Nature Connection Challenge - Day 32

Nature Challenge - Day 32 - Make a Nature Obstacle Coarse

Challenge yourself to move your body and get fit by creating obstacles with things you find in nature. Balance on a log, jump over pine cones, weave through tree trunks. Make it extra challenging by timing yourself and trying to beat your own time. Be creative and have fun!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 31

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 31 - Writing a Thank You Note to the Earth

Today’s challenge is to write a quick thank you note to the Earth itself or a plant, animal or natural phenomenon that inspires or supports you (ex. Dear Maple Tree, Dear trickling brook, Dear Honey Bee…)

Many of us take nature for granted and walk through much of our lives oblivious of nature’s role in sustaining us. When a someone gives us a gift or supports our growth it is customary to express gratitude by writing a thankful letter or card. The Earth and the natural world give so many gifts that support us and make our lives possible, why not write a letter of appreciation for all the Earth’s bounty?

Share your gratitudes with us on Facebook or Instagram.

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 30

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 30 - Patterns in Nature

If you look closely, you will find many patterns in nature. A pattern doesn’t necessarily need be a design that repeats or is symmetrical, which is how we usually learn to recognize a pattern. While this holds true, a pattern could also be something that is not regular and repeating, but isn’t totally random. Think of the bark on a tree. The ridges and shapes may reveal a pattern. Other types of patterns like spirals can be found in some flowers and mollusk shells. Consider the edge of a leaf - is it smooth or toothed? Perhaps there is a pattern in the way water drips from a rock or trickles in a stream. Consider patterns in the seasons, life cycles of plants and animals, the sun’s light over time. Patterns in nature are endless!

Your challenge today is to find patterns in nature. If you feel so inspired, paint, draw or photograph some patterns to share!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 29

Nature Connection Challenge Day 29 - Sense of Taste

Sense of Taste
The sense of taste along with the sense of smell are the oldest of the senses and as such they are tied together. Our tongue can differentiate between the flavors, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. The way in which we perceive flavor, however, results in particular from a combination of our senses of smell, taste and touch. It is the interplay of these senses that determines whether we like the taste of a given food or dish.
The Practice:

• Find a spot outside where you can sit or stand in peace. Take a few moments to simply look around you, noticing where you are. Perhaps closing your eyes and taking a few breaths, just noticing what the sensation of breathing feels like and what the sensation of being in your body feels like. And after a few moments of tuning in to your body and surroundings shift your attention to your sense of Taste. ( take a few moments in between each prompt before moving on to the next )

• Breathing in through your mouth exploring the air, What is the forest offering you?

• How does the air taste?

• What is it's texture? I wonder what the qualities are of the air around you?

• I wonder what you might be able to taste right now? Perhaps it's something you ate or drank earlier, maybe it's just the taste of your mouth.

And just noticing what comes to you.

• If you are feeling a bit playful, you might want to try breathing in through your mouth as if you are sucking air in through a straw.

• Or maybe you stick your tongue out of your mouth, can you taste the air?

Another way to explore the sense of taste is to simply mindfully taste a food item or items, such as a blueberry or raspberry for example. Spend some time exploring one with all of your senses before tasting it. What are you noticing? Then move on to the next. What qualities appear that differentiate it from one another?

We hope you enjoyed this challenge and would love to hear about some of your experiences.
Stay safe and healthy and remember that you don't haver to go far to go on a journey.

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 28

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 28 - Make Time To be Silly

Things in our world feel heavy and uncertain. Let’s take our own lives in a lighter direction today by taking time to be silly and playful. Get outside to collect some natural materials and make a silly mask or hat out of them. Take a picture and share with us on Facebook or Instagram. Have FUN!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 27

Nature Connection Challenge Day 27 - Tie a Square Knot

This challenge is something that can be done outdoors or inside. Having good knot tying skills can come in handy the more time you spend in nature. We hope you enjoy this video done by one of our Through The Trees Guides, Trent Griffin.

Good luck with your knots!!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 26

Nature Connection Challenge Day 26 - Hug A Tree

Today’s challenge is to get bundled up, take a walk outside and find your favorite tree. And, give that tree a big ole hug! It’ll be good for you and our Mother Earth!!

Wishing you a lovely day!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 25

Nature Connection Challenge Day 25 - The Water Cup Challenge

With the rain coming today, we thought a challenge that was connected to water yet that could be done inside, would be fun.

Your challenge if you choose to accept it:
Fully fill a cup ( paper or plastic ) with water. Hold the cup near your body close to your center point. Now walk around the house or outside without spilling a drop of water. This is a great way to gauge how well you maintain your  mind -body connection focus. Have fun and be safe.

