Do you want to know how you feel when surrounded by trees, mountains, rivers, and animals, even if you’re not sure why? Allow yourself to turn toward that light if you have felt a connection to nature and want to deepen it! Allow your creativity to shine through and lead you. The benefits are priceless.

If so, you’ve most likely had a diverse range of experiences. If you’re like me, you go for a walk or run and are barely aware of what’s happening around you. Your mind follows its usual path, and you’re back in your car before you know it. Are you also aware that you have a life number path? Learn more about numerology.

On rare occasions, however, something extraordinary occurs. You’re walking along when you notice—really notice—a tree, and it’s a revelation. It emits a deep peace that settles into you. Or you’re sitting in a remote location and realize you are no different than that rock, that tree, or that herd of deer. Everything in the world appears to be in order. Then you notice the presence of nature as a whole. You have the impression that nature is more than just a collection of trees, rocks, and animals and that you are a part of it. You felt it whether you called it God, Earth Mother, or something else.

Consider these moments of clarity, connection, and peace as chance encounters with nature. You weren’t looking for a profound experience, but it happened.

Most of us never go any further. We know we love nature, that it makes us feel good, and spend time in it. But we don’t learn how to connect with nature intentionally. As a result of our culture’s enormous pressure to prioritize the appearance of things over the spirit of things, we revert to exercising or socializing, using nature as a great gym or café that makes us feel excellent. No one ever encourages us to go deeper. There are no models for doing so in mainstream Western culture.

But there’s a lot more! These chance meetings with nature are only the beginning. They are the entrance. They are an invitation to rediscover your true nature and live your life in harmony with nature.

Make a promise to reconnect with nature.

Our lives are hectic, and our minds are even more so. Even if you spend time outside, your mind’s chatter can take over. If you don’t express a strong desire to connect, you give up control over the relationship.

For example, imagine you’re on a first date, and you become so engrossed in your thoughts that you don’t hear anything your date says. Then, at the end of the date, you say, “I don’t want to schedule dates; I’d rather see if they happen organically!” They would bolt for the door.

Nature is the same way. You must listen and communicate, which may not come naturally if you were raised in the Western world. So committing to developing your spiritual relationship with nature is the first step.

Make time to spend alone in nature.

We tend to talk to each other when we’re with other people. Silence is perceived as unsettling. We’re also concerned about what other people think of us, so we edit ourselves to ensure we act appropriately. And in particular, women and girls are taught to focus on what other people are feeling and to take care of them at the expense of being aware of our own authentic experiences.

It is possible to transform an unintentional spiritual relationship with nature into an intentional one. Spend time in nature and connect with it consciously. Nature evolved into my spiritual path. The hole in your chest, which had always existed but had become unbearable due to the heartbreak, will be filled. You are not truly alone, and despite life’s ups and downs, you can live with a consistent baseline of deep joy.