Take a seat

The sit spot

“You should sit in nature for twenty minutes a day, unless you are busy then you should sit for an hour”- old Zen saying.

In this post I'd like to talk about sit spots, what they are, where you can practice and how they can help us to move beyond the green wall into deeper connection with nature.

What is a sit spot?

Simply put it's a spot you go to frequently, sit for a while, spend time noticing all that's around you. That's it at its simplest, however like many things the simple practices can be the most impactful.

Ideally the sit spot you choose will be close enough to visit regularly. Opinions differ although advise is to be able to visit it twice a day, understandably this is not necessarily achievable for all but being able to visit it at least weekly has been, in my personal experience, an effective time frame.

By visiting the sit spot site regularly, you develop a rapport and relationship with the land on which the sit spot is located.

As you visit the site regularly, you'll see the land change with the seasons and throughout the season, plants will grow and wilt as the seasons move through their cycle. You'll become familiar with the animals and birds on the area, noting the changes as they migrate. You'll also become aware as the animals world becomes more accepting of your presence, that the birds will no longer burst into distress calls when you enter the area. They may fly closer to investigate you when you are sat at your spot. Animals that initially moved away before you arrived at the spot will begin to remain and as they become familiar with you, they may approach to investigate you.

Location, location, location.

Choosing a sit spot can be a whole challenge in itself. If you want to be able to visit it frequently then it needs to be close enough for you to do so, however for some this can limit what is available, especially if you have looked into sit spots before and it seems unless you are sat beneath an Oak in Ancient woodland then you are doing it wrong.

Fortunately this isn't true! Any area where you can go and sit in nature can be a sit spot, in fact some of the most impactful sit spots I've had have been tucked in the corner of a park or even just in the back garden. The key is to find somewhere that you want to spend time in, that offers a full view with things to look at close by as well as further into the distance.

Now what?

To begin your sit spot practice,you need to sit, undistracted (so no phone or book to begin with) and just be present in the moment. See what captures your attention and fully pay attention to that. (I would advise taking a sit mat and adequate clothing for being stationary in whatever weather conditions you may face, don't only do this practice on warm dry days you'll have different experiences in different weather or seasons and it's no fun to be distracted by being wet, cold or generally uncomfortable)

As you become more familiar with the site you can begin to journal your observations/feelings and thoughts whilst in the situation spot, you can also begin to take field guides or identification books to begin to familiarise yourself with the flora/fauna of the area. If you are of an artistic persuasion you can sketch plant life or a map of the area.

All of this will foster a deeper knowledge of the sit spot area you've chosen, as you become more knowledgeable about the areas more than human inhabitants you will feel more a part of the sit spot, the green wall will be moved back as you know the names and rhythms of nature in the area.

I'll revisit the Sit Spot in a further article later, for now I'd encourage you to establish your own sit spot practice, see how it reintroduces you to nature and re-establishes a sense of belonging in the natural world as a part of nature instead of being apart from nature.