Forest Stream

Join Henry once again on a journey visualizing the forest in the Pacific Northwest. This time, the walk in the forest takes you to the creek where the small waterfall pours over the rocks into a small pool before running downstream through the forest. This meditation is only lightly guided, offering long periods with only the sounds in the forest and the flowing water for reflection and inward journey.

Transcript

Hey, Glad you could join me on this forest stream journey. We are once again in the Pacific Northwest in the rainforest. We are about a five minute walk from the house in the forest rain meditation, And a three minute walk from the gazebo in the forest rain 2. 0 meditation. But we are heading off in a different direction than the tree in the forest sun meditation. Today's journey is to the forest stream. It's a wonderful little creek with a small waterfall over a rock outcropping as it descends a gentle slope in the forest. If you haven't already done so, I invite you to close your eyes and settle in comfortably. Whether you are sitting on a cushion, A couch, Or lying down, Just make sure you are comfortable. Set your intention today for deep relaxation. Let's ground ourselves in the moment with some conscious breathing. Fill your lungs up with air to the top and hold for a moment. And then exhale, Blowing it all out to the bottom. Inhale again, Imagining you are filling your entire body with air and hold. Then again release, Blowing it out completely. Do that one more time and we can get started. Okay, Beautiful. Let us begin. So it's a beautiful warm day in the forest in early autumn. The nights are getting chilly but by late morning it's wonderfully warm. Some leaves have started to come down from the scattered birch and aspen trees. And because it's so moist on the mossy floor, The leaves begin to quickly decay and you get that wonderful sweet earthy smell from it. Do you smell it? I find it just intoxicating. Take a slow deep breath in through your nose. Isn't it wonderful? The forest is mostly majestic douglas firs and cedars but here and there in a slight clearing you find the deciduous trees like the birch and aspen. When the sun hits the bushes you can smell the very ripe blackberries and blackcurrants adding to the sweet forest air. I find that a walk in the forest is always a feast for the senses. The forest is so healing. Many studies have proven the healing benefits of getting into nature. It's so good for us. But there have also been studies to show the healing benefits of both listening to nature sounds and visualizing nature. Guess what? We're doing both. I find that my life can be very frenetic at times. I'm running this way and that, Tending to responsibilities and people pulling you in every which direction to, You know, Do this, Do that, Please help me with this, What about that. And taking some time to unwind and give yourself self care is so incredibly important. That's why the forest is so beautiful. We can hear the breeze in the treetops. I hear the birds. I just love hearing that. Reminds me of when I was a child when camping early in the morning all the twittering of the birds would start, You know, Like 4am or something like that. And how can you get mad at the birds for rejoicing to the world, Being thankful for another day. That must be what it is. The trees each has so much energy. If you quiet your mind and walk, You can almost feel the energy from the trees. The ferns are still full and green. This forest is so lush. And here and there when we see streams of sunlight coming down from between the branches, You can see the rays of sun. It's lighting up the moisture particles in the air. I find that walking in nature reminds me that I am one with the universe. There is no separation. There is no me being in the universe. I am part of the universe. We all are. Each one of us is connected to the whole of everything. It reminds me that I am part of nature. Kind of an alien came and landed and saw us walking here. And they knew the forest was called nature. They see us. We'd be part of it for them. Don't you love this fresh air? Take a deep breath in again. Fill your lungs. Rich and sweet. It's amazing what you can see when you clear your mind of worries and anxiety and things like that. You really bring yourself into the present moment, All of a sudden you start to notice things. Like the hundreds of little animals that seem to be busy at work, Probably preparing for the cold season ahead. There are squirrels and chipmunks just everywhere. When I look at all these trees, Different shapes and sizes, Even within a single species, I look at the Douglas fir, Some are leaning, Some are bent, Some are reaching for the sun just because all the other trees are making it difficult for them to see the sun. They're all different. And it reminds me of Ram Dass. He says we accept the trees as they are. We don't question why. We can see why. We don't think one tree is any less than another tree that looks different. Yet when we look at each other, There's always a judgement that comes in. Tree's too fat, Too short, Too tall, Too skinny, Etc. Etc. All these judgements that come into our head, And not even necessarily in a malicious way, But we're always weighing our experience against something, Perhaps ourselves, I don't know. It's always a comparison. Wouldn't it be nice, Like Ram Dass suggests, To turn people into trees and accept them? Soon we will be coming by the stream. Do you see that bump over there? The land rises a bit. Up there is where the stream is. We're going to go a little bit to the right, Where the land drops away a little bit, And come around and you'll see the rock outcropping. The stream cascading, Well, Not cascading, I'm making it bigger than it is. It's only a few feet that the water drops, But it's a beautiful, Beautiful sound. It's the only waterfall that I'm aware of around here, So for me it's the biggest one. Soon we'll begin to hear it. Okay, There it is. Let's just make our way around this outcropping. Ah, Love it. Let's sit back here on this moss-covered log. Thankfully the moss is dry. We can just listen. Running water like this is pretty much like the rain falling. So peaceful, So calming. The water just flows. It flows where it goes. It doesn't think about it, It just goes. It's a great reminder for us. You know, The cliché, Go with the flow. We don't fight what is in the present moment, First by judging whether what is is good or bad or desirable or undesirable. Just experiencing it for what it is. We are going with the flow. Even if you have a problem in your life, A serious problem. It's an event that happens. It's only our minds that place value on the event. There is always a lesson to be found in whatever we are called to go through. Flow. Being in the forest like this helps me to accept that I am enough as I am. I mean, Is anything out here going to suggest to us that we aren't enough as we sit here? This is a good time to let go of some things if there are still some things that are nagging at you in the back of your mind as we have been walking. As we sit before this huge three foot waterfall. It's not even really a fall, It's more of a very steep slope, But work with me here. As we sit here before this, The beautiful sounds and sights of nature. Let's take a deep breath in. Bring to mind as you are breathing in all the things that you just want to drop and let go. And then blow it out with determination. Blowing all those things that are hanging on, Just blow it out, Blow it away. Maybe it lands in the stream and is carried off. All those situations, Allow them to flow and unfold as they must. Anything that's beyond your direct control, Let it go. Let it flow away. And just do that a few times. When we are sitting here in this moment, Nothing else matters. Let it go. Let's sit quietly and enjoy this wonderful place. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. 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Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Let's take a deep breath. Hopefully that was wonderful, Peaceful relaxation. And you found that place of calm and stillness within. It's in each one of us. We just need to turn in and look for it. So you can take a deep breath in. And fill your lungs right up, Hold for a moment, And then blow it all out. Maybe roll your shoulders a bit and wiggle your back around. At this point you can choose to become aware of your surroundings. Come back into the room in which you are sitting. Or if you prefer, You can just carry on. You can sit here a while longer if you want. Thank you for joining me. And I pray that you found that peace. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Reviews

Loved this meditation, like taking a walk with a good friend on a summer day.

love this one!
thank you for sharing your wonderful talents with us! And, I"m from the Pacific Northwest!
Thank you again!.
Be Blessed...Tami

It's 34° f here where I live, I snugged up underneath a blanket two pairs of socks and my slippers ... Bravely I ventured outside to my fire pit ... it is truly amazing what you can get your body to believe! Thank you so much for the Serene and peaceful guided tour! That was magnificent! My nose is still cold though 🤪

Lovely and relaxing!

Loved it!! We are just back from a week in Stowe VT going on hikes to cascades and lakes. What a lovely way to bring those experiences to life with this meditation! THANK YOU!!!