This past weekend, on a gorgeous sunny day with bluebird skies, we held our inaugural community Shinrin-Yoku walk at Memorial Park in Houston.

For 2 hours, we asked participants (adults and kids age 7-15) to take a break from the hustle and bustle of city life, from the rabbit hole of doom scrolling on their phones, and immerse themselves in the healing power of nature. Shinrin-Yoku, the Japanese practice of forest bathing, invites us to slow down, breathe in the fresh air, and connect with the natural world around us. It gives us the opportunity to cleanse away the layers of stress that keep us from enjoying simple pleasures and taking the time to rest, relax, restore, rejuvenate, and heal.

Goals we had for the walk:

-Focus on the big things and lose yourself in the vastness and wonder of the world around you

-Pay attention to the intricate details and beauty and awe of nature

-Be curious, savor the present moment, and experience it with all your senses

-Notice at least 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, 1 thing you can taste

What I saw and heard:

Laughter, play, exploration, acts of kindness, but most of all, connection and gratitude for being able to hold sacred space and time for ourselves and each other

Halfway through, I had everybody write down the things that they noticed with all their senses and at the end, we read them out loud. It was an extensive list from the colors of the leaves and tall blades of grass as they swayed to the music of the wind, the ripples in the pond of lily pads as the sunlight danced on its surface, to the textures of the ground — the soft grass, the rough gravel, the sturdy boardwalk, to the crisp cool wind and the warmth of the sunshine, to the earthy, woody, and herbal aromas of the plants and trees, to the sounds of bees buzzing, birds chirping, and people enjoying each other’s company.

But while most of us were focused on the physical things that we noticed with each of our senses, the youngest member of our troop, a sweet innocent 7yo boy, took it further. When asked about things he could feel, he simply wrote “LOVE” and when encouraged to elaborate on where and how he felt it, he said “in everything.”

Me, too, dear one. It was a perfect day filled with so much joy. Let’s do it again.