Mindful Connections

Do you need to be guided in nature? By  Maria  |  April 12, 2021  |  0  We all know that spending time in nature is good for us and many of us have turned towards spending more time outside during this last year. So, why would we need to be guided in nature? We all know how to walk, hike or just spend time in nature; is this not the same thing? Is forest bathing simply sitting in nature and noticing a few things?  Another Fad? is this just the buzz thats around at the moment and everyone is joining in? Actually no! Forest bathing as it is translated into English has been around for many years especially if you look at where it has been influenced from. Shinrin Yoku was the term coined in the early 80’s in Japan when it developed this practice. Encouraging their people to move back into the forests and experience nature after a spike in stress related illness. Japan’s traditions included shinto and tao both of which offer practices and traditions that s...

Nature relationship vs Nature reconnection By  Maria  |  July 5, 2021 A Different Way…… A great article written by friend and fellow ANFT graduate Scott Poynton where he explores the difference between connection and relationship with nature. A great read and video. He says…. “We’ve been hearing a lot lately about how good it is for our overall well-being to spend time in Nature. I believe this to be an essential truth. From my personal perspective, one of my main self-care practices is walking quietly and reverently in forests. It really does help me. Yet, I think there’s a subtle change we might make in both the language we use and the way we think about the benefits of spending this additional time in Mother Nature. So often, people speak about the need to ‘reconnect’ with Nature, and the benefits we get when this reconnection happens. I feel this is a problem. This notion of the need to reconnect implies we’re not currently connected. It places us outside of Nature, s...

It is believed that time spent under the green canopy is critical in fighting a number of diseases and conditions.  The Japanese have known for years that spending mindful time in the woods is beneficial for body and soul. Now western doctors – and royals – agree Harriet Sherwood @harrietsherwood Sat 8 Jun 2019 13.00 BST Last modified on Sat 8 Jun 2019 20.25 BST Every day, apart from when it’s raining heavily, Dr Qing Li heads to a leafy park near the NipponMedical School in Tokyo where he works.  It’s not just a pleasant place to eat his lunch; he believes the time spent under the trees’ canopy is a critical factor in the fight against diseases, of the mind and body. Once a month Li spends three days in forests near Tokyo, using all five senses to connect with the environment and clear his mind.  This practice of shinrin-yoku – literally, forest bath – has the power to counter illnesses including cancer, strokes, gastric ulcers, depression, anxiety and stress, he says. I...

One of my most using sayings – we were never designed to be so disconnected to mother earth as we are today. When we think about how we were (those of certain age groups) when we were children and how we would spend vast amounts of time in bare feet, running through grass, sand of any other natural earth that happened to be there. Totally unphased and our feet just seemed to adapt. Earthing has many physiological benefits and there are scientific studies that show that disconnection can increase many ailments including inflammations and arthritis.  Global ecology : From littering to deforestation – we have all seen and been inspired by the recent dramatic changes in our early lockdowns or mother earth having a chance to heal. Imagine if we took this further….. Cultural Values : Greater concerns around social, emotional and moral – also translate to apathy, greed and selfishness – the more we become a tech based globe, the more we seem  to lose touch with relationships and our ...