Walking in nature

Of late, walking in nature has had a calming effect in stressful times. There's something special about experiencing one's feet on mother earth along with being amongst our trees. I recently went for a long walk in a forest nearby my town and hearing the swaying of the tress as the wind blew; the conversations the tress engaged in felt deliciously relaxing. The Japanese culture has a word for these nature experiences called forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku (森林浴).

It is said that forest bathing has healthy benefits that no other experience can replicate. The greenery of the forest and visual scenery dissipates stress, lowers blood pressure, reverses harmful environmental impact to our body, and even has anti-cancer properties. On my most recent forest bathing experience not only did I hear the tress conversing but a spotted owl made its appearance to a group of hikers and I. Certainly this marked a magical moment of the day!

I remember a trip to Japan where my relatives took a friend and I to a bamboo forest. I could never find the exact words to describe the sounds coming from the bamboo trees or the feeling of being amongst these giant bamboo trees, but it was one of the most relaxing experiences I've had. What I can describe about the times I had walking in the forest is that it removes the rough edges of daily stressors and spending so much time inside buildings and in our cities. In my town we are very fortunate to have several redwood forests where we can forest bathe. Walking beneath the canopy of these west coast natives and taking in their majestic beauty leaves a lasting imprint in my mind.

You can read more about Japanese forest bathing here http://www.hphpcentral.com/article/forest-bathing

STOPPING BY THE WOODS ON A SNOWY EVENING

by Robert Frost


Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sounds the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.