Nature and Forest Therapy Archives - Page 2 of 3

3 Reasons Why You Should Go Forest Bathing

September 25, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Bush therapy Eco-social work Ecotherapy Forest bathing Healing the planet Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mindfulness Mother Earth Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Shinrin Yoku Social and emotional wellbeing Spiritual practices Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

First of all, you might be wondering what exactly is forest bathing?

Forest bathing is a nature connection practice inspired by the Japanese where it is called Shinrin Yoku.

It’s not about getting wet.

The idea is to fully immerse yourself in nature and to bathe all your senses (more than 12 of them!).

Put simply, it is about taking a slow mindful walk in nature, breathing in the forest air, sitting and observing, and developing an emotional connection to the forest. It is different from hiking, where the pace is faster and you miss a lot of what is going on around you. It is also different from a naturist walk, where you might be identifying and naming species of fauna or flora.

A Forest Bathing walk covers less than a kilometre usually over two or three hours. Its aim is to help you slow down and take a break from the stresses of daily life, and to appreciate things that can only be noticed when moving slowly. Some people describe it like doing meditation or mindfulness in nature.

So now that we know what it is. Why on earth would we want to do it?

1. Forest Bathing is Part of Our True Nature

Humans evolved out of forests. Our species spent millions years of in development within these ecosystems. Then our world experienced rapid industrialisation and we moved into cities. While genetically our bodies are optimized for the forest, we are now trying to survive in the busy, stressful conditions of modern civilization.

Our separation has caused what Richard Louv terms, ‘nature deficit disorder’. He argues that our children are spending so much less time outdoors than previous generations, it is having a detrimental impact on their development.

Rather than seeing ourselves as separate from nature, we must remember, we are nature.

2. Forest Bathing Promotes our Health and Wellbeing

In the Western world, rates of mental health problems are out of control. Over 50% of people are stressed at work. In Australia, 1 in 5 of us will go on to experience a mental illness. Many physical illnesses and disease can also be linked to stress as an underlying cause.

The Japanese have been studying the effects of forest bathing since the 1980’s. What they discovered was an antimicrobial organic compound called phytonicides that are given off by evergreen trees such as pines and eucalypts. When you breathe in phytonicides, your blood pressure drops, your cortisol level (or stress hormone) reduces and heart rate variablilty improves. Phytoncides are immune boosters which increase the natural killer cells in our body, associated with fighting cancer.

Other research has shown that being in nature:

3. Forest Bathing Addresses Climate Change

I know, it’s a big call. But I firmly believe that if we are more closely connected to Mother Nature, we are more likely to want to care for and protect it. Ours is a reciprocal relationship. When the earth is sick, so are we (see point 2). We need healing and so does our earth.

Humans have become so separate from nature that there has been little regard to how we treat the earth. It has been seen as a collection of resources to be exploited for our benefit. On a guided forest bathing walk, there is particular attention paid to the practice of reciprocity. In supporting the development of human-nature relationships, we foster the role of humans as givers, as well as receivers.

People who engage regularly in forest bathing practices, tend to spontaneously find themselves engaging in place tending on a personal level or want to get involved in environmental activism at a macro level.

So rebuilding our intimate connection to the forest again, will ultimately lead to the healing of the planet and of course, our own health too.

If one or more of these reasons has inspired you to try forest bathing, then feel free to join the Japanese where is it called “Shinrin-yoku” (森林浴), the Germans practising “Waldtherapie”, the Koreans engaging in “Sanlimyok (산림욕)” and of course, the Australians, Americans and Europeans, where we use the terms “nature and forest therapy”.

If you are in the Nambucca Valley or Coffs Coast region, you can join me on your very own private Nature therapy walk. Or you can find other Certified guides in Australia here and elsewhere in the world here.

Happy Forest Bathing!

5 Intentional Ways to Bring Nature Therapy Indoors

September 6, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Feelings and Emotions Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mental health Mindfulness Mother Earth Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Social and emotional wellbeing Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

After three days of constant rain, I feel myself starting to go a little ‘cray cray’. I miss my daily walk up the country road where I live. Not surprisingly, I come down with a cold and by day three it turns into a headache. Does this happen to you? After days of not venturing outside, your health starts to deteriorate?

It makes a lot of sense, given that being in nature or green spaces is scientifically proven to promote good physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.

Don’t despair. I have some tips for bringing the benefits of nature indoors, so you can enjoy the sensory experience even when stuck inside.

