When your mind feels scattered and your body is tense, one of the most powerful somatic exercises you can do is also the simplest — sitting still in nature.

This practice, often cutely called a sit spot, helps you regulate your nervous system by reestablishing your natural rhythm with the world around you.

Here’s how to try it:

• Find a comfortable place where you can, at least, see nature - this may be your porch, a tree in the yard, or even a sunny spot by a window. Bundle up if it’s cool. It's important to get outside in all kinds of weather to let your body connect to the seasons.
• Sit and notice what’s alive around you — the air on your skin, the texture of the ground, the movement of wind or leaves, the sounds. 

As you slow down, your body begins to shift out of “fight or flight” and into a more regulated, grounded state. This kind of nervous system regulation happens not through thinking, but through feeling. By engaging your senses, you invite your body to release tension, soften, and remember that it’s safe.

This is the heart of somatic healing — tuning in to the body’s wisdom instead of trying to think your way into calm.

Somehow, we've gotten into the thinking that in order to create any sort of change, it has to be something big, take a long time, etc.

But please, please, know this - even five minutes can make a difference. It ALL adds up. I'm not just saying that to sound cliche. 

Over time, this simple somatic exercise becomes a sacred ritual of re-connection — to yourself, your body, and the natural world.

Want to try? Find your sit spot then play the accompanying audio for the 5-Minute Sit Spot Meditation. 

Learn how to deeply connect to the body with Somatic Meditation in this blog post.