nature – Page 7 – SUNBEAM ACRES

Step-by-Step: Healing Through Forest Walking

September 24, 2024 pammunkholm

I shall take my tea with the birds, the trees and the bumbling bees. – Amelia Dashwood

If you’d like to sign up for a guided forest walk with me, head over to my contacts page and we can connect. Alternatively, if you would like to know everything you need for your own beginner forest walk, just keep reading.

A step- by- step guide in how to take charge of damaging inflammation in your body. How to forest walk…

Decide where you will go for your forest walk. You do not need to travel to an ancient forest in Japan. Any green space will do. The closer to a forest/ treed area, the better. If you are going alone, make sure someone knows where you will be and when to expect you back. Check the weather but make sure you still go on your forest walk in the rain or the snow. Just be careful not to walk into the path of oncoming tornadoes, etc. Use your best judgement.
Unplug. If you would like to carry a device for emergency purposes you can place your phone on airplane mode for the duration of the walk. Any technical devices will interfere with the feeling you are trying to generate. Some people are sensitive to the energy emitted by such devices and it is nice for the body to have a break. This is the perfect opportunity. Unplugging will help you focus on the task at hand.
Before you start your walk take a few deep breaths and picture letting go of all your worries and discomforts.
It seems like an odd step to put in any type of instructions but next you should- wander. Just be. See what feels right. Don’t have a definite plan but prepare to be elated as you experience it fully in the moment.
Engage your senses. Your five senses are powerful and help you connect and ground yourself to the here and now. Notice what you are seeing. What different textures can you feel? Notice the sounds close by and the ones farther away. You don’t have to put a name to things. Just notice them and let them fade. What scents do you notice? Many forest bathers will prepare a tea made from foraged plants from their walk to incorporate taste and to host a ceremony with the forest as the guest of honor. Be careful to only use safe and edible plants for your tea. If you are unsure, please skip this option.
You do not need to wander far into your area. Find a comfortable sit spot. A place where you can more fully engage your five senses and search out more. Our sixth sense, able to sense something outside the scope of the five senses, was made popular with the movie of the same name. Vestibular (balance). Proprioception (sensing your body in space). Bring your mind and body into the here and now with breathing as you sit. Notice clouds, wildlife, patterns, light changes. Enjoy it all!
At the end of your walk take time for reflection and gratitude. Reflect on what you took in. Recognize the gift of nature. Show your gratitude and appreciation for what the forest was willing to share with you.

While we are discussing what to do on a forest walk, let’s also take a moment to talk about what a forest bath is not. Here are some myth busters to clear up some of the misconceptions out there.

Myth buster #1: Forest bathing is NOT having a bath in the woods!!! It is immersing yourself and all your senses in the atmosphere of the forest. No immersing in water. And we will all remain fully clothed at all times!

Myth buster #2: Forest bathing is NOT going for a hike. It does not have to be far or arduous. Leave your hiking shoes at home.

Myth buster #3: Forest bathing guides are NOT witches. We are not trying to get you to join a cult or do anything nonsensical. We have optimized how to go into the forest for healing. Studies to prove its authenticity exist. My proof is in my own journey. I could not move forward. I was stuck in the same pain- filled cycle for years with no improvement. Now I can see my life changing for the better. While my condition is chronic and will never be healed, the symptoms and side effects are manageable when I use the benefits of forest bathing.

Myth buster #4: Forest bathing is NOT exclusively for the ‘outdoors’ type. All human beings will benefit from any time spent in nature. The more time, the better (an hour once a month is a good start). The more “green”, the better (any space you can get your feet on the earth counts, work towards finding secret forests in your area). Going with a guide will up- level your experience (but there are benefits to any and all attempts).

Myth buster #5: Forest bathing is NOT the same as formal therapy. I do not want to misrepresent what I am trained for in any way. Guides are not trained counsellors or therapists. I am not an expert in mental health diagnoses. We will not be working through past issues. We are staying in the present. My expertise as a guide is in dealing with normal, healthy human brains. Guides should view the forest as the therapists and themselves only as facilitators within the framework. Helping you to have your best possible life.

Here are some photos from my most recent forest walk.

The summer has been splendid, but it has lasted long enough. This morning, I viewed the falling leaves with cheerfulness. -A. A. Milne

Take care my friends. Enjoy stepping into fall on your next forest walks.

5 Rookie Mistakes to Avoid in Forest Bathing

September 17, 2024 pammunkholm

When it comes to chronic pain management there is no wrong way. Whatever way works for you is the right way.