1. Pot up the pesky weed and bring it inside.

Plants are not only a visually pleasing and calming addition to your home, but can be a great source of air purification. Two of the best plants to remove indoor toxins and chemicals are Mother in Laws tongue (a weed in the garden) and the Peace Lily. With increased oxygen levels in your home, you will also breathe easier.
Houseplants also reduce the incidence of dry skin, colds, sore throats and dry coughs. Put a plant on your desk to give your eyes a rest from your computer screen, boost concentration and be more productive. One study showed that hanging out with indoor plants can increase memory retention up to 20 percent. Weird but true.

2. Knock on Wood.

A lot of research has shown that using wood indoors in the form of furniture, fittings and features helps us to relax. Simply running your fingers across a wooden benchtop can calm your nervous system, lower your heart rate and reduce brain activity, promoting an instant soothing effect. The smell of naturally dried wood has a similar effect and can be replicated by spraying some essential oils such as cedarwood, siberian fir or eucalyptus around your home. Always choose naturally dried wood products, not heat treated wood for your home as the aromas produce very different results. A good excuse to treat yourself to a new chopping board!

3. Create a nature table.

Dig out that shell collection in your bathroom, then go gather some stones, pine cones, feathers, or other forest finds that bring you pleasure. Not just for kids, a nature table or basket is a good ‘go to’ to distract us when feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. In this situation, pick up something that attracts your attention, find a place to sit, and just explore this treasure with your sense of touch, smell, hearing and sight. Notice how this feels in your body. Notice what memories arise for you. Does this natural object have a story to tell? Allow yourself time to be mindful and present. Let feelings arise and fall away. Just notice without judgement.

4. Uber some fresh cut flowers.

There isn’t a human being around that doesn’t get pleasure from admiring and smelling cut flowers. But did you know that flower arrangements also offer physical benefits too? Simply looking at fresh flowers in a vase has been shown to decrease the sympathetic nervous system response to stress and increase physiological relaxation responses. A similar result is experienced when smelling floral essential oils, inducing relaxation and comfort. So go pick a wild bunch and knock yourself out.

5. Bring nature imagery inside.

This is a great one, particularly if you live in an apartment in the city, or have very little green space around where you live. Science has shown that showing prisoners photos and videos of forests, glaciers and waterfalls reduces tension, improves sleep and results in less violent angry outbursts.
Install some nature artwork, change your screensaver to a majestic landscape or watch a nature documentary. Or simply close your mind and put yourself in your favourite natural landscape. The brain doesn’t know the difference between real life and mindful imagery. You get similar mental health benefits either way!

So if you’re stuck indoors, know that nature with all its healing properties is there for you. Go out there and invite it in. Do it mindfully with intention and purpose.

You might like to also read: 5 Nature Therapy Habits You Can Start Today

For more quick and easy Nature Therapy practices you can incorporate into your day, sign up to my Newsletter and I will send you my free e-book featuring the 21 Day Nature Therapy Challenge. That’s 21 days of Nature Therapy ideas to help you develop a healthy new habit.

References:

Miyazaki, Y. (2018). Shinrin-yoku: the Japanese way of forest bating for health and relaxation. Octopus Publishing Group, London.

Rokas, L. (2017). ‘NASA Reveals A List Of The Best Air-Cleaning Plants For Your Home’ at https://www.boredpanda.com/best-air-filtering-houseplants-nasa/

University of Utah, ‘Nature Imagery Calms Prisoners’, https://phys.org/news/2017-08-nature-imagery-calms-prisoners.html

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5 Nature Therapy Habits You Can Start Today

August 23, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mindfulness Nature and Forest Therapy Nature Connection Challenge Self Care Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

Want to spend more time in nature? Well if you need an excuse, here’s one. Spending more time mindfully in the outdoors will boost your immune system, take away your stress, help you sleep better and boost your creativity.

With the explosion of scientific research on the benefits of being in nature for mental health and wellbeing, you really can’t afford to not go outdoors. Here are five quick and easy ways to include more nature in your day.

1. Take your lunch break. Outside.

Too many of us work through our lunch break at work, either because that’s what everyone else does and we want to fit in, or we just don’t have time. Well, the truth is you will have a more productive afternoon if you give your brain a break. So turn off the computer, leave your devices behind and take your lunch to the park. Leave work problems at work; they will still be there when you get back. Sit and observe what is going on around you, breath the fresh air, listen to the birds. Return to your desk feeling refreshed and ready to tackle that To Do List.

2. Start a Sit Spot practice. Outside.

A Sit Spot is a spot in nature to simply connect, relax and observe. The ideal sit spot is in a natural area where two ecosystems meet, such as the edge where a meadow meets a forest. Choose a place you can visit frequently without too much effort, even if it is less than ideal. Your backyard can make a great sit spot.

Sit still and quietly, so that birds and animals nearby get past the initial alarm they feel when a human shows up. The longer and more often you visit, the more you’ll experience. The local animals will get to know you and become more accepting of your presence.

