ie BATHING

JOAN VORDERBRUGGEN
Certified Forest Therapy Guide

bidt
 Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2021 with funding from
Kahle/Austin Foundation

https://archive.org/details/wildcalmfindingmO0000vord
 Wild
FINDING MINDFULNESS in
FOREST BATHING
JOAN VORDERBRUGGEN
 WILD CALM. Copyright © 2019 by St. Martin’s Press.
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America. For information, address
St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

www.stmartins.com
www.castlepointbooks.com

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by Castle Point Publishing, LLC.
Castle Point books are published and
distributed by St. Martin’s Press.

ISBN 978-1-250-21515-4 (trade paperback)

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Composition by Mary Velgos

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First Edition: June 2019

10987654321
This journal bclongy te

AW Rs
th eS
 INTRODUCTION
Foe
iin.Ta, ~

WHAT PLACES COME TO MIND WHEN YOU REALLY NEED

TO UNWIND AND RECHARGE? A tropical beach kissed by
turquoise waters? A mountain retreat cloaked in the scent of pine?
A sunlit spot near a babbling brook or sparkling lake? Or it could
be some place as close as a backyard garden or local park, where
birds serenade you.

We often look to nature as a place of healing—soothing our feelings

of anxiety or stress and rejuvenating our spirit. Maybe we feel
comforted by nature because, until just a few generations ago, our
ancestors were intimately tied to the natural environment where
they lived. Now that more than half of the world’s population
resides in urban locations, many of us long to reconnect to the
scents, sounds (or silence!), and feelings we experience when we're
in a pleasant natural location. So it’s no surprise that a practice
called forest bathing is on the rise. In forest bathing we are invited
to spend time in nature, opening our senses and our awareness. It’s
simple but can be powerful.
FOREST BATHING AND ITS BENEFITS
Where exactly does forest bathing come from, and how do we
know it works? In the 1980s, Japanese researchers found that
people who spent several hours of quiet, mindful time in forested
natural areas came away with lower blood pressure, lower heart
rates, and lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. The findings
were so compelling that the Japanese government designated
forests solely for the practice of Shinrin-yoku (“bathing in the
forest atmosphere”). Immersed fully in nature, people began
to experience transformative feelings of enhanced well-being
and clarity of thought, lower anxiety levels, and significant
improvements in their stress-induced symptoms and diseases.

The experience in Japan is not unique. The physical, emotional,

and mental health benefits derived from spending reflective
time in nature are backed by decades of research from all over
the world.

GETTING STARTED
While you don't need to be in the wilderness (or even a forest) to
gain the holistic health benefits of forest bathing, you will reap the
most profound benefits if you have a block of uninterrupted time
in the presence of nature. This journal will help you commit to that
time and experience.

Asa certified forest therapy guide, I’ve designed these prompts to

help you release distracting thoughts and invite you to participate
in this therapeutic, rejuvenating, and often inspiring wellness
practice of forest bathing. Although this journal can’t quite
replicate an actual guided forest bathing experience, the easy-
to-follow exercises and questions can assist you in deeply and
mindfully engaging with the natural world around you, no matter
where you live.

What’s important is that, just like soaking in a soothing bath, you

immerse yourself in the nature connections through the prompts
in this book. Release yourself from immediate goals other than to
just be. No phone. No music. No fitness-related tracking. Leave the
dog at home. Give yourself permission to take the time that each
nature connection prompt is designed for, to allow you to receive
the greatest benefits. Let go of thought as you surrender to the
present moment and gifts from the natural world. Soon, feelings
of gratitude and peace will start to move in where you once felt
stressed and depleted!
 CHOOSE YOUR BASE
Find a place in nature that you can visit easily and regularly,
whether for 10 minutes each day or for a longer time once or twice
a week. Look for comfort, quiet, a break from the busyness of
people and traffic—a place that allows you to center yourself in the
present.
You might even consider a few different locations you can
alternate visiting, depending on time constraints, the weather, or
other factors.

~) Name and describe your base(s) in nature.

as
ee
 CLEAR the CHAOS
What swirling thoughts in your head keep you from enjoying the
present moment? Find something in your environment—a stone,
pinecone, or handful of grass, for example—that can symbolically
hold needless thoughts.

