Studies have shown conclusively that regular meditation not only helps prevent stress related illness but also helps to treat injuries or illness someone is currently suffering. Meditation is a regular treatment paradigm in the Western world now when treating anxiety and depression. Other studies are indicating that regular practice of Tai Chi and Qigong will help in the treatment of many different physical conditions, such as coronary issues and Parkinson's disease.

Tai Chi and Qigong have been called the meditations of movement because they teaches us to focus inward as we move through out sets. The effect that we receive from this can be increased however if we take the time to establish a link to nature. Our physical bodies are products of the natural world and our natural energies and the energies found in nature are linked. We begin to with inner focus, establishing a mental connection with our body and then extend your intent outward, embracing the natural world around you.

• Find a natural spot to begin your practice. If possible avoid areas with slamming doors, traffic noises and other unnatural sound effects.
• Stand in the basic position, feet shoulder width apart, arms loose and shoulders and neck relaxed. The vision should be forward and the breathing smooth.
• Begin by regulating your breathing. Breath is drawn from the abdomen. Visualize the breath moving from your abdomen to your lightly opened mouth as you exhale. When you inhale again visualize the path of the air going back to your abdomen.
• When your breathing has been brought under control, shift your focus to your head. Allow your attention to flow through your head, pour down your neck into your torso and down to the tips of your fingers. Feel your way around your spine and use it as a road map to find the "dantien", the core of your body's energy.
• Locate your center and extend it outward, gently releasing your inner focus and using part of it on sensing the world around you. Taste the difference in the air, feel its freshness on your skin, and feel your body matching the slight sway of the trees.

Nature uses the same energies that our bodies use when it heals and maintain itself and the above practice will allow you to tap into those energies to help you. They also allow you to expand your awareness of the world around you, greatly relieving your stress and tensions. You will also find out that doing standing meditation in a natural setting will also allow you to slip into a meditative state because there are so few distractions. The sounds and feel of nature do the opposite, relaxing with harmony instead of distracting with trivialities.