with nature also supports you to feel present, grounded and connected with the flow of life and draws you into a state of alignment with all that is.
Dive In
Here are two simple ways for you to explore the truth of this for yourself:
- Notice: Pause for a few moments each day to notice what’s happening in the natural world around you. Pay attention to the change of the seasons and write in your journal about what you see, hear and feel as you consciously connect with the cycle of life. Draw on your observations and allow your feelings to flow through you onto the page. See what creative insights spontaneously arise.
- Immerse: Whether you live in the midst of the city or the wilds of the countryside, find a natural space where you can breathe in the vibrancy of nature. Even if you only have access to an urban tree or city park, spend some time there regularly as an integral part of your creative practice. Immerse yourself in the energy of nature and open your heart to feel the sense of wholeness, connection and flow; express yourself authentically from there.
What are your experiences of feeling creatively inspired by nature? Please share your comments below.
Hi Julia,
So true! Nature, even the lone tree, helps us put life in perspective. It can refocus us when we are weighed down with emotions, stress, and problems. As you suggest, nature inspires healing and creativity. After all, it is God’s creation and continuously creates itself anew.
I love your idea of journaling about our observations of nature and being so mindful about something we too often take for granted.
P.S. I’m so glad you are healing after your injury! May God continue to bless you!
Hi Rhonda,
Yes indeed, the lone tree can provide us with so much when we have the eyes to see and the heart open to receive… and respond with gratitude.
Enjoy the journaling and thank you for your kind comments!
The first eleven years of my life were spent living surrounded by nature. The forest was my go-to place when I was in need of comfort and safety from an abusive father. I was drawn to the trees that were always there, always welcoming, always sheltering.The aroma of the woodland plants, the softness of beds of green moss, the song of birds playing in the branches of oak trees~~transformed my sadness to joy and revived me; gave me hope; drew me to return~~as I still do today, seventy + years later.
Julia, I love what you say about the cycle of “life, death, and re-birth”~~so evident when you are in the presence of nature. It truly is our greatest resource.
It sounds wonderful Helen. I share your love of trees and woodland, and your description brings it all to life so beautifully.
I’m so glad you had nature to soothe your difficult childhood experiences; the path from sadness to joy is one that many of us relate to, and I couldn’t agree more that nature is our greatest resource. Thanks for your comment.
Isn’t it revealing how many of us find trees such a powerful source of renewal. I find what you are teaching about stillness, silence and space as the starting point out of which the first sparks of inspiration can arise very profound. The image of going out and sitting amongst the trees at the edge of a really still lake is strongly grounding and brings great perspective for possibility…
Indeed Peter! I love the image of sitting amongst the trees at the edge of a still lake and find it powerfully evocative just imagining the scene… Thank you!
I, too, love to observe Nature in all its glory. I live in Alaska and from my windows I see a beautiful mountain range that almost surrounds my city. While I have my morning coffee I can watch the clouds as they dance and rise from the valleys, the gorgeous pink sunrises that greet the day and the birds that come for breakfast served on a small table in front of my window. There is a stately white birch tree near my deck that gives me food for thought as it changes with the seasons. I love to start my day with God’s beautiful gifts of life. After seeing all of this glory, I can start my day feeling blessed.
How marvellous Melissa; I love mountains almost as much as I love trees! What an inspiring view for you to begin your day… thanks for sharing it with us 🙂