~+y Jot down those “needless thoughts” on the stones below.

Then cast off your found object with a gesture that helps you to
declutter your mind, to be more fully present in nature. (Hint: You
can do this before every nature connection.)

+ Without inviting those unnecessary thoughts back in, capture

how it felt to release them.
Dean Seerfs
3 -$
Sen nea)EC (otras Sean =
Biis as
ee wees
ext @)

n Uy
a
4|
ne
4 >-

ret,
 ILDLANDS
are off-Kagh parks
Youy undtgurttoon,
-KATHY AND CRAIG COPELAND
 FEEL OFF-LEASH
Find a place to sit comfortably where you can observe animals that
are “off-leash.” This spot could literally be a dog park, but it could
also be anywhere you can spend time witnessing an animal’s sense
of freedom (think: birds, fish). As you watch a particular animal,
allow your entire body to feel its movements, as if you are this
very being.

+ What parts of your body feel activated?

-y After observing the animals for some time, what did you notice
about being off-leash? How can you capture this feeling more in
your own life?
 CONNECT WITH @ TREE
Sensing with your body rather than thinking about it, move
toward a tree that seems to call to you in some way. Find a place
to sit by that tree for at least 20 minutes. Just be present with
the tree—touching it, smelling it, gazing at it softly as if it were a
dear friend.

+ Allow yourself to be surrounded by the essence of this tree for

as long as you can. What do you feel?

10
 FIND BEAUTY iv IMPERFECTION
In an image-conscious world, we tend to admire what we deem
“perfect” in appearance. But consider how “imperfect” so many
trees are. Yet when we look closely at a tree’s individual character,
each seems more beautiful.

+ Spend time with an element of nature that would not be

considered a perfect specimen, noticing its beauty. Draw this, and
describe what makes it beautiful to you.

ie
ee

13
 APPRECIATE UNIQUE PATHS
Find two leaves from the same tree that appear similar in size and
color. If they’re already on the ground, you can pick them up. If
they’re on the tree, observe them in place.

~+ Record or draw as many subtle differences between these two

leaves as you can.
a — ee

~~ What does this teach you about your own view of yourself
or others?
 t h e f o r e o
s f
t
hun d r
we d t h o u sand trey,

O
N T W O L E A V E S
ARd E A L I| KE.
An ne twe

a
A WALK IN NATURE WALKS.
THE SOUL BACK HOME.
—-MARY DAVIS
 GO with GRATEFULNESS
Nearly every religion or great spiritual tradition has strong origins
or connections to the natural world. Take a slow, gratitude-filled
walk in a natural place, allowing yourself to be open to any
spiritual feelings that might arise.

+ As you focus on gratitude, capture 10 things that bring joy to

your soul in the spaces below.

17
 TAKE TIME te MARVEL
Marvel at the intricate patterned beauty of an acorn, how clouds
can look like floating feathers, or how a plant can grow in
seemingly impossible conditions.

-y What marvels do you see around you? Sketch them or write

about them below.
- =
|
|

en oe
+ How can these realizations translate into other areas of your life?

18
 Le ae “
£ 5g ie a

NEVER LOSE
A HOLY CURIOSITY.
STOP
2

EVERY DAY
aLz
 PRIORITIZE yous NEEDS
There is a Zen quote that goes something like, “You should sit in
meditation for 20 minutes every day—unless you’re too busy; then
you should sit for an hour.” We may need nature the most when we
are stressed or feel we don't have time for it.

+ Take a nature break on a day when you really feel you can't
afford to commit the time. Allow yourself 15 minutes (or more) to
take a walk through a park or natural setting. Write how you feel
before the walk, then record how you feel after. What happened?

BEFORE AFTER

——$—$___—4—

21
 REALIZE youw MIGHT
Sometimes we feel small and helpless in this world, yet observe in
nature what one small being can do! Spend time observing insects
or contemplating the impressive outcomes or actions coming from
something just as tiny.

+» How cana small act that you can do lead to something that
encompasses a greater good?

