When Nature Became My Guide

When I was in my early twenties, you could often find me sitting on a bench, a tree stump, or simply under a tree, notebook in hand, somewhere in a nature reserve close to where I lived.

I had a habit of going out into Nature at least once a week to have a little ‘sharing’ with my natural surroundings. :)

Over those years, I filled many notebooks with these “dialogues” with Nature.

During a walk, I would find a quiet place to sit and begin to write about whatever was on my mind, what I was struggling with, or what I was experiencing in my life as a young adult.

I would share and ask for 'guidance' - for clarity or insight into how I might change or improve my situation.

Often, I would simply write everything down spontaneously and quickly, and then leave space for what naturally came to the surface…

There was something Magical about it…

I felt as if Nature was listening. As though it was truly present with me in that moment, available, without judgement, and offering answers and insights in its own way.

And while I was writing, something else would often take over — at least, that is how it felt to me. Together with a certain sense of ‘Peace’ and ‘Wisdom’.

Words, thoughts, images, feelings, comfort, trust, or insights would find their way to the surface, as if they came from some deep source within, beyond my own young conscious mind.

I wrote those down too, and after such a profound dialogue, I always felt much better, lighter, and clearer, and continued on my way.

I think this is where my true, ‘conscious’ connection with Nature was awakened.

We made time for each other.

I showed up consistently, connected, shared, and allowed myself to be fully seen and felt in all my vulnerability.

Open to receiving whatever came.

And Nature seemed to share its ancient wisdom with me, like a caring old grandmother.

During that time, I also read many inspirational books about the teachings of Nature, including books about synchronicity. They made me more attentive and aware of the subtle messages I encountered in landscapes, animals, trees, feathers, and other signs in Nature, and made me more alert to what seemed to be showing itself to me;

and to the ways in which — so I believed — Nature seemed to guide me along my path.

Like subtle roadsigns that I would then follow. :)

It helped me enormously.

I felt carried, supported, guided and inspired, and my relationship with Nature became increasingly deeply woven into my entire Being. I began to feel very strongly connected.

That feeling — and that deep knowing — has stayed with me ever since.

It is anchored somewhere deep within me.

During that same period, I also received a little birthday present from a good friend, which has travelled with me everywhere ever since. I still have it!

He had filled a very small, metallic gold box with tiny natural elements, such as a wonderful tiny spiral shell, a beautiful little feather, seeds, and small stones that he had collected along the way, with a little piece of paper at the bottom bearing the handwritten words:

“Just some small things to remind you of all Great Forces.”

And how I was re-Minded of those forces!

That something so small could create such a profound connection.

I am forever grateful to him.

Not so long ago, there was a period when I felt as though I had completely lost that connection, during and after a number of very intense personal experiences.

And yet, very deep within me, there was always that knowing: that I could never truly lose it. Because my connection with Nature is not only all around me; it also lives deep within me. I am one with Nature. I am Nature.

Again and again, I am re-Membered and re-Minded— through little attentions, unexpected wonders, and subtle signs that appear on my path at exactly the right moment.

The connection is always there, and I can trust it.

It is a Force-ful source that is always available — quiet, subtle, yet ever-present, Eternal, and unconditional.

That connection, strengthened by the lessons, insights, and many life experiences, has guided me along a very authentic and somewhat unconventional path.

Not without challenges, quite the contrary, but largely true to my Heart & Soul — even when it did not fit within the more conventional paths, norms, and expectations.

I walk my own path — off-road, most of the time, I would say. ;)

And now I find myself in Sweden, living in an old traditional Swedish torp, exploring the land, connecting with Nature every day, and following a natural calling that resonates deeply with my soul’s mission — a natural continuation of everything that came before.

The Language of Nature

Nature does not communicate with a voice, through words and language as we humans know them. And the words I received in my early twenties were absolutely an interpretation of what I felt… ;)

But now I understand that the subtle whispers of Nature often come through energy — or through ‘coincidental’ events and synchronicities.

We all receive this energy, but much of it is often processed unconsciously, or even goes unnoticed if we are not truly present with it.

