I’m willing to bet it didn’t arrive while you were juggling emails, chasing deadlines, or knee-deep in spreadsheets. More likely, it surfaced in the shower, on a peaceful walk, or while daydreaming out the window. (In my husband’s case, it’s usually at 2am when inspiration trumps over sleep!)
The image, of calm control, can often belie the frantic paddling going on below the surface! How often do we try for the same image for ourselves, to be that swan? Our social media portrays happy, carefree and close to perfect lives, filled with joy. Visually, we put on a 'brave face' to all but a few. We portray ourselves at work as independent, capable people that can manage everything that comes our way. But really, how true is all of that?
In recent years, forest bathing or Shinrin-yoku, as it’s known in Japan, has moved from being a quiet wellness trend to a globally recognised practice. But many still wonder: Is there real science behind it? Or is it simply a poetic way to enjoy a walk in the woods?
In such a busy world, where we ask so much of ourselves and others, stillness has become a rare and rather radical, act of self-care. Between constant notifications and being always available, the hum of daily life and caring for others, we can find ourselves unmoored, anxious, or simply just... tired.
As the autumn equinox tips us gently into the darker half of the year, I find myself staring at my apple tree. Its boughs are heavily laden with fruit, so much so I have feared that those still juvenile branches may struggle, especially now the wind seems a little more restless! The whole tree leans over at a precarious angle making me feel guilty that I haven’t paid it enough attention through a difficult summer. At the same time, I marvel at this little tree – how it has produced these amazing apples through the heat and drought of the last few months, and how it still remains standing. Just as the light is now balanced, just so, between day and night, I wonder if perhaps my little apple tree is more balanced than I thought. The weather too is rebalancing – after all the sun, we are getting a lot of rain – perfect for fattening up those beautiful apples! The ground beneath is already dotted with fallen apples, some bruised, but others perfect in their imperfection.
