Insight into a Forest Bathing invitation

When forest bathing (or as I like to call it, peaceful wanderings), participants go through a series of invitations. Invitations to bring notice, connection, and enjoyment of natural areas for a unique, personalized, experience. Starting with introductions and a few moments to get comfortable with one another, fellow wanderers are then guided through invitations such as the one below.

Exploring The Five Senses: An Invitation

Everyone is invited to stand with eyes closed and turn all senses to surroundings. With a breeze playing gently across the skin, the sun's rays falling across the top of the head and down the back there is a contrast in sensation. The breeze cool, soft, and refreshing while the sun warming and relaxing. I cannot help but revel in this sensation as I invite others to do the same.

Light winds bring soft sound to the leaves on surrounding trees with stronger winds giving an occasional creak to a branch. Birds call at random with notes high and low. Chirps and tweets abound in the music of nature while a creek bubbles and flows with a long soulful sigh. The scent of loamy earth tinged with sweeter floral notes brings joy to the nose. Each inhale fills the lungs with clean, crisp, air of a cool spring morning. The body calms as it connects to the environment. The mind opens with a newfound clarity while the eyes are closed. A sense of peace is evident with fellow wanderers as I slowly open my eyes.

Inviting everyone to keep the gaze downcast while slowly opening the eyes allowing for

adjustment to the brightness of the sun everyone slowly takes in the surrounding area. I invite them to slowly shift the gaze all around, looking up to the fluffy, white, clouds floating across the vibrant, blue, sky. Also noticing above the bright, leafy, green of the tree tops casting shadows on the dark and mossy ground around us. Soaking up the hues, shapes, and sounds of nature we then one by one are invited to share what we individually noticed. We discuss what stands out the most and how it made us feel as we wandered through this sensory invitation.

As with every invitation, participation is optional, not an expectation. Each person participates in any invitation to match their personal comfort level. Observation alone is also participation.

This is a peek at one of many possible invitations a wanderer might experience while forest bathing with Eclectic Self Care. All invitations are meant to bring about a calmness of mind, a relaxation of body, and sense of wellbeing that can carry over for days after. I invite you to wander with me to reap the benefits of a similar experience.

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