Amidst quarantine (and an evolving spiritual emergence process that currently has me spending up to 3 hrs a day in meditation) I’m finding myself insatiably drawn to the woods.
Are you?
I grew up along the water, on Long Island and lived in a heavily wooded area for much of that upbringing.
So nature’s always been part of my world.
But in these highly strange times, personally and collectively, it’s like I can’t NOT be out there as much as possible.
The green, blue and white has a hold on me!
Feeding me, nourishing my heart, mind, body and soul like never before.
Did you know that blood pressure goes down after just 20 minutes in nature?
And the longer we spend amongst the trees, near water especially, and the more we ground down in the earth barefoot, the harder it is to remain anxious.
In Japan, “Forest Therapy’ is actually a thing. Like, a third party-covered therapy and everything.
For its extraordinary benefits to people struggling with depression and anxiety.
(Methinks they’re onto something).
speaking of the extraordinary…
Today, I actually had quite an experience while walking the trail.
While strolling along, praying, expressing gratitude mentally, and taking it all in, something compelled me to STOP, right where I was.
Not slow down, as we’re often compelled to do, but stop.
all of nature around me suddenly began visually, rhythmically, breathing in and out, pulsating— as if a heroic dose (of the fun kind) of mushrooms I didn’t take started kicked in.
(It was 11:30am on a random Tuesday. I was stone cold sober, unless you count two cups of coffee).
So what was happening?
I can’t say for sure, but I believe I was a sort of mild spiritual “peak experience.”
Communing with the elements!
there was a perceptual shift at play, no doubt. But make no mistake: an intelligence that compelled me to stop at that moment.
What I take from it is this: it was a confirmation that I was right where I needed to be.
in other words, despite all the uncertainly, all the chaos in the world. At THAT VERY MOMENT… all was well.
And Nature (GOD) desired to let me know.
Speaking of the extraordinary…
As you may or may not know, I’ve been helping people the world over process encounters with the extraordinary for years now.
Even before I basically burned out out on traditional therapy and went ‘off the rails’ (i.e. outside the box).
Be it a near-death experience, out of body experience, kundalini awakening, psychic opening, an After death communication, an encounter with non-human intelligences, a personal numinous experience, or some otherwise potentially spiritually transformative experience (STE), however idiosyncratically felt or experienced…
I can help you unpack, explore, find meaning, and integrate it.
(Nothing, and I mean nothing, is too out there).
See my Support for Extraordinary Experience page for details.
SINCE BEFORE, DURING and after COVID-19, I’m DOING this remotely, via Secure VIDEO.
SO whether you’re in greater Nashville and looking for a spiritually-COMPETENT Nashville therapist, or you’re ANYWHERE else in the world, we can work together.
(as long as we can work out the time zone differences!)
I Look forward to see you “Outside The Box.”
Godspeed.
Chris