https://www.iowapublicradio.org/post/finding-health-and-happiness-through-forest-bathing#stream/0
Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, M.D., ANFT Medical Advisor and Certified Forest Therapy Guide, talks about her new book, “The Outdoor Adventurer’s Guide to Forest Bathing” and other forest bathing projects on Talk of Iowa.
www.facebook.com/513665655387110/posts/2750207611732892/
For my practice of mindfulness I completed the exercise of describing five things I observed when I went outside today.
The shimmering surface of a pool of water. The clear blue hue. Stained surfaces beneath the water, bleached, rough, and uneven.
Gray Oak leaves blowing in the wind. Bouncing off the ground. Waving along a wooden fence.
An empty hammock rocking slowly back and forth. Dozens of pine needles trapped in the white cloth webbing , dotted with dried leaves.
A black oil lamp hanging from a pole. Rust spots below an empty wick slot, on one side of the base a capless reservoir. Soiled surfaces along the frame and a dusty glass enclosure.
Six silver flutes strung with black string hanging from a stone stamped with “Welcome” in a bed of flowers. Alongside, two faded tear drop clappers twisted into a line of miniature Christmas lights.
Do you practice writing meditations? Does it help you with mindfulness? Does it benefit your writing?
My journey of personal observations which I have made over the years to apply Bible reading in my life.
Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.
Observation
The psalmist pledges to speak the things that honor God and to meditate on the things that Honor God.
Application my life
The words I speak need to be honest words that represent what I feel not what I think other people want to hear me say. Another way of saying this is that I should not be politically correct to get the approval of others when in fact I do not feel the same way as they do. That means that I refrain from saying things which I do not feel aligned with or that do not reflect my thinking. My words need to be what I believe, because they come from my heart. That represents my integrity. So in order for my words to be such that they are honoring to God my thoughts that lead to those words need to be right minded thoughts which God approves of. My meditation therefore needs to be about the things God says are good. And as an extension of that train of thought, I need to purpose to spend time in meditation, making certain that I am spending time focused on God’s priorities. I can set aside time for meditation and use scripture passages to meditate over. In this way I will know that the meditation of my heart is acceptable to God.
My prayer
I will set aside time daily to mediate on your word Lord. I want the meditation of my heart to be acceptable to you. I want the words of my mouth to be acceptable to you. I will focus on your word on a regualar basis. Amen
