Ajahn Chah, a Thai Forest Monk and teacher of many western Buddhist teachers, loved the way his favorite water glass reflected the sun and how it fit just so in his hands. His students asked him one day why he was so attached to this cup. Afterall, a core teaching in Buddhism is how attachment to that which is impermanent is a primary source of suffering - whether that attachment is to objects, relationships, or your body as it is today. Ajahn Chah responded: “To me, this cup is already broken. Because I know its fate, I can enjoy it fully here and now. When it falls to the ground and shatters, I say, ‘Of course.’ When I understand that the glass is already broken, every moment with it is precious.”
This story reflects why I care about raising awareness of and guiding Forest Bathing in the midst of the climate crisis that we are experiencing. Though I am all for gaining knowledge and taking direct actions to improve the conditions of our climate, in our Forest Bathing sessions we don't learn about how to reduce CO2 emissions or remove invasive species. What we do, however, is slow way down and shift from being caught up in our thinking minds to come to a more embodied and sensory-focused state of being. From there we can notice so much more of the natural world around us. Through that heightened awareness we often experience a sense of connection, wonder and love for the world as it is. I believe, and it is well-supported by scientific research, that as people feel more connected to the natural world they become healthier themselves and also care more about creating a healthier world around them.
In the spirit of getting out of our heads, off our devices and connecting to the precious world around us, here's a Forest Bathing mini-practice for you:
Next time you go outside, notice a nature-being such as a tree, plant, or rock around you that perhaps you have not paid much attention to before. Remember how this being is changing every moment and will one day no longer have this form, just like you, and just like all beings on this planet. Get to know it with your senses - What are the tiny details that you can notice? What does it smell like? Feel like when you touch it? Then share with this being what you appreciate about what you notice in any way that feels right to you, whether that's through words, a movement, a prayer, or something else. Stay around for what feels like a spacious amount of time and notice if there's anything that this being wants to offer back to you.
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