Do you look or do you see?

Do you look or do you see?

This is a question I often ask clients when I begin working with them.

The difference between the two is fairly straightforward: looking is fleeting and transitory while seeing is a much deeper experience.

There’s a two-part exercise that I love which helps us build our seeing muscles - and the good news is that it’s simple and fun.

First, go to a nearby park. Leave your phone and all other electronics behind.

Find a bench near a tree. There doesn’t have to be anything special about the tree itself.

For the next five minutes or so, explore that tree with your eyes like you’ve never seen one before.

• How tall is it?
• What do the branches look like?
• What kind of leaves does it have?
• Are there any flowers on the tree?
• If there are, what color are they?
• What are the patterns of the bark?

After that, walk over to the tree. As you're walking, sense the ground beneath you.

Is it hard or soft? What kind of sounds does it make as you walk on it?

Once you get to the tree, look at the roots of the tree where it meets the ground.

Are there many or few? How many are there? Walk the circumference of the tree to see it from all sides.

And finally, touch the tree. Feel the bark beneath your fingers and experience the rough or smooth sensations on your fingertips.

Smell deeply and bring the fragrance of the tree into your world.

Welcome to a full sensory experience.

You’ve put everything else in the world behind and given that tree your full focus for ten minutes.

Let’s be clear - my goal here isn’t to make you into a dendrologist.

Rather, I want you to experience what it’s like to give something your complete attention instead of the fragmented little pieces our minds often are.

This is nature meditation. This is mindfulness.

And you can bring this feeling into a team meeting or while reading an important document.

Now for part two.

Try doing the same exercise in your backyard with one of your own trees.

Because, honestly, have you ever really examined the trees around your house?

Most of us haven’t.

The joy of discovering something stunningly beautiful right outside your door is really powerful.

You don’t need to go to an ashram to get that feeling.

And from now on, enjoy seeing many things with fresh eyes - with an open mind and open heart.

Enjoy and thanks for reading,