22
ONE ACORN.
-~RALPH WALDO EMERSON
 SEE « SUPPORT SYSTEM
Write down all the ways that nature supports you and your life.
Once you get past the physical basics of air, water, food, and
even clothing, go even deeper to explore emotional and spiritual
support as well.

fm
own

+ After you feel you’ve exhausted your listed items, go for a walk
- outside and see if nature will reveal a few more!
4

25
 UNCOVER the POTENTIAL
Take a slow walk ina natural area, paying attention to all the
potential in nature that lies, mostly unnoticed, around you. What
can a small seed or acorn become? Everything in nature eventually
changes, but even in the decomposing of a leaf, there is nurturing
potential for something else to grow.

~ What are some untapped areas in your life that could lead to
growth and transformation?
 at

THERE IS NOTHING INA

CATERPILLAR THAT TELLS YOU
IT’S GOING TO BE A BUTTERELY.
~BUCKMINSTER FULLER
“Ay | ~ }
-~KAHLIL GIBRAN
 LOOK UP i1 WONDER
+ If you can, sit or lie directly under a tree, looking through the
canopy and toward the sky. Relax into the earth, allowing yourself
time to notice the many subtleties that appear the longer you gaze
at and through the tree. Listen as well. When at least 20 minutes
of observation have passed, write a short poem or verse that is
inspired by what you are noticing.

pene cen CC ALLTEL ECOL NCEA

CTO CACC LOLOLLLL CD

29
 STRENGTHEN CONNECTIONS
What if we treated plants and animals more like beloved relatives
and friends? Instead of viewing them as being different from us,
why not look at how similar we are? Spend time with a favorite
nonhuman being, just enjoying its life force.

+) Do you view it any differently when you notice its aliveness?

30
This oak tree and me, we
maof
d the
e game stuff.
-~WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
a Ncnome
CELEBRATE NATURAL BONDS
While spending quiet time in nature, contemplate how some n
element of the natural world in front of you is connected to other
elements around you. Don’t forget to include yourself in this
interconnected web of nature.

+ Write down all the elements that are interconnected, drawing

lines between them in ways that show both direct and indirect
connections.
he
a

— oe
+ How does this realization affect you?

33
 GROUND YOURSELF
Standing on grass, gravel, sand, or stone, take a deep breath that
fills your entire chest cavity. Then exhale slowly and repeat two
more times. Inhale deeply again, this time visualizing that you are
drawing breath from the ground, through your feet and legs, and
into your lungs. Exhale slowly, sending your breath back into the
earth. Repeat several times.

~y What words capture how you feel? Circle them, and add

Calm Cnevgived Focused

Oncwithth wold Palanced
Renewed lngpired

+) How can you use mindful breathing to channel these feelings

anytime, anywhere?

34
 the Carth
ig net

BREATHING WITH
MINDFULNESS

YOU ARE
THE EARTH.
-EMILY CARR
i
 DANCE with NATURE
On a windy day, find a place where you can be with, observe, and
listen to the movement of trees, grasses, or waves. As much as you
are comfortable, allow yourself the pleasure of moving your body
to a similar rhythm that nature is dancing to, making sounds or
singing along as well.

+ What did it feel like to allow yourself to move in the moment—

without thought or self-judgment?

TS

+ How did this activity help you connect more with your own
true nature?

eyi/
 ENJOY « DETOUR
We walk to get somewhere. We walk for exercise. We walk for
many reasons, but usually it is with a goal in mind. Today, take a
detour from the usual place you walk, whether inside or outside,
so you can experience some aspect of the natural world. It may
simply be a walk that lets you view the sky from inside your
workplace or encounter a tree in a parking lot!

+, Draw a map showing your usual route and the one that gave you
a glimpse of nature, making notes about what you saw and how it
altered your experience.

38
IN EVERY WALK
WITH NATURE,
ONE RECEIVES
FAR MORE THAN
HE SEEKS.
-JOHN MUIR
-MUNIA KHAN
 BREATHE in GRATITUDE
Trees are absolutely necessary for human life, providing oxygen
for us and collecting our exhaled carbon dioxide. Find a place by a
tree where you can sit, focusing on your breathing. As you inhale,
express gratitude for the oxygen you feel entering your lungs and
all it gives you energy to do and experience. As you exhale, be
grateful to the tree for cleaning the air and for any unnecessary
thoughts or feelings it cleanses from you.

