Nature therapy, ecotherapy, forest bathing, grounding, earthing, Shinrin-Yoku or Sami Lok, is a practice that describes a broad group of techniques using nature to improve mental or physical health.
I call it Tree Hugging and Going Barefoot.
My personal experience with the incredible grounding power of nature will stick with me forever. Here’s my story:
I used to work for a holistic nutritionist teaching cooking classes and sundry office tasks. One day I wore silk “pajama” pants to work that refused to let go of my calves, seemingly clinging for their life up too my kneecaps. Stuck fast. Eve (the nutritionist) told me to go outside to the oak tree on the other side of the parking lot and give it a full body hug. Excuse me? She assured me the tree would absorb my static electricity and my pants would let go of their death grip. Sooo, I made my way to the tree, looking right and left for any onlookers, then carefully checked for all the possible critters that call trees home here in Florida: fire ants, roaches, lizards, beetles, snakes (yes, one fell out of a tree and landed on my striding foot once! That’s another story). Sure that the bark was clear, I full bodied my torso, wrapped my legs, pressed my cheek and reached my arms around that mighty oak and … I kid you not … in about10 seconds my pants let go and hung loosely around my legs!!!! What??? Yes. Truth.
Now, about 15 minutes later, after everyone in the office had finished cheering and praying to Mother Earth’s higher vibrations… shoop …said silk pants started clinging again. And again I went out to the Oak and gave it a hug and again, about 10 seconds later, my pants let go (good thing I had them tied tightly around my waist). Amazing.
The moral of the story: some days we carry a strong static charge so on those days, don’t wear silk, wear your Levi corduroys instead.
The real moral of the story: nature heals, nature uplifts, so spend as much time as you possibly can out in it for your mental and physical health.
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