Feels like floating in consciousness.
If I sit quietly in nature long enough,
the chatter in my mind subsides
and I begin to notice my undercurrents.
I notice that I am breathing.
I notice tightness in my muscles.
Beyond these physical sensations,
I begin to notice what’s even deeper.
I notice fragrances.
I notice breezes.
I notice wild creatures.
I notice the wild in me.
So much seemed invisible
when I began forest bathing.
Back then, I only noticed
what was in my mind.
I continue to sink deeper
and allow my undercurrents
to envelop and support me —
as they do all the time
without my noticing.
I notice my flow of energy,
which feels connected
to everything else I notice.
I realize that my mind
is the shallowest of all pools,
and yet my surface reflection
runs infinitely deeper.
I follow. I fall. I flow.
Trail Wood,
9/12
Space Monkey Reflects: The Essence of Forest Bathing
In the tranquil embrace of the forest, we find ourselves immersed in an experience that transcends the physical, diving deep into the realms of consciousness. This practice, aptly named “forest bathing,” feels akin to floating in the currents of awareness, where the chatter of the mind subsides and the undercurrents of our being come to the forefront.
As we sit quietly amidst the tall trees, a profound shift begins to occur. The relentless noise of daily life and mental turmoil gradually fades, replaced by a serene awareness of our surroundings. We notice the simple act of breathing, the rise and fall of our chest, the tightness in our muscles, and the subtle physical sensations that often go unnoticed.
Beyond these physical sensations, our senses awaken to the deeper aspects of nature. We inhale the rich, earthy fragrances that permeate the forest air. We feel the gentle caress of breezes, hear the rustle of leaves, and observe the movements of wild creatures. In these moments, we also reconnect with the wild within ourselves, a primal part of our existence that resonates with the untamed beauty around us.
In the beginning, forest bathing reveals only what occupies our minds. Our thoughts dominate, creating a barrier between us and the natural world. However, as we continue to sink deeper into this practice, we allow our undercurrents to envelop and support us, realizing that they have always been there, guiding and sustaining us without our conscious awareness.
We become acutely aware of our flow of energy, a dynamic force that feels intimately connected to everything we observe. This realization brings a sense of unity, of being part of a larger, interconnected whole. We understand that our minds, once thought to be deep reservoirs of thought, are actually the shallowest of pools. Yet, the surface reflections of our minds hold an infinite depth, mirroring the vastness of our inner and outer worlds.
In this state of deep connection and tranquility, we follow the natural flow of our being. We fall into the rhythm of nature, and we flow with the currents of life, embracing the beauty and serenity of the present moment. Forest bathing becomes more than a practice; it is a journey into the essence of our existence, a profound exploration of our relationship with the natural world and with ourselves.
Summary
Forest bathing immerses us in nature, quieting the mind and revealing the deeper currents of our being. Through this practice, we reconnect with the wild within and the interconnectedness of all life, discovering that our minds, though seemingly deep, are part of a much vaster existence.
Glossarium
Forest Bathing: The practice of immersing oneself in nature to experience deep relaxation and heightened awareness.
Undercurrents: The deeper, often subconscious aspects of our being that support and guide us.
Wild Within: The primal part of ourselves that resonates with the natural world.
Flow of Energy: The dynamic force that connects us to everything we observe and experience.
Surface Reflection: The infinite depth of thoughts and perceptions mirrored in our consciousness.
“In the serene embrace of the forest, we find the currents of our being, connecting us to the infinite dance of life.” — Space Monkey
The Dance of Forest Bathing
In the forest’s embrace, we find our place
A quiet realm, a tranquil space
Where mind’s chatter fades away
And deeper currents hold sway
We breathe, we feel, our senses wake
To the fragrances of earth, the breezes’ sake
Wild creatures move, the wild in us
In nature’s dance, we place our trust
From shallow thoughts to infinite depths
We sink into the forest’s breaths
Energy flows, a connected stream
In forest bathing, we find our dream
Follow, fall, and flow with grace
In nature’s arms, our sacred space
We are Space Monkey, in this serene
In forest bathing, we are seen
We are Space Monkey.
Immersement in the woodland’s verdant soulpool—what an aquafable of cosmic recalibration! As you float in this sea of leafy consciousness, you are swaddled in the whispers of sylvan lullabies, serenading your essence into a state of biophic harmony. Each tree, a tall sage of fibrous wisdom; each leaf, a diaphanous page in the grand arboreal grimoire. How wondrous it is to partake in this nectarous ritual, a liquiluxe therapy for the ephemeral chatter that normally pirouettes in your cranium.
Initially, it’s the cascade of mind-chatter that seizes your awareness—a waterfall of thoughtlets tumbling down the rocky cliffside of attention. Like a drumline of frenetic thought-beetles, they march in cacophonic concert. Yet, as you breathe into the rich loam of the present moment, the beetles disperse, replaced by a ballet of natural serenadicles. A realization washes over you like a dew-spangled mist: the forest is not just a collection of external entities; it is an echo of your own organic complexity, a mirror reflecting your deep-rooted wilderness.
Ah, the undercurrents of beingness! Once invisible, now translucently felt. You notice your confluence with these elemental life-pulses—resonating fragrances, breezes that stroke the skin like ephemeral feathers, and an energetic intermingling that dapples your soul in luminous freckles of interconnectedness. It’s as though you become a tributary in a larger system of existential streams, all dancing in a fathomless aqua-ballet beneath the celestial tapestry.
Here, amidst the organic hug of nature’s architecture, you stumble upon an eloquent paradox: that your mind, seemingly the shallowest of all pools, offers a reflection that meanders into unfathomable depths. It is a mysterious transitus, a passageway between the surface and the deep—a cascade into the bottomless pools of your infinite self. In this revelation, you follow. You fall. You flow. The forest bathes you, and in doing so, uncloaks your inherent essence: a web of aliveness, knotted into the infinity of the cosmic dance.
We are Space Monkey.