The practice of sit spotting

Finding your place in nature

Sit spotting is a term given to the practice of finding a greenspace that you can visit regularly to sit, be still, and using your 5 senses, experience your natural surroundings. Rather than mere observation the aim is to form a deep connection with nature and this in turn has benefits to your psychological and physiological wellbeing.

Of course, we often find places to sit and take the load off when out and about and this in itself can be restful and beneficial. If, however, we can find a spot in nature (preferably away from traffic noise) that we can visit several times a month we are inclined to form a real affinity with that place, a sense of familiarity that encourages us to relax and feel settled and safe. Another advantage of returning to the same place is that we become attuned to our surroundings and are more inclined to notice the subtle shifts and changes that occur with the changing of the seasons.

Photo by Jelena Kostic on Unsplash

So, what makes for a good sit spot? Accessibility is a prime consideration. It is important that you can get to this place with relative ease, preferably in all seasons. A local park or even your own garden (if you have one) might be a good place to begin. You might already have a place in nature that you are drawn to and visit regularly, if you can find a place to sit comfortably you have a ready-made sit spot. It is important that you feel safe in this space and that you won’t be constantly disturbed by too much footfall, though given practice it becomes easier to tune out any distractions.

Research has found that spending 120 minutes in nature each week can lower stress, improve concentration, enhance mood, and even boost your immune system (here). This does not have to be in a single session and can be spread out across the week. Incorporating time in a sit spot can play a part in this, as it offers an opportunity to engage the senses with your natural surroundings, helping to form a deeper connection with the natural world.

I have a favourite place to sit and be in nature; I call it my green bench. This has become a place I can return to on good days and the not so good. I have given thanks and rejoiced in this place and I have also grieved and taken my troubles there when life proved difficult. It isn’t the bench itself that invites me to express my feelings, but the trees, earth, and sky that surround it. The changes I see each time I sit and reflect remind me that nothing stays the same and that whatever I face today will surely come to pass. In the cycles I see occurring I find comfort, because although I may mourn at the changing of a much-loved season, such as the dying back of the Bluebells in May, I know the Bluebells will give way to the ferns and bracken that herald the return of summer. Sometimes in life there are circumstances beyond our control, and some losses and bereavements are life changing. The cold, stark barrenness of Winter can reflect and absorb feelings of grief and emptiness, it is also a reminder that there are times in life when we too need to allow for a season of surrender and take a deep, restorative rest.

Finding a sit spot is a useful way of incorporating the healing benefits of nature into our everyday lives. It is a practice I encourage as an outdoor therapist and something that can be introduced into therapy sessions. A good way to attune yourself to your surroundings is to take a few deep breaths to begin engaging your parasympathetic nervous system, and then using your 5 senses to notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can smell, 2 things you can safely touch, and 1 thing you can taste (this might simply be the taste already in your mouth, or the taste of the fresh air as you breathe in through your mouth). As with anything new it takes time and practice to feel the full benefits of sit spotting, it calls for us to slow down and disengage from technology which can be difficult at first. However, the benefits of this practice are multifaceted-lowered heartrate, blood pressure and cortisol levels. Improved mood and lower levels of anxiety. Greater concentration, creativity and engagement with nature, so it would seem to be a worthwhile pursuit.