Finding Grace at the Threshold of the Forest

"Into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul"

John Muir

We crossed thresholds every day, often without noticing; the door to our home, the entrance to a train station, the doors to a library. But some thresholds are different. They are not just physical; they are passages for the soul.

A Forest Therapy walk is not just a walk. It is a passage. And every passage begins at a threshold.

That threshold might be a charming gatehouse like the one that marks the entry into Crow Park Woods. It might be a bend in the path, a large moss-covered rock, or a simple stone wall. It is the line between the world of human noise and the world of woodland quiet. And just as we might say grace before a meal to slow down and express gratitude for the nourishment we are about to receive, pausing at this natural gateway allows us to offer thanks for the connection and the healing properties of the woods.

This is where the magic begins. A threshold is a place of transformation.

The moment we consciously choose to go:

• From thinking - to sensing

• From rushing - to patience

• From doing - to receiving

This isn't just symbolic. This is physiological. By taking slow, deep breaths at this gateway, we signal to our nervous system that we are in a safe environment. We begin to shift from the frantic "fight or flight" state of mind into calm, restorative parasympathetic mode. It is the moment we feel, in our bones, "I have arrived."

As we walk deeper into the woods, we may find more subtle thresholds - a shaft of light through the canopy, a particular tree that calls to us, a small bridge over a stream.

Our only job is to notice. To stop. To let our gaze soften and listen without straining. To let the magic of that specific place wash over us. We are here to connect. To remember.

We remember that we are in a symbiotic dance with the trees. We breathe in what they breathe out. We breathe out what they breathe in. Can you smell it? The damp earth, the sweet rot of leaves, the resinous pines. This is the breath of the forest and it has been waiting for you. We are connected. We are all made of stardust, part of the same breathing, living, magical whole. We are not separate from nature. We are nature.

And when our path circles back to the beginning, we do not simply rush out. We pause once more at our threshold. We take a final, grounding breath. We give thanks, silently or aloud, for the sanctuary we were granted. We close the sacred space we opened, carrying its quiet with us, back into the world.

Your Woodland Apothecary Prescription:

This week, go into your woods, your park, or even your own back garden. Find a gateway - a spot that feels like an entrance. It could be a gate, an archway of branches, or a space between two trees.

1. Pause. Stand at your chosen threshold.

2. Breathe. Take one slow, deep breath in, and a long, slow exhale out.

3. Set an intention. Whisper a simple opening phrase like, "I am here to listen", or "Thank you for allowing me in."

4. Walk. Continue on your way, mindfully.

5. Return and Close. On your return, pause in the same spot. Take another deep breath. Notice how your body feels now, compared to when you entered. Your heart rate, your breath, the quiet in your mind - your nervous system will tell you when you've found your true threshold.

With endless gratitude for this shared path,

Diane

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