My answer to chronic pain management is forest bathing.

How lovely the silence of growing things.

The forest has been my tutor in recent months and I have learned a few things since becoming a certified forest therapy guide. Below are my top five rookie mistakes to avoid in forest bathing:

Going in with a plan. We want to be safe and plan ahead for animals or insects in the area. If we are going alone we let someone know where we are going and when we plan to return. Those types of plans are best, safe practices. But what we don’t want to plan is the outcome of our forest walk. We go into our forest or urban forest space with an intention to come through with an improved physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance. There is no agenda and the forest is the guide.
Rushing. Each forest walk is an opportunity to slow down the pace of life. How can that be accomplished unless the pace of the walk is at the pace of the forest? I used to walk so fast around the grocery store my husband thought I was running away from him. He would chase me with the cart careening around corners. That is not the pace we want to set on our forest walk. It takes practice to slow down. On your next forest walk, slow down enough that you feel all the rushing drain out of you.
Long distance. While going for a longer walk is usually considered more beneficial for your overall health, in this case we want to regard less as more. This is not a cardio workout for length or speed. The length of the walk can vary based on needs and abilities. But for all those doing their own forest walks, instead of using your time to walk deeper and deeper into the forest, take time to find a sit spot. Stop and notice what is happening around you instead of trying to cover the maximum amount of ground.
Closed senses. A primary focus of forest walks is to recognize what is happening around you in the moment. The sound of a bird and the wind in the trees. The feel of a leaf or of your bare feet touching the ground. The smell of the trees and wildflowers. The shape of the clouds or how the grass dances in the wind. Close your eyes and recognize the feel of your body in this wide open space. Notice the temperature of the air and how it cools your skin while the sun warms it. Use your five senses and then some, to connect to your outer world.
Missing connection and engagement with the forest. Another solid aim of forest bathing is to connect with the forest. Engage your senses. Breathe it in. Can you internalize the feelings that are present? Can you bottle up this feeling and take it home? If you engage and connect with your surroundings, you are achieving another level of calm that you and the forest can embark on together. If you regularly take time to forest bathe you will find that calm easier to access and longer lasting. You really will be able to bottle it up and take it home with you like fireflies in a mason jar.

All of us are rookies in some way. What mistakes have you made on your forest walks? Any entertaining stories that anyone wants to share in the comments?

After 12 years of chronic pain you would think I would learn. I still make the rookie mistake of thinking I’m all better. The cycle is real. I start to feel good. I do too much because the to-do list has been getting longer and longer. The pain and exhaustion kick in. I remember my body is having technical difficulties. I step back and try to do less. I start to feel better. I think I’m all better. I do too much. And round and round we go.

As I hurried through a store today past a man with a cane I thought of how grateful I am to be able to be out and doing anything let alone hurrying about it. There was a time not long ago that pain and exhaustion kept me in a pile on my bed more often than not throughout the day. Getting dressed was monumental. Showering was out of the question. In the past I have felt the weight of those days pressing in on me. I felt real fear of being stuck in a pain cycle. Out of control. Now, instead, I try to enjoy what I am able to do now and always make an effort to protect and strengthen my body. But with this condition I will have to be vigilant. There is always the possibility of unmanaged pain around the corner.

How does one cope with this reality?

I am in my 40s and my boys are all finished their teenage years. I am in the time of looking back. Reflecting. I kept thinking this week of the time we were preparing for a snowboarding excursion. All three boys got their own snowboards for Christmas and we were going for our first family trip of the season. I looked ahead to see the weather was going to be pretty chilly. So I purchased long johns for the boys to wear under their gear, hoping that would make it a more enjoyable and less frosty experience.

Like most things, I waited till the last minute and we were all hurrying to prepare for our trip the next day. Everyone was grouchy and tired. There was yelling and frantic looking for everything. In the midst of the chaos I handed over the long johns for everyone to make sure they fit. I left to pack a bag in another room. When I returned to the kitchen to check sizing, I found my recently crabby boys doing their version of ballet. One of them had decided the long johns made them look like ballerinas. The rest followed suit. And the dance ensued. My brusque attitude melted away as I watched them plie, arabesque and attempt jetes around my kitchen.

Whether you are a chronic pain sufferer or if you support someone who is, joy can come from the most mundane things. When I am in a pain cycle that seems never ending it can be hard to find joy. I am trying to find joy in the long johns. The boys doing ballet in the kitchen. In the doing too much. Again. In the memories of days gone by. In the words that don’t come out right. Confound this brain fog! (last night I told my husband the mool looked coon. what!?! the moon looks cool *shakes fist*) Count it all as joy. Spending time in the forest can open you up to those feelings of acceptance and gratitude for what is.