+ Record below some of the thoughts of gratitude you felt on the

inhales and exhales.

INHALE EXHALE

+ What would be the perfect time each day to practice this brief
yet cleansing act?

41
 RELEASE the BURDEN
When you need to grieve or release any type of emotional burden, &
ao
go to nature. What weight are you feeling right now?

~ Open your heart in the presence of a natural element or place.

Let yourself cry, if need be. Nature does not judge. Do this as often
or as long as you need to, and allow nature to be a therapist. Jot
down a few feelings, revelations, or even just words that come
to you.
A FAITHFUL
HEALER
ofthesoul,
-BECCA HARTNESS
 LET youw FEELINGS LEAD
In as natural a setting as you can find, go to an area where there
are few distractions. Breathing deeply, allow yourself to gently
move around until your body (not your mind) feels an attraction
toward an object in nature. Allow yourself to just be with and
enjoy that piece of nature using all your senses, but without
analysis.

+ Sketch or describe the natural object or element, not froma

place of familiarity with this object, but from a place of really
sensing and discovering it.

45
 REVEAL INSPIRED SOLUTIONS
Artists, poets, writers, architects, musicians... many have found
inspiration in the natural world. In fact, we are all creative beings.
Identify an area in your life that requires a creative solution.

Now, take it outdoors. Go for a walk or sit in an area surrounded by

natural elements. Don’t think about the solution. Just be open with
all your senses in nature for 15 minutes or more.

-y Write down any creative ideas that may have surfaced from
this pause in nature, even if they didn’t come to you immediately
during or after your time outdoors.

46
‘UNDER TREES, THE URBAN DWELLER
MIGHT RESTORE HIS TROUBLED
SOUL AND FIND THE BLESSING
OF A CREATIVE PAUSE.
-WALTER GROPIUS
» FINDINGIT P
As
Ms
nat
i
 THRIVE with SCARS
Find a tree or other natural element that shows marks, weathering,
or other signs of damage. Spend some time observing it and just
taking in its essence without any analysis of why or how those
marks came to be.

4+ Now think about the damage you have been through in your
life. In what ways have you been scorched or scarred?

+ What could this element of nature reveal to you about resilience

or overcoming adversity?

49
 RISE with THE MOON
Find a place where you can watch the moon come up, all the way
from the horizon to a high point in the sky.

~ At what phase is the moon right now?

~+y As you watch, consider: What message or magic might the

moon be revealing to you on this night?

50
NOW I SEE THE SECRET
OF THE MAKING OF
THE BEST PERSONS.
IT |S TO GROW IN THE
OPEN AIR AND TO
EAT AND SLEEP
WITH THE EARTH.
-WALT WHITMAN
 STAY CLOSE te NATURE
No matter where you live, you can still find ways to reconnect with
the earth on a regular basis. Some ideas: Go camping and sleep on
the ground. Open your windows more often. Eat local food that is
in season. Wake up with a sunrise, and settle in when the sun sets.
Tend to a houseplant. Walk past trees on your way to school or
work. The more you can do to align with nature’s rhythms, the more
benefits you may experience for your mind and body wellness.

+ Keep an ongoing “Nature Connection” list as you adopt habits

and rituals into your life to strengthen your relationship with
the earth. Jot down notes on what you notice when engaged in
these activities.

NATURE CONNECTION
NOTES, FEELINGS
ACTION

53
 ROAM in THE MOMENT
We rarely walk without a goal or destination in mind. It’s time to
change that! Find a place in a natural setting with boundaries that
you know well enough to safely wander and wonder, to explore
and discover more deeply.

~, How does it feel to wander without a goal?

~y What do you find?

54
WANDER
Ayre loft.
-J.R.R. TOLKIEN
 KNOW WHEN te SURRENDER
Spend time with a favorite tree, contemplating how it
finds rootedness and strength in its ability to surrender to
nature’s forces.

+ After just sitting with the tree, consider what in your life you
need to surrender or release. Designate below what you intend to
let go.

