Challenge 11:22-Day Applied Eco-Arts Earth Day Challenge

Day 11: Sit Spot Meditation - The Art of Stillness in Applied Eco-Arts

Welcome to Day 11 of our journey exploring the tapestry of ecological creativity! Yesterday, we engaged our bodies in movement dialogue with natural patterns. Today, we explore the complementary practice of stillness—discovering how quiet, receptive presence creates a different but equally profound relationship with the more-than-human world.

Today's Focus: The Art of Stillness: Nature-Based Meditation in Applied Eco-Arts

In our constantly moving culture, stillness has become a radical act. Nature-based meditation practices invite us to slow down, quiet our internal chatter, and open our senses to the living world around us. These practices create space for a different kind of knowing—one that emerges not from our questions or analysis, but from patient, receptive attunement to what the world offers when we pause long enough to notice.

The sit spot practice—returning regularly to the same natural location for quiet observation—has deep roots in both indigenous tracking traditions and contemplative spirituality. When we commit to stillness in one place over time, we begin to witness patterns and relationships invisible to the casual observer. This intimate familiarity with a specific place develops our capacity for what Robin Wall Kimmerer calls "the grammar of animacy"—relating to the more-than-human world as a community of subjects rather than a collection of objects.

Earth-Touching and Sensory Awareness Practices teach us about:

• Grounding ourselves through direct physical contact with the earth

• Opening all our senses equally rather than privileging sight

• Tracking subtle shifts in awareness as we settle into stillness

• Noticing the difference between direct perception and mental commentary

• Developing embodied presence as a foundation for ecological relationship

Creating Contemplative Spaces in Natural Settings teaches us about:

• Choosing locations that support particular qualities of attention

• The importance of regular visitation to deepen relationship with place

• How different natural environments affect our psychological state

• Establishing personal rituals that mark transitions into contemplative time

• Hosting others in quiet nature connection through thoughtful facilitation

These nature-based meditation practices serve as both personal restoration and ecological activism. By cultivating our capacity to be fully present with the natural world, we develop the attentiveness and receptivity necessary for genuine relationship. This presence counters the instrumental view that reduces nature to resources, instead opening us to conversation with a living, intelligent world that speaks in many voices beyond human language.

Today's Activity: Sit Spot Meditation

What you'll need:

• A natural outdoor location that feels inviting

• Comfortable clothing appropriate for weather conditions

• Something to sit on if desired (small mat or cushion)

• 15-20 minutes of uninterrupted time

• An open mind and receptive senses

• Optional: journal for post-meditation reflections

Permission Granting Opener

Before beginning today's activity, take a moment for this essential practice:

Acknowledge the land where you'll be sitting today. Silently or aloud, express gratitude and ask permission to engage in quiet observation.

Recognize the many beings—seen and unseen—who inhabit this place and may be affected by your presence.

Honor the contemplative traditions across cultures that have recognized the wisdom available through stillness.

Invite the knowledge of those who have practiced nature-based meditation—indigenous elders, spiritual teachers, naturalists, and tracking experts.

Welcome your role as both observer and participant in the ongoing life of this place.

This opening ritual creates a container for respectful engagement and acknowledges that we enter into relationship through our presence, even in stillness.

Instructions:

Choose a spot in nature that calls to you—this might be beneath a tree, beside water, on a hill with a view, or in a garden. Ideally, select a location you can visit repeatedly over time.

Take a moment to acknowledge your arrival at this place. You might touch the earth with your palms, offer a simple greeting, or simply pause to notice your transition from movement to stillness.

Settle into a comfortable position. You can sit on the ground, on a small cushion, or on a log or rock. The important thing is that you can remain relatively still without discomfort for the duration of your practice.

Begin with three deep breaths, letting each exhale release tension from your body. Feel the points of contact between your body and the earth, allowing yourself to be fully supported.

Open your senses one by one:

• First listen, allowing sounds near and far to enter your awareness without labeling or analyzing them

• Then notice scents, breathing deeply to detect the subtle aromas of your surroundings

• Open your peripheral vision, taking in the full field of what's visible without focusing narrowly

• Feel air movement on your skin, temperature, and texture of what you're sitting on

• If appropriate, taste the air, noticing its quality and any flavor it carries

Remain in silent observation for 10 minutes. When thoughts arise, gently acknowledge them and return your attention to sensory awareness. There's no need to suppress thinking—simply maintain your primary focus on direct experience.