If you’d like to avoid the rookie mistakes and get the most out of your forest walk, book with me and I can show you the way or if you have any questions reach out to me on my contact page. Take care my friends.

Top 10 Inappropriate Things to Say to Someone with Chronic Pain

September 10, 2024 pammunkholm

I have been doing research and reading on chronic pain as it relates to forest therapy. As I’ve done so I have come to the conclusion that I am not the only one to have struggled in the past with things people say that, while well meaning (in most cases) can come off as offensive to someone struggling to just get through a day.

So in honour of those who need support, not to be treated as a suggestion box, here is my top ten list of inappropriate things to say to a person with chronic pain.

#1 Oh ya I have _______ too.

For me it’s sore muscles. Other people get sore muscles too. I don’t want to take that away from anyone. Pain is pain. But when I’m talking about my muscles not doing what they need to do it is despite all of my effort over years. It is a different story than someone who has a sore back because they slept on it wrong or need to go to the chiropractor. There is an answer for the where and why of their pain. And hopefully a treatment option. If not, you are welcome to join team Don’t Tell Me You Have It Too. For those searching for the right way to converse, think of waking up everyday for the rest of your life in pain. Then enter the conversation with humility and grace instead of comparison and minimizing what we are going through.

#2 You’re too young to be dealing with ______

And yet here we are. So do you not believe me, or…? I agree. I am not the age of someone who should be struggling with physical technical difficulties. And yet this is the body I have and I have taken really good care of it. And it’s letting me down. Please support me by recognizing that it is happening despite the odds and help me find ways to endure and enjoy life.

#3 You don’t look sick.

While that seems like a good thing it can be really difficult to navigate a day while in pain and nobody knows. Picture going to the grocery store with a broken arm but there’s no cast on it. It looks fine. By all appearances one should be able to handle a trip to the store. And yet the pain you are experiencing is almost unbearable at times. I have had to sit in the middle of a store because my back was telling me it was done by tweaking and spasms. I’ve stood in a line up to get my prescription filled and almost thrown up in pain. A more empathic response to someone sharing their pain with you is to be curious. Ask supportive questions instead of making a statement of fact that is hard to handle on a day to day basis.

#4 Have you tried _______?

Yes. The answer is yes. Someone that has struggled with their health for any amount of time has tried that. If there is a reason they are not willing to try ______ it’s time to back off and listen. They know their body. They know their history. They know what a setback from trying a suggestion looks like. For a more enjoyable conversation for us both, let’s keep our suggestions to ourselves unless they are requested. Assume I am doing the very best I can and that I will be guided to what is right for me. The odd suggestion is acceptable as long as there will be no argument over whether I should try it or not. That is my call to make, end of story.

#5 I know someone who had that and they just had to _______ and now they’re better

I am super happy for them. Many autoimmune and nerve issues will affect people extraordinarily different. How it manifests in your distant relative that just had to drink a concoction everyday is not the same way it manifests in me. Nor will it be “fixed” in the same way. My condition is chronic. That means it will still be here tomorrow even if I drink Great Aunt Margaret’s concoction. If you think you know someone with the same thing don’t tell me how they got better and so can I. Listen to my struggle and empathize. Don’t try to manage my disease, that’s my job.

#6 You seemed fine yesterday.

And for that I am paying dearly today. The way my body works is that it will not give me any signals when I need to stop an activity. It will carry on and the next day I will wish I were dead. I am willing to make a sacrifice of paying dearly for the right things. I choose carefully. Time with my grandson. Time spent with friends. Time in nature. I never know what will push me over my limits but if it is for the right reason I am willing to sacrifice. To put aside my health for tomorrow so I can play today is important to me. Instead of questioning my story thank me for the time I am spending with you and appreciate that it might mean I am in bed for the day tomorrow.

#7 Must be nice to stay home and not work

Nope! Big hard nope on that one. Most people with chronic pain have a desire to be out in the world. Working on career or family. I am grateful my family raising is pretty well over. It would be terribly difficult to do this with little kids. I was just starting a career as a piano teacher with enough students to be almost full time when my body started giving out on me. Our lives were going the direction we had been planning and working for all of our married lives. And then it all came to a crashing halt. Plans had to change. Not in the direction we would have chosen. So while I am home and resting I am thinking of all the jobs I would have liked to try. And how much easier it would be to have a two income household instead of one. I feel guilty for the money that goes to my health and wellness. I think most chronic pain sufferers would agree that having the choice to work taken away is not fun in any way. Just avoid this one altogether.

