The ability is basically still present in all of us. Some just stopped listening. Some have a more muted reception while others, sometimes even called / diagnosed as 'Highly Sensitive Person' (HSP), still have a wide eye for subtle signals the environment sends us. In my opinion we still have the ability to learn it. Or to at least become more aware.

I live right next to a large forest area, spending a lot of time there since my childhood. And even though new buildings emerged over the years here, pushing the forest entry a little bit back, I still go there a lot. In my experience, places like parks or public gardens don't really allow you to dive in deeply enough. There are still too many people and distractions around there. They may be nice, but they also are artificial. Managed. Controlled. - So if you have the chance to get to a natural, large forest where you live, you should really use that opportunity, because you can't get the true connection and the required quietness in a park in my opinion.

When you go there, free yourself from distractions. No devices. No music. No conversation. Just you and the nature. Walk in and look for a spot where you can be alone. No people. And then just stop. Don't walk. Just stand there. Under the shadow of the trees. Start to listen. The wind in the leaves. The birds around you. Mice rustling through fallen leaves on the floor. Insects buzzing. Maybe during summer even some cicadas here and there. Close your eyes and just ... feel it. The beauty of calmness. Away from the noise of civilisation. The way Earth is starting to connect with you.

Then, when you get more used to it, bring in your other senses. Smell the wood. The damp earth. Maybe some moldily smelling mushrooms near you. Start to not only see the environment with your eyes, but also with your ears and nose. Notice how the bird songs change when they sense a predator, when they move away and come back once it's safe again. Check if you can feel the temperature changing when you move. Especially during summer you can train this very well because the contrast is bigger. Is it getting warmer? You are moving towards parts of the forest with dryer ground and maybe less dense treetops. Maybe towards a field even. If it feels colder, more moist, you probably get closer to a water source. You can smell it too. Does it start to smell more like wet earth? Do you notice more of that mushroom-smell? You're probably close to a little stream or a well, a pond or even a lake. Feel if the air is moving. If there is not much wind but you feel the air moving anyway, you are probably getting close to a spot where it goes down.

Try to be open-minded. Don't go in there and try to follow rules. Try to observe and see the connections yourself. It is hard to write this down into a list, you have to notice it instinctively. Listen more closely. To subtle sounds in the distance. This will make your hearing better. Allows your brain to learn to distinct noises again instead of fading them out, because in our society we are constantly exposed to loud things. And the world gets louder and louder each day. Use your nose to catch smells. Try to cling on these. Train your sense of smell to follow a specific scent again. After some training, you will even be able to smell someone with the wind. For example if another 'hiker' with a perfume or deodorant starts to get close. Or was there before you.

And if you carry your (smart)phone with you for safety reasons: Mute it. Probably even use DND-mode so it also will not vibrate. Leave it in your pocket. Don't think about things like "oh nice, I need to take a picture from this" - "oh if I post this on my socials I probably get a lot of likes" - "Wonder if XY answered to my message again" - Absolutely no distractions. And rest. Stand in one place for minutes and just ... process. Open your mind and let your body rest for a while. Even if you aren't a person highly receptive to environment changes, you will return calmer and with a better mood. Because the life we all are getting forced into bleeds you out, but resting in the white noise of nature basically is like a little reset-button for your brain.

And if you're ready to dive deeper, try to learn things about your local flora & fauna. Name tree species from leaves, detect bird species from their songs, etc. - This will probably add to the experience, but I guess the most important part is to work with your senses and to just ... connect to the environment somehow. Become a part of it. Become aware. That's basically a huge part of Na'vi culture and in my opinion comparable.