The next instalment in our August Acceleration Series of skills, strategies and sovereignty brings you two different, but related, skills to ensure our 'swimming not sinking' strategy has a firm foundation. We have two really great videos for you. The first embraces the 3rd 'S' in the list — sovereignty — because it's so incredibly important and is really both the key and the lynch pin in this strategy to successfully navigate the currents we are being faced with. The second, is all about the wonderful smorgasbord of benefits from forest bathing, as Meleni Aldridge, our executive coordinator, talks with Gary Evans of The Forest Bathing Institute. We invite you to dive in and see for yourself how these skills relate and could become part of your strategy too.

The Sovereign Breath Practice 

By sovereignty, we mean the ability to stand in our true authenticity, recognising our individual authority and freedom. It is by stepping into our sovereignty and acting from that place every day that we are able to navigate the increasingly turbulent waters we face with more ease and grace, as well as conduct ourselves with more empathy and compassion.

Free, sovereign individuals are immune to control and coercion and naturally create a more peaceful, free, compassionate and humane world. But having had a lifetime of conditioning and programming driving us in the opposite direction than that of our own sovereignty, means that for many this concept may be hard to grasp and even harder to embody. That's why Meleni's created what she calls 'The Sovereign Breath Practice'. It's all here in this first video below, along with more explanation about the meaning of what it means to be sovereign. You don't need any special skills or any prior experience, you just need to be able to breathe!

Note: You will see an advertising banner beneath our videos that play off the Brighteon platform (when they are not maximised). This advertising helps support the Brighteon platform that doesn't charge subscribers for their content, is committed to free speech, yet is also respectful of copyright-related law. We'd like to clarify that no advertising revenue from Brighteon is received by the Alliance for Natural Health Intl.

>>> DOWLOAD the MP3 link for the breath practice element so you can save the audio file for easy access.

Your invitation to engage in a little or a lot of Shinrin Yoku…

Join Gary Evans and Meleni Aldridge as they bring the benefits of forest bathing to life

Nature’s therapy

For too many in our world, nature has become a distant and amorphous concept of continually lessening relevance as the draw of technology becomes ever more addictive. Our digital world is amazing, and we have much to be grateful for - making this communication possible for one. But it can also be a tool of separation, responsible for taking us away from ourselves, our communities and the nature around us. The result is catastrophic and we’re seeing the effects all around us. The benefits of spending time in nature are immeasurable because we are natural beings and nature allows us to connect with ourselves, and others, in a way that nothing else in life can replace.

It’s no wonder then that Forest Bathing (FB), known in Japan as Shinrin Yoku (which sounds so much more entrancing), has become so popular in recent years. And no, we’re not talking about taking a shower outdoors and yes, you do keep your clothes on!

Here, Gary Evans, co-founder and director of The Forest Bathing Institute, talks to Meleni Aldridge about the therapy Nature offers freely. Where guided sessions of forest bathing takes groups of people into nature - often wooded areas - to relax, connect and breathe away from the stress of everyday life — and digital tech.

>>> DOWLOAD the MP3 link for the interview with gary Evans so you can save the audio file for easy access.

Shinrin Yoku

Japan is credited as being the originator of Shinrin Yoku, ‘Forest Bathing’ to us, in the huge bamboo forests found there. The term quite literally means ‘taking in the forest atmosphere’. Although much of the research supporting its benefits comes from Japan, it’s far from new, as many cultures have recognised the importance of our relationship with nature. There is more and more research being conducted in the UK now too, for which Gary and his team are a driving force.

Bathing in nature

In its simplest form forest bathing is about being calm and quiet amongst the trees whilst you observe your surroundings and breathe deeply. It’s suitable for everyone, whatever your age or the season, as you take time to be in and connect with nature using all of your senses. Forest Bathing acts as a bridge between us and all that nature has to offer.

Previous research has shown that spending time in wooded areas results in significant improvements in our health and wellbeing. However, the Forest Bathing Institute was instrumental in the publication of the first UK-based peer reviewed study measuring the health benefits of forest bathing, which found that engaging in in a session has a host of benefits including improvements in mood, connection to nature, compassion and more environmental awareness. An improvement in heart rate variability was seen in 57% of participants, while 29% experienced a reduction in levels of anxiety. For those of us that love nature and spend as much time in it as we can, this won’t be a surprise to you.

The sounds of nature reduce pain and stress

A recent study found that even taking a walk outside and enjoying the sounds of nature is super good for your health (again, no surprise). The researchers found that the sound of water boosts positive emotions, while birdsong reduces stress levels. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study highlights the lack of recognition among mainstream medics of the benefits of being in nature.

Taking time to sit down quietly in nature, particularly wooded areas and tune into the sights and sounds of the environment around you, can bring as much benefit as meditation (scientifically demonstrated to work even when antidepressants don't). It's not just in our minds though - there's also the plant chemicals emitted by trees and other plants, some of which may be very beneficial to our health.

More information:

• Experiencing: For those in the UK, The Forest Bathing Institute (search similar organisations in your own country), offers guided Forest Bathing events to help you truly experience the wonders of nature and the healing it can bring
• Training: If you’re inspired to continue your Forest Bathing journey you could also consider becoming an FB guide.

At ANH-Intl we have long espoused the mantra “Love Nature, Live Naturally” and we spend as much time outdoors as we can. You could say we’re total nature junkies! Being outdoors not only helps our mental health it can also reduce inflammation in the body. We love Nature so much, we didn’t just buy the T-shirt - we designed it so you can also buy it!

Visit our shop to find lots more ANH Merch!

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