H/
 TALK WITH « TREE
Put aside any feelings of self-consciousness and approach a tree as
you would a person you'd really like to meet. Respectfully greet it
(aloud or quietly) and introduce yourself. Look at it, walk around
it, touch its bark and leaves. Rest against it. Tell it about yourself.
Ask it questions. And most important, patiently listen for answers.

+y What can you tell the tree that you haven’t shared with
anyone else?

~+y How does it feel to say what you needed to say?

+ How does it feel to be listened to without judgment?

58
SANCTUARIES.
 THE PESSIMIST
COMPLAINS ABOUT
THE WIND; THE
OPTIMIST EXPECTS IT
TO CHANGE; THE
REALIST ADJUSTS
THE SAILS.
-~WILLIAM ARTHUR WARD
 pr
gy EM BRACE the WIND
Ona windy day, allow yourself to fully take in the wind ina safe
outdoor space. Face it and let it flow over you. Focus on how it feels
on your face, your torso, your limbs. Let your feet hold you steady
as you lean into it.

-y What three words capture the essence of today’s wind?

+ What three words describe how you feel as you meet the wind
head-on?

61
 FREE (rem SCREENS
Substitute an hour of screens—TV, video, social media—for an hour
of device-free time in nature today.

-+y What did an hour of nature give you that screen time would
have taken away?

+) How can you do this more often?

62
UNLIKE TELEVISION.
NATURE DOES NOT
STEAL TIME;
_IT AMPLIFIES IT
-RICHARD LOUV
that THE FOREST MAKES A
CLAIM UPON MEN’S HEARTS,
 REFRESH your SPIRIT
There is a large and growing body of research on how the aroma
(phytoncides) from certain trees and plants helps reduce stress
levels and improve health and a sense of well-being, sometimes
for a prolonged length of time. Make the journey to a park or
forest with plenty of trees, then take time to simply breathe in the
forest air.

+ Pay attention to your breath, and to your sense of smell. What

do you notice entering your body and soul, and what do you notice
drifting away?

a5 INHALE

EXHALE

65
 FOLLOW the SUN
Find a place near you where you have a mostly unobstructed view
of a sunrise or sunset, and make an appointment with yourself to
really watch the sun’s ascent or descent. If you can do this several
days in the same week to notice the change in the length of the day
or the differences in the sunrise or sunset, all the better.

-y How does this connection with the beginning or end of the day
change your outlook on your day? On your life?

+ What metaphors for your life do either the sunrise or

the sunset present?

66
 GAIN new PERSPECTIVE
Many times we think things don’t change from day to day. Select
something in nature that you can closely observe for several days
in a row, noticing that each new day brings with it new change,
whether in something as simple as a houseplant’s growth or as
large as the path of the sun.

+ Record the changes of your natural element in words, sketches,

or both.

oe
+ What new realizations come to you when observing the changes
in nature over several days?
 GUIDE THE SENSES
Find a place in nature where you and one other person can visit
for at least an hour. Take turns gently guiding your partner to
pay attention to his or her senses, one at a time, with eyes closed:
sound, touch, smell, taste, and finally sight. Allow each of you
time to really try to experience what nature can reveal through all
the senses.

+) Write down any discoveries you and your partner experience

after you both complete the exercise.

7O
 CS
ctn’t
be underfteod

WE HAVE TO
EXPERIENCE IT

speak
te uy through
Al cup fengey.
-FATHER RICHARD ROHR
 wot
Yay
noone, FMR
 GROW DEEPER ROOTS
Scenes of massive storms on our TV screens and media feeds
remind us of the power of nature. Look for and observe trees
that have weathered storms in their lives. In particular, focus on
their roots.

+ Is there a figurative storm in your life that has helped you grow
“deeper roots”?

+ The next time a storm in life comes your way, imagine that you
are a tree with deep roots, holding you steady.

73
 CREATE on aNATURAL CANVAS
Spend an hour in a natural area with your inner child. Witha
sense of curiosity and wonder, find and collect natural objects that
have interesting textures, shapes, or colors. Have fun arranging
these objects, dropping any fear of perfection or worry that this
isn't “good art.”

