I find that I am often reflective at the end of a year. Despite the sometimes overwhelming narratives of western culture in December that we must prepare for Christmas, spend money, see people, indulge, I find my thoughts naturally turning to the year that was and wondering what I might want to take forward into the year that will be. The year’s turn seems to be a good time to reflect in this kind of way and to slow down and make space for that is an antidote to that sense of busy-ness.

For me, 2023 marked a year of deepening into my own nature-based writing practice and some enriching projects writing with others in groups, offering opportunities to talk and write together. I love inspiring others to write for pleasure, growth and self-discovery, as a way of resourcing and connecting to themselves, of connecting to others and re-connecting with the natural world. Over the years, I have found mindful, nature-based writing activities are particularly helpful as we go through stressful and difficult times in our lives and a highlight for me this year was running creative writing activities with people living with cancer as part of the Penny Brohn wellbeing day offerings. I look forward to continuing with these in 2024 and beyond.

I am a sometime poet and a frequent journal writer. I write regularly for my own enjoyment, self-exploration and reflective practice. But I have loved walking and being in nature since long before I could find the words to weave into something to describe that experience. It seemed like a natural part of my own progress as a person and a counsellor that I embarked on some eco-therapeutic training this year with Natural Academy, and took my first steps along their vocational pathway to explore working with people in nature. They teach a holistic approach they call the Natural Self model – and it is a whole-ing approach.

In my first training weekends at Lapwing Farm, I found myself both sinking into my whole self and expanding outwards into the place too: slowing down and feeling into my own place as part of nature, as part of the cosmos. As I slowed my pace and paid detailed attention, I began to notice an awe and reverence for the world begin to build in me. In my journal, I wrote a little about the creatures I encountered there:

Friday: what was important for me was the kites in the wide open sky, I see them winging above me as I travel and again when I arrive. I like the dome-like quality of the sky at Lapwing, it reminds me that I live on a globe and am zinging through space. A miracle really.

Saturday: the wind leads me on a walk of detailed attention to the grass and their seedheads. I see insects I do not know the names of and I look them up later: orange-marbled orb weaver (a spectacular spider that at first sight seemed to be a funghus), common darter (a dragon fly with a burnt orange body), common field grasshoppers (they purr, I hear them long before my eyes find focus in the field), blue tailed damselfly.  Later, there is also the moon and the stars at 4 am on a clear night.

Sunday: there have been lady birds with me in my sit spot and a purring field cricket again – both creatures crawl over my journal and tell me to stop writing and just be in this place. A lady bird comes with me into the van. I help it make its way outside again, it will not live if it is trapped in here after I go home.

I do not entirely know where this new path I am drawn down will lead me, led by the wind and these little creature companions, but I have found myself full of new ideas for writing for wellbeing and connecting to a solid sense of the importance of this work that reconnects (as Joanna Macy termed it) and I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to work with people in nature. To see first hand and be part of the mysterious wonder of how understanding and experiencing our place as part of the world enhances health and wellbeing, how it can resource and support, develop learning, skills and personal potential.

As we come to the end of another year, you might like to take some time to pause and reflect too, perhaps take out your journal and ask yourself some questions about how this year has been for you and what you need to flourish next year.