Welcoming bench by trees
When life gets a little hectic or rushed, when things happen that make you disappointed or sad, there’s something you can do to help yourself feel calmer.
Some people call it forest bathing. Other people call it spending time among trees. You don’t have to be in a forest. Even if you find only one or two trees nearby, take some time to be near them.
The most effective way to enjoy the sense of calm and peace that trees often bring is to stand or sit near them while you focus on the trees. Don’t consult your cell phone or listen to music through head phones or through any other device. Just immerse yourself in listening, seeing, smelling, or feeling nature around you.
If you’re beside a tree that’s easy to climb, lift yourself up into its lower branches and find a comfortable place to sit on a sturdy limb with another branch nearby to grasp for support. When you feel comfortable, just be in the moment while you’re in that tree.
Do some of the branches look like arms, legs, knees or elbows? If so, have fun giving them names that remind you of what they resemble. Do they look like a dragon, dog, broom, or circle? Have fun giving them whatever names come to mind.
If you sit quietly in the tree, pretty soon you will hear birds chirping. They may have gone quiet when you climbed into the tree. Some of them may have nests among the branches. Others may enjoy sitting in the tree to rest or converse with each other in their bird language. Once you’ve been quiet for a while, the birds may start singing their trilling or twittering songs again.
See how many animals you can spot in or near the tree where you’re sitting. You might spot birds, cats, dogs, a skunk, raccoons, squirrels or other critters. You may be surprised by how many animals you see.
After you’ve been sitting there for a while, you may get so absorbed in what you see and hear that for a few moments you forget what was making you feel disappointed, sad or rushed. Just being around trees can help you let go of your worries and fears for a few minutes.
Giving yourself time to be among trees is a great way to take a mini-vacation from all the things that were overwhelming you. Give yourself some tree time every once in a while so you can feel more calm and peaceful. You’ll be glad you did.