Clear your mind. Do nothing. Just notice.

3. Make a natural brew. And drink it outside.

Growing your own food is a great way to develop your connection with nature. Start by growing a few herbs in pots to make refreshing teas.

Treat yourself to a natural herbal brew once a day. Enjoy the pleasure of interacting with the plant using all your senses – sight, smell, taste, touch, hearing and bodily awareness, then go ahead and harvest a few leaves.

Find a place in your backyard to sit and enjoy your tea. At first, explore the tea without tasting by using your other senses. Then take a sip of the tea and explore its flavour and texture. Drink a full cup and notice its effect on you over the remainder of the day.

4. Do your exercise. Outside.

Apart from saving a lot of money on gym fees, exercising outside exposes you to the sounds of the leaves rustling in the trees, the feeling of fresh crisp air on your skin and the sense of spaciousness.

Rewild your body through real and practical natural movements like running, walking, leaping, dancing, throwing, balancing, crawling, climbing and hunting. Moving the way our ancestors did promotes strong bone growth, natural conditioning and mental fitness.
Incorporate a way to get to work without using the car.

5. Walk with your shoes off. Outside.

Once a day, take off your shoes and observe what it feels like to be connected to the earth. Bring the focus of your attention to the souls of your feet. Step slowly and intentionally noticing the effect of contact on your body.

The earth is endowed with electrons which are absorbed through your feet. There is evidence showing this grounding practice is good for your physical health like improving your sleep and reducing pain and inflammation. Our great ancestors never wore shoes and they were a pretty healthy mob.

You might also like to read: 5 Intentional Ways to Bring Nature Therapy Indoors.

Riding out the Waves of Emotion with and in Nature

July 25, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Feelings and Emotions Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mindfulness Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Shame Social and emotional wellbeing Spiritual practices Stress Therapy on the Go Wellbeing

What would it be like if we responded to perceived ‘negative’ feelings in the same way we responded to ‘perceived’ positive feelings? You know the feelings I’m talking about; the ones that make our body feel uncomfortable. Anger, sadness, grief, guilt, pain, hurt, shame, jealousy and the like. Growing up we learn to push these feelings away, ignore them, get over them, put a lid on them or deny them. In fact, society expects us to. And if we can’t, then we are told to go to a counsellor to learn how to, because there must be something wrong with us.

What if instead we were to normalise these feelings, rather than to see them as abnormal or bad? After all, it’s only the behaviour that accompanies these feelings that may cause a problem, not the feeling itself. Somewhere along the line society has labelled emotions ‘negative’ and ‘positive’. The so named ‘negative’ ones we want to avoid. The ‘positive’ ones we crave more of. We should to be happy all the time, right?

What if we were instead to ride through the wave of perceived ‘negative’ emotion, like a piece of driftwood that rides the ocean currents, knowing eventually the rough and tumble will be over and it will wash up on the shore, ready to dry out and fulfil its potential in the sun?

Nature has much to teach us about living with our emotions, just as nature is a stimulus for experiencing emotion. Nature shares with us her awesome presence and we experience feelings of awe and wonder staring at a sky filled with millions of stars. We dwell in delight and joy at the sound of birdsong or a fleeting visit from a timid animal in the forest. We are wrapped up in happiness and excitement as we discover unexplored, beautiful places that take our breath away. Our bodies respond to these sensory experiences in pleasurable ways. We are totally present in the here and now, relishing in the feeling of the moment.

The skill of being mindful in nature can be applied to all our emotions, not just the ones that give us sensations of comfort. Nature provides some clues about this. A fire sweeping through the bush is horrifying and scary. Trees do not enjoy having their leaves stripped bare or bark scarred. But they stand there, remaining steadfast. They ride it out. They slow down their breathing and conserve their energy. Trees have learnt how to protect themselves from past experience by growing thick bark. Eventually, the smoke clears, the rains come, and seeds burst forth in regrowth.

What if we were to sit with our emotion in the moment and bring the same kind of awareness to our experience, as we do with ‘positive’ emotions? To sit and dwell in the pit of crappiness, to bring awareness to the tightness in our stomach, to be accepting of our vulnerability, to notice the change in sensations as the feeling eventually passes.

What if we were to treat our emotions like a friend to get to know rather than an enemy to run away from. With curiosity, get to know its habits, its likes, its dislikes. If you can recognise the signs of its arrival, you can be prepared, and find a place to sit and ride it out (preferably in nature which has immediate calming and relaxation effects).

