“Go deeper,
Sink into this blessed water
With your achy bones
And weary mind,
Enter into the depths
Of your own soul,
Allowing the cleansing waves
Of self-reflection
To wash over and surround
Weary bodies need the love
Only a soul bath can give,
Need the rest carved out
Of endlessly busy days
Go deeper,
Feel the water rising,
Feel the weariness retreating,
Sink into your soul…”
©SpiritLed 2018
You hear forest bathing or sometimes it’s also referred to as soul bathing. It’s catching on here now, but did you know the Japanese are whom it came from? The Shinrin-Yoku was developed in Japan in the 1980s. The term means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing”.
It can be as simple as stepping outdoors taking in nature and connecting with it body and soul. Have you ever noticed when you enter the forest, whatever the reason, that all your troubles, worries and pain just slip away? If it does than you’re doing it right. It’s a major part of Japanese medicine and would do us a lot of good as well.
Aside from the obvious part of me that is searching for Bigfoot, I am also out there to escape. I suffer from a syndrome called CRPS. It’s not the most know syndrome in the world, and just the term syndrome being used to describe a condition you have can be frightening. But it lives up to be frightening.
If you’ve, like myself once, have never heard of the condition it’s one involving the nervous system. Your nerves get all confused and send constant pain signals to your brain. There is no cure and only an army of medicine can keep you going, that is till I like others I’ve met, realized being in the forest seeing the colors, smelling the fresh air, the whole thing. I realized when I’m in there I’m so distracted by beauty I don’t feel any pain. Amazing and well worth going in everyday.
But, I’m not telling this tale for sympathy but hopefully for inspiration because if it saved me from giving up on everything and could help you too. Not just physically but mentally as well.
I take this philosophy into the forest with me everyday, it made me a survivor, and if it can do this for me? Imagine what it could for you. I like to think I help spread the vibe that forest bathing, soul bathing could make a world of difference in your life. So,. If you’ve never tried it I urge you to get out there.i promise you’ll feel renewed, and be so glad you did it.