And this is where nature-based coaching can help: by making the unconscious visible and tangible. And by becoming aware of those synchronicities.

During nature-based coaching sessions, the coachee is invited to engage in small assignments, freely using natural materials lying around in the forest.

In this way, visible elements in Nature become symbols of our inner and outer worlds. 

We can also involve the landscape itself and our surroundings.

You don’t need to be creative at all to do these exercises. It’s not about aesthetics or creating something beautiful — it’s about what unfolds through the process.

We work intuitively and spontaneously, without knowing beforehand exactly where it will lead.

And then, when we take a step back, look more deeply at what has emerged, ask the right questions, and truly become ‘present’ - something Magical unfolds.

The symbols may suddenly take on a deeper meaning.

A pattern becomes visible.

Things you weren’t aware of become clear.

Something that was difficult to put into words reveals itself in another way and/or can be felt.

And by becoming aware of and involving the surroundings, the landscape, and other striking elements, we also receive subtle hints and messages from Nature that show us where we may also need to look.

Those synchronicities,

those Coincidences…

As if Nature uses its own ‘magic’ to add another layer of meaning, while allowing its energy to come through and offer us a deeper, more comprehensive perspective.

Right to the core.

The interpretation of these messages is, of course, deeply personal. And yet, I completely believe, feel, and trust that the right messages come through for each individual coachee.

Because that is what usually happens.

It is as if, at a certain point, insights become crystal clear and touch something deep within us.

And perhaps this is what I have also been doing all along, since I was a young adult spending time in Nature.

Learning to listen beyond the silence.

Learning to see beyond the ‘obvious’.

Learning to feel beyond emotions.

Learning to trust what Nature reflects back to me, or what it allows me to see,

where it leads me.

What began as a young woman sitting under the trees in Nature with a notebook has grown into something I feel I want to share with others.

The one-year nature-based coaching training was therefore a natural step — a way to give more tangible form to my own experiences and to embrace a valuable, deeply resonant method that can also support others on their life journeys.

Because for me, Nature has always been more than ‘just a place or backdrop to go to at the weekend’.

It is a place to come Home to in every moment, to relax into, to feel deeply, and to be Present.

It is a place that you can always find within yourself.

A place to Re-Create.

But it is also a teacher, a mirror, a companion, and a guide.

And perhaps it can be that for you too…

What if Nature could help you see what you cannot yet see on your own?

What if the answers you are looking for could naturally reveal themselves?

If this resonates and you are curious about how nature-based coaching can support you on your journey, please feel very welcome to reach out.

I offer sessions and trajectories in Belgium, Sweden & Denmark, in both Dutch and English.

Let Nature be your guide too. ;)

Home is where the Heart is

I’m in Love…

In love with the old spirit of the time-frozen torp that found me at exactly the right moment, like a golden gift, thanks to the invitation of an authentic and beautiful soul.

A wondrous convergence of synchronicity paved the way with a solution to our individual longings.

As if life itself had already prepared the path.

And so, a meaningful connection was created.

In love with the large garden surrounding the old torp, where I am free to move, make a vegetable garden, and simply be.

Every day, I get to connect with her grounding and healing power.

I feel more strongly with each passing day how our connection is restoring and deepening again, inspired by insights that gradually unfold.

In love with this land, with her wise lakes, rivers, and endless forests. With her mosses, coastlines and seas, rolling hills, imposing mountain peaks, open plains, heathlands, peatlands, and tundra.

Moder Svea, the motherland that lovingly welcomed me a year ago with gentle yet determined, open arms.

"It is Time. Come... Come."

This time, the call resonated crystal clear within my heart and soul.

As if I were being called home after having wandered far too far away.

Here, Nature visibly reigns, and humans and animals are guests in time, although we are, of course, part of the same whole.

Yet I feel humble, filled with reverence and respect for this Law of Nature.

Living in a simple torp, with only basic amenities and no running water, invites me to slow down.

No-thing can be taken for granted, and at the same time I feel more connected to Every-thing.

I feel incredibly rich, both in experience and in simplicity.

I appreciate and cherish our essential life resources much more deeply.

