Letter from Turkey

Some four years ago I was working in a Rehab when I first met my friend just a few days ago we were in touch and he told me about how Natural Awareness and being in Nature still helps him with his active recovery. He wrote this letter because he wanted to share some of his experience with you.


England 2006

The first time I participated in the Nature Awareness workshop, I remember being a little sceptic. I wasn’t sure what I was going to be doing. I remember wanting to be over with it as soon as possible as the weather was cold and rainy.

As the games started in the workshop, my eyes were tied with a band and I wasn’t allowed to see anything. I was assigned someone who would help walk as I could not see. First thing I realized was my resistance to any kind of help to walk in the slippery ground. That was quite interesting for me. I really had thought of myself as someone who was open to help.

I realized that I was relying too much on myself and not enough on others. As the game moved forward, I was asked to choose a tree with which I felt a connection. I chose a tree that made me feel good after that my partner took me around on a little walk around the trees so that I would forget the way back to my tree. After a few minutes of walking away from my tree in different circles, the band on my eyes was taken off. I was told to find my tree.

At first, I thought I could trace my step back to the tree but it wasn’t that simple. Then I figured if I could trace myself to the area where the tree was then I could maybe feel which one was my tree. Interestingly, I had a feeling that a tree on my left was my tree. At the same time there was a voice in my mind saying that the tree on my right was the one. I wasn’t sure which voice to trust but I went with the first one. When I hugged it I knew instantly that it was the tree. When I checked with my partner whether that was the tree, I was told yes it was.

It was an amazing experience.

After the first workshop, I attended the Nature Awareness workshop 5 more times. Each time, I got more and more into the workshop becoming aware of the Nature’s healing effect. As a person who has always felt very comfortable in nature, the workshop was a huge support for me in realizing that I didn’t have to do it all by myself and that I could hug a tree anytime anywhere when I felt that I needed a friend. At first, I did think whether or not people would think I was crazy if I hugged a tree but then I said if people smoke them then they can hug them.

I love the nature and feel that the nature Awareness workshop has an incredible healing effect on the mind and soul of a person like me who is very prone to obsessing with millions of thoughts. I sincerely wish that anyone who has the opportunity to participate in this workshop should take the step give themselves a chance.