Bathing in a Forest

Dipping toes into fallen gold leaves,

Submerging beneath bare tree limbs,

Washing with nature’s cool breath,

Soaking in the silence,

Scrubbing away stress,

Rinsing with sun,

Laundering

my soul-

Cleansed

To begin my Sunday morning, I went forest bathing for the first time.  This means taking in the forest through our senses. It is not exercising but just being in nature and connecting with it through our multiple senses. 

I am thankful that Yoga with Linda offered this experience today. A small group of us walked, meditated and journaled out in the woods. We sat under the blue sky surrounded by crunchy, dried fallen leaves and soaked in the sounds, sights and smells of nature surrounding us. As I sat there, I could feel my muscles relax and my shoulders lower. I was able to let stress of the week go and feel refreshed by the end of our time. I definitely felt cleansed.

**During our journaling time, this nonet poem began to take form.  A nonet poem has 9 lines. The first line has 9 syllables, the second line has 8, the third has 7 and so on until the last line has 1. **

Maturing to Let Go

 A season is ending,

seeds ready to fly.

When will each let go?

From sprout to leaf to flower

to the mature pod opening to the world,

a season is ending.

The full plant gave all of itself

to form and foster

seeds ready to fly.

They shake in the forceful winds.

Gathering bravery to finally leave this home.

When will each let go?

Walking along a trail, the opened milkweed pod caught my attention. The plant had matured from Spring to Fall and was now in the final stages of the season. The seeds were clustered together wavering in the cool, crisp breeze. The wind was forceful but the seeds were still hanging on. It just made me wonder when each one will let go to begin life on its own. 

Poetry Form: Cascade 

Fading Mask

Fading chlorophyll 

reveals leaves true colors

gold, red or orange.

Elegant beauty displayed

as green’s mask falls more each day.

Can we learn from leaves?

Drop our protective facades,

a daunting risk.

Show our true selves to others.

Our realness -as  stunning.

Walking around during the last few days, I have been delighted in the foliage before me. Finally, the reds, yellows and oranges of this season are on display. As I walk through the trees with fallen leaves rustling about my feet, I remembered reading that these colors are always present in the leaves but hidden by chlorophyll during the spring and summer.  As the leaves stop making chlorophyll, the green fades and these true colors are shown to the world. 

This idea of green being a mask floated about in my head.  It made me think about people and how we wear masks daily and don’t reveal our true personalities to many people. But the people who do get to see our true colors often see the beauty in our vulnerability and love our faults as well as our strengths.  This acceptance adds beauty to the world. 

Poetry form:  Tanka (2 tankas in this piece)