Welcome to this guided meditation called The Benefits of Forest Bathing.
Let's begin.
Please get comfortable,
Seated or lay down if you wish.
Closing the eyes.
Thank you.
Hold the breath still now for seven seconds.
Feel the breath smooth and long.
Let's expand that meditative mind.
Let's explore the benefits of forest bathing.
In 1983,
Forest bathing,
Shienren-Yoku was incorporated into Japan's National Health Programme.
It is in fact a simple practice but has powerful results.
It is proven to be a preventative medicine for many health conditions of mind and of body.
Studies show the levels of stress,
Hormones,
Blood pressure,
Pulse rate,
Anxiety and depression related are simply decreased.
The cells of the immune system are naturally boosted.
Walking in the woods is good for the nervous system.
Age recovery of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,
ADHD.
It simply increases their desire to express good feeling.
It reduces the negative effects faster.
The art of forest bathing is to slow down.
Slow down to a meditative state and let all your senses experience what's around you.
To not be surprised by going slow at first is almost painful through the habit of modern ways.
But it is after we feel calm,
Re-energised and back into balance.
It teaches concentration,
Mindfulness taken a meditative walk,
Often in silence too.
And a chance to make memories and simply escape.
Nature's colours are soothing.
Studies show we relax best with colours green and blue.
Let's take a breath in now of the colour green.
And exhale the colour green.
Let's take a breath in now of blue.
And exhale the colour blue.
Natural green light itself involves less eye muscle movement.
Thus the eyes are having a little therapy too.
And to breathe deeply this special forest air into the abdomen.
But to exhale the air twice as long will send a message to the body it can relax.
Let's explore this,
Breathing in and fill the abdomen.
And exhale all that air into the abdomen.
And relax.
Sitting down and feeling the earth beneath you is encouraged.
Everything is energy and a vibration.
And making time to notice small details.
When we stop we can pay close attention to the details like the delicate designs of flowers.
And leaves especially when they enter many colours during autumn.
So as nature changes through time so do we.
Our moods,
Energy levels and personal things week to week.
So with nature we engage time passing.
Thus nature shows us that change is normal.
Change is a part of life.
Nature self-generates and so do we.
Breathing in now nature's powerful effect on humans.
To observe looking up high at the leaf canopy in the forest and observe the light coming through.
Getting a good neck stretch of the posture here as well.
Away from the habit of always looking down at phones and gadgets.
Looking into the distance is therapeutic to the eyes.
And here we notice the different plants carpeting the forest far.
Shades of green can multiply up to 50.
Looking close and examine the patterns of various stones.
Even fallen debris still looks interesting.
A dry,
Deadly really can look like a fine piece of delicate lace.
The lungs can be compared to the vein structure of the leaf.
So nature shows the man-made world is great designs.
The helicopter inspired by the dragonfly.
Do you remember the last time you saw a dragonfly maneuver around you backwards forwards and simply hover?
The interesting colours and shapes of the fungi family of fairy-like mushrooms.
Growing on decaying sticks and damp places.
With magical names like scarlet elf cup.
Brimming scarlet red indeed.
A chance to study woodland animals making homes in trees and under them.
Digging extensive burrows,
Camouflaged by nature.
The butterfly that comes to rest near you can travel up to 100 miles in a day.
Breathing in and feel the power of the natural world.
Using your nose the different smells of the forest.
Can you smell the soil?
And how do you react to breathing in the elves muddy aroma?
And the drifting scents from the different plants in bloom.
To listen we often don't notice all the very sounds birds make.
But to learn to follow the conversation of the forest birds are having all around you.
When did you last hear a dawn chorus begin a new day?
To stop and to touch and hug the different tree bark.
Note the roughness for example of the maple bark.
And then the sheer smoothness of the birds.
Get physically close and embrace being a tree hugger.
For it boosts the energy level and depletes negative energies.
By opening our arms and chest area the extension of the heart itself.
Wrapped around a giant tree.
Does the emotion rise or feeling grounded?
The feet planted to the ground.
It is estimated that 8 million trees removes yearly 2000 tons of pollution.
