Dear friends –
Presbyterians Today has a column on Exploring Spiritual Practices. This month’s struck me as especially beautiful: Forest Bathing. If you aren’t familiar with it, Forest Bathing is a Japanese practice that began in the 80s when they noticed a spike in stress-related illnesses. The idea is to soak in the forest like one might relax in a bubble bath. Practices of nature therapy are not limited to the last few decades, of course, but certainly with the ramping up of our schedules and to-do lists, stepping away to immerse ourselves in nature is a blessed relief from the day to day. There are practitioners who can guide you, but in general, spending time in the woods very present to your surroundings will work just fine.
In the article (Click Here to Read Article) there is a longer description as well as some ways to put this practice into practice. Nature and Forest Therapy involves breathing, being present with your senses, experiencing beauty, and expressing gratitude. May we all be able to step away, even if it’s to our own backyards or a park down the road, to immerse and renew ourselves in God’s creation. That happens to be part of our REcreation theme for June as well – so come join us on Sunday mornings at 9:30 on the lawn to explore some other ways of renewal and REcreation.
Grace and peace, Jess