“Bringing relationships alive, with ourselves, other humans and the other beings on the planet.”
Wild mindfulness is an exciting project that brings together the lifelong passions of Heather Bolton, an experienced therapist and mindfulness teacher from North Wales. These sessions combine nature connection and care for the environment with mindfulness practice.
Heather Bolton is committed to supporting the flourishing of people within the web of nature. She has worked as a psychotherapist for many years and has taught mindfulness for 15 years. She has taught MBCT and other mindfulness courses to groups for Mind and for Bangor University as well as to individuals and groups as part of her private practice. Heather is also a committed volunteer in environmental movements. Recently she has become interested in combining mindfulness with her love of nature and care for the environment and is passionate about sharing and teaching mindfulness in the outdoors. She has run adapted MBCT courses outside as well as well as more recently creating Wild Mindfulness.
From a cabin in the midst of a glorious patch of ancient woodland in North West Wales participants are invited to spend time outside immersed in nature, slowing down and tuning in. Heather describes these sessions as a mixture of human led and other than human led mindfulness practices.
“I believe our wellbeing is intimately interconnected with that of all beings…..these relationships sustain us and support the thriving of all.”
Heather believes that wild mindfulness is a wonderful way of reconnecting internally as well as with the rest of nature. It provides a space for remembering that we are nature and part of a larger ecosystem. When we are able to take time to engage with the environment mindfully with our senses we become less caught up with our busy minds and the stories they tell us about our place in the world. It provides an opportunity for simple appreciation which is sometimes remarkably profound. We also begin to have the experience that other parts of our ecosystem, other beings have lives and value of their own and not just as resources for us. She explains that recent research into nature and mindfulness demonstrates that the one very much increases the benefits of the other.
“I enjoyed it all immensely and it has nudged me forward in my mindfulness journey especially in relation to trees and the natural world which I spend a lot of time in.” (Participant)
Rather than inviting participants to analyse their experience they are invited to find a way to represent it creatively. Several people drew pictures, one person took photographs to make a montage representing their day. Others made arrangements with the natural materials found in the wood. Emma created this mandala to represent her feedback for the workshop. It represents the members of the workshop connected to each other and all beings.
Wild mindfulness creates space and opportunity for people to explore connection with themselves and the wider web of nature. One participant reported that although she felt disconnected at the beginning of the session, as time went on, she felt more and more deeply connected to people and to place. Others shared that it can create a profound experience with far reaching benefits that flow out into everyday life. Heather hopes to run more Wild Mindfulness sessions and to explore further the benefits for mind, body and spirit.
The next Wild Mindfulness session will be held on 17th May 2025. For more information please e-mail:
Heatherboltontherapy.com