Adopt Shinrin-Yoku, Wash Away Your Daily Stress, and Awaken Your Muse — Daily Quote

There is something magical about walking in an autumn wood, and recently, I discovered there is a name for what I have been doing. They call it forest bathing, forest therapy, or Shinrin-Yoku in Japanese. It doesn’t involve actual “bathing,” it is more about “taking in the forest.” They say forest bathing has multiple benefits, including reducing stress, elevating mood, lowering blood pressure, and increasing feelings of connection. Apparently, some doctors are writing prescriptions to take walks, and groups are meeting for guided hikes.

I don’t know if any of those reports are true, but strolling among trees, inhaling the aromas of an herb garden, noticing developing rose hips, I feel the day’s pressures fade away. My focus extends beyond the range of my screen, and I breathe deeper. My steps lighten, and soon, I find I am kicking leaves and smiling like a fool. The best thing about trekking through the woods is, when I get home, the muse finds my fingers and the words flow.

How do you inspire your muse?

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Keep on writing.

Jo Hawk The Writer