Forest bathing invitations

“Place your feet firmly on the ground and feel the connection with the earth. Think of all the roots twisting and stretching out underneath you,” says Beth in her soothing voice. I am sitting in the forest on a collapsible stool. Beth is a certified Nature and Forest Therapy guide.

Our small group has paused here, among the trees, to sit, close our eyes and allow ourselves to open up to the forest. She encourages us to slow our breathing and take note of any smells and sounds around us in the breezy forest air. It’s like we are prepping our senses, getting them ready to engage with the forest. “Cup your hands like you’re are packing a snowball. Feel the air between your hands,” she says.

When I open my eyes, I feel calmer. I notice the gnarly roots in front of me twisting in and out of the ground. We fold up our stools and follow Beth and her partner Niel (also certified in Nature and Forest Therapy) deeper into the forest for our next exercise or what is called an “invitation” in forest therapy. These invitations encourage us to slow down and connect with the forest.

They are designed to awaken our senses.

In one invitation we focus only on movements: leaves flittering in the breeze, water trickling in the creek, bullrushes swaying in unison, butterflies fluttering. For another, we are invited to observe the beams of sunlight in the forest. The guided invitations provide some structure but we do them on our own.

Beth and Niel give us 10 or 15 minutes to walk around and observe. It’s not a nature walk. It’s not the distance covered that matters, but rather paying attention to the forest environment. Each person connects with the forest in a unique way. When we come back together (Beth gives us a high pitched “coyote call” as our signal to regroup) we share our observations or a word that captures our feelings. This sharing is totally optional but on most occasions we all want to share something.

Forest bathing comes from the Japanese word Shinrin-yoku, which translates into “taking in the atmosphere of the forest”. It’s also called Forest Therapy. The documented health benefits are both physical (e.g, it boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure) and emotional. Ever since I heard about forest bathing in The Little Book of Lykke, I have been curious to learn more, so I was pleased to find a Forest Therapy guide in Oakville.

Our final invitation is the “sit spot”. Beth gives us the option to take a scroll (a small rolled up paper tied with a green string) and instructs us to find a quiet spot in the forest to sit. “Take your time and relax. If you feel called to, open your scroll and read it,” she says before we all scatter to find our “sit spot”.

A sunny spot catches my attention. I set up my stool and feel the warm sun on my face. After a minute or two I was glad to have the message on the scroll to nudge my thoughts along. The invitation is introspective and encourages me look at the forest life around me in a new way.

While we were in our “sit spots” Beth and Niel set up a tea ceremony. They lay out a sky blue blanket and beautiful little tea cups, hot water and snacks. Beth rings a Ting-sha chime (two small metal cymbals connected by a string) and the long lasting ring gradually dissipates in the forest.

The tea ceremony is a nice way to end the morning. As we sit in our tea circle we share some thoughts on the experience.

Peaceful. Relaxing. Thoughtful. Gratitude. Connected. Stillness.

Beth gives us the opportunity to choose an Animal Spirit card. I pick (randomly) the Hummingbird Spirit. It reminds us to stay still and that “the beauty and sweetness of life is in the eternal now”. The flower in front of us is all we need so don’t waste energy chasing something better. This is good advice indeed, even if I do struggle heading it (like being present to observe a bird or following the words of Epicurious).

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Plus I love watching hummingbirds! This summer I was fortunate to watch the hummingbirds zip and hover among the trees outside my screened in porch at the cottage. Even out of view, on the far side of the feeder, I could hear the hum and see the leaves flitter from the force of their wings beating a mile a minute (or literally 53 times a second!) Then they zip off as fast as they arrived.

My morning of forest therapy was at a much slower pace. Which is the idea. To slow down and tune in to what the forest has to offer.

I really enjoyed the two and half hour session with Beth and Niel (photo above). They are knowledgeable and keen to share the benefits of forest therapy with others, so if you’d like to learn more reach out to them at Soul NurturerTM.