But how often do you ever stop and really pay close attention to those patterns?
And do you know the names of the patterns?
These are the questions I was pondering as I was sketching in my nature journal recently.
And as I was researching and pondering patterns, I grew more and more fascinated.
Studying nature gives you a new appreciation for its marvels and intelligence.
Learning new details about nature really makes it come alive!
Want to join me in my nature appreciation? Grab your sketchbook.
Nature Patterns Journaling Practice
Before I started my journal page, I did some quick research on different patterns in nature. I gathered a list of shapes and patterns that occur naturally in the wild. Then, I came up with examples of these patterns and started to collect some specimens.
The examples that weren’t readily available, or journal-able (can’t paste a seashell in a sketchbook), I drew.
First, find some neat examples of patterns in nature to include in your spread.
Then, either include real-life examples or draw examples of the different shapes and patterns in your journal.
Otherwise, you can combine real-life examples and illustrations too, like I did.
Shapes and Patterns in Nature Scavenger Hunt
If you have kids, you can include them in this activity too. I put together a two-page pattern scavenger hunt that your children can hunt for [you’ll find the sheets on our Tear Sheets page too].
You can have them just check off the patterns as they find them or have your kids draw their examples in their journals too.
Here’s a brief description of all the nature patterns in the scavenger hunt:
Spiral: a line that curves in on itself. Examples: seashells, seahorse.
Concentric circles: a series of circles of varying sizes inside of circles, with a common center. Examples: water ripples, tree rings
Fractals: a pattern that repeats on a smaller and smaller scale. Examples: fern leaves, trees, snowflakes.
Lines of convergence: lines that all meet at the same point. Examples: pine needle bunches, plantain veins.
Tesselation: repeated shapes (often irregular) that cover a surface without gaps or overlap, like that of a mosaic. Examples: turtle shell, dry cracked earth.
Heart: you know the shape. Examples: wood sorrel, bleeding heart plant.
Honeycomb: a repeating pattern of hexagons. Examples: bee hive.
Waves: an undulating pattern of peaks and swells. Examples: ocean waves, sand dunes.
Meanders: a winding path. Examples: movement of a snake, riverways.
Strata: parallel layers of material. Examples: sedimentary rock, earth’s layers.
Obelisk: a tapering stone pillar. Examples: crystals, stalagmites.
Stripes: repeating bands of color. Examples: caterpillars, zebra fur.
Symmetry: a pattern that repeats itself on the opposite side of an axis, like a mirror reflection. Examples: butterfly wings, spiderweb, feather, leaf.
Cacao Ceremony and Forest Bathing fit together like the perfect united couple.
The cacao ceremony involves savoring and appreciating raw cacao in a certain way to experience its special effects (we’ll talk more about those shortly).
Those effects can enrich your forest bathing sessions far beyond your “normal” experience. It’s a really potent way to uplevel your practice.
You can get more life out of your time in the forest! (And I’m all about getting more life out of everything!)
And hey, cacao comes from a tree. How much more closely aligned with the forest can you get?
So, let’s get into the nitty gritty about cacao, how to perform a cacao ceremony, and how cacao fits with forest bathing.
Watch the video of the cacao ceremony
A little overview of cacao
What is cacao?
First of all, what we’re talking about here is raw ceremonial-grade cacao (pronounced cuck-cow), not hot cocoa (pronounced coh-coh). These two things fall on completely different ends of the spectrum.
Both come from the cacao tree, but cacao maintains its full original properties and fats while cocoa and chocolate are highly processed and refined, stripped of their full benefits.
Ok so, cacao comes from the beans inside cacao tree seed pods. The cacao beans undergo minimal processing to preserve the nutritional profile and nothing gets added in. Some companies lightly roast them, grind them, and shape the melted into discs while others mold them into large blocks.
Cocoa powder and chocolate, on the other hand, get heated to higher temperatures, stripped of their fats, and mixed with additives and preservatives to soften the flavor and increase shelf life.
Now, even deeper considerations go into “ceremonial grade” cacao, such as ethical sourcing and how the traditions are honored. While there isn’t an industry standard for “ceremonial grade,” you can certainly assess how well a company honors the process by reading about their processes.
