Kurdish Kamanji Audios & Scripts
Regulate and sooth with some slow breathing. (2-4min)
Notice natures beauty in a timeless way for overall well being benefits (3-5min)
Noticing birds and bird sound is linked iwth overall life satisfaction (4-8minutes)
4-8min activity that activate all the senses for emotional regulation
4-6 min listening activity to tune in nature and tune out stress and anxiety
5 min activity that views the repeated patterns in nature to increase relaxation.
Breathe Your Way to Calm: Kurdish Kamanji
Routine Summary: This breathing routine guides users to take longer out breaths than in breathes to calm the mind, increase their relaxation and decrease any stress.
Where to use it: Generally, where individuals can sit in a relaxing location and away from busy and noisy areas. It works especially well in comfortable nature areas.
Read Script:
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Welcome.
Breathing in a certain way is a great way to lower your stress levels. Just by increasing the length of time that we spend breathing out, we can bring the body into a state of relaxation, no matter what thoughts are racing around inside our heads.This works particularly well to calm down if you are distressed, angry or upset. It works even better if you are in nature.
This activity takes between 2-4 minutes.
Find a comfortable position, sitting or standing, and let your body relax.For a few breaths, observe the natural flow and rhythm of your breathing without trying to change it.
Notice the parts of your body that move as you breathe. Notice the feel of the air entering and leaving your nose or mouth.
Now bring your attention to your abdomen and relax it as you breathe. Often we hold tension in our abdomen that we are not even aware of.
Feel the abdomen expand as you breathe in and retract as you breathe out. If it helps, place a hand on your abdomen and feel your stomach pressing into your hand as you breathe in and out.
Now, without deepening the breath, gradually make your exhalation (outbreath) longer than your inhalation (in breath). You might like to breathe in for a count of three and out for a count of five.
Take about 10 breaths this way.
Notice the quality of your breath and how you feel after breathing in this way.If you start to feel dizzy, it just means that you are breathing in too deeply. Instead, go back to a gentle rhythm and try again.
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People practicing slow breathing techniques may experience increased comfort, relaxation, sleep quality, pleasantness, vigour and alertness, and reduced levels of anxiety, depression, anger and confusion. Use this activity as a quick and powerful de-stress anytime you need it.
Beautiful Wanderings: Kurdish Kamanji
Routine Summary: This routine takes users through a simple posture technique to increase their relaxation and decrease any stress.
Where to use it: Generally in a location where individuals can sit in a relaxing location and away from busy and noisy areas.
Read Script:
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Beautiful Wanderings
Welcome.
Wandering is not the same as walking. Wandering is travelling without time or destination, making room for mystery and discovery.
This activity takes 5-10mintues.
Let’s begin.
Start by finding a space where you feel comfortable and safe. Be aware of your breathing as you take in oxygen.Breathe slowly in through your nose for a count of four and out through your mouth for a count of four. Repeat two more times.
Now, give yourself permission to just wander. You might hardly move at all or you might cover a great distance. You might stay on one path or wander off on many different paths. It doesn't matter.
Start by letting yourself be drawn in a particular direction. Just go to areas that feel right, without giving it too much thought.
As you wander notice what you find beautiful. We invite you to wander long enough to notice five beautiful things. They could be things you see, hear, smell or feel. Remember to use all of your senses, look high and low, be curious and take your time. -
Wandering promotes a sense of timelessness and an opportunity for nature to become part of the process.
Noticing beauty is a powerful nature connection tool that increases joy and overall well-being.
It is also linked to the emotion of moral elevation, which is when people want to be the best version of themselves.
Focus on Fractals: Kurdish Kamanji
Routine Summary: This routine guides user through viewing the repeated patterns in nature. This increases brain alpha wave activity in our brains, which induces feelings of calm, awe and relaxation.
Where to use it: A location with a good view of a tree fern. Click here to see an image of a tree fern. Look in moist, shady or wet areas to find them. You can also use any kind of fern.
Read Script:
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Welcome.
Fractals are repeated patterns in nature, like the spiral of a snail’s shell, the branching of trees from the trunk into smaller and smaller branches, or the repeating shapes of flower petals.Looking at fractals allows us to enter a state of relaxation.
This activity takes between 2-4 minutes.
Let’s begin.
Stand in a comfortable position where you have a good view of the entire tree fern.Take the time to notice how the fern is made up of the same basic shape repeated over and over again. Notice how each of the large leaves (fronds) of the fern has the same patterns.
Now look more closely at the leaves and see how they are made up of smaller copies of themselves. Look at the very smallest leaflet on the end. See how the fern repeats the same pattern across the frond, leaf and leaflet.
If you can, move closer to a fern and gently feel the texture of its leaves. What does it feel like?
Look around you. What other types of repeated patterns in nature can you find?
Stay with noticing fractal patterns as long as you like but aim for between 2-4 minutes.
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This activity increases alpha waves in our brains, which induce feelings of calm, awe and relaxation. Looking at patterns in nature has the same effect on our emotions as listening to classical music!
Mindful Moments: Kurdish Kamanji
Routine Summary: This 5,4,3,2,1 stress reduction routine activates all our senses in nature as a powerful mindfulness practice to help reduce blood pressure and heart rate, increase wellbeing and create feelings of beauty and awe.
Where to use it: A location that offers good sensory diversity with natural sounds, items that you can touch such as leaves or rocks, any engaging smells and finally, items of natural beauty.
Read Script:
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Welcome.
Becoming aware of all our senses in nature is a wonderful way to reduce your blood pressure and heart rate, increase your wellbeing and create feelings of awe.
