I love this time of year. As September turns into October, without the sluggishness of the heat of summer to slow me down, I feel more energetic and enterprising. I love walking outside in nature with my dog, and also just being outside, even if I’m not walking or working but am just “being”.
As my time continued at the countryside property in rural Ontario, Canada where I visited family recently, I took a picture of a lovely oak leaf, you can see the veins in it. I took a picture of magical looking mossy rocks that always conjure up vague notions of other fantasy worlds of fairies and elves in my mind whenever I see them. Another picture is of the carpet of periwinkle interspersed with the occasional goutweed. The dark grey clouds rolled in and I took a picture of them above the trees. Another picture, also a landscape, was taken after I had returned home and it was sent to me, reminding me of all that I was now missing. The beautiful landscape and fresh air.
magical looking mossy rocks…
carpet of periwinkle interspersed with the occasional goutweed…
I’m back at home now and looking at the photos, I’m reminded of the term forest bathing also called shinrin-yoku. In Japanese Shinrin means forest and yoku means bath. You can just be outside and soak up the atmosphere of the forest, the smells, sounds, the air. It is good for the soul. If you live in the city it is vital to your wellbeing to get some time outside in nature and is so great for stress management and reconnecting with your soul and inner core essence.
The dark clouds rolled in and I took a picture of them above the trees.
A lot of what I do out in the countryside or in the large park settings close to my home is forest bathing, I’m not always walking briskly or working. Sometimes I’m walking slowly, ambling along and just being. On one recent day out in the countryside my mother, Charlie and I were out for three hours. We ambled slowly, looked at the trees, collected seeds from the Siberian pea shrub for me to plant at my own home, took cuttings from the lilac shrubs and planted them elsewhere, tied up a honeysuckle shrub that was drooping, walked down and had a look at the linden trees, and then just generally soaked up the atmosphere. For three hours. Our “work” and walking did not take the three hours, but still three hours passed. It was a joyous and happy time and I felt all the better for it.
Charlie enjoying his shinrin-yoku (forest bathing).
To enjoy forest bathing, you don’t have to be working or doing a project, although if you live in the countryside you know there is plenty of work to do all the time, and you don’t even have to be walking or on the way somewhere. You just have to go outside and soak up the atmosphere, it’s about reconnecting with nature through all of your senses. Occasionally pause on your walks or during your busy work and soak it all in. You will feel better for it. I certainly do.
In the evenings now I look out and see my dog, Charlie, lying on my deck or in the grass in the backyard, even as it gets dark outside. With the cooler weather he is more comfortable, and being a dog with a thick coat makes it challenging sometimes for him to be out too long in the summer heat. But these fall days and evenings are just right for him, and he lies outside looking the absolute picture of contentment. I learn a lot from him and his wise attitude as he also enjoys “forest bathing” or just soaking it all in. Just “being” while you are surrounded by nature. Ah, bliss.
Ah, bliss…