If you go to the store and buy 100% cocoa powder or chocolate, you’re not getting the right thing. It’s not widely available. In fact, most of your standard grocery stores don’t carry raw cacao. You have to purchase it online or at a special health food store, and the cost should be higher to account for the judicious process behind making it.
When I was looking for ceremonial-grade cacao, I chose Firefly because of their superior standards and the heart behind their products. I also prefer my cacao in disc form. Here’s a referral link for a 5% discount. And while you’re there, check out the fabulous resources they have on their site.
The rich, dark fruit has an abundance of minerals like iron, potassium, magnesium, and flavanols which support brain and heart health. (If you think dark chocolate is good for you, you should compare how much better raw cacao is.)
One of the most notable benefits of cacao is its heart-opening effect. The compounds in cacao can increase blood flow up to 30%. Blood literally flows through your body better and makes you feel more expansive energy. You might feel what might be described as a “rush” like a caffeine high without the jittery effect.
Raw cacao can also have a mood-boosting effect, impacting serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. It promotes feelings of bliss without altering your perceptions like a drug (it’s not a drug!)
Not only that, but cacao has a fantastic fat, fiber, and protein profile.
How to Prepare Cacao
Once you get your cacao, and you’re ready to try it, you need to prepare it right to get the most out of it. The cacao I got came with a pamphlet about how to prepare it.
If your cacao comes in disc form, you’re ready to go. If it comes in block form, you need to shave or grate a portion of cacao from the block.
Measure out the proper portion of cacao discs or shaved cacao. A good place to start is with 0.5 oz cacao for a normal dose and 1.5 oz for a ceremonial dose. Use a kitchen scale to measure out the cacao.
Heat 1/2 C (thick) – 1 C (thinner) water or nut milk to the desired temperature (less than boiling) in the microwave or on the stove.
Combine the cacao with the water and blend.
Pour the cacao into your favorite mug. Appreciate the sound and texture of the pour (it’s like ASMR).
If you prefer your drink sweetened, stir in a natural sweetener like raw honey or maple syrup.
From there, you can experiment with spices, doses, and thicknesses until you find your soul match.
Now, before you take a drink, let’s talk about how to fully enjoy that rich cup of cacao.
Elements of Cacao Ceremony
The cacao ceremony is an opportunity to fully enjoy and feel the effects of cacao–as opposed to just slugging it down without a second thought or care.
I like to compare the cacao ceremony to a writer delineating their writing time from the rest of their day by lighting a candle. You can use the cacao ceremony to distinguish your forest bathing practice from everyday life. Cacao has a ritualistic quality to it because it’s a pretty special drink.
Now, you don’t have to make an entire ceremony out of this, but there is an opportunity for one here. Your religious beliefs may dictate that rituals can detract from your worship, if you’re not careful. Others, on the other hand, get even more eccentric with their rituals than this. So, I just want to talk about some foundational elements of the cacao ceremony, and you can make it your own from there.
Prayer
The first step of the cacao ceremony involves showing appreciation for this gift in some way, whether that’s through prayer or gratitude. Just take a few moments to say “thank you.”
Savor
Like with a wine tasting, this step involves experiencing your cacao with your senses. You might swirl the drink and take in all the qualities of the cacao, such as the color, thickness, and aroma.
First sip
The first sip is the most important. No sip tastes quite as potent or new as that first swallow. So, savor it. Take a slow, careful sip, with your eyes closed, and appreciate everything about the flavor. You might even think about how you might describe the flavor.
Appreciation
After your first sip, you want to keep savoring the drink. You don’t want to chug it or ignore it. You want to sip on it, appreciate it, and pay attention to the effect it has on your body. Let it play out through your piqued energy.
How to Incorporate Cacao Ceremony with Forest Bathing
You can integrate the ceremony into your sit spot or designate it as your “opening ceremony” for forest bathing. Then, continue on with your invitations and let the effect bring more life to your shinrin-yoku practice.
Traditionally, forest bathing culminates in a tea ceremony.
