Mindfulness and phenology

Like mindfulness, phenology is an opportunity to pay attention in the present moment.

There are many ways to practice and define mindfulness. The definition below, by scientist and writer Jon Kabat-Zinn, is helpful because it is open-ended yet clear:

"My working definition of mindfulness is the awareness that arises through paying attention on purpose in the present moment — non-judgmentally."

"A phenologist's meditation"

Author: Abbie Anderson, CC-BY-NC-SA
Summary: This guided meditation is designed to support mindful observation of nature. The activities do not focus on data or science. Rather, they offer open-ended ways to deepen a sense of place, get in touch with the way things are, and let insight arise.
Date: February 2023
Format: Instructional resource, 5½ minute read, 10 minute activity
Audience: General

Link to this resource

"Collecting data to cultivate mindfulness"

Author: Eli Sagor, Extension forestry specialist, University of Minnesota
Summary: By taking the time to slow down and be mindful of ephemeral moments in nature, observers can take steps towards improved mental health while learning about the world around us. The author describes an activity he calls “focused wandering" as a way of teaching observers about the annual cycles of species. To supplement the activity of focused wandering, people can also record what they see using iNaturalist or Nature’s Notebook, which are platforms for contributing data to scientific research.
Date: May 24, 2022
Format: Article, ~3-minute read
Audience: General

Link to this reading

"Birding and Mental Health"

Author: Dexter Patterson, cofounder, BIPOC Birding Club of Wisconsin
Summary: The author identifies five ways that birding can improve mental health. Although the article does not mention phenology directly, it does describe skills that phenologists will want to learn, such as listening to bird sounds and watching bird behaviors.
Date: March 9, 2023
Format: Blog post, ~2½-minute read
Audience: General readers, BIPOC readers

Link to this reading

"Science as Mindfulness?"

Author: Wild Child, an educational program of Sierra Club Canada Foundation that connects children, youth, and families to nature
Summary: The author describes four simple steps simple steps to help people be mindful of their surroundings and learn about cycles within nature. Recording and sharing the things you see, smell, and hear may not only be interesting to you, but can also help you connect with others.
Date: July 23, 2020
Format: Instructional article, ~2½-minute read, Wordpress site (has ads)
Audience: Caretakers of young children

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The Forest Unseen: A Year's Watch in Nature

Author: David George Haskell, biologist and writer
Summary: The author reveals what can be understood about the natural world through a year-long observation of a one-square-meter patch of old-growth Tennessee forest.
Date: 2012
Format: Book, 288 pages
Audience: General

Link to this book in the University of Minnesota Library system

"Phenology, Mindfulness, and Metaphor: A Therapeutic Trifecta"

Author: Colleen Griffin, horticultural therapist
Summary: The author of this blog post specializes in horticultural therapy, a practice that centers gardening and other ways of working with plants as a way to deliver care services to individuals with a wide variety of disabilities, illnesses, and life situations. In this article, she describes some activities that reduce stress and promote healing through mindful observation of nature and reflection.
Date: March 16, 2021
Format: Article, ~4-minute read
Audience: Professional therapists or people interested in nature-based therapies

Link to this reading

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