Skip to content
1981
2-3: Creativity, the Arts and the Environment
  • ISSN: 2040-2457
  • E-ISSN: 2040-2465

Abstract

This note from the field reflects on the practice of soundwalking in nature environments as a means of promoting relaxation and mental well-being. By integrating field recordings and nature photography, the author explores how these audio-visual elements create a practice-based self-care experience. Drawing on artistic self-inquiry, the author narrates a personal journey through nature, examining the impact of soundscapes on anxiety reduction and creative inspiration. The findings underscore that nature walks serve as both a source of relaxation and knowledge, demonstrating the potential of immersive experiences to enhance self-well-being. This artistic self-inquiry contributes to the understanding of the connections between creativity, sound and the environment, revealing the transformative power of soundwalking in everyday life scenarios that can influence mental health.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00206_7
2025-11-29
2026-04-14

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Baer, Ruth (2003), ‘Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review’, Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 10:2, pp. 12543, https://doi.org/10.1093/clipsy.bpg015.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Bolt, Barbara (2010), Art Beyond Representation: The Performative Power of the Image, London: I.B. Tauris.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Core Opulence (2019), ‘Core Opulence’, YouTube, 11 November, https://www.youtube.com/@coreopulence. Accessed 16 January 2025.
  4. Google Maps (2024), ‘Google maps’, Google, https://www.google.com/maps. Accessed 19 December 2024.
  5. Kabat-Zinn, Jon (2017), ‘Walking meditations’, Mindfulness, 8:1, pp. 24950, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-016-0638-1.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Kapitan, Lianne (2018), Introduction to Art Therapy Research, New York: Routledge.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Lefebvre, Henri (1991), The Production of Space (trans. D. Nicholson-Smith), Oxford: Blackwell.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Méndez, María Gabriela (2013), ‘Autoethnography as a research method: Advantages, limitations, and criticisms’, Colombian Applied Linguistics Journal, 15:2, p. 279, https://doi.org/10.14483/udistrital.jour.calj.2013.2.a09, http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0123-46412013000200010.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. OpenAI (n.d.), ‘ChatGPT’, https://chat.openai.com/. Accessed 19 December 2024.
  10. Parks and Open Spaces (2018), ‘Map of Kidwells Park’, 22 March, https://maidenheadinpictures.com/2018/03/22/kidwells-park/. Accessed 16 January 2025.
  11. RBMW.gov (n.d.), ‘Welcome to the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead’, https://www.rbmw.gov.uk/. Accessed 19 December 2024.
  12. Rees, Sarah D. (n.d.), ‘Soothing safe place imagery: An effective tool in therapy’, Sarah D. Rees, https://sarahdrees.co.uk/soothing-safe-place-imagery-an-effective-tool-in-therapy/. Accessed 12 August 2024.
  13. Schafer, Raymond Murray (1977), The Tuning of the World, New York: Knopf.
    [Google Scholar]
  14. Schafer, Raymond Murray (1994), A Sound Education: 100 Exercises in Listening and Sound-Making, Toronto: Arcana Editions.
    [Google Scholar]
  15. Smith, Hazel and Dean, Roger T. (2014), Practice-Led Research, Research-Led Practice in the Creative Arts, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
    [Google Scholar]
  16. Miller, Madison (2025), ‘Exploring the relaxation potential of nature soundscapes and photography through field recordings and meditation nature walks’, Ph.D. thesis, Wolverhampton: University of Wolverhampton, https://wlv.openrepository.com/handle/2436/626058. Accessed 28 September 2025.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00206_7
Loading
/content/journals/10.1386/jaah_00206_7
Loading

Data & Media loading...

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a success
Invalid data
An error occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error
Please enter a valid_number test