Now, it’s up to you whether you swap the tea ceremony for the cacao ceremony, incorporate both, or do neither. Make your practice your own.
I will say the heart-opening effect of cacao has a better fit at the beginning of your practice. It carries on through your session to make it more open and energetic. So, you can open with cacao and close with tea. I just wouldn’t close with cacao and miss out on the amazing benefits it provides for your practice.
I’m of the camp of belief that forest bathing should be nourishing and unhindered. Practice the way that makes you happy and works for you.
A word of caution: there are some contraindications to drinking cacao, particularly if you’re on antidepressants or blood thinners. Make sure to do your research and talk to your doctor if you have any questions concerns. I am not a healthcare professional or cacao expert, by any means, so nothing I say supersedes the advice of your doctor.
I want to hear from you:
Tell me about your experiences with cacao. Has this piqued your interest in the cacao ceremony? Do you plan on incorporating cacao ceremony into your forest bathing practice?
Sharpened intuition is a natural byproduct of forest bathing.
When you come into full awareness in a natural setting, you prime your intuition.
But intuition is a rather esoteric concept, isn’t it?
Let’s talk more about what intuition is, how to hone it, and ways forest bathing hones it.
Watch the video version here:
Definition of intuition
Here it is, straight from dictionary.com:
Intuition [in-too-ish-uhn] n.
A direct perception of truth, fact, etc., independent of any reasoning process
Immediate apprehension
A keen and quick insight
Intuition is the ability to understand something immediately without conscious reasoning. It’s an inner knowing without knowing why you know it.
Intuition might manifest as “a gut feeling” or a “shift in energy.”
Your intuition may signal something like:
Someone’s watching you
You need to get out of here
A person gives you an eerie feeling
You feel compelled to connect with someone
There’s something more going on beneath the surface
Intuition is a mix of a little bit of this and a little bit of…
Awareness of your immediate and peripheral surroundings
Observation
Emotional intelligence
Instinct (versus rational thought)
Gut feeling
Esoteric yes, but we all have some understanding of how intuition works. And we all have it.
So, how does forest bathing play a role?
How forest bathing hones intuition
The factors that make forest bathing the perfect environment for intuition building include:
Stillness and quietness:
A relaxed quiet is the best environment to access intuition. You cannot hear your inner knowing over the noise of distractions, thoughts, media…the world. Shinrin-yoku puts you into that quiet, receptive state.
Awareness:
The mindfulness aspect of forest bathing puts you into a state of conscious awareness with all five+ senses. The more you build your conscious awareness, the more your unconscious can work.
What this means is, you might be sitting in the woods and suddenly feel someone else approaching. Your peripheral awareness may pick up a slight shadow or a tiny twig crack that your consciousness didn’t notice.
Natural setting:
Our ancestors primarily lived out of doors. All of our natural instincts, our capacity for intuition, were built upon our natural heritage in nature. Nature is what honed our intuition to where it’s at today. Intuition and nature are so inextricably linked, you can’t separate them.
Journaling:
Nature journaling gives you an opportunity to process your experiences and put them into words. If you just think through your experiences in nature, those thoughts never stick in your memory and tend to trail off. Thoughts are ephemeral. Journaling is concrete. Writing it down gives you practice in capturing your gut feelings. Processing and capturing those thoughts gives you better insight into your intuition.
But why should you care about intuition?
Benefits of Intuition
Intuition is a huge gift that we’ve been given naturally. Intuition is a wise guide that:
Helps you avoid trouble or unsafe situations
Provides relief knowing you can trust your gut to make the right decisions
Gives comfort knowing the right answers are inside you
Lets you know who you can trust and who you can’t
Our entire survival as a species has depended on intuition. Certainly it can make your life easier to navigate.
Other ways to hone intuition
Slow down and connect mind, body, and spirit: Any practice that gives full attention to your whole self makes your inner guide easier to hear. Practices like yoga, prayer, singing, etc, enhance your inherent guidance system.
Get into a natural environment: Like we talked about before, nature and intuition go hand-in-hand, so any way you can get into nature gets you in better touch with your natural instincts.
