Yesterday’s workshop was WONDERFUL!
There was no cell phone service for anyone in Northwest Connecticut, so our phones were neither a distraction nor help. I took a small group first on a foraging walk around this gorgeous farm land property, then after a lunch break we reconvened for a Forest Bathing therapy session in the nearby woods.
I had them all captivated with learning all the wild foods and medicinal plants around us, but the real magic happened when we went into the forest, leaving our cell phones behind.
I convinced several people to join me barefoot, which proved a little challenging on the walk from the field to the trail as we had to walk through a patch of stinging nettle and through a rough driveway. I know most people haven’t got tough, rough feet like I do, but they persisted!
We walked slowly on the path, waiting for the trees to call out to us. We found a bit of turkey tail along the way and everyone was chatting congenially. When we finally reached our sit spot deep in the woods, everyone chose a tree to sit under and the forest was suddenly silent.
Twenty solid minutes of silence. No sounds from people. Only the wind rustling through the trees, the birds chirping, a squirrel running up the rocks.
With my eyes closed, I saw images flash in my mind’s eye. A patch of white spiky moss-looking stuff, but upside down. A row of turkey tail mushrooms covering a log. A patch of vibrant green moss glowing in the sun. I opened my eyes and thanked the forest silently.
After some time, I told them all to dig their hands into the earth and smell what they found there, or to find a patch of moss to stroke. I could hear leaves rustling and see a few smiles from faces not far off.
Eventually we stood up. “Imagine how that would feel for a whole uninterrupted hour,” I asked them, “Especially without the sounds of airplanes or traffic in the distance?” They nodded.
We meandered in the forest a bit longer, and I asked if any of them had closed their eyes and seen pictures. Heads shaking no all around. I told them I’d seen various mushrooms and they looked at me as if I were a bit batty.
Minutes later, someone said something “Like these?” and I stepped over to them to find THE EXACT LOG covered in turkey tail mushrooms that I had seen in my mind’s eye!
We harvested a bunch, explored the woods a bit longer than anticipated, then finally made our way back to the field. On the walk back I spotted a Bear’s Tooth fungus, which I had only seen before in photos.
The white spikes that looked like upside-down moss, the same thing I’d seen while meditating under the birch tree.
We also picked some oyster mushrooms (which were delicious with steak for dinner) and headed back to the field more calm and content than we had been when we left.
There is SO much more to experiencing life than work, social obligations, and even family. You just need to be willing to open up and experience it.
Would you like to go Forest Bathing with me? Contact Me to schedule something with your group!