Notice who visits or emerges during your stillness. Animals, birds, and insects often resume their activities when a human visitor becomes quiet enough to blend into the landscape.

Before concluding, take a mental snapshot of your experience—the quality of light, sounds, movements, and your internal state. This creates a baseline for noticing changes on future visits.

Close your sit spot practice with a moment of appreciation for what you've witnessed. You might offer a simple "thank you" to the place and its inhabitants.

If you wish, spend a few minutes journaling about your experience—what you noticed externally and internally during your time in stillness.

The Significance of Sit Spot Meditation

This practice does more than create a peaceful interlude in a busy day—it establishes a foundation for deep ecological relationship. By engaging in sit spot meditation, we:

• Develop our capacity for sustained, non-analytical attention

• Create space for the more-than-human world to reveal itself on its own terms

• Build intimate familiarity with one place through regular visitation

• Train ourselves to notice subtle changes that indicate larger patterns

• Cultivate the patience and presence necessary for genuine reciprocity

The sit spot practice reminds us that much of what we need to know about the living world cannot be accessed through direct questioning or active investigation—it emerges only when we create the conditions for listening with our whole being.

Participant Reflection

After completing your sit spot meditation, take some time to reflect:

What differences did you notice between your awareness at the beginning of your sit and after several minutes of stillness?

Did you observe any plants or animals responding to your quiet presence?

What senses provided the richest information during your meditation? Were these your typical dominant senses?

How did this practice of receptive attention feel different from yesterday's expressive movement?

What might develop if you returned to this same spot regularly over weeks or months?

Gratitude Closing

Before concluding today's activity, take time for this vital practice of gratitude:

Express thanks to the place that has held your meditation today, acknowledging its generosity in sharing its life with you.

Acknowledge the beings—visible and invisible—who continued their activities in your presence or revealed themselves during your sit.

Recognize the wisdom of contemplative traditions that have preserved these practices of nature-based meditation across generations.

Create a moment of appreciation by placing one hand on your heart and one hand on the earth, feeling the connection between them.

Honor the ongoing relationship with this place that continues whether you are physically present or not.

This closing ritual completes the cycle of reciprocity, acknowledging what has been received through silent presence and setting an intention for continued relationship.

Community Sharing

If you feel comfortable, share an insight from your sit spot meditation in our community forum. What surprised you during your time in stillness? What subtle details became visible only after you had been sitting quietly for a while? What emotions or thoughts arose during your practice? As we share our diverse experiences of the same practice, we create a richer collective understanding of the value of contemplative presence in nature.

Coming Tomorrow: Day 12: Seed Paper Love Grams

Preview: Tomorrow, we'll explore "Community Gardens as Living Galleries" through our Seed Paper Love Grams activity. You'll create beautiful handmade seed paper embedded with wildflower or herb seeds, then transform these into heartfelt messages to share with members of your community. This practice connects creative expression with ecological regeneration and community building.

In preparation, gather some scrap paper (preferably non-glossy) that can be recycled into seed paper. Also consider what simple messages of appreciation you might want to share with people in your community.

Closing Reflection

Today's practice with stillness reminds us that much of nature's wisdom becomes available only when we quiet our human doing long enough to witness the world's own unfolding. In the spaciousness of silent attention, we remember how to be participants in, rather than merely observers of, the living conversations all around us.

"The quieter you become, the more you can hear." — Ram Dass

We look forward to continuing our exploration of Earth's living tapestry with you tomorrow as we create seed-bearing messages that connect personal expression with community care and ecological regeneration!

This post is part of the 22-Day Applied Eco-Arts Earth Day Challenge, exploring the tapestry of ecological creativity through daily practices that deepen our connection to the living world.

NURTURE YOUR ECO-SELF

Join our community newsletter to deepen your practice:

• 🌿 Access weekly eco-arts journal prompts
• 🌲 Engage in seasonal exploration activities
• 🌊 Enhance your inner reserves of safety, place and belonging
• 🌱 Explore courses and webinar series for continued growth

CONNECTION STARTS HERE

We respect your privacy and will never share your information.