Forest Bathing Through the Seasons

Hi there! 

Have you ever heard of the term "forest bathing"?

I first learned about it in a book called "Kintsugi Wellness (The Japanese Art of Nourishing Mind, Body, and Spirit)" by Candice Kumai. Miss Kumai defines it this way:

"In Japan, the practice of walking slowly through the woods, taking time to contemplate, is known as forest bathing (shinrin yoku). Breathing fresh oxygen into your body, inhaling the natural oils released from the trees, and being able to touch, smell, and see something outside of your situation will help to open up a lot of channels that may have been closed off to you. It will open your mind to looking at things from a different vantage point." 

And since stumbling upon this term, I have come across many new books on the subject of shinrin yoku and the healing powers of communing with nature. 

A walk outdoors is certainly something that I love doing all year round. 

In the spring, my heart makes a somersault when I start seeing the flowers. 

Fresh blooms with the backdrop of a clear, blue sky...TADA!

The joy of sunshine and shadows. 

I am always at awe with the miracle of spring! 

When the daffodils are out, I know spring is in full swing. These are watercolor cut-outs that I painted and turned into a spring arrangement...TADA!

In the summer, I try to stay outdoors as much as I can. A walk in Central Park is good exercise and there's always something new to discover. 

A small park just beneath the Brooklyn Bridge -- not really a forest but being surrounded with trees feels like a refuge from the crowd. 

Waking around the tree-lined streets of Brooklyn is always TADA! The branches form a canopy that shield you from the sun. 

I always like to pick summer flowers and press them in a flower press or inside heavy books. It makes me happy when I accidentally find them between pages. 

In autumn, a short hike is peaceful and invigorating at the same time. 

The crunch of dry leaves...

...the cool weather, and the changing colors wakens up the senses.

Here I am feeling small against nature's glory. 

I picked up some leaves and acorns from my autumn walk and I made this watercolor painting...TADA!

In the winter, there are no leaves, no color.  

But we'll always find signs of life.   

We just need to keep walking and exploring until we become whole again.

This odd-shaped rock is one of my winter souvenirs. I drew some snow-covered pine trees on it...TADA!

If you're feeling stressed, anxious, or sad, why not try forest bathing? I promise you, it'll turn your day from blah to TADA!

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