+ Name your piece of art and sketch it below or take a photo, if

you'd like, but leave your creation behind to naturally decompose.

ae

a a
+ What does it feel like to engage your inner-child artist?

Sa
ee REE EREEEneeneeeee eee

+ What does it feel like to create a piece of “art” that will naturally
fade into the earth?
ART IS THE CHILD
OF NATURE,
in whonrwe tyter
the
the mother’y
(ace.
-HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
ofthe binds,
-SIGURD OLSON
 REDEFINE EATING OUT
Bring a healthy (and preferably locally raised) meal to an outdoor
location, and allow yourself time to slowly savor the flavor and
texture of your food. Simultaneously, treat your other senses to the
rich sounds, sights, and smells of nature around you.

~y What foods did you enjoy?

77
 IDENTIFY « PORTAL
A portal in nature can be a prompt that helps move you from your
cluttered mind to a place where you can begin to become present
and focus on your senses. Portals can be physical forms (a creek
you cross or a boulder you climb over), or they can be signals (the
sound of crunching leaves under your feet or the scent of pine).
Find some element in nature that can become a sign for you to
move from your thoughts into a more sensory experience in the
natural world around you. When you need to, allow yourself to
come back through the portal.

+) Draw a representation of your portal.

=
a Yee eae ee $$,
|

+ What did you discover on the other side?

78
 EXPRESS yews FEELINGS
Write a love letter to the earth. Consider including the first time
you can remember spending time in nature, how you have grown
closer to nature over the years, what you appreciate most, and how
you plan to spend even more time together in the future.

81
PHOTOGRAPH NATURE'S BEAUTY
Give yourself at least an hour outside (in your own backyard or
neighborhood, if possible) to photograph the beautiful things
you find in nature. Focus on the tiny or surprising moments
of beauty—a pattern of birds sitting on a wire, or a tiny plant
emerging from an unexpected place. Don’t be surprised if you
become completely lost in this activity!

+ Print some of your photos and attach them below. Also frame
and display them in your home and at work as reminders to
appreciate the simple, unexpected beauty of nature.

aa

82
 BATHE UNDER the STARS
Take a night to stargaze. It might mean you need to leave the lights
of the city or town, but it’s well worth the journey. If possible, lie
under the stars and just be there, without distractions.

+ Sketch the stars in the arrangement they appear to you.

See
oe

ee =
+ What new perspective(s) does stargazing give you?

a A AA A ES

85
Going outdoors, notice and then record below in some way
(through words, photos, or color sketches) all the different greens
you see. Really allow yourself to focus on and take in the subtleties
in the array of green around you.

~) What does time with all the green vegetation do for you?

~ Make a plan to bring the positive feelings you may have felt
into your home by adding more green, whether it be
with a live plant or a pillow, or by painting a wall or
piece of furniture a shade of green.

86
 GREEN
iy the prime color
of the world,
and

~PEDRO CALDERON DE LA BARCA

BOUND TO A SINGLE PLACE,
PERHAPS THE TREE DELIGHTS
IN THE SIMPLE RHYTHM OF.
THE CHANGING 'DAY.
-STEPHANIE KAZA
 CONSIDER THE GIFT ¢¢ TIME
Find something in nature that has been in one place for a number
of years.

+ After sitting with it for a while and studying the area that
surrounds it, write about what it has possibly observed over the
course of that time span.

+ What have you experienced over time that you can share with
others just approaching the same place in their lives?

89
 LISTEN te « NEW LANGUAGE
What language of nature are you most familiar with? The sound of
the wind in the trees? Waves on a beach? Birdsong? For the next
week, pay attention to how nature speaks to you where you live.

+ What makes nature’s dialect unique to this particular place?

+ What precise sound in nature always brings you into a

XY . . . .

good place?

7 Is there a way to conjure that language even when you are not in
A .

a natural setting?

90
 IS ALWAYS
SPEAKING.
She speaks in a language

-RADHANATH
pe SWAMI
=A tARY SN ~~ am)aa)ms
 WALK THROUGH the YEARS
The natural places we turn to may shift throughout the years due to
physical moves or emotional changes. Look back and capture some
of the yards, parks, forests, trails, beaches, bodies of water, and
more natural elements that have touched your life in a special way.

