Nature Journaling with Phil
Part II of the Nature Journal Series
This is Part II of the Nature Journaling series contributed by Phil Youngblood. The full text of his journaling suggestion is below. If you would like to know more about how to create a nature journal and submit some of your posts for publication here on the Ageless Mind Project Substack, please visit Journaling with Nature by clicking HERE.
Learn
Try to remember what it was like as a curious child. Ask questions like a child. Why is the sky blue? Why is that leaf green, or turning brown? Where do birds drink? What does a butterfly do when it rains? Why do the seasons change? Start a journal of questions, and answers as you discover them (which might lead to more questions!). If you are so inclined, ask someone these questions. Most people who know the answers will be happy to see someone interested in what they know and share that knowledge with you. You can probably find the information online - just ask the question in a search engine like Google, or learn how to do it from a young person. If you have a library or school nearby, go ask there!Â
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Socialize
If you are already a social person, asking someone a question may be easy for you. If you are not a social person, asking questions is a great way to learn how to be comfortable talking with others! Then ask them something about themselves, like how they learned about what you asked - many people love to talk about themselves. If you are not ready to be that social, then just observe. If you are creative, write about a fictional encounter with others as if you are writing a short story. Imagine encountering a talking squirrel or ant and asking them questions!Â
Do
Get involved. That could mean trying to grow something in a cup or pot in your house. Watching a plant grow can be fascinating. Describe, measure, and record its growth in a journal. Caring for another form of life can be a healthy mental activity.
If you have even a small space, you can grow a garden. Eating fresh produce, a collaborative effort between you and nature, can be both physically and mentally rewarding. Help out with a community garden, especially if it benefits others who might not be able to get fresh produce or have the time to garden.
I remember the first time as a very young child pulling up some leaves and finding a carrot hiding under the ground! If you can find an opportunity to give someone else that experience or show them how to plant, care for, and harvest fresh food in a garden, all the better for both of you.
Write about your experience and ask them about theirs. If you are an active senior, volunteer at a pollinator garden, help to restore the area around a river (riparian system - look it up!), help with trails that enable others to experience nature, or even learn to measure water quality in a stream near you. - Phil Youngblood
Resources
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