Leaning Into the Learning Edges of Forest Bathing

by M. Amos Clifford, author, Your Guide to Forest Bathing

The Wellspring of Grief

The world is being wounded by humans and our civilizations. As a result we feel deep grief, even if we are usually unaware of it. When we forest bathe, the deep dive into our senses de-anesthetizes us. The emotional impact of grief and trauma we’ve been suppressing may come to the forefront. These pains are more than personal; they may be the world’s pain felt as wounds within our own being.

Normally our busy and distracted lives keep us in states of numbness. But when we start connecting deeply with nature in a very personal, intimate way, this grief almost inevitably arises.

Grief is not a disease to be healed, but rather an ally that can guide us in our healing. Support your grief with deep listening. Recognize that your willingness to contact that deep well of sorrow within yourself is a powerful act and it can be a service to others and to the world.

Moments of grieving while forest bathing are usually short-lived, but they are no less profound for their brevity. Be grateful when they appear. Let the forest guide you into a spontaneous grief ceremony, an embodied expression of your sorrow offered as a gift to the world.

Competent As You Are

In forest bathing, there is no rush. No athletic ability is required. I’ve seen older forest bathers climb carefully into the lower branches of trees and sit there, reconnecting to physical abilities they thought were many years behind them. People who are wheelchair-bound can quietly gaze from a forest sit spot, calling in the medicine that awaits them there. Reconnecting in this way to the eternal inner child, you may have sensory-emotional experiences that are powerfully moving.

Often people have exaggerated fears of natural hazards. You may be afraid of mountain lions, rattlesnakes, or predatory humans. Some people are afraid to touch plants. It’s good to learn what hazards are real and not just imagined and how to be present with them competently without exaggerating or underestimating them. This is one of the ways in which venturing out with a guide is very supportive.

I hope that you will sometimes leave your cell phone behind when you go forest bathing. The simple act of untethering from our phones can be healing. For many it’s definitely a learning edge to leave the phone behind. But because they are profoundly addictive, not having them with us can raise significant anxiety. This is a withdrawal symptom that we can all survive!

But if you do take your cell phone along, here are some suggestions.

Consider putting it on airplane mode, so you can use the camera and perhaps a few other apps without being distracted by communications from the outside world.

Cultivate self-awareness about your motivations for taking photos and how doing so affects your forest experience.

Your phone may have a digital zoom feature that works well as a magnifying glass. Perhaps use this feature one time during your forest bath, then put it away.

Slow-motion video: Of the various videos I’ve shot on my phone, one of my favorites is a honeybee gathering pollen in slow motion. It looks absolutely drunk in its delight. Time is an elastic concept in the world of nature; a hummingbird’s normal speed looks very fast to us! For slow-motion video, choose something that moves quickly.

If your phone has a time-lapse function, mount it on a lightweight portable camera tripod with a phone adapter. Before you cross your Threshold of Connection, find a place off the trail where your camera will be undetected.

Point it toward something that will likely move or grow while you are away on your walk. For example, if you are beginning your walk in the morning there may be flowers that closed for the night but will awaken slowly in the first few hours of day. An anthill can be a fascinating subject.

Many varieties of mushrooms grow and change rapidly.

After you cross the Threshold of Incorporation, remember to gather your phone. Watch the time-lapse video to see what your phone’s camera forest bathing experience was like while you were wandering in liminal space.

Adapted, and reprinted with permission from Red Wheel/Weiser LLC, Your Guide to Forest Bathing by M. Amos Clifford is available wherever books and ebooks are sold or directly from the publisher at www.redwheelweiser.com or 800–423–7087.

M. Amos Clifford is the founder of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, an organization leading the movement to integrate nature and forest therapies into health care, education, and land management systems. He has been a student of Buddhist philosophy for over twenty years and is the founder of Sky Creek Dharma Center in Chico, CA.