+ Create a timeline below of those special places.

93
 aay

SOAK in THE SUN.

For at least 15 minutes, excuse yourself from something you're
doing that you consider unappealing. Take this time to find a
private spot of sun, whether you are inside or outside. With eyes
closed and a slight smile on your lips, bask in the feeling of the sun
on your face and body.

-y When your time is up, go back to your previous task and notice
how you feel about it after your sunshine break. Write down any
observations or ways you can allow for more sunshine breaks to
brighten your day.
} Res A ="

THE SUN
dor not
piekang
few "eal
TREES AND
FLOWERS,

WORLD'S JOY.
-~HENRY WARD BEECHER

,
4

2 | 7,
Fad Vi al A \
 FIND mew FOCUS
Choose one of these values—patience or persistence—that you feel
you need to work on in your life, then find a tree or a patch of grass
where you can spend silent time. Consider the question of how the
natural element can teach you more about patience or persistence.

+ Listen with your heart. What did you learn?

 GIVE « TREE
It is truly an act of selflessness to plant a tree that you may
never see fully mature. Find a place that could use at least one
tree to enhance the lives of others in the future. It may be a park
or a vacant city lot, a place of deforestation, or even your own
backyard.

~) Sitting under the shade of a tree you enjoy, make a list of

the steps, resources, and people you need to make the planting
happen, then do it. Capture the event with a photo!

Date

Location _

98
—~WARREN BUFFETT
 I go te natn
te be

and te have my fengey

| put in ordky,
-JOHN BURROUGHS
 HEAL with NATURE
+ Think of someone you know who is stressed or sick, in need of
emotional or physical healing. List ideas for natural settings you
two could visit to help him or her experience a sense of well-being.
If going outdoors isn't possible, can you bring nature into that
person’s life, touching the senses in some way?

+ Don’t forget to surround yourself with nature, if you need

healing as well!

101
 SALUTE the SEASONS
Every season has a changing landscape to offer, with new
revelations. Consider what the autumn leaves communicate about
the beauty of letting go of the past. Instead of wishing winter away
this year, what can the bare branches and dormant earth reveal
to you? Dressing for the weather, spend quiet, mindful time for as
long as is comfortable in a natural setting.

~) What is the most striking thing you see? Sketch it below.

cae
re

~+ Set a date and a place to get out and appreciate the next season
as it enters its full glory.

102
 LET US LEARN
TO APPRECIATE

the trey will be bank,

AND LOOK FORWARD
te the time when we
may pick the Fruit.
-ANTON CHEKHOV
 OBSERVE with VERSE
Spend quiet, concentrated time simply opening your senses to an
element of the natural world.

+ Based on that time and experience, what can you add to the
lines of the poem at left?

ee

a oe ea

+ You can add different lines to the poem on different days,

depending on new observations.

105
 APPRECIATE GROWTH
Find the tallest tree you can in a natural area you've chosen to
explore. Take time to feel yourself in the presence of this tree and
sense its journey to its current size and age.

~ What stories could this tree tell from its long life on this earth?

+ What advice might it have for you about growth?

106
-M. AMOS CLIFFORD
 SKIP the AGENDA
Find a place where you can spend at least one hour among trees.
Just be in their presence, without any agenda or expectations,
trying to be as present and mindful as you can as you quietly sit
with them.

~+ What did the forest decide you needed to experience today?

109
 SYNC with NATURE
Take at least an hour away from a task-oriented schedule and
allow your senses to open to any apparent rhythms in nature. You
may notice the repetition of waves on a beach, the ebb and flow of
wind in the trees, the repeating song of a bird, or even the broader
scale of the motion of the sun. Move your body to the rhythm to
experience the feeling more deeply.

~ Draw the rhythm as you imagine the sound waves would appear.

ae eee

+ Where do you feel the sense of rhythm most deeply?

~y What feelings did it unearth?

110
 WHEN ONE FINALLY
¥ ARRIVES AT THE POINT
WHERE SCHEDULES
ARE FORGOTTEN,
_ AND BECOMES IMMERSED
#
“IN ANCIENT RHYTHMS, id

ONE BEGINS TO LIVE.

