Solitude in Nature

Today was a wet, drizzly day but it was also a beautiful spring day; a day to really enjoy being out in the woods. I was lucky to have a chance to sit by myself this morning in the woods in West Hills County Park enjoying the birds singing loudly all around and the bright spring green leaves overhead. Being alone out there is relaxing, comforting, invigorating. It’s a chance to really just be…

Taking time to just sit quietly in a natural area in touch with the rhythms of life around us can help bring peace to our frantic lives. It’s an opportunity to observe, to experience, to soak it all in. It’s also time out of our hectic schedules where we can think—or not think, if we prefer. We can be reflective or we can just soak it all in.

Although I was experiencing solitude in nature, within my sight were several new Earthkeepers trainees from the Love of Learning Montessori School all sitting quietly, alone in the damp woods. Some were writing in their diaries, some were drawing, others just looking around. Each had the chance to observe the life around them at their special “Magic Spot” or to reflect on their training so far and what it might mean to be an Earthkeeper.

Later when we came back together, one girl spoke of seeing a spider with an orange spot on its back. A boy mentioned all the birds that were singing. They’ll come back to their chosen spot each of the other days of their Earthkeepers training and the experience will be a bit different. Next time, they’ll be a bit familiar with the place, but the changing weather will change the experience, too.

Solitude in a natural area is one of the important experiences in the Earthkeepers program. The trainees also gain knowledge about basic ecological processes, but having time to process what they learn is equally important. Many of our students say that Magic Spot time is their favorite part of the program. After all, how often do we allow 4th or 5th graders time to be alone and do nothing? We want them to enjoy spending time in natural places. We want them to slow down and look and listen and feel. We want them to stop and think about their roles and responsibilities. One 4th grader today described her Magic Spot as “somewhere I can dream, where I can think about the past, present, and future of the earth.” I expect she’ll turn out to be a great Earthkeeper.