Get clear on your values: Write them down and review them, daily. The more focused you are on your values, the easier you’ll be able to recognize when something is “off.” Your values are your conscious guidance system while your intuition is your unconscious guidance system.
Practice: Practice using your intuition on small things, like small decisions. Which path to take at a fork, which meal to choose at the restaurant, which person to start a conversation with. Practice what your gut tells you, before you have a chance to rationalize. With practice, your intuition will get stronger and stronger and you’ll be able to hear it better.
Meditate: Any practice that gets you into stillness and awareness puts you into direct contact with your intuition.
Solitude and introspection: When you’re with other people, you’re often concerned with their needs, paying attention to verbal and nonverbal cues, and can feel inhibited. In solitude, you can be completely uninhibited. Uninhibited introspection provides space for intuition to show her beautiful crown.
Creativity: The creative mind and the intuitive mind are attached. The same unconscious mechanisms that spawn creativity promote intuition. Sometimes your intuition even comes through in your art. Play with your creative side, whether that’s painting, gardening, wood whittling, or origami to get in touch with your intuition.
Journaling: I have to mention it again, because I can’t recommend journaling enough. Stream-of-consciousness journaling is one way to really explore your thoughts, feelings, and emotions. It gives you insight into why you think the way you do. By decluttering your mind and getting more acquainted with your thoughts, you can start to decipher what intuition is telling you.
Listen to your body: You know how you can develop a craving for salty food when your body needs sodium? Well, the same force that tells you that your body needs a certain mineral tells you not to get into that car. Your “cravings” and your “gut feelings” are part of the same network, so when you practice one, you practice the other.
As you get more aligned with and aware of your intuition, it will get stronger. Like muscles, it takes practice and strengthening to grow. And as your intuition grows, it gives you more helpful guidance.
Well, that’s it for today. I hope this information has given you some epic insight into intuition and how to hone it.
I’d like to hear from you:
Have you noticed an improvement in your intuition since you’ve started forest bathing? What gifts has intuition given you?
Does the forest ever feel foreign or uninviting to you?
Or even just a little hesitant?
If you don’t feel completely comfortable in the forest, there is a way to make it feel more inviting.
With a little bit of effort, you can make the forest feel like home.
Wanna watch the video version instead?
Ways to feel at home in the forest
Have you ever moved into a house and it didn’t feel like home?
You live there, but it doesn’t feel “lived in.”
I felt that way in our first home. It took awhile for the sense of “home” to settle into my bones.
That’s exactly how the forest can feel if you’re not used to it.
It can feel off-putting or even scary at times. Hey, my own kids get scared of the forest after dusk, and way too many scary movies give the woods a hair-raising energy.
So, if you want to feel connected and drawn to the forest instead, this is for you.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways to make a house a home, that apply to the forest too.
Build familiarity
Your house starts to feel like home once you’ve been there awhile and you get used to its features. The repetition of driving there, of your morning routine, of moving around in the kitchen, of learning where all the creeks and cracks are helps you build that familiarity.
In the same way, you can build familiarity in the forest. All you have to do is visit the same areas numerous times and get to know the landscape. Try to memorize the pathways, the landmarks, and the fallen logs. Learn the nooks and crannies by heart.
I recommend finding a sit spot in each forest area you visit and pay attention to the details. Each time you come back, you learn more and the familiarity builds.
I also recommend trying to learn about the plants and animals that live there. Bring a field guide or a naturalist with you and learn to identify the trees, flowers, and tracks you see. The forest becomes a whole lot less foreign as you become friends with its inhabitants.
As you build that familiarity and get acquainted with a place, it starts to feel more welcoming. When you spend more time there and get to know your surroundings, you almost feel a sense of ownership over the place, and the hesitancy disappears.
2. Make memories there
A house becomes a home as you build memories there. Backyard barbecues, birthday parties, and exciting phone calls create a treasure trove of memories associated with a place. Nostalgic memories tend to make a place more endearing to you.
You leave your fingerprints on the walls, figuratively and literally.
