#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Lighting the Stove of the winter tent, Forest Bathing

Children who have fun in nature will become adults to care for and protect it. If we let our children play outside now, they will become the green architects of the future…
― Qing Li, Shinrin-Yoku: The Art and Science of Forest Bathing

Today we had the initiatory event in the winter tent. My day started with my usual swim. Then I ran to the grocery story for some necessities for tomorrow; and by noon we all met in the tent. It was chilly out, but my son had started the first fire in the stove, and he had set up his chairs and new table, his bench, and we all took our boots off in the entryway and put on the slippers Frank had ordered for us to wear in the tent. No boots to track in! The water has receded and we had no difficulty getting to or from the tent. We started our group process with the tent windows all unzipped, which was nice, but cool. We got blankets for our laps, and then when we all left to follow one of Landon’s prompts (go outside and notice what is in motion) by the time we returned he had zipped up the space and the fire was roaring. After you go out and experience your own response to the prompt, you return and there is a sharing around the circle from what everyone is noticing. I found motion in the surface of the river, the clouds revealing, in reflection, some lovely blue that finally appeared on a gray day in the sky above. We all felt a sense of reverence for the forest around us, and the circle of our presence. This is the beginning of many great experiences we will have in our winter tent, in all seasons, as we tip into the great creative expanse of the new year.