-SIGURD OLSON

Wi
 HOW WE
SPEND OUR DAYS
IS, OF COURSE,
HOW WE SPEND
. OUR LIVES.
—-ANNIE DILLARD

@ -
 LOVE yeuw LIFE
Yes, time in nature is healing for the soul. But did you know that
a day outdoors can significantly boost your body’s natural “killer
cells” that help it fight disease? Allow yourself an entire day of
engagement in a natural area, playing, wandering, and exploring.

+ Write down what your time outdoors taught you about how you
want to live each day in the future.

113
 LEARN te PAUSE
In the nest below, identify an aspect of your life that you know will
improve with patience, yet are having difficulty in the waiting.

al

A
Vf

Take your issue to the natural world and sit (patiently!), quietly
allowing the slowness of nature’s movements (the passing of a spot
of light or shadow on the ground, for example) to enter into your
very being. This is not easy!

+ How does it feel to slow down, and how might it help you?
‘A LAKE IS A LANDSCAPE’S
MOST BEAUTIFUL AND
EXPRESSIVE FEATURE.

OF HIS OWN NATURE _ ish

~HENRY-DAVID THOREAU
 REFLECT with WATER
Water is universally recognized as an element of healing and
cleansing. Water is life. Find a clean, natural source of water and
spend some uninterrupted time there, no matter its scale, volume,
or flow.

+ Sketch the outline of your water feature.

get
oe

Sng ES

+ Inside the outline, describe your water’s features, and what it

offers you in insight. Use these prompts to guide you:

LISTEN. What do you hear?

TOUCH. what do you feel?

BREATHE. What do you smell?

GAZE. What do you see?

117
JOURNEY WITHIN (eer OUTDOORS
Have you ever wondered how to identify your authentic self and
what unique gifts you have to share with the world? Allow yourself
at least a half day (more if possible) to go on a mini “vision quest”
in a favorite natural area.

Pose the above questions about your identity and gifts at the
beginning of your journey, then let them go, without judgment
or expectation.

~ What do you hear? What is revealed about who you are through
this place and your time spent here?

118
 koa

THE MOST EFFECTIVE PATHS

TO SOUL ARE NATURE-BASED
-BILL PLOTKIN
PROTECT
what they
LOVE.
-JACQUES-Y
VES COUSTEAU
) GUARD yeew SANCTUARY
After you've spent some days, weeks, or months returning to
a special natural area, you will likely notice an even greater
appreciation or kinship with your little piece of nature.

+ Write down ways that you can protect this particular area from
damage or harm—no matter the size or extent of your actions.
 DEVOTE DAILY TIME
Here and now, on this page, make a commitment to connect with
nature each day, no matter how small or brief the connection.
Engage all your senses if possible.

+ Here’s the plan:

122
 PLACE YOURSELF in PEACE
When you can't get to your special nature base where you like to
spend time, picture yourself there in your mind with the aid of
a photo.

| AM HERE.

124
 a HEALING in NATURE
Decades of research revealed the physical, emotional, and mental
health benefits derived from spending reflective time in nature.
Wild Calm will help you experience the rejuvenating practice of
forest bathing through:

-y MORE THAN 120 PAGES OF JOURNALING QUESTIONS AND

CREATIVE EXERCISES TO EASE YOU INTO CONTEMPLATIVE TIME

~) EXPERT INSIGHT FROM A CERTIFIED FOREST THERAPY GUIDE

+ INSPIRATION FROM BREATHTAKING ART AND WISE QUOTES

No matter where you live or how much time you have, this
journal will guide you to deeper connections with nature—and
greater peace of mind!
om
a aS 2

JOAN VORDERBRUGGEN came to forest bathing circuitously as an architect

speqalizing iin design for healthy environments and through personal
healing experiences. After training with the Association of Nature and
Forest Therapy, Joan received her certification as a forest therapy guide.
She created Bircheart Shinrin-yoku (bircheart.com) in Minnesota’s central
lakes area, where she lives, introducing others to the therapeutic effects of
mindful time in nature. Joan gets outside every day, no matter the weather.

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