In our modern world, many people find it challenging to stay present, overwhelmed by the constant pull of responsibilities and distractions. As a health practitioner, one of the most valuable tools you can offer your participants is the practice of mindfulness—the “nonjudgmental observation of the ongoing stream of internal and external stimuli as they arise” (Baer, 2003). Mindfulness is about paying attention to what’s happening right now, without judging it. It’s a way to be more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and surroundings, allowing you to stay present and grounded in the moment.
But mindfulness doesn’t have to be practiced in a quiet room or on a meditation mat. In fact, research suggests that meditating in nature can be more effective than meditating in non-natural settings (e.g., Djernis et al., 2019 and Owens & Bunce, 2022). Furthermore, it may be especially beneficial for novice meditators (Menardo et al., 2020 and Monroe, 2015).
Studies have demonstrated that people who live in greener environments, or who regularly interact with plants, are 6% less likely to experience high levels of depression and 30% less likely to suffer from anxiety (Hall & Knuth, 2019). Research also suggests that, “in addition to using meditative awareness to enrich our time in nature, we can also use nature to enrich meditative awareness without physically venturing into nature” through visualizations (Van Gordon et al., 2018). Several examples of this are included below.
On this World Mental Health Day, we want to share how practitioners can integrate mindfulness with plants into therapeutic sessions. Whether your participants are struggling with stress, anxiety, or simply need grounding, using plants and nature in mindfulness exercises offers a nurturing and natural way to be present.
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How to Practice Mindfulness with Plants
Imagine yourself walking through a forest, exploring a flower garden or sitting quietly in a room full of tropical plants. You might notice the curve of a leaf, feel the soft texture of moss, or hear the gentle rustling of leaves as the breeze moves through. These little moments encourage mindfulness—simply being present and aware of what’s around you.
Plants play a role in creating a mindful atmosphere. Their vibrant colours, earthy scents, and interesting textures help us focus on the present. Taking care of plants, watching them grow, and seeing the changes through the seasons can be a chance to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with ourselves and our surroundings. Whether it’s a garden, a cozy plant corner at home, or even a small window box, plants make mindfulness more accessible, wherever you are.
Mindfulness Activities with Plants for Practitioners
As you begin incorporating mindfulness with plants into your practice, here are several activities to guide your sessions. These exercises are designed to be flexible, allowing you to tailor them to meet the unique needs of each participant while also using your own unique approach. These activities are just a sampling of the diverse range of exercises available in the GrowTH Network activity database. By becoming a member, you can access this robust database, alongside a wealth of other valuable resources to support and enhance your practice.
Access more mindfulness activities by joining the GrowTH Network today.
5-4-3-2-1 Sense Mindfulness Exercise
One simple yet powerful mindfulness activity that can be easily integrated into any session is the 5-4-3-2-1 Sense Mindfulness Exercise. This exercise requires no materials and can be adapted for participants in a variety of settings. It invites participants to engage with their immediate environment through their senses, grounding them in the present moment.
To begin, invite the participant to place a hand on their chest, gently encouraging them to notice the natural rhythm of their breathing. Then, guide them through the following steps, either allowing them to speak aloud or reflect quietly in their minds. Optionally, they can also journal their responses:
- 5 things you can see – Ask them to look around and take note of the details in their environment, whether it’s the colour of the leaves outside the window or the texture of nearby objects.
- 4 things you can touch – Encourage them to bring awareness to textures they can feel, such as the softness of their clothing or the sturdiness of the chair they are sitting on.
- 3 things you can hear – Guide them to tune into the sounds around them, both close and distant, perhaps the hum of an appliance or the rustle of leaves outside.
- 2 things you can smell – Invite them to focus on any subtle or prominent scents in the air, like the freshness of plants or the smell of nearby food or drinks.
- 1 thing you can taste – Ask them to notice any lingering taste in their mouth, or simply focus on the sensation of the present moment.
This exercise works best when delivered in a calm, slow tone, allowing time for reflection between each prompt. It can be a great tool for grounding participants, especially those who may feel overwhelmed or anxious.
Active Listening Nature Sounds
Begin by inviting participants to find a comfortable place to sit. Once settled, guide them through a deep breathing exercise, instructing them to inhale for four counts, hold their breath for two counts, and then exhale slowly for six counts. This breathing practice helps center their focus and calm their mind.
If you’re conducting the activity outdoors, encourage participants to close their eyes and listen to the natural sounds around them for at least three minutes, fully immersing themselves in the environment. If the activity takes place indoors, you can use nature sounds to replicate the outdoor experience. Play the following sounds, each for about a minute:
After participants have had time to actively listen, gently guide them back to the present moment by inviting them to connect with their other senses—what can they feel, see, or smell around them? This grounding exercise reinforces their awareness of the now.
