Forest Therapy
Same Path. Beginner's Eyes.
Way back when I launched HAW, I had a grand plan. Manage bees. Teach. Guide. The Universe certainly had an opinion, and told me I was not the boss of my timeline. Just when I thought I had a Master Plan, there was two steps back, a cha-cha slide, and a pandemic. Yet somehow I was able to land and I'm thrilled to be on this route.
Forest Therapy had always been on my radar, but seemed like a distant goal. Although I would spend most of my time outdoors, I knew that tapping into the practice of Forest Bathing would open up a new eye as to how I viewed nature.
A beginner's eye is seeing something for the first time even if it's a view you have had your entire life. Forest Bathing has taught me how to look at everything with a fresh sense of wonder not only with my eyes, but with all my senses.
Prior to studying the practice, I used to refer to a walk, ride, ski, or run through the woods as therapy, an escape, or challenge. With Forest Bathing the challenge is still there, it's the challenge of slowing down. There is no rabbit. No Hare. No finish line. It's you with the Forest. Sounds easy enough, right? Maybe for some, but not for me. I am an Olympic-level multitasker. Being slow, wandering, exploring, noticing was not in my playbook. I push myself up hills, I have shoes, skis, bikes, and boards for all the weather, terrain, and seasons. I was not noticing, I was traveling, always racing myself, and allowing the clock to be the judge and jury. Do I still do this yes, but I've added a different category, Forest Bathing. She is breathing, she is touching, she is imagining, and she is connecting, and she is slow.
Forest Bathing allows you to root yourself into the present moment, without judgement, and without agenda. Being present with the Forest allows you to connect with Her energy, Her beauty, and Her patience. Connecting with her aliveness gives us a pathway to our aliveness and everything we share. We share air, water, sunshine, the cosmos, and love.
I've known for many decades that I was called to be a teacher. It's simply something that I love. As a guide, I'm not a teacher, yet it is still a calling. As a guide, I hold space for others to have their connection, their time to wander, their opportunity to slow down, and to be present.
As I root myself in this practice, I am eagerly creating opportunities for me to guide Forest Bathing walks. Beyond grateful to the support of everyone at The Forest Therapy School, as well as my talented classmates, and my beautiful family and friends. Thank you for being on this path with me. I hope to see you in the Forest.