**For an overview of shinrin-yoku- Japanese for "Forest Bathing" please see Dr. Sarah Cimperman's blog: A Different Kind Of Doctor**
It's been a beautiful summer for my dog and I. We made the journey from Southwest Colorado to New England and have been immersing ourselves in the natural landscape here. Some highlights for me have been watching dogger drink from a crevice in a tree just after a heavy rain and cooling himself with a swim in the pond I learned to skate on as a kid. Both our spirits soar as we explore the woods, saying hello to old friends and making new ones.
Our plant allies are very important to us and when I think about it in a broader perspective I recognize that we feel more comfortable when we're familiar with the plants around us. As we explore new places, there's a level of comfort that I am able to tap into when I can talk to the plants as friends. Even without verbal language, we acknowledge each other as I pass by. I miss them when we go a long time away from one another (shout out to mule's ear and banana yucca- I've been thinking of you guys!). As I reach this level of increased comfort levels, I am able to deal better with stressful situations, which in turn means that I enjoy better health because my body is able to work out issues sooner.
It is important that we feel comfortable when Forest Bathing. That level of comfort can be manifested in many ways. Group plant walks are a great way to do this- they can be an informal sharing of knowledge or a formal group meet-up with a designated guide. I have found that being alone in the woods is great for my Forest bathing exercises because I am easily distracted by other humans. Either talking or just tuning in to that person can take away from the depth of my immersion in the forest. I love hiking with dogger because we enjoy our independence but also care for one another and keep each other safe. When walking with a friend a good way to explore that type of relationship is to either walk a few yards away from one another or to take a social hike together that you designate a little solo time into, not wandering too far but just being quiet and tuning into, not one another, but what is happening in the forest all around you.
I have found that there's a change that seems to occur after about 45 minutes of being immersed in the forest. Around then is when I feel my body relax a little more, enough to awaken other senses. It's not as if I turn feral after a 45 minute walk in the woods but I do feel more wild, like I have received and shared enough information with the ecosystem I am in to feel like I belong there. When I say I talk to plants and I share information with an ecosystem, I don't want to sound esoteric- this is something everyone can do. In fact, we are all constantly sharing information with the world around us. A lot of this happens on a cellular level. We can feel our nervous systems react to differences in our environment and the more we listen to that, the easier it is to work with. Although many people enjoy speaking out loud with plants, it is not necessary in order to establish a relationship. Just being aware of the life around you and observing how different elements interact can bring a greater sense of peace and clarity.
Simply recognizing that everything around you is alive and connected to one another will help to recognize your own place in that web, greatly reducing stress and illness, and opening up creative channels of expression.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Outdoor Therapy
Here is a great article in the Durango Telegraph about First Descents, a Colorado based program that provides free outdoor adventure therapy to young adults with cancer.
Durango Telegraph- First Descents
Durango Telegraph- First Descents
Monday, April 4, 2011
Power of Plants
As I was mixing and stirring, I shared some nutritional information about the ingredients I was using with my friend who was mixing and stirring his own concoction. My creation was for human consumption, a supper with plenty of seaweed for vitamins and minerals, his was for soil and plant consumption, a compost tea, with plenty of seaweed for vitamins and minerals. In that moment we realized how similar we are to these tender young plants we are caring for.
By caring for these plants and analyzing their needs and how to meet them, we are practicing the skills we need to take care of ourselves. It is so rewarding to wake up in the morning and find a new seedling bursting out of the soil. It is so simple to plant a few bulbs in the fall, but the sight of those first daffodils emerging can really grab you, and make a hard day easier.
Watching a suffering plant rebound to a healthy, vigorous state can do wonders for our own ability to heal. We really can learn from their resiliency.
Aside from the amazing air cleaning qualities many plants possess, they can also improve our mood, give us a sense of purpose, and teach how to take care of ourselves. For these reasons, I believe that plants can play an important role in healing and maintaining health. Especially in an indoor setting, where patients rarely or never have the chance to venture outdoors to learn from nature and feel reconnected the the whole of earth, potted plants can offer these therapeutic benefits.