Once complete, ask participants to reflect on the experience. How did they feel before compared to after the activity? What sounds stood out to them, and which did they enjoy the most? This reflection can help deepen their mindfulness practice, encouraging ongoing connection with nature and their senses.
Building a Meadow Mindfulness Visualization
Begin by inviting participants to close their eyes, if they’re comfortable, and take a few deep, calming breaths. Gently guide them to imagine a peaceful meadow, filled with the gentle sway of tall grass and surrounded by trees that rustle softly in the breeze. You can narrate a scene for them, helping them to immerse fully in the experience:
“Picture the meadow around you. The grass is tall, tickling your hands as you reach out to touch it. Among the grass are delicate flowers in soft shades of yellow, purple, pink, and white. Listen closely to the rustling of leaves and the faint chirping of birds and insects. Maybe you can even hear the buzz of a bee or the chatter of a nearby squirrel. Feel the warmth of the sun on your face, soaking into your skin. Take a deep breath in, noticing the fragrance of the flowers, the freshness of the breeze.”
After a few moments, guide participants to bring their awareness back to the present: “As you continue to take deep breaths, begin to feel your connection to the present. Notice where your body is resting in the chair, the weight of your body against the surface, and gently return to this room.”
Once the exercise is complete, ask participants how they felt during the visualization. Encourage them to use this mindfulness tool whenever they need to cope with strong emotions or find calm. Explain that they can return to this imagined meadow or create their own personal ‘happy place’ to help soothe the mind and body.
To welcome the arrival of fall, here are a few autumn-inspired activities you can incorporate into your practice to cultivate mindfulness.
Fall-Themed Reflection
How you present these reflective questions will depend on the specific needs of your group and the context of the session. You might offer participants the option to reflect independently in their journals after the session, giving them space to explore their thoughts on their own. Alternatively, during a fall-themed session, you could integrate these questions into the various activities, encouraging reflection throughout. In a group setting, consider offering one or two questions for participants to answer in a closing round to wrap up the session. This allows them to reflect on the activities they’ve engaged in and share their thoughts either through journaling or open discussion.
For those who prefer not to journal, a discussion can serve as a valuable alternative, allowing them to process their thoughts verbally. Here are some reflective prompts you could offer:
- What can you let go of in your life to prepare for the winter season?
- Do you have any plans or self-care strategies to help you navigate through the winter months?
- What can you do during the winter to prepare for the upcoming spring?
- How does planting bulbs in the fall encourage patience and build anticipation for the arrival of spring?
- Reflect on the significance of nurturing something now, with the expectation of future growth and beauty. How does this apply to your life?
- Consider the parallels between the growth process of the bulbs you planted and your own personal journey. What lessons about resilience and patience can be drawn from observing nature’s cycles?
- How can planting bulbs in the fall serve as a metaphor for overcoming challenges and emerging stronger and more vibrant in the spring?
These reflections can help participants draw connections between the act of planting and their own personal growth, fostering deeper insights into patience, resilience, and anticipation for what’s to come.
Five Senses for Fall
Ask participants to bring a leaf with them to the session or find one during the activity. Once they have their leaf, guide them through a sensory exploration, using the following prompts to engage their five senses. This exercise helps ground participants in the present moment, a key element of mindfulness, by encouraging them to fully focus on the experience of interacting with a simple, natural object.
- Sight: Invite participants to closely observe their leaf. Ask, “What does your leaf look like? What unique shapes, colours, or patterns do you notice?” Encouraging visual focus allows them to stay anchored in the here and now, quieting the mind.
- Touch: Encourage participants to feel the texture of the leaf. “What does your leaf feel like? Is it smooth, rough, or perhaps waxy?” The tactile sensation helps build awareness of their immediate physical experience.
- Smell: Ask participants to bring the leaf closer to their nose. “What does your leaf smell like? Is the scent earthy, fresh, or subtle?” Focusing on smell engages another sense, drawing their attention away from distractions.
- Sound: Have participants gently manipulate the leaf. “What sounds does your leaf make? Can you hear any rustling or crunching?” This helps participants connect with their environment in an unexpected way, fostering mindfulness through auditory awareness.
- Taste: Reflect on edible leaves they may know. “What types of leaves are safe to eat, like spinach or mint? What do they taste like?” While actual tasting may not be part of the exercise, thinking about edible plants encourages curiosity and mindful reflection on familiar experiences.