Starring over 2.
4 million tons of CO2.
This is equivalent of 2.
6 billion vehicle miles.
Breathe in deeply now with the power of trees that clean the air we rely on.
Guided forest walks can include drinking teas prepared from forest plants.
Mint,
Nettle and fruit teas are tasty and healthy.
Opening your mouth to taste the air that passes you.
Or to catch raindrops and gauge the sense of taste as well.
There is a positive element of playfulness being the explorer.
Now the following couple of minutes I would like to share a personal emotional description of myself going to the woods.
A poetic story of connecting well-being to nature.
Going to the woods.
I need to get out but it's got to be to the woods.
I need upliftment,
I need to feel good.
And bring my body and mind back into brilliant balance.
The heavenly home is turning into a box.
All four walls,
North,
South,
East and west have sealed me in.
And it feels stagnant and the air is thin.
I need a break,
For my mind and body bring a voice together ringing loud and clear.
They're both telling me to get the hell out of here.
All my chores have become a bar.
It's all lacking satisfaction no matter how much I complete.
I need to put soil and earth under my feet.
I need to trip over stones and slide in mud,
Press new grass and leave a print.
I need to walk away from this man-made well.
I can't breathe deeply enough.
And the eyes to my soul have lost their sparkle.
I need to connect to the woods,
To the seasons that are pushing for.
I want to see flowers wild and free,
Patterns of leaves.
I need to walk amongst the tallest trees.
I need to walk without time and whistle a piece of grass,
A trick I learned as a tomboy last.
I need high-pitched sounds of only the bird from the song,
Under the biggest umbrella of trees.
No sound of traffic at last,
It fell off the shoulders when I left that concrete path.
I need to forget about the treadmill of life.
I need a break as I'm not feeling right.
I need deep earthly oxygen filling up my veins,
Pumping in all my veins and being simply born again.
I want rosy cheeks that I had as a child.
I want to pick a nice long dry straw and stick it in my mouth.
I want to get excited at finding the perfect walking stick and snap it to a desired height,
Striding from the feet.
I need to catch sight of the woodland birds.
I'll see a rabbit truly bouncing about.
I want to gaze long into the distance,
The chance of seeing a deer,
And feel its peep.
I want to suddenly hear cookies penetrate the air with that unmistakable sound that covers my ears to bend a little more.
I want mud on my shoes like a dirty dog.
I want to wash out grass stains and trees out of my hair.
I want to see ten shades of green as far as the eye can see.
I want a sky that's going to seduce me.
I know the patterns of nature are easy,
Therapeutic to the eye,
And green is my heart chakra colour for all of us.
And my eyes fall heavy on limbs of heart-shaped leaves of green.
I want to put my index finger under a stagnant raindrop,
Suspended from a desired lean,
Because it's clear and pure and good enough to drink.
I want to stare into a spider's web,
Let my eyes get hypnotised by its brilliant,
Deadly pattern,
And let out a sigh and cause it to quiver.
I want to squash fallen berries under my feet,
Kick a crabapple and watch it roll with speed down a long,
Muddy lane.
But most of all,
I want to rest my back against a nice,
Solid tree,
One that will outlive me,
And run my hand and fingers through blades of soft grass.
Rest my head fully back and roll my eyes high and show only the sky.
I need to see the sunshine put on a display with sparkle rays,
Excite my eyes and watch the shadows run away.
I want to hold the sunshine in the palm of my hand.
I want to smell the good earth.
I want to smell the plant.
I want to open my ears to every nature sound.
I'm weighing myself,
Checking in,
That mind and body have returned to pure balance,
And have I come back to my roots?
Before I leave here,
I've already booked in again,
As I should.
My subconscious mind will tell me in time,
I need to get out,
But it's got to be,
To the woods.
Let's meditate here for a minute and picture yourself with any nature memories or intentions to do forest bathing.
.
.
Take a deep breath in now,
And exhale,
And happy forest bathing for mind and for body.
Let's awaken to the count of five.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Eyes open,
Eyes fully open.
Have a gentle stretch.
Please drink some water soon.
Thank you.
