Summer is holding on for dear life as we are finally reaching fall. But the overwhelming heat was crazy (if you’re on the West Coast).
Summer and fall are wonderful times to deepen your spiritual connection with nature. The weather is typically better and the sunshine often fills us with a desire to spend more time outside.
Nature is the most direct spiritual connection, as the earth and everything that grows from it are spirituality themselves. They provide us with direct access to the divine, the universe, angels, etc.
Nature also has an incredibly healing effect on humans. Our medicines and practices come from the earth. Before modern medicine, humans solely used what the earth gave us (and even still, medicine is inspired by and utilizes the earth’s elements) and healing from illness is, debatably, one of the most spiritual encounters we can have.
Here are 3 ways you can use nature this summer and fall to deepen your spiritual connection:
-
A private dip in the ocean on a new or full moon
If you like cold plunges this might be a great option for you. Go ahead and look up when the next new or full moon is and set aside some time to do this. Often around sunset is a good time to help create a really cozy and woo-woo atmosphere.
The ocean is preferable but if you don’t live near the ocean try to find another body of water.
Many people report that doing a cold plunge as part of their new or full moon rituals is an out-of-body experience. I suggest doing it privately only because I like my spiritual practices to be private. That way I’m not impacted or influenced by others’ energies or thoughts. I can build that direction and deep connection with the universe. But many people like to do this as a group, so choose your preference.
Get yourself in the mood; meditate, sage, play some sound healing clips, do a bit of journalling (before and after) and then walk or run into the water. If you prefer you can take off all of your clothes but a bathing suit will do too.
Journal about how you feel afterwards and if there were any moments that stood out to you.
-
Nature grounding practices
I’m sure you’ve heard “walk barefoot in the grass” and it’s for good reason. There are so many incredible benefits to doing this. This is the most direct you can get to the earth.
Learning how to ground using nature and the natural elements is incredibly impactful. It has been shown to have incredible benefits for your physical and mental health and sleep. But it also allows you to feel as close as you can get to nature and the spiritual elements in nature.
Spiritual journeys are not always easy or straightforward. They can be difficult and emotional. If you don’t have a solid grounded foundation you can be easily swayed around making it hard to navigate.
By grounding outside in nature you build a strong and solid foundation to guide your journey. If you open yourself up you can also feel connected to the processes and “magic” that surrounds you in nature.
Some examples of grounding in nature include walking barefoot in the grass, eating fresh and local fruits and veggies (as fresh as you can get), exercising in nature, going on a hike and touching trees and leaves as you walk past, etc.
For more ideas check out this article!
-
Follow the moon and season’s cycle
Each month you get at least one full and one new moon. I highly recommend grabbing a calendar and recording the dates of those so you can prepare yourself for them. But something you could also do is celebrate the solstices, the changing of the seasons.
June brings us the summer solstice and September brings us the autumn equinox. Both of these, depending on where you live, typically have the nicest weather for celebrating this outside. Summer is generally warm and inviting and autumn is crisp and beautiful.
I found, that when I started celebrating these and creating rituals my spiritual practices and connection improved ten-fold. I prefer to do them outside if possible so I can be as close to being directly hit with the moon’s glow and energy as I can.
When I started my journey with these I did a lot of research but I also tuned into my intuition. I wanted to best utilize these powerful days but I also wanted my practises to be personal and exactly what I needed.
Feel free to look up the meanings each month/season but don’t be afraid to try out different practices and tools and see what you like.
Best of luck during this final month of summer and into the fall season. Make sure you get outside as much as you can to really start using the best and most direct form of spiritual connection you can.
XO,
Sarah