This activity takes between 3 and 10 minutes.
Let’s begin.
Start by finding a space where you feel comfortable and safe. You can sit or stand. Become aware of your breathing for a moment.
Now notice 5 things you can see. Look above, below, in front and behind you. Look for the large, the small, the different, and the common.What makes these things stand out for you?
Notice 4 things you can hear. Listen out for sounds in all directions: to your left and right, to the front and back, and up and down. What do you hear? Maybe there is rustling leaves, the sounds of people talking, bird calls or insects buzzing by? Pay particular attention to the quietest sounds that you can hear.
Notice 3 things you can touch. Maybe it is the breeze or sun on your face, the textures of bark, rocks or plants around you. How do they feel? How would you describe them to someone else?
Notice 2 things you can smell. Can you smell anything? Is there a plant flowering or casting off a particular scent? If you can’t smell anything, try picking up a dead leaf from the ground and smelling that.
Notice 1 thing you can taste. This could be last thing you ate or drank or the taste of the air in your mouth. Sip some water. Does it have a taste? How would you describe it to someone else?
You can use this 5,4,3,2,1 stress reduction activity anywhere you go.
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Activating all our senses in nature is a powerful mindfulness practice that can reduce your blood pressure and heart rate, increase your wellbeing and create feelings of awe. You can use this 5,4,3,2,1 stress reduction and sensory enhancing activity anywhere you go.
Listen Up! : Kurdish Kamanji
Routine Summary: This routine guides visitors to notice sounds in six directions and make a sound map, asking why some places are quiet and others noisy. Tuning into nature sounds (as opposed to other sounds) helps to decrease stress levels and restores attention and focus
Where to use it: In a location with a mix of good natural sounds such as a flowing creek and/or a place that has high bird visitation. Some urban sounds are fine, just not
Read Script:
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Tuning into nature sounds will decrease your stress levels and restore your attention and focus.
This activity takes between 3-7 minutes.
Step 1: Find a place with natural sounds such as bird song, wind or moving water.
Step 2: Let your body relax.
Step 3: Notice the sounds in six different directions - to your left and right, to the front and back, and up and down. You may find it easier to listen if you close your eyes.
Step 4: Now that your ears are turned on, let’s make a sound map. Notice where the quiet areas are and where the noisy areas are. Imagine the landscape as a sound map in your mind - a soundscape!
Step 5: Sound is present in the landscape for a reason. Ask yourself why some places on your sound map are quieter and why others are louder. For example, the trees are noisy because they are high enough to catch the wind, there is a road behind you and the traffic is busy, and the sports field is quiet because nobody is playing.
Stay with the sounds as long as you like but aim for between 3-7 minutes.
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Getting to know and connecting with your place is proven to increase your wellbeing, vitality and life satisfaction. Tuning into nature sounds (as opposed to other sounds) will decrease your stress levels and restore your attention and focus. Listening to bird song in particular increases attention restoration and stress recovery.
Better with Birds: Kurdish Kamanji
Routine Summary: This routine introduces individuals to the joy of noticing birds and bird sound. With proven researched benefits. It’s also good for making your place feel more like home.
Where to use it: Can be done all locations, you just need a few birds. If birds are hard to find try doing early or latter in the day when birds are more active. Also look for areas near water where birds are often found
Read Script:
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Welcome.
Birds fill us with curiosity and delight. Becoming aware of the birds around you can improve your focus and attention, boost your well-being and reduce your stress levels.Did you know that all songbirds on earth originated in Australia? Australian birds are noisy and full of personality!
Allow 10 minutes to get to know the birds in this place and enjoy their wellbeing benefits firsthand.
Let’s begin.
Start by finding a space where you feel comfortable and safe. You can sit or stand. Relax your body with a few slow breaths.Ready to tune in?
Listen for the sounds of the birds around you. Birds make many sounds, depending on whether they are communicating with each other, warning each other about danger, fighting with each other or just singing for joy.
Pick out a specific bird call. You don’t have to be able to see the bird making the call, just listen. Notice the quality of the sound it makes. Is it loud or soft?
Is it staying still or moving from place to place? Is the sound sweet and melodic, or harsh and grating?
Does it feel as though the bird is calm or agitated?
If you can see a bird near you, take a closer look. What shape is its beak? Does it have long legs or short legs? Is its plumage brightly coloured or dull?
Take a picture of the bird with your mind and see if you notice that same bird species somewhere else.
Now close your eyes and just listen to all the different bird sounds around you.
Relax your body and notice the bird calls coming and going. Stay for as long as you like, enjoying the beauty of birds.
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Lately there have been a series of research studies showing how listening to birds is linked to eudemonic well being (life satisfaction). Getting to know your local birds can also increase place appreciation, making a nature feel more like home and birds more like friendly neighbors
BONUS
VIRTUAL ROUTINES
for indoors or on commute
A selection of video and soundscape routines for those times when you can’t be outside but still want to enjoy nature’s wellbeing benefits, digital nature.
Nature’s Soundscape: ENGLISH ONLY
Routine Summary: This 10 minute soundscape follows the journey of a water droplet as meanders the waterways from the forest down to the coast.
Where to use it: Best enjoyed with headphones. If you have some, put them on. Find a quiet place to relax. Close your eyes if you wish… and enjoy.
Nurtured by Nature & Feel the Flow : ENGLISH ONLY
Routine Summary: These short videos provide great virtual nature health escapes.
Where to use it: Best enjoyed with headphones. If you have some, put them on. Find a quiet place to relax. Close your eyes if you wish… and enjoy.
Nurtured by Nature (6-7 mins)
Feel the Flow (3-4 mins)