Once again, I move with the rhythm of day and night.

Of sun and moon.

Of stars and Source.

I attune myself once more to the natural flow of life and increasingly disconnect from this digital age that seems to move ever faster, filled with illusions and endless distractions from that which matters most.

Back to raw simplicity.

Back to the vast dimension of eternity.

Somewhere within the silence, the primordial pulse of creation can still be felt.

I feel the soft water gradually enveloping my feet as I slowly shuffle into the lake.

Tiny energetic root hairs seem to cautiously extend into the lakebed.

Their sensors shoot like flashes of light toward the deepest core of my heart.

This feels right.

This feels true.

This is where I want to be now.

Here, something manifests that I have long been longing for.

Here, my heart feels at home.

The messengers reach even deeper and I also feel Trust.

Trust that following my heart is the only right path.

That here, in this fertile soil, I may grow deeper roots.

Roots that anchor me and connect me to this sacred mother land.

Svea Rike. Moder Svea.

The powerful shield-maiden and warrior takes me under her wings, like a long-lost daughter who, after many bitter battles, has found her way home.

This is where I belong, surrounded and infused by the forces of nature.

My dream project, which I safely carry and cherish in my heart, feels full of potential here.

It travels with me until I find the right magical place.

And this land feels profoundly right for what lives within me.

But more about that later.

I still have time.

And I want to take that time.

Moder Svea and I still have many re-memberings to weave and much inspiration to share.

Home is where the Heart is...

For me, coming home means a deep feeling that everything is aligned.

That the choices I make and the actions I take resonate with what I feel in my heart.

That life may flow freely through me in service of universal well-being and consciousness.

Following a calling requires courage and perseverance.

Especially when you do it alone, in a new country, building a network from the ground up.

Challenges will likely continue to arise...

But when your heart says yes wholeheartedly, when there is trust and surrender in both the path and the destination, then something else emerges as well.

A current.

A flow.

As if life itself begins to gently push along.

Doors open.

People appear.

Opportunities arise.

Not because the path is without obstacles.

But because, like a river, you learn to move with whatever presents itself.

Sometimes fast.

Sometimes slow.

But always moving.

Perhaps you recognize that longing too.

Perhaps you feel that something is calling you.

A longing for more peace.

More connection.

More direction.

More clarity.

More purpose.

More ...

Perhaps you feel that something within you wants to flow, but you do not yet know how to manifest it.

Or perhaps there are still beliefs, fears, patterns, or old stories standing in your way and obstructing the flow wanting to be cleared.

During a nature based coaching journey, these become visible and tangible.

Nature mirrors what wants to be seen.

It helps you re-member what, deep inside, you already know.

From there, it becomes clear which steps are natural and aligned for you.

Or perhaps you are not longing for answers, but simply for Space.

For a place where you can slow down and simply Be.

Where you can breathe.

Where you can listen once again to what is alive within.

Then a solo retreat in Sweden might be something for you.

With space for nature based coaching, walking meditations, forest bathing, cold-water immersion,

but above all: time.

Time to come home.

Perhaps coming home is not a place.

Perhaps it is not a destination waiting somewhere for you.

Perhaps it is a memory that already lives deep within and continues to whisper softly whenever you become still enough to listen.

A re-membering of who you truly are.

Just as every river finds its own way to the sea.

Just as roots naturally find their way to fertile soil.

So too does every heart carry an inner compass that knows the way Home.

And perhaps the way home is nothing more than choosing, again and again, what feels right for you.

What flows.

What resonates.

Perhaps it is time to listen again.

Do you feel the calling?

Feel free to contact me for more information.

https://www.whisperingwoods-naturebasedcoaching.com/

Do you give yourself enough time to rest?

The Leaves by Robert Petersen

When I was in Belgium a few weeks ago, I felt that spring had already begun to make itself known. In the softer days and the subtle awakening of nature: budding shoots, birdsong, smells, flowers and plants gently lifting their heads above the ground.

I noticed how short the winter there had been.

I also realized that I myself was not quite ready to move into the next season yet.

My capacity to integrate always needs time — to consciously feel a season not only outside of me, but also within, so that the insights it brings can truly settle.