Indigenous peoples do not push their grief away or hide it or try to move through it quickly. They spend many days or weeks, sometimes months expressing their sorrow after the passing of loved ones. They feel it shifting through their bodies as they dance and sing to the natural rhythms of the earth.

Experiencing and sitting with the full gamut of emotions is what it means to be human.

For those that have experienced trauma, the experience of sitting with emotions can be much more difficult. Our response, driven by the brain’s need to protect us, might shut our body down completely so we don’t have to feel at all, or help us get ready to fight or run away from a perceived threat. This is where nature’s healing powers can really do its work. When uncomfortable or painful feelings come to the fore, nature provides the distraction needed to calm our over-reactive limbic system. Taking some time to sit in green space with the sun on your face, the breeze drifting over your skin or the grass beneath your feet, is the first step to retraining your brain through a mindfulness practice. Building up the muscles in your brain to bring awareness to your felt sense, slowly makes space for the more uncomfortable feelings to be explored in small steps over time. Sometimes a support person or counsellor is needed to guide this process.

Every feeling we have is normal. They are part of this journey called life. They come and go. Even those that are a result of traumatic experience can be healed, through a practice of mindfulness in nature.

Be gentle on yourself. Sit with your emotions. All of them. Breathe through them. Notice their passing.

Nature is brave enough to do it. Humans are nature, so we can too.

Your opinion matters: Help me to help you

June 23, 2018

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If you have been following my blog for a while, you would have noticed that this year I graduated as a Certified Nature and Forest Therapy Guide. In amongst this, I managed to move from the Northern Territory to New South Wales. And now I’m embarking on setting up my own private practice, bringing together my social work experience in counselling, groupwork and community development projects, with knowledge and skills in narrative, art and ecotherapies.

You may be familiar with my passion for the environment and special interest in how nature can work with us in promoting health and wellbeing for people and the planet. While, I am concerned about the rapidly increasing rates of anxiety and depression across the world, I am hopeful and excited about the growing body of research demonstrating the benefits of nature connection to our physical, mental, spiritual and social health. Indigenous cultures (including the Tiwi mob) have been talking about this for a long time. Now the Western world with its scientific evidence has finally caught on – when we are out in nature we feel better!

So anyway. Whether you have been following my journey of discovery, learning and practice for a while or have recently subscribed, your opinion matters. You can help shape my journey from this point on.

As part of my business plan, I am seeking feedback on the best ways to bring my therapeutic services to the community where I work. This could take the form of individual consultations (face to face or on-line), group experiences and Corporate Wellbeing sessions.

My on-line Health and Wellbeing survey takes approximately 5-7 minutes to complete. You can remain anonymous if you so choose, but you must live in Australia to participate. I will be collating responses until Friday June 30.
Oh, and watch out for my new look website launching soon. Exciting times ahead!
See you in nature.
Lucy

Stressed at Work? Take it Outside.

May 30, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Eco-social work Ecotherapy Forest bathing Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mental health Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Stress Wellbeing Workplace Wellbeing

Did you know that more than half of the Australian workforce is stressed and almost just as many of us will go on to experience mental illness? Stress related claims cost Australian business over $200 million annually!

The impact of stress usually results in deteriorating work performance, taking more time off and running down your immune system. Illness has a direct effect on both the quality and quantity of your work. You will work more slowly than usual, make more mistakes or need to repeat tasks. This lower labour productivity translates to increased costs for employers.

It’s a pretty depressing picture, isn’t it? What’s going on? Why are we such a stressed out bunch? Well, there’s probably a lot of reasons! And something needs to change. We spend a lot of our lives at work, we deserve to be happy and for work to be a fun and relaxed place to be, where we feel respected by our (not stressed out) colleagues and valued by our (not stressed out) boss.

One view is that people are spending much less time in nature and that we are suffering from ‘nature deficit disorder’ which affects us mentally, physically and spiritually. I’ve been doing a lot of research recently around the effects of nature on health and wellbeing and how this carries over into our work life. People who spend time in nature are not only happier and healthier but also smarter and more successful inside the office. Happy people are 31% more productive, less absent with 23% fewer fatigue symptoms and up to 10% more engaged in their work. The benefits flow on to business with a happy workforce bringing in 20% higher profits. It’s a win, win for everybody.

One study showed that staff on long-term sick leave from stress related illness show improvements in functioning and mood after being in a forest. Even just looking at trees out a window has a positive effect on mood; workers experience less frustration, more patience, less health complaints and higher job satisfaction.

Employers that invest in staff health and wellbeing can expect increased work performance and productivity, cost savings from higher retention and lower absenteeism, and a happier organisational culture.

So what can you do to bring these benefits of nature into your office space? Here’s a few ideas.