So, happy spring planting!
By caring for these plants and analyzing their needs and how to meet them, we are practicing the skills we need to take care of ourselves. It is so rewarding to wake up in the morning and find a new seedling bursting out of the soil. It is so simple to plant a few bulbs in the fall, but the sight of those first daffodils emerging can really grab you, and make a hard day easier.
Watching a suffering plant rebound to a healthy, vigorous state can do wonders for our own ability to heal. We really can learn from their resiliency.
Aside from the amazing air cleaning qualities many plants possess, they can also improve our mood, give us a sense of purpose, and teach how to take care of ourselves. For these reasons, I believe that plants can play an important role in healing and maintaining health. Especially in an indoor setting, where patients rarely or never have the chance to venture outdoors to learn from nature and feel reconnected the the whole of earth, potted plants can offer these therapeutic benefits.
So, happy spring planting!
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Natural Science as Metaphor
The more I learn about the world around me, the more I learn about myself.
It is empowering to have and share knowledge about our surroundings and really, an understanding of earth science can help us survive, live more comfortably and find creative solutions to any of the problems we are faced with on a physical level.
But what can deepening our understanding of the natural sciences do for us spiritually or emotionally?
Transferring our knowledge of earth science into metaphor can help us understand ourselves better. For instance, when I first learned about the Walking Palm tree (Socratea exorrhiza) its story immediately resonated with me. The Walking Palm is able to send out new roots and let older ones die off, allowing the tree to move across the forest floor- A Rooted Nomad!
Learning about this adaptation of the Walking Palm immediately put me at ease. I had always felt that I had to choose between sinking down roots and wandering nomadic, but now understood what perhaps I had always suspected, I was in fact a rooted nomad and I was not alone!
My friend tells me that learning about the mineral Azurite's sensitivity to sunlight helped him understand his own delicate balance. Azurite is a beautiful blue stone with many healing properties. However, if it is left in the sun too long it's color will fade and it will no longer have a deep rich cerulean hue to share with us. Removing the stone from the ground where it was created does have benefit to us but if we overexpose the fragile stone, it can lose this beauty. My friend shared with me this metaphor of being gentle with himself, sharing his gifts at the right moments and not overexposing himself to the very elements that make him shine.
These are just two examples, neither necessarily sought out as knowledge to help us understand ourselves, but simple curiosity about the world around us that led to deeper, metaphoric, personal meaning. For this reason I really advocate teaching our knowledge of the natural sciences, at any age. You never know what seeds will be planted by sharing what we know!
It is empowering to have and share knowledge about our surroundings and really, an understanding of earth science can help us survive, live more comfortably and find creative solutions to any of the problems we are faced with on a physical level.
But what can deepening our understanding of the natural sciences do for us spiritually or emotionally?
Transferring our knowledge of earth science into metaphor can help us understand ourselves better. For instance, when I first learned about the Walking Palm tree (Socratea exorrhiza) its story immediately resonated with me. The Walking Palm is able to send out new roots and let older ones die off, allowing the tree to move across the forest floor- A Rooted Nomad!
Learning about this adaptation of the Walking Palm immediately put me at ease. I had always felt that I had to choose between sinking down roots and wandering nomadic, but now understood what perhaps I had always suspected, I was in fact a rooted nomad and I was not alone!
My friend tells me that learning about the mineral Azurite's sensitivity to sunlight helped him understand his own delicate balance. Azurite is a beautiful blue stone with many healing properties. However, if it is left in the sun too long it's color will fade and it will no longer have a deep rich cerulean hue to share with us. Removing the stone from the ground where it was created does have benefit to us but if we overexpose the fragile stone, it can lose this beauty. My friend shared with me this metaphor of being gentle with himself, sharing his gifts at the right moments and not overexposing himself to the very elements that make him shine.
