When we’re grounded and at ease,
We can wander where we please.
With our senses as our guide,
We can let our thoughts subside.
And then while away the hours,
In the steam and by the flowers.
....Pooh’s relaxation poem from “A Walk in the Wood”
I found “A Walk in the Wood…Meditations on Mindfulness with a Bear Named Pooh,” by Dr. Joseph Parent and Nancy Parent at the local library. It is a short but enjoyable read that combines stories of Winnie the Pooh and friends with simple exercises in mindfulness (aimless wandering) while exploring the benefits of nature.
Not sure if you have heard about “forest bathing,” and no it is not let’s get naked in the woods and jump in a pond! It is more like what you imagine Pooh doing, just wandering the 100 Acre Wood and stopping to enjoy its sights, smells and sounds with no particular place to go. Although, I will admit that Pooh would most likely be looking for honey as well.
Forest bathing or Shinrin-Yoku, as the practice is called in Japan, involves walking slowly and mindfully in woodland, ‘bathing’ in its tranquility - taking in the forest through our senses. Research studies have shown that blood pressure, heart rate, mood and the immune system can be improved by spending quiet time in forested areas.
I experienced forest bathing for the first time a couple of years ago while on a weekend retreat in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. The weekend included activities in journaling, crafts, drum circle, and hiking. One evening, after dark, we headed down a path in the forest without flashlights. The group stopped, and then one by one we walked the path individually without light – just our self and nature. You became so in tune with the woods as your senses heightened without your sight. This gave you the opportunity to really be immersed in nature as your feet slowly pressed down onto the earth. You could feel the dirt, the rocks and grass at your feet, as you were careful with your footing. By taking a deep breath in you could smell the leaves, the marsh, the dirt, the brush, and the trees. Staying in tune with your surroundings you feel the wind, and experience the temperature difference in areas that varied in elevation or tree covering, feel the overgrowth as you brushed past it on the path, while you could hear the trees swaying with the wind and the sound of crickets, birds, and animals in the woods. Feeling totally absorbed in the forest. It was an unforgettable experience.
The next day we had free time to explore and I found myself wandering around the grounds and ended up in a beautiful meadow. I took off my shoes to experience the slightly damp grass under my feet. I love being barefoot (which could be why I have broken my toes numerous times.) Being barefoot outside makes me feel grounded – like I have a direct connection to mother earth, allowing me to feel earth’s strength. I then lay in the grass enjoying the feeling of pure relaxation, looking up at the sunshine, and the blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds. Of course, you know what I did next – embracing my inner child, I looked for shapes and animals in the clouds. Is it a fish, a bird, a teddy bear or simply cotton candy? No music, no cell phone, no interruptions, just me surrounded by the beauty of nature. This took me back to the innocence of childhood by embracing the here and now. Not worrying about the future and fretting about the past. There is a wholesomeness in the stillness of nature that we can absorb by spending quiet time in the forest.
While we all can’t carve out full weekends to enjoy this experience, we can walk away from our computer, cell phone, television, iPad and iPod. Yesterday I practiced my aimless wandering on my favorite trail - feeling the crunch of the leaves and pine needles at my feet. Watching the leaves float effortlessly to the ground. With no particular distance in mind, and no dogs leading me along, I simply enjoyed the sun shining through the trees and when picking up pine cones was greeted by a leaping toad - not sure who was more surprised, him or me! Aimless wandering like a Bear named Pooh - Just a short respite in my day. I encourage you to do the same, sit in your backyard or take a walk in the nearby wood, if only for a few moments. Breathe in the fresh air, smell the fresh oxygen gifted to us by the trees, relax your shoulders and let go of the day’s tension…and just breathe.
A walk in nature walks the soul back home…Mary Davis
Love you Joanne...Sharon...xoxoxo
"Today was a Difficult Day," said Pooh.
There was a pause.
"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Piglet.
"No," said Pooh after a bit. "No, I don't think I do."
"That's okay," said Piglet, and he came and sat beside his friend.
"What are you doing?" asked Pooh.
"Nothing, really," said Piglet. "Only, I know what Difficult Days are like. I quite often don't feel like talking about it on my Difficult Days either.
"But goodness," continued Piglet, "Difficult Days are so much easier when you know you've got someone there for you. And I'll always be here for you, Pooh."
And as Pooh sat there, working through in his head his Difficult Day, while…