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The calendar tells us it is now summer, but what about our senses? What tells us it is now the season of sunlight?
My senses tell me it’s summer when I: Smell the salty, briny sea Hear seagulls clawing See the Rosa rugosa shrubs blooming by the ocean and their rich, flowery scent delights my nose Bite into a cold, juicy, sweet, vibrant-pink slice of watermelon on a hot, humid day, and my body screams, “Thank you, I needed that!” Lean into a cold outdoor shower, and my skin awakens under the warm sun. Now that summer is here in the Northern Hemisphere, what if we take some time to slow down and savor this opportunity? Take some things off our plate, and be more intentional about noticing the delights of these lighter months. Maybe switch from doing to being more, allowing our minds, bodies, and spirits to awaken to the joy only the natural world can offer. Maybe showing gratitude to our home, which provides us with all this nourishment, wildlife, and infinite space? The clock is ticking….how do you choose to spend this summer?
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 This past summer, we embarked on a deep exploration of how connecting with nature nourishes the soul. Someone asked me, “What was your key takeaway?” To be honest, choosing just one feels impossible. This journey awakened me to the vast wellspring of gifts the natural world offers when we take the time to connect with her intentionally. Even now, insights continue to bloom in my mind like wildflowers after rain. Here are three that surfaced first as I sat with this question: 1. Solitude in Nature Opens a Portal to the Divine When we meet nature in quiet solitude, something sacred stirs. A portal opens—offering wisdom, inspiration, and creative downloads. In our second SoulFULL Summer interview, Lisbeth Overton shared how she received a “divine download” to create an oracle deck while walking beside her favorite lake. It was a brand-new idea for her, and yet she followed the nudge—and the result was pure magic. History echoes this truth:
2. Celebrating in Nature Offers Irreplaceable Beauty Florist Joseph Pugni shared stories of couples choosing to say “I do” outdoors—and it’s easy to see why. No designer can replicate nature’s offerings: rainbows, vast horizons, ocean waves, or the quiet wisdom of ancient trees. These elements bring a sacredness and spontaneity that no venue can match. These are pictures from my own wedding on the beach: 
3. Nature Reminds Us of Our Shared Humanity
In a world often marked by division, gathering in nature—whether on a whale watch, a group hike, or a spiritual retreat—reminds us that we all share this Earth as home. Nature welcomes everyone. She doesn’t discriminate. She invites us to remember our oneness. What was your key takeaway from the SoulFULL Summer Series? We’d love to hear it. If you missed the series, you can revisit our summer social media posts on Instagram and Facebook @TheNatureNurse, read the blogs, and watch the SoulFULL Summer video series. Be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss our new Fall Series: Fall Is FUN!  We gather around a campfire in a quiet, rural field nestled beside a gently flowing river. Each of us has been invited by our host, Alli, to experience her farm in the company of kindred spirits—people open and curious about otherworldly ways of being and sensing life.
There are about eight of us. Conversation begins easily: a couple shares stories of their annual pilgrimage to Stone Mountain, Georgia—a place steeped in Indigenous history and natural beauty that invites spiritual connection. One woman is a psychic medium, while another is a mother who practices holistic healing. As we exchange experiences, rituals, and questions, it becomes clear that this space is holding something sacred—a presence that invites us to connect more deeply. “Would you like to introduce us to Hu?” Alli asks an older gentleman as we sip tea around the fire. “Sure, if everyone’s interested,” he replies, gentle and unassuming. We nod, intrigued. And so he begins. Hu, he explains, is a sacred chant used to attune oneself to the presence of God. Bill starts us off: “Hu-u-u-u… Hu-u-u-u…” (you can experience the sound here: youtu.be/mKAfbNRvmhA?si=A8s7t-iKD3HsSAfr. ) Slowly, we join in. As our voices begin to harmonize, I notice the birds around us singing louder, as if drawn into the moment. When we reach a shared rhythm—entrainment—the tall grasses in the meadow begin to sway in time with our chant. It’s astonishing, as if the land itself is responding. Across the world, more people are gathering in nature to share community, deepen consciousness, and explore spiritual practice. The Center for Spirituality in Nature, a nonprofit, offers pathways for nurturing soul-deep relationships with the Earth. Their programs invite reflection, reverence, and leadership—including a Spirituality in Nature Group Leadership Training Course for those called to guide others. Looking for a more hands-on way to gather? Consider the Farm Church in Durham, North Carolina, where parishioners worship by growing food together—serving their community with love, nourishment, and shared purpose. As we close our #SoulFULLSummer series, let’s remember: this is only the beginning. We don’t have to walk alone in our quest to fill our souls with nature’s abundant gifts. Whether through song, soil, or shared silence, building or finding a community that honors our connection to the Earth is healing—for us and for the planet. Do you have a nature-based spiritual community that you would like to share?  Imagine yourself swaying gently in a hammock on a remote Caribbean island with a population of just fifty. The soundtrack of your day is the hush of waves rolling toward the shore and the soft hum of music drifting through the salt-kissed air. There are no distractions here—only two offerings: diving into the deep blue and watching whales breach the surface in slow, sacred arcs. No television. No internet. Just you, a handful of kindred spirits, and a couple of feral donkeys roaming freely. As the sun begins its descent into the horizon, something shifts. You’re still in the hammock, still hearing the quiet murmur of conversation nearby—but suddenly, you’re somewhere else. Not physically, but spiritually. You’ve entered a new reality, one that defies language. The closest you can come is to call it complete peace. Perhaps this is what they mean by nirvana. You long for nothing. You want nothing to change. You simply are. This moment happened to me in the year 2000, on the island of Salt Cay. I’ll be sharing more about this experience in the book I’m writing, but for now, I can tell you: it was life-changing. And I’ve come to learn—I’m not alone. Even Oprah has spoken of her own transcendent moment while walking in Hawaii. In this podcast, she and physicist-philosopher Dr. Alan Lightman explore the profound ways nature can dissolve the boundaries of self and awaken something eternal: Meanwhile, scientists are beginning to map the contours of these ineffable experiences. Bethelmy and Corraliza (PMID: 30918493) developed a tool to measure what they call “sublime emotion toward nature.” Their findings describe a state of inspiring energy—feelings of vitality, joy, oneness, freedom, eternity, and harmony with the universe.
This #SoulFULLSummer, as we deepen our relationship with the natural world, we invite you to share your own otherworldly encounters. As we like to say: it’s no longer Woo-Woo—it’s WOW-WOW. And now, even the science agrees. |
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