Share your pics, videos with us!!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 24

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 24 - Soak In The Sun

During challenging times it can be easy for our minds to focus on negativity. Where focus goes, energy flows - so if we want to find joy in tough times, it is important to find ways to focus on what is good and beautiful in our lives. Sunshine has an amazing way of brightening our mood, so today’s challenge is to mindfully soak up some sun:

1. Go Outside if you can. If you can’t, try to sit by a sunny window to soak up some rays. If its not a sunny day where you are, use your imagination to picture the sun shining on you.

2. Close your eyes and feel the warmth of the sun. Imagine this light flowing in through the top of your head and flooding your whole body with light.

3. Breathe deep, relax, and allow this sunny energy to flood your whole being. Release any fear or heaviness and let it be replaced by this bright, warm light.

4. Open your eyes and take a moment to notice what feels different for you.

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 23

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 23 - Nature Painting

Today we challenge you to do some painting outdoors, using nature items as paintbrushes! Grab some paper, paint, and search for leaves, evergreen needles, sticks, bark - and experiment with these different painting instruments. We would love to see your beautiful paintings, so be sure to share on our Facebook page!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 22

Nature Connection Daily Challenge Day 22 - Exploring your Sense of Smell

Of all the senses our sense of Smell is the most primal. It has a direct effect on our minds and bodies. It affects our moods and is connected to both our emotions and memories. The sense of Smell can trigger an immediate response and have an effect that lasts long after it has gone.  
To illustrate this point, try this; What is your most favorite smell? In your mind as you are exploring that smell, Where do you go? How do you feel? Both inside and out? How long does the effect last?  Take a few moments to reflect on what you are noticing about that one smell. So now let’s go outside and access the many smells the forest has to offer.

Today’s Challenge/Invitation: This is a great invitation for any time of the year.
Preparation: 

Go out in nature to a place where you feel safe and comfortable. Sit or stand and take a look around you, connect to the place. Give yourself permission to fully arrive in the present moment. Breathing in deeply and effortlessly. Notice how your thoughts arise and then disappear. Just noticing. If you are able, close your eyes, or if you’d prefer keep them partly open.  

Now, breathing in through your nose:

• What scents are being offered by the forest?

• How do they appear?

• From which direction do they arrive?

• Do they change as you explore them?

• How long do they last?

• Perhaps moving your head from side to side, they way a hound would sniff to track a scent.

• When you feel ready, slowly open your eyes. What are you noticing?

“Scratch and Sniff “ Invitation:

• Go out and slowly wander your place with your sense of smell in mind. Be curious. I wonder what you will smell? 

• You may want to awaken a scent by gently Scratching and Sniffing a certain being, be it a tree, moss, soil, or rock. Everything has a scent.

• Wandering and noticing.

• You may do this invitation for a minimum of 15 minutes and for as long as you feel called to do so. When you feel complete perhaps taking a moment to offer something back to the forest for what it has offered you. 

• Take a few moments to reflect back on your noticings.

We hope you have enjoyed today’s Nature Connection Challenge and would love to hear of your experiences. 

Fun Fact: 
Conifer trees were the first aromatic plants on earth, appearing some 300 million years ago. So when we walk in a coniferous forest, we have a chance to smell what the world smelled like back at the beginning of time!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 21

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 20 - Check out Through The Trees’ new online offerings

The Through The Trees team has been working hard to create some brand new ways for you to engage with us online. Today’s Challenge is to check out the new programs on our website! We have programs for all ages to help guide you to connect with yourself, nature and our wonderful community.

We are so grateful to be able to share what we love with all of you!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 20

Today’s Nature Connection Challenge is to head outside and build a debris shelter or fort. Use sticks and brush you can find to create a fun place to find some shelter. Maybe even have a picnic lunch in your shelter!

We’d love to see what you create - share pictures of your shelter or fort with us!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 19

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 19 - Mixing Mud Potions

It’s another rainy day in Maine, but that won’t keep us inside because it’s the perfect day to make some magical mud potions! Grab a cooking pot, small bucket or a bowl and a spoon and let your kiddo have fun mixing together leaves, mud, water, sticks, and acorns. Be sure to share your muddy magic with us on Facebook or Instagram!

Nature Connection Challenge - Day 18

Nature Connection Challenge Day 18 - Jump in a Puddle!

Today’s challenge is to embrace this rainy day and get outside with full intention of getting wet. Find the biggest puddle you can find and go for it!! After some fun splashing, jumping and romping around, come inside to cozy up with a nice warm drink.

We’d love to see your soggy pics!!