I’m constantly trying to incorporate nature as much as possible in my every day, while still respecting my own boundaries within the outside world. As most of you know I live in the woods, and so connecting with nature is right at my fingertips. However, I was not born someone who felt deeply connected with nature. I hated camping as a kid, and quite frankly do not like getting dirty. Even today, I am still an inner-city baby through and through. Up until a few years ago, I lived only blocks from city hall in San Francisco, and right in the heart of the city’s Tenderloin district. My goal for today is to share with you ways to connect with nature wherever you may live. I can’t promise that all my tips will be realistic for everyone, but I hope that at least someone finds this useful! A lot of people are comfortable with the idea of me being described as a “green” witch. Which, I’m personally perfectly comfortable with, but this isn’t how I would describe myself. Although yes, a lot of my magick is centered around nature, that’s because of where I live, and my adaptability with my surroundings. I also don’t think that connecting with nature is exclusive to green witches!
Find Community Gardens! It may seem like your situation feels hopeless, but even in the grimiest of cities, there are often fine people out there making an effort to make gardens more accessible. Admittedly I have not been to every city in the world, shocking I know, so you may genuinely live in one that doesn’t have a community garden. Or even worse, one of those gardens that aren’t really for the community, as it’s gated by some club membership or similar. To this I say, consider a window sill herb garden. Even if you have a community garden, why not both.
Meditation and/or quiet moments. Although you as though you can’t get connected to nature, sometimes just unplugging and laying still outdoors is all you need. Heck, open up your bedroom window, and lay on your bed, just completely unplugged and at the moment. Breath in that fresh air and really just allow yourself to connect with the moment. Sure you aren’t being grossly namaste and driving your feet into the soil, but the intention is such a huge part of our connections. It’s a huge part of why we (my generation) have so many connections with friends we never, see because, in that example, the internet allows us to remain connected through text and intention. Sometimes, just showing up is all that is needed. No, maybe you cannot walk through the desert, swim in the ocean, or climb a sequoia tree. Shit, unless you live right in those places, the average person can’t do that either, even if they aren’t in a city. Despite how social media projects things, it’s just not always possible. What is possible, however, is taking a moment right where you are, to feel the sun, breath in the fresh air, and put your intentions out into the universe.
Shop Seasonally! So much of the way we eat is completely out of sync with how our ancestors ate. One of the easiest and simplest ways to connect with nature is to eat foods that reflect the current season. Is it wonderful to be able to get Raspberries from your local market in January? Duh. Raspberries are delicious, don’t @ me, cuz if you don’t like them you’re loco. (Okay maybe not really, you’re entitled to your wrong opinion.) But in actually raspberries are naturally ripe around the end of June. Simple changes like this may seem overwhelming and like you have to do a ton of research to put it into practice, however, it can be much simpler than you’d expect. You can find or purchase charts online, often for local seasonal produce, as well as wheels for your ancestral wheelhouse. How you wish to explore this, is completely up to you. There is no right way, in my opinion, to eat as seasonally as possible.
Clean up your neighborhood! There is SO much litter… just… everywhere. People are garbage, let’s be honest. A simple way to connect with, and take care of nature, is to clean up just a little whenever you can. This can be simple as, when you find a littered plastic bag, make it your mission to fill it, and throw it away. Or even smaller scale, if you see some trash, just pick it up. It doesn’t have to be a whole organized black trash bag, and gloves operation, although YOU CAN DO THAT TOO! In the area we live, there are a lot of exceptionally garbage humans, who take their trash to the woods and dump it. So my partner and I do our best to pick up trash from the woods whenever we find it. In a city, you’re gonna find soda cans, plastic rubbish, and all sorts of junk everywhere. When you come across some, why not just pick it up? Heck keep some antibacterial solution in your bag, and then you don’t even need to be hyper-concerned about germs!
Grow herbs for your health! You may not have a whole backyard or even a balcony you can grow vegetables if you do, heck plant some tomatoes! But there are a lot of nutrient-rich herbs, that grow very easily, in small spaces, such as windows, or in low lighting like bathrooms. Even something as small as wheatgrass, which is virtually unkillable, (okay not really, but darn are they simple) can be added to smoothies and is an amazing source of Vitamin, A, C and E.
Pressing Flowers! This is my personal absolute favorite way to connect with nature. As a lot of you know or have seen, I try and keep fresh flowers on my altar constantly. If I can’t have fresh flowers, then there is definitely always dried flowers on my altar.
The point of all of this is, you don’t have to be this perfect zen nature going individual to get connected with nature. Heck, I hate the heat, and can’t do the desert. I also don’t like spiders, I’d never intentionally kill one, but I also don’t want one touching me. I’m not perfect, I never have been and never will be, and neither do you. What you can do is consider what your community has to offer and what is possible in your space. It’s all about adaptability and the intentions we put out there. If your intentions are to connect, then you can find a way to do it. Learn to be flexible and go into the situation with your intentions held close, and a “yes” attitude. You’ve got this!