Due to the busyness of work and visits during the holidays and the weeks that followed, I felt I hadn’t given myself that space. Not the space to really sink into it deeply.

And yet winter invites us to slow down, to rest, to reflect.

Back in Denmark, the contrast with Belgium was strong and immediately tangible.

King Winter is still generously present here, spreading his heavy cloak across the land. Weeks of temperatures below freezing, fjords and lakes almost entirely frozen over.

And just when it seemed as though most of the snow had finally melted, a snowstorm a few days ago lavishly laid down a thick blanket over Sjælland — a layer they hadn’t seen here in a long time.. .

It gives me, after all, the opportunity to take time for rest and slowing down, as well as for reflection.

I don’t believe it is meant for us to keep producing all year long in an accelerated cycle.

A constant focus on performance - one that must bear fruit continuously - is in fact unnatural and counterproductive.

Burnout, depression and chronic conditions are just a few examples of the possible consequences of this pressure to perform.

If we were to follow the rhythm of nature more closely — taking nature as a mirror and a guide and attuning ourselves to it — we would know exactly when it is time to move into the next season.

Plants, trees, animals — the cycle of life can teach us so much.

Everything moves.

In a natural rhythm.

Many animals and insects retreat during winter to hibernate. They know exactly when it is time to emerge again from their shelters.

A tree does not constantly bear fruit only to immediately produce more.

It follows an annual cycle in which, after carrying fruit, it lets go of its leaves, sinks into its roots and gathers strength underground — without guilt.

Trees do not explain themselves. They do not justify. They simply are, and they follow their nature.

A tree does not grow because it is in a hurry. It grows because the conditions are right.

Its roots are just as important as its crown.

What happens beneath the ground is invisible —but without it, everything collapses.

Good soil and strong roots is the foundation of life.

With plants, most of what happens takes place underground: roots grow, gather nutrients, become stronger —even when nothing seems to be happening above ground.

This is how it works for humans too.

Slowing down is a descent into the roots. Into that which nourishes, supports and stabilizes. The foundation of our existence.

We humans also move through cycles. This is entirely natural and universal. We are no different — because we are part of nature.

We are nature.

And yet we expect ourselves to always be available. Always clear. Always performing. Always productive.

But what might arise if you were to bring your attention more to your roots?

To focus on your foundation, rather than only on growth, performance, or what is visible “above ground.”

Back to what nourishes you?

Rest, nature, relationships, meaning, …?

Do you give enough time and attention to your body?

Grounding, breath, relaxation, care for your overall well-being?

Are you sufficiently connected to your core values and inner needs?

Is there enough stability and safety before you grow further?

Make time and space for yourself. Go for a walk in the forest. Sit by a tree, by flowing water, on a bench in the forest.

Feel And listen.

Each season tells its own story and with each season there are opportunities for us to grow.

What would change if you allowed yourself more rest, nourishment and depth?

If you didn’t always have to bloom and bear fruit, but were first allowed to recover and recharge —gathering strength from what truly feeds you?

What would change if you trusted that growth will come naturally, when the time is ripe?

Perhaps today, nature asks nothing of you. Except that you listen. And allow yourself to move at your own pace.

A nature based coaching journey always begins with slowing down, slowing down, slowing down.

Not to come to a standstill, but to create space to feel again.

Slowing down to descend from the mind and return to the body.

Slowing down to relearn how to listen — to what is arising within.

Slowing down to make space for what wants to be seen, felt and heard, without immediately needing to understand or change it.

In nature based coaching, we do not move forward by forcing progress, but by first descending. To the roots. To the foundation. To that which is already present within you, but often drowned out by speed, busyness and expectations.

Nature does not serve as a background here, but as your mirror and guide to your own inner nature.

It invites for observation, reflection, experience and attunement.

To follow your natural rhythm — neither faster nor slower than what is true and right for you.

From there, movement and growth arise naturally.

Not as a goal in itself, but as a natural next step.

Clear. Grounded. Carried from within.

Because true change does not grow through forced haste, but through Presence.

And presence begins…by slowing down.