This exercise is a simple yet effective way to promote mindfulness, as it invites participants to slow down and immerse themselves in their senses. By focusing on one object—the leaf—they practice being fully present, tuning into the subtleties that often go unnoticed in everyday life.
Other Ways to Encourage Mindfulness in Nature
Encouraging mindfulness in nature can take various forms, and it’s important to recognize that different practices resonate with different individuals. Here are some simple methods to promote mindfulness in nature:
Find a “Nature Sit Spot” – Select a quiet location in nature to sit and observe your surroundings. Focus on the sounds, sights, and textures around you, allowing yourself to be present in the moment.
Focus on Breath Work and Parallels Between Plants – Practice deep breathing while reflecting on the connection between your breath and that of plants. Acknowledge how you both exchange gases—taking in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide, fostering a sense of unity with nature.
Mindful Walking – Engage in mindful walking by focusing on each step and the sensations in your body. Observe the details around you—light, leaves, and sounds—as you move.
Engage in Nature Journaling – Bring a journal to your sit spot to record your observations, feelings, and experiences in nature. You can also sketch, press flowers, or collect leaves.
Tips for Facilitating Mindfulness in Nature
- For participants with sensory impairments, consider in advance how to adapt these prompts so everyone can meaningfully participate.
- As with all mindfulness exercises, it’s important to speak in a slow, calm tone, pausing between prompts to allow participants time to reflect on their experience.
- Any time you are working with plants, be sure to properly identify them and be aware of any potential risks, such as skin irritation, toxicity or allergic reactions.
- It may be helpful to let participants know approximately how long the mindfulness exercise may take so they know what to expect.
- Remind participants that it’s natural for the mind to wander during mindfulness. When they notice their thoughts drifting, encourage them to gently bring their attention back to the present moment by refocusing on their senses or taking a deep breath.
Gardening for Wellness
If you’re interested in deepening your understanding of how mindfulness, plants, and gardening can promote wellness, we invite you to explore our new virtual therapeutic horticulture experience Gardening for Wellness launching on November 7.
This virtual therapeutic horticulture series, led by Katie McGillivray, Registered Horticultural Therapist, and Kristin Topping, Therapeutic Horticulture Practitioner, combines gardening knowledge with personal well-being. The five-part series includes Seed Starting, Gardening with Kitchen Scraps, Indoor Plant Care & Self Care, Gardening Techniques, and Colour in the Garden.
Each session offers mindfulness activities, educational insights, reflective prompts and interactive exercises. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, this self-paced journey helps you explore therapeutic horticulture while deepening your connection with nature.
If you’d like to receive news about our Gardening For Wellness course sign up below.
Incorporating mindfulness with plants into your practice is a powerful way to promote emotional well-being, reduce stress, and help participants manage anxiety. Whether you’re exploring the sensory richness of leaves, engaging in nature-based breathing exercises, or guiding participants through a calming visualization, these activities offer practical tools for mental health strategies. They support a deeper connection to nature and provide a tangible way for individuals to stay grounded in the present moment.
Walk the Talk
This World Mental Health Day, it’s important for us, as helping professionals, to “walk the talk” by practicing mindfulness and self-reflection ourselves. Whether it be taking your coffee break outdoors, engaging in self-reflection and peer support or using any of the above techniques, embracing these practices can help sustain our ability to support others while maintaining our own well-being and balance. (Menardo et al., 2022)
Article authors:
Katie McGillivray, HTR, Course & Community Lead
Aoife Rafferty, Marketing Coordinator & Content Creator
References:
Baer, R. A. (2003). Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10(2), 125–143. https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy/bpg015
Djernis, D., Lerstrup, I., Poulsen, D., Stigsdotter, U., Dahlgaard, J., & O’Toole, M. (2019). A systematic review and meta-analysis of nature-based mindfulness: Effects of moving mindfulness training into an outdoor natural setting. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(17), 3202. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16173202
Hall, C., & Knuth, M. (2019). An update of the literature supporting the well-being benefits of plants: A review of the emotional and mental health benefits of plants. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 37(1), 33.
Menardo, E., Di Marco, D., Ramos, S., Brondino, M., Arenas, A., Costa, P., Vaz de Carvalho, C., & Pasini, M. (2022). Nature and mindfulness to cope with work-related stress: A narrative review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), 5948. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105948
Monroe, L. (2015). Horticulture therapy improves the body, mind and spirit. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 25(2), 33–40. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24865266
Owens, M., & Bunce, H. L. I. (2022). Nature-based meditation, rumination, and mental wellbeing. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(15), 9118. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19159118
Van Gordon, W., Shonin, E., & Richardson, M. (2018). Mindfulness and nature. Mindfulness, 9, 1655–1658. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0883-6