Hi,
Thanks for joining me,
Klara,
For this guided visualization about Shinrin-Yoku.
Shinrin in Japanese means forest and Yoku means bath.
So Shinrin-Yoku means bathing in a forest atmosphere.
You don't have to visit a hot spring in a forest in Japan for Shinrin-Yoku.
You can do it anywhere by simply taking a few hours out of your life,
Heading to a forest and allowing the trees to do the rest.
Before we begin,
Please find a comfortable place to relax.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Then direct your attention to your breathing.
Pay close attention to your full breathing process.
The sensations of breathing in and out.
As you're beginning to feel more relaxed and grounded,
I'd like you to think about a person who's positively impacted your life or someone who's inspired you.
It might be someone close to you,
Someone you've only met once or twice,
Or maybe someone you've never met,
Like an author or a musician.
Now let's spend one minute of mindfulness,
Focusing on how someone has positively impacted your life.
Thisiyon webpage.
Okay,
Now let's begin the visualization.
It's no exaggeration to say that Japan has the most hot springs in the world.
It's home to over 25,
000 hot springs.
This is hardly surprising as Japan is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire.
In Japan,
Hot springs are called onsens and for thousands of years onsens have been revered in Japanese culture for their relaxing and healing qualities.
In this guided visualization,
You'll travel to an ancient mountain village known for its onsen to enjoy a time-honored bathing ritual.
It's cherry blossom season and the sakuras,
The word for cherry blossoms in Japanese,
Are in full bloom when you head north along the ancient road.
Their fluffy pink flowers tremble and shiver in a cool breeze which carries a hint of spring,
The season of renewal.
As your mind wanders along the curving ancient stone road,
You lose track of time.
And before long,
You notice the landscape has shifted and you find yourself in a mystical cedar grove.
Here,
The damp air is sweet with the aroma from the earth and the evergreen trees.
Far away,
In the distance,
You can hear the sound of rushing water.
Up ahead on the road,
A ghostly,
Wispy white mist lingers for a few seconds and then disappears into the trees.
Some spirits walk this way too.
When you reach the town,
It starts raining.
A couple of women with colourful parasols almost bump into you in the street.
They're giggling together.
So absorbed they don't see you.
The village is well over a thousand years old.
The exterior cedar walls of the houses have been stained dark by the ancient Japanese art of yakisugu.
This process involves charring the wood with fire which preserves the buildings for years,
Making the wood waterproof and resistant to fire and insects.
You reach the ryokan or inn.
Time has left its fingerprints here.
All the surfaces are worn and faded with constellations of patinas and textures.
An older man at the desk greets you kindly,
Checks you in and leads you to your room.
On the way you walk by a zen garden courtyard with emerald green moss and several bonsai trees.
A room holds secrets in its shadows.
The space is marked off by soji screen doors and plain wooden walls where the light is drawn in and forms dim shadows within the emptiness.
Beyond the pure simplicity of the room are a futon with a duvet where you'll sleep,
A yakata robe,
A pair of soft slippers and a flower vase.
When you gaze into the darkness gathering behind the cross beam and underneath the shelves,
You understand the value of the small shadow where an atmosphere of complete and utter silence rules and the power of tranquility lies in the darkness.
When you turn around the innkeeper has vanished,
So you close the soji screen door,
Happy to have the peaceful atmosphere of the space all to yourself.
As is the custom,
You undress and rinse your body and hair in the washing area before heading outside to the pool.
The soji screen door opens into a secret garden grove.
Stepping stones lead across the moss to your own small,
Natural pool composed of smooth boulders.
When you soak in the springs you can feel the warmth and the minerals in the water reaching you from regions deep underground.
You can feel it soothe your limbs and your cares float away in the tendrils of steam from the blue water and dissolving into the dark green boughs of the cedar trees overhead.
There are no words to describe the sensation as you soak here in the dim light,
Basking in the faint glow reflected from the soji and getting lost in meditation.
It begins to rain lightly again.
The thick boughs of the cedar tree provide cover and keep you dry.
As you listen to the night rain on the roof,
You sit comfortably with both legs stretched out,
Enjoying the warmth of the water and the peacefulness.
How are you feeling,
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