In the same way, you can build memories in the forest too. Usually memories just happen. But you can make intentional memories by bringing your kids or people you love with you and sharing time with them.
If you’re alone, bring your invitations and journal. Invitations often prompt beautiful memories. And if you follow an invitation by journaling, you can process and record those memories in an even more poignant way. Use them to build your memory bank.
A place that holds fond memories is a place you’ll always be drawn to.
3. Bring your closest humans
Your home is the place where you spend the most time, usually with those closest to you. Your family shares the same space. The people you invite most there are your close friends and family into your space.
If you want to make the forest feel like home, bring the people that you love. Take your kids and partner with you. Bring your protector to make you feel safe. Enlist your friends. Share your love of nature and your favorite spaces with your loved ones. Like the song says, “home is wherever I’m with you.”
Where do you go when you feel sadness, frustration, anger, discomfort, sorrow? Usually you want to be home, in your room, maybe in your own bed. The place where you seek solace.
You can also find solace in the forest.
The wilderness has a gentle way of absorbing your tension and tears.
Your sit spot is the forest equivalent of your own room. Flee there when you need a moment of respite, when you need to cry it out. It welcomes you and softens your edges, like your bed. Home.
5. Take your meals there
Typically, home is a place where we take most of our meals. The traditional kitchen table is a gathering spot for food, loved ones, conversation, and connection. It’s the heart of a home.
If you want the forest to feel that way, take a few meals there. A forest picnic is a great way to build memories (#2), bring your loved ones (#3), and share a meal.
Meals represent nourishment and are infused with heritage, the epitome of the home.
6. Make it your own
A home is a place that should feel like “you.” You decorate the space according to your own taste and add personal touches. You probably bring things into your home that bring joy or resonate with you. You make the space your own.
Now, many wilderness areas are no-trace, and it’s important to respect that. But you can still make the forest your own without altering, marring, or destroying any part of it. For example, you can find a branch near your sit spot to hang your jacket or a divot to set your mug. You might bring a pretty sit spot seat cover or decorate it with a nature mandala with items already on the ground.
I hope these ideas help build your connection with nature. Over time, these techniques should help you build a sense of home in the forest so you can enjoy it like a precious part of your life.
I wanna hear from you. Have you always felt at home in the forest? Or did it take a little work?
Have you ever noticed how strongly nature factors into the Christian Bible?
Sparrows (Matthew 10:29-31)
Milk and honey (Deut. 6:2-3)
Rainbows (Genesis 9:12-13)
Mountains (Psalm 95:4-5)
Olive trees (Psalm 52:8)
Cypress, cedar, acacia, etc trees: (Isaiah 41:19)
Vines and branches (John 15:1-10)
Tree of life (Revelation 22:1-2)
Notice how many time Jesus himself retreated to remote mountains and gardens to spend time with His Father.
…and that just scratches the surface.
Nature is deeply embedded in every part of the Creation story.
Nature IS the Creation Story.
Creation is part of God’s living Word.
In fact, creation and God and Scripture are inextricably linked.
Nature helps us understand the Bible,
And the Bible gives us insight into God and His Creation.
Combining forest bathing with Scripture study improves both practices exponentially. Quiet time with Him in nature is such a powerful way to grow in your relationship with Him.
I encourage you to give it a try…
What Forest Bathing with Scripture looks like
I encourage you to grab your Bible and head out to your sit spot.
Start by closing your eyes and following your breath in and out.
Then, tune in to each one of your senses separately.
When you’re ready, invite God into your experience and draw your attention to His presence.
Next, open your Bible and read through whatever verses or chapters you feel called to. A good place to start might be the book of Song of Solomon. References to nature explode from the pages.
Notice how nature brings the words alive and how the words bring nature alive and how it all comes together to glorify God. How you can feel it more deeply than ever before.
Just spend as much time here as you like, soaking in the words, in the context, in the vibrancy and spending this time of richness with Christ.
I know some of my most poignant memories with God happened in nature, whether it was on a youth group retreat or while camping. There’s something about the God-breathed open air and quiet and room to think and pray that allows your relationship to flourish.
