The Importance of Nature and Mindfulness on Nature

Nature: The Importance

Nature Deficit Disorder

Louv (2005) suggested that children are suffering from nature deficit disorder, which refers to the human alienation from nature. It is believed that it is the diminished use of the senses, encouraging attention difficulties. Louv believes it is ‘immoral’ and ‘unethical’ to not “give nature back to our children and ourselves” (Louv, 2011, p. 268).

In a report for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Bragg (2013) found that four out of five children in the UK were not adequately ‘connected to nature’, along with Waite et al (2016) finding that significant proportions of the population (especially children) are ‘disconnected’ both physically and spiritually with nature.
Following a lot of literature, it is considered as a beneficial part of a child’s life to be connected and ‘at one’ with nature as it is necessary for their health and wellbeing (Capaldi, Dopko, and Zelenski, 2014; Dowdell, Gray and Malone, 2011).

The Benefits regarding the Connection with Nature
Nature is considered as being good for children’s bodies, minds, families and schools, as well as the planet itself. Children who spend more time outside are considered as being more physically active beings, with lower BMIs and improved motor abilities, as play is essential for their physical health (American Academy of Paediatrics, 2008). In addition to this, regarding their minds, being involved with nature is viewed as reducing stress, and soothing children’s problems overall.  

Issues surrounding Outdoor Play
Frost (2006), an expert on outdoor play commented on the ‘dissolution of children’s outdoor play’. Within this, he explained that the deprivation of play for children may affect their ‘fundamental survival skills’. This suggests that he believes it is essential for children to partake in activities outdoors and feels that it has been caused by the “recent shift from outdoor play to indoor technology play”.

With regards to this idea, I feel strongly about this topic and completely agree with Frost. During the summer term I spent a lot of time in a primary school where I was working with Foundation Phase. I was shocked at how much of a massive impact technology has on children of such a young age. Rather then wanting to play outdoors with different loose parts they were provided, they preferred to play on iPads or computers as they found that more of a satisfying way to use their free ‘play time’. In a way I feel sad about this, as when I was a child I loved to play outside and interact with my friends through running around and playing like the children we were, however now, children would rather play indoors sat at the computer. I feel as though this will weaken children’s social and emotional skills and how to deal with them. It is believed that the outdoors is a child’s ‘natural habitat’ and so it is essential they make the most of it and use it while they can.

Outdoor Learning in all UK Curricula
Researchers suggest there is an increasing interest in the educational value of outdoor learning around the world (Elliot and Young, 2016), particularly in the UK (Sefton-Green, 2006; Waite, 2011).
Outdoor learning is considered a statutory requirement for all student in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. However, having said this, it is believed there is still an urgent need for research and understanding of how essential learning made outdoors is and how it will benefit the children (Rickenson et al, 2004).  It is argued by many that that outdoor learning pedagogy is not properly understood due to the fact the value of judgements which apply to the classroom, are now being transferred outside.
Selby (2017) argued that “mainstream education, including environmental education and education for sustainable development, tends to ‘de-nature’ nature”.

Biophilia = “there is an orientation which we may call love of life (biophilia); it is the normal orientation among healthy persons” (Fromme, 1964, p.22).
Biophilia refers to the “innate tendency to focus on life and life-like processes”. Some researchers believe it is not nature that generates either a positive or negative biophilia emotion, it is more about the perception of nature (Barbiero and Monconato, 2016).
With reference to this, researchers have found that children seem to have an urge to relate to nature and an innate sympathy for natural things (Wilson, 2018, p.28). Cajete (1999, p.191) explains, “biophilic inspired motivation tends to be most evident in the way very young children naturally express themselves. When left to themselves, young children attempt to establish direct relationships with the living things they encounter in their first explorations of the natural world” (Cajete, 1999, p.191).

Biophilic approach to education
This idea is linked to the ingenious educational traditions. Ingenious education refers to the focus on the core aspect of human biophilia. Education is about community and spirit. These components include:

·         The recognition of interdependence

·         The use of linguistic metaphors

·         Art

·         Myth

·         A focus on knowledge and direct experience with nature orientation to place

·         Discovery of ‘face, heart and foundation’ in the context of key social and environmental relationships

o   (Cajete, 1999, p. 189)

Cajete (1999) was led to believe that “all people originate from a place that is natural and soulful” and also believed that “the state of completeness is the ultimate goal of indigenous education. The expression of such completeness is personified by the indigenous elders and what they represent in the context of this tribal tradition”.

Principles of biophilic education

1.      Possess a community-based orientation

2.      Child-centred – the importance on the focus on the child

3.      Active involvement in the community

4.      Learning through direct encounters with natural places

(Cajete, 1999, pp.203-204)

Furthermore, Lee-Hammond (2017, p. 319), believes there is no division between human life and other forms of life in the natural world; there has always been a deep mutual connection and this connection will do nothing but develop.  

Mindfulness in Nature
Mindfulness refers to the art of being- when you are ready to receive and open yourself up to what is currently happening and let it affect you. Here is where you do not change anything, but you allow change to take place (Rechschaffen and Kabat-Zinn, 2014, p.31). It is believed it is never too late to experience the mystery and exhilaration of life, as it invites us back to the preciousness of the present moment (Rechschaffen and Kabat-Zinn, 2014, p.7).

My experiences with nature
During our seminars, we got into groups of three and all partook in nature activities. I really found these activities beneficial, as it was interesting to see how they affected different people and the different emotions we felt.

Activity
Tree Mindfulness

§  Find a tree that you are drawn to. Sit down and lean up against its trunk.

§  How does it feel

§  What can you smell

§  What can you hear

What memories, thoughts, feelings are you aware of?

I was drawn to this activity, as I found it really interesting as it really encouraged children to focus on everything that was around them!- whether it be the sound of the trees, the whistling of the wind, the crunching leaves, or the feel of the bumpy tree against their back. It is extremely important that they are aware of all of these factors.

 

References

Bragg, R., Wood, C., Barton, J., & Pretty, J. (2013). Measuring connection to nature in children aged 8-12: A robust methodology for the RSPB. University of Essex.

Cajete, G. (1999). Reclaiming biophilia: Lessons from Indigenous peoples. Ecological education in action: On weaving education, culture, and the environment, 189-206.

Capaldi, C. A., Dopko, R. L., & Zelenski, J. M. (2014). The relationship between nature connectedness and happiness: a meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 5, 976.

Fromm, E. (1964) The Heart of Man. New York: Harper and Row.

Lee-Hammond, L. (2017). Belonging in Nature: Spirituality, Indigenous Cultures and Biophilia. The SAGE Handbook of Outdoor Play and Learning, 319. London: Sage.

Louv, R. (2011). The nature principle: Human restoration and the end of nature-deficit disorder. Algonquin Books.

Rickinson, M., Dillon, J., Tearney, K., Morris., Choi, M.Y. and Sanders, D. (2004) A Review of Research on Outdoor Learning. Slough: NFER and King’s College, London.

Sefton-Green, J. (2006) New spaces for learning: developing the ecology of out-of-school education, Hawke Research Institute working Paper Series, 35. [Online] Available at: www.unisa.edu.au/hawkeinstitute/documents/wp35.pdf

Waite, S. (2011) Children Learning Outside the Classroom. London: Sage

Selby, D. (2017). Education for sustainable development, nature and vernacular learning. CEPS Journal, 7(1), 9-27.

Waite, S., Bølling, M., & Bentsen, P. (2016). Comparing apples and pears?: a conceptual framework for understanding forms of outdoor learning through comparison of English Forest Schools and Danish udeskole. Environmental Education Research, 22(6), 868-892.