Take your lunch break outside. Go for a walk to a nearby park and lie under the trees or ask your boss for an outdoor sit space to eat. Get your daily boost of Vitamin D and invite in the sights, sounds and textures in your environment to relax and restore your mind, body and soul.
Bring a pot plant to put on your desk. They provide numerous benefits such as cleaning the air, helping to relieve stress, contributing to your creativity and giving your eyes a break from the computer.
Add nature to your commute. If you walk or cycle, change your route to include a park. If you catch public transport, be intentional about noticing nature on your route. Get on later, or off earlier so you can include outdoor time as part of your journey.
Take your next meeting outside or try a walking meeting in a natural space. Being in nature brings with it better decision making, more creativity and alertness.
Turn your desk around so you are facing the window and can give your eyes a rest from the computer now and then.
Open the blinds to allow the natural sunlight to flood the room. Or better still open your window to let in the natural (non-airconditioned) air and the sounds of the birds or leaves rustling in the wind.
Block out the office noise and listen to nature sounds like running water, bird song and gentle rain on your headphones.
Hang up a painting, artwork or photography showcasing nature’s wonders or install a nature computer screen-saver. Even looking at nature has health benefits too!
Have a nature play table in your office with shells, stones, bark, feathers or other things you find, alongside your oil burner decanting a natural pine scent. Colleagues that visit might linger a while longer!
Sweet talk the boss into investing in biophilia as a core design principle in the office or outdoor spaces. For inspiration check out what Google and Ferrari have done.

This Saturday at #StartUpsCoffsCoast I will be launching a new service to promote a nature-based approach to health and wellbeing in the workplace. This includes Half-Day Corporate Wellbeing Sessions for team-building, planning days and Corporate events; Guided Lunchtime Daily Doses for Staff, and access to Consultation Services to develop and implement Green Wellbeing policies, drawing on the combination of professional expertise at Nature and Wellbeing Australia. My new look website with more details is on its way very soon.

I hope to see you in nature. And don’t forget to take the boss with you!

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A Grief Encounter with Nature

May 23, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Grief and Loss Healing with nature Health and wellbeing My personal journey Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care

As much as it hurts to write this because my sadness is raw and alive and being lived in this very moment, I want everyone to know that when you are in the midst of grief, nature has your back.

Back in March my mother had a fall and broke her hip. Upon admission to hospital it was discovered she had sepsis, life threatening blood poisoning. This kills a lot of people! I hopped on a plane and flew ‘home’ to see her; it was touch and go for a while. Over the next two weeks, the surgery was on, then off, then on again, then mum wasn’t well enough to operate on. At one stage she was going to have to learn to live with a broken hip, because her heart might not survive an operation.

Meanwhile a few days after mum’s accident, my dad fell and was discovered passed out many hours later in the hot sun. He suffered first degree burns to his legs and face from lying on a metal ramp. Severely dehydrated, he was also lucky to be alive.

Was this really happening? Two parents in hospital. It was as if time had slowed down so much that I had trouble breathing. I needed space. I needed air. I needed time to process this.

I am grateful I had the opportunity to just walk and ride and run outside on my brothers farm (I don’t usually run because my knees aren’t up to it, but I did it anyway because I knew it wouldn’t hurt any more than my heart). I climbed the old gum tree I played in as a child, reminiscing about fun imaginary times and appreciating opportunities laid out for my future there. As I gazed towards the setting sun over long, dry grass blowing in the wind, my tears fell on the brown, cracked earth, momentarily breaking the drought. I lay on the grass, staring at aging eucalypts in the paddock, which had lost hope and turned an unsightly brown. They were doing it tough too.

My favourite childhood memories are growing in this gum tree.

Eventually another surgery opportunity presented itself to my mum in Melbourne. And dad agreed to skin grafts. Can you believe they both travelled to the big city on the same day? Weird. Coincidence.

Mum didn’t quite make the painful three hour journey in the back of the ambulance, having to stop momentarily at another hospital to administer more pain medication and stabilise her. After numerous set backs including infections and low blood pressure, she finally had her operation two weeks after the fall. I had made peace with the fact that she might not survive it. It was a nervous moment. I was beside dad’s bed when his blood pressure dropped so low that his heart monitor alarm went off. My own heart skipped a beat; life on a knife edge.

A lot of time was spent bedside. Or travelling to hospital. Or negotiating the public transport between two hospitals in a city that doesn’t know how to go slow. I sought nature again, and space, and air. All I saw were tall buildings of concrete crowding out the warm sun and other depressed-looking city folk stuck on the mouse’s wheel. The only trees I saw were in a beautiful park, from nine stories up out a hospital window. I was desperate to get there to feel the earth under my feet, to run amongst the autumn leaves, to breathe freely, but I never did. The weather had turned so bitterly cold, dreary and wetter than my tears.

