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Come with me for a moment. You’re in a favorite place in nature, trees and a light breeze, just enough light to make you feel touched by the sun. In the stillness, you start to notice the many sounds normally muffled by talking, shoes shuffling or distracting thoughts. Leaves rustle, birds chirp. You can hear your own breath. Maybe you sit on a bench or even lay down in grass, looking up to see clouds or a wide blue sky.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t take moments like this as often as I should.
I love my job, but I work hard. When I started the job a few years ago I worked even harder; I was uncertain whether I knew what I was doing and didn’t want to make mistakes.
A good friend works two floors above me in my building and noticed I declined invites and looked half crazed and cranky. Sometimes she tried to rescue me.
“Come for a walk with me,” she asked and I declined.
“It’ll make you feel better,” she persisted..
Sometimes she was bossy and I snarled, resentful of the interruption. I was also jealous, because her job must not be as difficult as my job.
Nope, she cares about me and wants me to be happy.
Eventually I walked, and watched leaves fall from trees and walked barefoot on damp lawn. Now I call other friends on campus to ask “can you take 10 minutes away from this that and the other thing.”
Our team at work recently hosted a group of college students in town to learn from local experts about natural resources. The program included many academic topics such as carbon sequestration, stormwater runoff and soil science.
Years ago, I had asked my Bossman if we could include “full moon forest bathing,” to our academic lineup for our program with educators. My boss has a PhD and he rolled his eyes. He’s one of those “jock types.” In his youth he enjoyed plenty of nature while racing endlessly across manicured turf and chasing a ball. The idea of intentional appreciation of nature makes him think of barefoot dancing around a bonfire. Throw in the word “full moon,” and he’s likely shaking off images of pagan rituals.
I went forest bathing that year, and offered the event to our visiting scholars as an optional activity.
This spring we had a new academic director, who also has a PhD. I tried not to gloat when he put forest bathing on our program agenda.
Our guide was Blake Ellis, of the Chico State Ecotherapy Program. Forest bathing has a long history and is based on the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku – forest immersion.
Blake brought a basket filled with fabric for sitting on the grass. Our group took brief walks along the perimeter of our sitting circle and was encouraged to talk about what we saw, smelled or touched. In between feeling blades of grass between our bare toes, Blake shared about how spending time in nature reduces stress, aides cognitive function, and many other benefits.
Our students learned much about natural resources — but also how people need nature. Later in the program, we visited big cities including Baltimore, where students now noticed whether neighborhoods had green space. At the Baltimore Department of Public Works a staff member shared that there is a decrease in murder rates when there is an increase in shade cover from trees. We visited an urban forest within the city, and passed by green lots that had once held abandoned houses.
You don’t need to think too much about the research on nature and feeling more human. Sitting quietly along a creek will probably show you all you need to know.
Garden enthusiast Heather Hacking loves when you share what’s growing on. Reach out at sowtheregardencolumn@gmail.com, and snail mail at P.O. Box 5166, Chico CA 95927.