Forest Bathing Recap: Connecting with Mother Earth
On Saturday, May 4, an adventurous group of Balanced Soul Forest Bathers explored the Marion University Eco Lab for the first outing of the 2024 Balanced Soul Forest Bathing Series - Connecting with Mother Earth. Participants discussed how they “Connected with Mother Earth” by sharing what they experienced in nature that felt nurturing.
For this outing, we focused on all the women in our lives who have come before us, cared for us, mothered us, nurtured our spirits, taught us how to love and be loved, and inspired us to make this world a better place. We opened the day by inviting a deeper connection to the land. We completed a group meditation to check in with all our senses, allowing us to focus on becoming present.
This was followed by a conversation exploring the pain many feel around Mother’s Day. We allowed for a range of sensitivity and focused our Mother’s Day connection on our inner feminine. The group meditated on the thought that whenever we look beyond our own needs to foster and nurture the needs of others, we take on the role of Mother. This reflection helped us to see our mothering instincts through certain behaviors mirrored in the Animal Kingdom.
The group then completed a silent walk to the Eco Lab marsh. Upon reaching the Eco Lab outdoor classroom, we relaxed further with gentle yoga stretches. Before going out to Forest Bathe, the group was asked to set an intention and listen to the whispers back from Mother Earth. Each participant chose a card from the “Gateways” Forest Bating and Mindfulness deck, created by Linda Jackson. Each forest bather was also given a small bag of bird seed to give gratitude and thanks to Mother Earth. After returning from forest bathing, we created a group nature Mandala from items found during our Forest Bath. We closed our time together with the Japanese practice of “Omotenashi” (to look after our guests wholeheartedly) with a cup of dandelion tea.
Additional Highlights Included:
· A squirrel dropping a champagne cork
· A blue robin egg
· Seeing a beaver dam
· Hearing a chorus of bird songs
· A yellow Iris
· Smelling honey suckle
Each Balanced Soul Forest bath attendee was gifted with an essential oil called Forest Bliss, made by Shiela Dimoff, as a token to remember this day of relaxation and healing in the woods. To conclude the event, we read Rebecca Campbell's poem “The Moment of Your Birth,” a beautiful reminder of the love and amazement of being birthed into our unique lives.
Before you were born your soul consulted with the cosmos to arrange the details of your return. The location and conditions were carefully orchestrated and seeded as you crossed the threshold of the in between – the watery world of the mother.
There you waited in the fertile void as all of the stars and the planets in the knowable and unknowable cosmos moved into place.
When the alignment was just right, a portal opened, and you were crowned upon your entrance to the world. A soul embodied. Spirit planted. Eternal woven into matter. Heaven and Earth combined.
Your cells, your flesh, your bones, your eyes, all made up of ancient exploding stars. The Universe magnificently ordered as the cosmos. Your basic existence is enough to blow anyone’s mind.
How did you get here? And why did you choose to come? Somehow, the cosmic curtains parted for the great dance of your life to begin.
This is that life and you are that dancer. It took a lot for you to be here now. To be planted here now. And what a time you chose to come.
We are thrilled to invite you to our next Forest Bathing event on Saturday, July 13: Healing with Nature. This time, we’ll explore the reciprocal relationship of health we share with trees and the benefits of increased relaxation and mental clarity when spending time in nature. We'll also learn basic Tai Chi and create smudge bundles. It's sure to be another memorable and special event, and we can't wait to see you there!
With love and gratitude,
Jenny
Gallery from Forest Bathing Experience