The trees I desperately wished to visit, out of mum’s hospital window.

I was angry too. Hospitals were not conducive to healing or recovery. People got sicker here not better (it happened to my mum). I couldn’t stop thinking about the research that shows patients who have access to nature outside their window recover more quickly from surgery and illness. Some of the beds I’ve seen, don’t even have natural light!

Eventually I had to fly home. I contracted a chest cold and I didn’t want to infect anybody.

Seven weeks later and my parents are still in hospital. There have been infections and unexplainable turns. Multiple tests, scans, xrays. MRI’s and ECG’s. Staphylococcus contraction from surgery. Wounds that won’t stop leaking. Patience running thin. Surgery to re-do unsuccessful grafts. Going off food. Back on food. Ups. Downs.

Wide open space allow me to run and breathe and hide and chase shadows with my son.

But the tipping point came this week, when I learned that the surgeons had also removed a lump from my dad’s ear which turned out to be Melanoma, an aggressive form of cancer.

There is nothing worse than watching those you love in unbearable pain. Now there would be more to come. I never dreamed that this would be dad’s way of exiting the world. And mum is still not out of the woods yet (pardon the pun).

Upon hearing this latest news, I took off on my regular walk up the country road where I live. I didn’t get far before my eyes became too clouded to see where I was going. I plonked myself down on the roadside in the bushes, overlooking the valley. I listened to the breeze as it bent young eucalypts. I watched the ants moving about their daily business. I gazed at fluffy white clouds moving across the brilliant blue sky. And then I heard something, a gentle pounding, of little feet. I didn’t move. Then right on cue I noticed a wallaby meandering towards my direction. It stopped behind a tree. Then slowly it moved towards the fence five metres in front of me, crouching down to move through the wire, and pop up on the other side. I told myself if I sat still, perhaps it would hop right on past me, allowing me to appreciate this close up encounter. The wallaby started up the slight embankment towards me. Before I had struck eye contact, he had caught a glimpse of me and with tremendous leg strength, had dramatically propelled himself into reverse, the ground reverberating, bouncing off the rise and back up the fence line. I didn’t even have time to react. Even my breath had stopped dead still.

I watched him as he sat at a safe distance plucking up the courage to look back at the strange phenomenon he had just encountered. It must have been a shocking discovery to find me sitting there. I couldn’t help but feel sad that he wasn’t brave enough to continue on past me, as if I was invisible. Or just a part of nature too. Part of his web of life.

Yes, I know how you feel young wallaby. You’re shocked. You’re rattled. The natural rhythm of life has been upset momentarily.

But I notice something else. You bounced back. Sure, it was in another unexpected direction. But you also had the courage to look back and ponder what it was that knocked you off your feet. To take stock before you carry on. To appreciate this moment of being alive in nature.

You and I have a lot in common.

POSTNOTE: My dear mum passed away on June 9, 2018. Forever remembered.

Nature Connection for Beginners – 30 Day Challenge

March 25, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Bush therapy Ecotherapy Forest bathing Nature and Forest Therapy Nature Connection Challenge Self Care Social and emotional wellbeing

Image: Kelly Ferris

There is a mountain of evidence telling us that 30 minutes a day in nature has enormous benefits for our health and wellbeing. But who has time to find an extra half hour every day to spend outside, right?

Well, if you are SERIOUS about making a POSITIVE DIFFERENCE to your life without it becoming an onorous task, especially if you know nothing about the therapeutic benefits of a ‘green prescription’, then this 30 day challenge is FOR YOU. There are no real rules just very simple invitations for you to take up if you so wish, and if an invitation doesn’t fit for you, there are plenty of other practices you can do instead. Failure is not an option because you choose to participate at a level that suits you.

Here’s how it works. Each day during April, we will issue an invitation to help you (re)connect with the natural world, ignite your senses and induce mindfulness. It will be simple, achievable and above all relaxing. All you need to get started is just 5 minutes a day and accessibility to a green space such as your backyard garden or local park. We will slowly work up to the optimal 30 minutes a day by Day 30, maximising the benefits for your body, mind and spirit.

They say it takes three weeks to develop a new habit. You’ll be surprised how easy it is to incorporate nature connection into your busy day. We guarantee it won’t be another thing to do on your task list. You will want to do it!

And if you’re still not convinced, here are 10 reasons why this challenge is worth taking on.

Using the words of one of my recent nature therapy walk participants, “I would say it is something that needs to be experienced, rather than spoken about.” I will be writing more about the scientific benefits in future blogs, but I can’t wait to hear about your experience and what you notice.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up now for the “Nature Connection for Beginners – 30 Day Challenge”. To receive your daily invitation beginning April 1, join our Facebook Event or follow me on Instagram.