These are just two examples, neither necessarily sought out as knowledge to help us understand ourselves, but simple curiosity about the world around us that led to deeper, metaphoric, personal meaning. For this reason I really advocate teaching our knowledge of the natural sciences, at any age. You never know what seeds will be planted by sharing what we know!
Monday, January 10, 2011
A Different Kind of Doctor: Forest Therapy
A Different Kind of Doctor: Forest Therapy: "The popular practice of shinrin-yoku in Japan translates to forest bathing, or being surrounded by a forest environment. It may not seem lik..."
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Haiku
Haiku can be a wonderful tool to explore our relationship with the natural world. These short, simple poems are a form of meditation that helps focus our senses. I like to take a moment every day to compose a haiku. This practice helps keep me in touch with my level of engagement with the natural world and ensures that I do get out and connect with the web of life in some way every day. Haiku also helps to deepen my experiences by engaging all my senses and allowing me to slow down and really notice and appreciate small details in my surroundings. This is an especially wonderful practice to help create a deep, meaningful connection to nature when we are short on time!
Sometimes I will write my haiku first thing in the morning and it really sets the tone for the day, tuning all my senses in to exploring the day outside of me, and my human bubble. I usually compose the haiku in one spot, walking until I get a feeling or something catches my eye and I just stop and observe that place for a while and come up with language to describe the moment. The format for Haiku in English is usually three lines, the first and last having five syllables and the middle line containing seven syllables. Because haiku are so short and structured, they allow us the freedom to express great meaning in a small package, children and adults with short attention spans can benefit from this meditation with a definitive end.
Although I don't always have the chance to, I like to write them down because rereading a haiku will bring back so much sensory detail for me that it I can recall other events from the day in addition the the feeling of being there in that moment. An important part of my haiku meditation is non-judgement. I just try to describe the moment as accurately as possible within the haiku format, sometimes writing several haiku, sometime struggling to finish just one. When I reread them, some hold so much meaning for me even if I did not realize they would when I wrote them down. Still, there are others that I am not incredibly moved by when I reread them months later, but it was important for the day it was written, in this case the emphasis is on process, not product.
Please share if you are inspired by haiku! the tiny droplet of water that reflects the world!
Sometimes I will write my haiku first thing in the morning and it really sets the tone for the day, tuning all my senses in to exploring the day outside of me, and my human bubble. I usually compose the haiku in one spot, walking until I get a feeling or something catches my eye and I just stop and observe that place for a while and come up with language to describe the moment. The format for Haiku in English is usually three lines, the first and last having five syllables and the middle line containing seven syllables. Because haiku are so short and structured, they allow us the freedom to express great meaning in a small package, children and adults with short attention spans can benefit from this meditation with a definitive end.
Although I don't always have the chance to, I like to write them down because rereading a haiku will bring back so much sensory detail for me that it I can recall other events from the day in addition the the feeling of being there in that moment. An important part of my haiku meditation is non-judgement. I just try to describe the moment as accurately as possible within the haiku format, sometimes writing several haiku, sometime struggling to finish just one. When I reread them, some hold so much meaning for me even if I did not realize they would when I wrote them down. Still, there are others that I am not incredibly moved by when I reread them months later, but it was important for the day it was written, in this case the emphasis is on process, not product.
Please share if you are inspired by haiku! the tiny droplet of water that reflects the world!
Monday, September 21, 2009
Caring for the Earth and Each Other- Fall 2009
Hello and happy fall! Here are some amazing links in the vein of community garden and urban sustainability in the Boston or Rhode Island area:
The Farm Guide
New Urban Farmers- Pawtucket and Central Falls, Rhode Island
Re-Vision Urban Farm, a part of the Victory Programs in Dorchester
Boston Area Gleaners
The Farm Guide
New Urban Farmers- Pawtucket and Central Falls, Rhode Island
Re-Vision Urban Farm, a part of the Victory Programs in Dorchester
Boston Area Gleaners
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