When I walk in nature, or get absorbed in creativity, I enter a different kind of state.
I feel a release of tension, a sense of unwinding. It’s a kind of dreamlike state of awareness, as I forget the worries of life and tune in to the shapes, lines and colours around me.
I notice caterpillar cocoons, how the light falls on a hay-bale, the softness of the air. I walk quietly, in case I spot wildlife.
Sometimes, when I watch certain things – a crow landing on an unlit bonfire; cows drinking from a river; a gnarled oak tree – I feel I am witnessing something ancient and spiritual.
I do not think I am special. Anyone can build these powers of attention and dreamlike state if they wish to. It helps if you leave your phone at home, and limit your screen time more generally.
If you feel inspired, capture your observations in a pocket notebook. It’s ok if it drawn or written badly. A camera helps, if you don’t have a notebook with you. Or etch the shapes into your memory, if moving will disturb your subject, and get them down on paper as soon as you can.
Most importantly, you must take this walk alone. Other people will distract you, and it will feel like being pulled awake, if you manage to enter the dreamlike state at all.
When you get back to your desk, you will feel changed. You might have notes and drawings you can use right away, or it may take time for your subconscious to act on what you have seen.
Keep doing this, and your relationship with nature, and your art, will be changed.
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