Me and some of my fellow Guides at our training intensive in the Yarra Ranges.

“Why I love Trees”: My Journey of Nature Connection

March 21, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Bush therapy Disease and illness Eco-social work Ecotherapy Forest bathing Hashimoto's disease Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Mental health Metaphors Mindfulness My personal journey Nature and Forest Therapy Shinrin Yoku Social and emotional wellbeing Spiritual practices The Tree of LIfe Working with Metaphors

Today is ‘International Day of Forests’. It is also the last day of my six month practicum of training with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. Very soon I will be a Certified Guide. In the last week I’ve been reflecting on this journey and how this all come about.

I think it all starts back in my childhood when I spent most hours outside on the farm in country Victoria. I have fond memories of the vege garden, looking after animals, bike riding on country roads and driving the tractor for dad. I didn’t spend much time inside, preferring to generally wander the paddocks amusing myself, kicking field mushrooms or throwing cow pats like discuses. I used to spend hours lying on a big branch in an old gum tree, making up stories in my head about the creatures that lived there. Nature was my playground.

I’ve always loved playing in trees.

As you do, I left home at 21 thinking there was something better. I got married young, had a family, bought my first house, travelled overseas and moved to a big city to get a degree and pursue a career. It was about accumulating lots of stuff. But Brisbane got crowded and I yearned to get back to a quieter life, so went back to Darwin 11 years ago with my beautiful family in tow.

I was drawn into bushwalking, taking up invitations to hike with friends in Kakadu. I heard about permaculture and joined a community garden. I also had the privilege of being out on country with Aboriginal Elders on the Tiwi Islands and an outstation in NE Arnhemland, where I felt, smelt, sensed and heard stories about their human-nature spiritual connection.

Hiking the Jatbula Trail near Katherine in 2017.

I can now appreciate how lucky I was to have been so close to nature as a child, as I find myself coming back around to many of the practices that kept me grounded and healthy.

Over the years while practising social work on the Tiwi Islands, I came to learn about narrative therapy and a groupwork methodology called the Tree of Life. After sharing these ideas with some of the Tiwi Elders, I came to realise the power of the tree metaphor in helping Aboriginal people tell their problem stories in ways that were non-shaming and safe, as well as strong stories about healing from the ‘storms’ of their lives, working together like a forest. I discovered that yarning about problems using nature metaphors helps to integrate trauma experiences without retraumatising people. We used these ways of yarning in counselling, groupwork and family healing bush camps. I also write a children’s therapeutic book called ‘The Life of Tree’ to help Aboriginal kids open up about their experience of violence in families.

Trees have become important metaphors in my work too.

In 2013, I caught an early diagnosis of thyroid disease and was told I would eventually have to go on medication. Not accepting this fate, I turned to natural medicine for answers – taking supplements to make up for our mineral-depleted soils, cutting out foods that were contributing to my body’s autoimmune response, quitting my job to de-stress, joining the ‘slow living’ movement, and taking up meditation (although I struggled to make this a daily practice). By 2016 I had no evidence that Hashimotos disease had ever been part of my life. Once again, nature had shown me the way.

In the background, I had a growing sense of unease, helplessness and despair at the state of the planet. I mulled about the future my children would have to deal with and noticed the global trends in increased anxiety, depression and suicide in young people coping with the pressure of modern, domesticated life. I read about ‘nature deficit disorder’ as a result of children’s technology use and the detrimental affect excessive screen time was having on their development. Something has to change and quickly. The earth does not have the luxury of time if we are to repair the damage we’ve done, and at what cost to our own physical and mental health?

Fast forward to April 2017 when I find myself in the wild West of Tasmania. My girlfriend had to pull out of our planned trip at the last minute because of her mum’s terminal illness. I’d never travelled on my own before, and I was constantly thinking about my safety out in the wilderness walking alone. But by the end of my holiday, I had come to enjoy my own company so much, that it took me a while to be around people again. I was also in awe of the beautiful old growth forests that boasted trees that were more than four hundred years old. Nature has always been important to my own growth, health and wellbeing. But this experience took me to a level of nature connection and a sense of freedom, that I’d never experienced before. I wanted more. It was shortly after this that I heard about Nature and Forest Therapy (NFT) and decided to train as a Guide in September 2017.

Learning how to be on my own in nature in Tasmania’s wild West.

