Silent reflection in Nature – experiencing the moment

Researchers Eric Pfeifer, Henrike Fiedler and Marc Wittmann (2018) found that silence in an outdoor natural setting, when compared to a similar experience inside, led to a stronger ‘present orientation’ (experiencing the moment) and a reduced past orientation.  It also generated more relaxation and less boredom.  Although this study focused on the use of silence as en effective part of guided music therapy sessions, it suggested that silence in a natural setting has the potential to ‘alter states of consciousness in a qualitative way that is comparable to meditation.’ NB This research paper is not open access.