Monday, May 30, 2016

Shinrin-Yoku


photo created for me by TUG, 

I walk under soft, dark greenness.
Peace falls on me like rain,
The fiddlehead fern of my being
slows,
softens,
opens,
gently unfurls.

I breathe in cedar,
moss,
fungi,
spores
that my Inner Old One
remembers
from centuries past.

Shapeshifters
dance
among the trees, unseen,
but felt,
perhaps in the dust motes swirling
in patches of golden sunlight
filtered through ancient cedar.

Somewhere,
an owl utters
a sleepy "who-hoo?"
Somewhere, a black wolf
watches
through the veil,
his eyes speaking
the language without words.
I feel them
in my soul.


*Shinrin-Yoku is the Japanese practice of forest bathing


14 comments:

  1. Oh to be a fiddlehead fern with such sight and hearing! These images uncurl me and relax me like a bubble bath.

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  2. it is this type of transcendental feeling that sustains my feeling that all will be well in my passing to the next journey. until then, oh spirit of yonder pass, continue to whisper in ear, in my soul !

    gracias, mi amiga for this wonderful reminder

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  3. Oh, I think I need to do some of that :-). Beautiful words my dear. My blog has moved to this place (https://beehalton.com/)

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  4. Wow,Sherry, this poem and that photo that Tug created for you take my breath away. Really they both complement each other beautifully.

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  5. I find this so magic, with the shapeshifters, ghosts, that usually never comfort us, but I feel you have come to peace with them.

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  6. This was exquisite! This took me right there. I loved it.

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  7. Sheer bliss. Thanks for sharing these forest moments Sherry.
    I am happy you dropped by blog today

    Much love...

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  8. I like the idea of having an inner ancient.. so many people speak of having an inner young person, but I would prefer the wisdom of the Old One.

    I have added your book Blue Sky Moments to the Toads Bookshelf. I'm sorry I hadn't done it sooner.

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  9. So sweet! So soft but strong. Thanks for your kind emails--I'm getting there with the book- just so busy with life and work. k.

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  10. Filled with such richness, Sherry...one must breathe it in and drink it in...

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  11. The wolf remains, watches, guides. Love never leaves. It comforts, gives us moments of connection. This is such a spiritual piece for me. I feel the howl.

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  12. Forest bathing sounds just wonderful! Now I know what it's like through your piece. The picture with it is so beautiful and heartfelt.

    I actually prefer forests to beaches Sherry and think you are the lucky one!

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  13. Your soul is depthless here - filled with nature, its sounds & visions offer us such peace and fulfillment. Another magical poem - thanks for sharing.

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Thank you so much for visiting. I appreciate it and will return your visit soon.