Go through here to clean your car.
"Forest bathing is the practice of immersing yourself in nature in a mindful way, using your senses to derive a whole range of benefits for your physical, mental, emotional, and social health.It is also known as Shinrin-yoku. ‘Shinrin’ means forest and ‘Yoku’ stands for bathing. The idea took birth in Japan in the 1980’s and proved to be a very effective tool to overcome the ill effects of a hectic life and stressful work environment.Forest bathing in nature allows the stressed portions of your brain to relax. Positive hormones are released in the body. You feel less sad, angry and anxious.It helps to avoid stress and burnout, and aids in fighting depression and anxiety.A forest bath is known to boost immunity and leads to lesser days of illness as well as faster recovery from injury or surgery.Nature has a positive effect on our mind as well as body. It improves heart and lung health, and increases focus, concentration and memory."
I love your choice of images! Isn't it strange that humans have regressed to the point where we have to be told to go into nature? One of my macrobiotic teachers used to say that you know there is a problem when you have to tell children to go out and play, as healthy children want to do that automatically. My mum could never get us to come in, even in the autumn when it was getting dark and cold we just wanted to keep running around outside!
ReplyDeleteAt the moment we cannot get into nature as we are restricted to within 5 kms of home due to our un-jabbed status (in spite of almost no cases in our town). Thankfully we have a garden and can find some solace there.
Madeleine
Isn't it crazy? Also to need to be told to "eat good food". Or get rest, drink water, be low stress, have community...
DeleteWe have been horribly manipulated for profit, and at no time in human history has this been more blatantly obvious. How do they police a 5km restriction? Do they depend on neighbours ratting each other out? This is a terrible state of affairs, but a garden goes a long way to remediating the effects of fools.
Stay strong, and this too will end.
Gregg, yes, politicians on tv have actually encouraged people to dob in their neighbours. It is totally un-Australian, I honestly do not know what has happened to my country. We are known for being peaceful, friendly and laid back. Now most of the country has been scared witless into doing things they didn't want to do.
DeleteTo give you an example of what is happening, during the last lockdown I was checking into a shop and my sister, who I hadn't seen for months, came up behind me to check in also. Of course I asked how she was going, and we started talking. The next thing we know, two police are there asking us do we live in the same house and did we come in the same car. We were told the fine for 'congregating' was $1000 EACH! I was absolutely staggered. I managed to get out of it with calm reason. Our state premier had said on tv, '"if you see someone you know at the supermarket, don't talk to them, keep moving". I thought she had lost the plot and certainly didn't think this was the law!
The good news is that the police have stopped shooting people with rubber bullets at protests as the world got wind of it and it doesn't look good. This means protests are growing enormously with many whistle blowers speaking up. You are absolutely right, this will pass, it is just going to take some time. We have federal elections next year and I think this will help our cause. I know for sure that anyone in power now will be out next year. Considering the shameful lack of action on climate change by our current prime minister, this cannot come fast enough.
Aside from the 5 km restriction, we are allowed no visitors to our home, not even family. It is complete insanity. I have been refused medical care, as have others. We may both not be allowed to work soon, but we are in the very fortunate position to be debt-free and have plenty of food and medicinal plants in the garden. This allows us to say a loud NO to things we do not agree with.
With economic challenges ahead world-wide, I try to find solace in the thought that there will be a whole lot less shopping and travelling going on, and that can only be a good thing.
I am very shocked by the happenings in your country too. Please hang in there, as you say, it will certainly pass.
Madeleine
A few years back when I heard about this trend in Japan, I thought "Who knew I've been forest bathing for years" Now I'm limited in where I can go, but can bring up images of places I've been and forest bath in my mind.
ReplyDeleteVisualizing is effective, as are looking at trees out a window, or looking at pictures of trees. It seems our brains are notoriously easy to fool, but in this case it is a good thing we should take advantage of.
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