I experienced an amazing week-long intensive immersed in the Yarra Ranges engaging in mindful walks in nature every day. NFT is inspired by the Japanese practice of Shinrin Yoku or forest bathing. While learning the skills of helping others slow down using intentional invitations to connect with nature and ignite the senses, I learnt how to slow myself down even more. Believe me, it is intensive. Practising mindfulness every day takes discipline and practice when you are the kind of person that always has multiple projects on the go and a mind that never rests. After a week, I just wanted to run or go for a long hike. No more slow! But seriously. This is the practice that is going to sustain my health and wellbeing long into the future. And there are a lot of scientific studies coming out now to prove it. For me, it’s about finding the balance between living and working in the ‘real world’ and engaging with the ‘natural world’. As Richard Louv says “The more connected to technology we become, the more nature we need to achieve a natural balance.”

Me and my fellow Guides during our training intensive in the Yarra Ranges.

Over the past six months I’ve learnt a lot about myself – about my ‘edges’ and how to dissolve irrational fears; about how to let go of agendas and trust nature will lead the way; what it means to live out your life according to your values and beliefs even when the chips are down; what it feels like to be part of a community of like-minded folk who also care about the planet and each other; the relief of discovering the beauty in humanity; and finding hope again after experiencing the resilience of nature. I have a long way to go but I’m feeling much more connected to the more-than-human world than ever before. On one of my recent Nature and Forest Therapy walks someone said ‘I’ve been practising mindfulness meditation for years, but I’ve never experienced anything like this before.’ I know right? I’ve been there. And now as an NFT Guide, I get to witness the personal profound insights others gain on my three hour slow wanders in nature. I’m also buoyed by the possibility of people being inspired to take action against climate change and in their personal daily habits, because of their renewed sense of connection and care for the planet. NFT has the power to do this too!

Guiding a Nature and Forest Therapy walk in Nambucca State Forest.

As I come to the end of my practicum I feel incredibly grateful for the support of my mentors, friends and family, the resources that allow me to follow my heart and dreams, and the start I had in life back on the farm that sowed the seeds of nature connection.

Happy ‘International Day of Forests’ to you. Do your body, mind and spirit a favour. Get outside, play, explore, skip, make art using nature’s treasures, gaze at water, climb a tree. Don’t think about it too much. Follow your instincts. And when the forest speaks to you….listen.

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Love yourself First: A Valentine’s Day Message

February 14, 2018

by metaphor with No Comment Ecotherapy Forest bathing Healing with nature Health and wellbeing Love Mental health Mindfulness My personal journey Nature and Forest Therapy Self Care Social and emotional wellbeing

I recently had the opportunity to go out on country with a respected Gumbaynggirr man living and working in the Bellinger Valley. I’ve come to know him in a short time as a storyteller, photographer, culture man and healer.

Image by Bernard K Edwards, Never Never Creek in the Promised Land

Early in a conversation with him, I commented that one must learn to love themselves first, before they can love others. Later that day, we are sitting on a fallen tree across the Never Never River in the beautiful Promised Land, looking out over refreshing, crystal clear water gently flowing over the river rocks. I am reflecting on my happy life and questioning why I should be so lucky to have things always fall my way, while other people are not so lucky. I’ve never had anything traumatic occur that has changed the course of my life, in fact, quite the opposite – I’ve been able to achieve all the goals I have been able to set myself, without any barriers or hiccups. Putting aside the fact that my white skin automatically gives me privileges over other cultural groups, I attributed my “success” in life to my parents that had provided a safe, loving, healthy home, surrounded by nature and fresh air on Victoria’s farming country, protected from the worries of the world. My companion politely pulls me up “do you not think, that YOU have had something to do with it?” and points out the contradiction with my earlier statement – YOU must love yourself before you can love others. He goes on to share that once we have left our mother’s arms, we are out on our own. As adults, we are responsible for our own decisions. The choices we make in life are ours alone and cannot be attributed to our parents.

I think about this in silence as the water trickles below my feet and a tiny blue bird visits a nearby rock. It would not have been possible to learn how to love myself without the love of my parents to show me that I am worth loving. But I get his point. There comes a point as adults when we have to take responsibility for our own choices in life. This is what it means to love and respect yourself. To know that YOU are truly worthy of setting the course of your life. And no one else can do that for you.

I peer into the reflection of the water now cooling my feet. Water knows how to flow. It learnt this from mother earth since the beginning of time. The fallen tree does not prevent the water from doing what it wants to do. It finds a way to flow through, around, up and over. And new life springs forth from the rotting tree.

As you reflect on the love that others have provided you this Valentine’s Day, consider what nature can teach you about loving yourself? What choices will you take today, on the path towards love? Make a decision today, knowing that the universe has your back!

Image by Bernard K Edwards

…metaphorically speaking

Posts in category: Nature and Forest Therapy