We were lucky to catch up with Summer Lajoie recently and have shared our conversation below.
Summer, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.
My creativity thrives through my practice of daily rituals of nature-based mindfulness. By bringing my attention to the More Than Human World in ways that allow me to observe the landscape around me and the landscape within me.
The threshold of experiencing the present moment is through my body and the gateways of my senses. I simply create space and time in my day to intentionally sit or wander with no other agenda but to notice what I am noticing. This helps to quiet my mind and awaken my body.
Often inspiration comes to me quickly in the form of making ephemeral art. These impermanent creations of playing with the what I find in my natural environment. This way of being creative brings focus to the present moment by being more about the process of observing and organizing the Nature beings that “speak” to me in a way. The impermanence of what I am making allows me to let go of attachment and the outcome, allowing me to be fully present in what I am seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and so on.
The process of creating like this becomes more of a dance, or means of conversation between myself and the universe. The language of creativity is universal; all that exist is a creative being in some way wether it is simply in the way a being has evolved over milinia or in the extraordinary ways in which they survive each day in our incredibly complex and mysterious world.
Lastly, but really most importantly, photography plays a large roll my creative process. My camera bares witness to these potent moments spent in nature. The images I capture serve as a portal that allows me to revisit these moments and expand one instant over a lifetime. In a way photography has become one of the most influential tools not only in my creative endeavors but for improving my health and wellness.
Sometimes I am contemplative while I am working with the More Than Human World; wondering about the stories of the leaf, stick, stone or feather I am holding and placing upon the earth. I wonder how they were born into this world, or what grand journey they may have traveled to arrive to this moment, and how their story might continue on. I realize that I have now become a part of this beings story, and they have become a part of my own. These precious interactions fill me with moments of awe and great inspiration! They carry with me throughout my day and into my life. These rituals help me to remember that I am Nature and am connected to the universe in infinite ways. These connections are what keeps my creativity alive.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
My last name literally means “the joy” in French and we pronounce it “la joy” which is serendipitous because I am in the business of spreading joy to the world!
I spread joy professionally by holding space for others to find healing and inspiration through guided mindfulness and nature-based meditation. The largest and most impactful way that I do this is in guiding Forest Bathing experiences both publicly at the Bear Creek Nature Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado being offered at least once a month and privately in many locations from easily accessible parks near te city to the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains, often working in parted with non-profit organizations. I offer other ways to encourage moments of awe through the invitation to explore guided eco-art and nature immersion photography sessions.
I expand my reach by bringing my mindfulness techniques to my work as an educator. I am a licensed elementary substitute teacher and I lead a small after school program at Chipeta Elementary called YES Club “Young Environmental Stewards” that help children develop deeper relationships and knowledge of our local ecosystems and wildlife, sponsored by the Catamount Institute, a wonderful local non-profit encouraging kids to learn outdoors.
I hope to continue to bring nature therapy practices to my community through the publication of books and other creative projects that I am working on. As well as continue to offer Forest Bathing to groups and individuals seeking the experience of guided Shinrinyoku (the Japanese term for Forest Bathing) that helps people to slow down and recieve insight and wisdom from the practice of being immersed in nature.
Registering for a public walk at Bear Creek Nature Center is one of the best ways to connect with me and have a better understanding of what I do. Each walk is 2.5 hours and cost $30 for non-members and $20 if you become a member. 40% of the proceeds go to the El Paso County Nature Center non-profit organization supporting land conservation and education.
You can also visit my social media pages or website ListeningPines.com to learn more about my other offerings and any upcoming events or to contact me at [email protected].
I am always seeking new partnerships and people to connect with. I am very passionate about inspiring and empowering individuals and communities through the simplicity of connecting with nature and finding joy in the present in the moment. I believe these small moments of joy create big ripples in the world!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Daily rituals of being in nature is the most impactful aspect of my own personal healing journey and where I advise others to begin developing their own nature therapy practices.
This can be as simple as creating a “sit spot” which is simply a place to go to offer and either sit or wander near by. The idea is to have no agenda other than bringing your attention to what you are noticing. I advise spending as much time at your sit spot as possible. Someday that might only be a few moments, or be soread out by several days or even weeks. Try to spend atleast 5 minutes at your sit spot, atleast twenty minutes per session is ideal. The sit spot should be easily accessible for you to visit often. I have several. The first one I created is in my backyard, yet when winter came I moved my sit spot to the feont yard where I could feel more sunshine. Then I made one inside my house near a large sunny window for the days that I felt unable to go outdoors. I have a sit spot down at the nature center as well. These places are dear to me and I have found that I have developed a close relationship to the land and other beings that exist in these spots. I am sure to put down my phone when visiting, unless I am using it to take a photo or two or make any notes. I try to limit my distractions so I can focus on what I am observing around me and within me.
Bringing your focus to each of your senses is another wonderful way to help develop a regular nature-based wellness regime. I often do this at my sit spot, but you can really do this anywhere and anytime. It can be very helpful to relieve stress and anxiety as well. To do this just spend several moments or any amount of time that feels good to go slowly through eachnof your senses and ask yourself, “what am I noticing.”
Journaling is the third most impactful practice that I would highly recommend to others. I like to bring my journal with me everytime I am engaging with the More Than Human World. I take it to my sit spot and carry with me when I guide others or myself in Forest Bathing or Eco-Art sessions. I will record my observations and sometimes I draw or write poetry. I will reflect back on my entries revealing deeper insight on my journey in finding wholeness and living a life permeated with joy.
What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?
When I feel overwhelmed I step outside to practice mindfulness and/or creativity, or simply just to be and breathe.
I began my person nature therapy practices and rituals during a time of great difficulty in my life. I was suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety which was causing me awful panic attacks, lack of sleep and good nutrition and feeling unfit to be me a good mother to my baby and toddler.
Fortunately, I began working with a wonderful councilor who introduced me.to mindfulness meditation. She asked me a very important question one day, “what brings you joy?” To which I eventually replied being creative and being in nature. Then she asked if I could carve out five minutes a day to practice mindfulness by being creative in nature. That is when I began to take daily time to step outside, no matter where I was or what nature was to be found (because I found that Nature is everywhere and everything). These five minutes saved my life. It took several months of doing this ritual but after a while I began to notice that five minutes of mindfulness became more and more expansive and inpactful on my overall wellbeing.
Today, years after establishing my nature-based mindfulness rituals, I rarely feel depressed or suffer from an anxiety attack. But when they occasionally occur I extend my five minutes of nature immersion, taking more time to rest and recieve. By giving my self permission to slowdown and rest I begin to feel much better. Of course if I am in the midst of a panic attack I find it most relieving to bring my attention to my breath, by counting 1-5 and back down to 1 continuously until my breathing slows down. Or cupping my ears and bringing my full attention to listening to my breath and feeling the sensation of it moving in and out of my body. This helps to slow down my breathing as well. Then when I feel regulated again I try to go outside, if I’m not out there already, to just be and breathe for a while. Then I try to set an intention to spend more time at my sit spot or attend a guided Forest Bath from another certified Nature Therapy Guide in my area.
Contact Info:
- Website: ListeningPines.com
- Instagram: @listening_pines
- Facebook: Listen Pines
Image Credits
Summer Lajoie
