The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing by Julia Plevin

Author:Julia Plevin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale
Published: 2019-03-04T16:00:00+00:00

sing with the land

Maybe you’re a rock star, or maybe you sing along with the radio. Perhaps you haven’t sung in years. Whatever your relationship with your voice, singing to the forest awakens your ancestral memories. Singing is a way to reconnect with your truth, which comes through your soul, into your body, and then merges with the outside world. Earth songs have been passed down orally over generations. Every nature-connected culture and practice has songs that connect them with the earth. There are songs for journeying, songs for healing, songs for celebrating, and songs for remembering. Song-keepers pass on songs full of wisdom and hope. You can learn these songs from others or make up your own.

Listen to the sounds that emanate from the earth. What elements can you differentiate in the orchestra of the land? As you wander, sing a spontaneous prayer song to Earth. Don’t get bogged down in carrying a tune, being on pitch, or maintaining a rhythm. Find your own expression. Start by singing what you’re doing and then add what you notice and how it makes you feel. Sing your gratitude. There are many ways to sing with nature. Imitate sounds that you hear in the forest. Join in the call-and-response with the wild. Howl at the moon, yell into the waves, explore resonance with rocks, and sigh with the desert. You can bring your own instrument—a rattle, a drum, or a ukulele. Or make an instrument with sticks, pinecones, or shells. Fill a mason jar with popcorn kernels. Keep the beat with your feet.

As you walk through the forest, sing your soul’s song for today. The song of today is different from the song of yesterday or tomorrow. It may be long vowel tones or short and quick rhythmic sounds. It may be gentle or angry. Just let it out. You may use words or it could be gibberish. Let the noises come from deep inside. Sound connects the outer environment with your inner one. See what happens when you come across other people while you are singing in the forest.

Add gestures to your music. String a few together into a dance. That’s it. There’s no need for anything complicated. If you feel stuck, remember that you’re offering this dance to Earth and that it’s all about play. How might you dance with Nature as if she is leading and you are following? Your work during your forest bath is to let loose and not get hung up. The more you are able to play and release any judgment, the more you invite others to do the same.

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