#8 Why are you on so many medications? They are so bad for you!

It has been hell trying to find the correct meds and dosage without side effects that make them not worth it. I am also learning how the stress of being in pain takes its toll on a person physically and mentally. One cannot just grit their teeth and bear it without a cost. Medication is a very personal choice. It is a long and hard road to get what you need. It is hard to be on a controlled substance. I have been questioned about over medicating until the pharmacy realized it was a mistake on their end not mine. It is hard to be on the verge of running out and too tired and in too much pain to make the appointment, go to the appointment, and get the meds. Please don’t question my choice because you have not travelled the road I have travelled. I hope to not need medication someday. But today it is saving me. That means they are bad for you! But not for me.

#9 You’re still dealing with that?

Yes. I have been dealing with it for over a decade. If I get better I will be shouting it from the rooftops and you will know. Until then assume that my chronic condition is still being chronic-y. I have heard our brains want everything to be resolved. We want there to be an answer for everything. For all problems to conclude. But that is seldom the case. Recognize that when you are uncomfortable with me still being “sick”, it is your brain wanting things to resolve. I would like it to resolve even more than you. So being reminded that things are still wrong isn’t helpful. Instead ask me how things are progressing or if there have been any new developments. There are always changes, sometimes positive.

(and speaking of being positive) #10 Inappropriate thing to say to someone with chronic pain: Just stay positive

My life got to a very dark and negative place. If someone had approached me at that time and told me to stay positive I would have slugged them. I know that staying positive has it’s place in healing. Yet there is also healing in the struggle and in feeling all the feelings that come with it. There is a time for feeling hurt at being misunderstood and for feeling too tired to do this anymore. As long as you just visit that neighbourhood and don’t move in. Feel the negative parts. And then return to the light of hope. Hope for good days. Hope for understanding doctors and team members. Hope taking us to joy in this journey.

It can be really hard to be a support person or friend to someone who is struggling with chronic illness/ pain. You likely have your own list of phrases you don’t like to hear. I don’t expect everyone to walk on eggshells when it comes to talking to me. I fully expect to hear these in the future and I will do my best to recognize where you are coming from. But for those who know someone with chronic pain, maybe this will benefit you in some way. And if you are a chronic pain sufferer, maybe this puts into words why some phrases can be hurtful even when they are presented as showing concern.

This is anything but a comprehensive list. What would you add?

While my condition is chronic, the symptoms are suspended and alleviated in the forest. I can search into my body to know what it needs and how to respond to those needs. I can connect to the earth and it’s rich aromas and textures and melodies. I can let go of any of these phrases I may have heard recently because when I am in harmony with nature I feel more in harmony with myself. Head over to my contact page to book a forest therapy walk or if you have any questions for me.

Take care my friends.

Nature’s Role in Reducing Inflammation and Stress

September 3, 2024 pammunkholm

“Our bodies are remarkable self healing organisms when in a balanced state. It’s worth wondering if the forest should be our primary physician with our doctors in support roles to be called upon in the rare instances they are needed,” Amos Clifford says in his book, Your Guide to Forest Bathing: Experience the Healing Power of Nature.

This does not mean I think everyone should stop seeing their doctors and practitioners. There is a place for medicine. Especially if that is what your body requires for balance at this time. If you can get to a state of balance, maybe then your primary physician can be the forest. I love the idea.

Would you say your body is in a balanced state and able to perform its remarkable work of self healing? If so, count yourself blessed. Many people are not able to achieve this level of balance due to trauma, stress or illness.

I count myself among those who are struggling to achieve a balanced state despite great efforts. For years instead of looking for optimal health I was metaphorically rearranging the deck chairs on the titanic as it was sinking. Navigating medical systems and the incredible stress that can cause in and of itself can keep a chronic pain sufferer stuck in a never ending cycle of unsolved problems.

In modern life we have been bombarded with constant stimuli and stressors. This causes our prefrontal cortexes to get stuck in fight or flight. This is the center that controls the release of adrenaline. When in this mode we cannot enter rest and digest. Causing many of us to suffer from chronically high levels of cortisol in our bloodstream. INFLAMMATION.

Based on ideas presented in the book Earthing, written by Clint Ober, living disconnected from the earth can cause us to be vulnerable and more prone to physical dysfunction. We seem plagued by inflammation related disease and accelerated aging in this day of modern science and technology. Ober suggests our disconnection to the earth and the effects this is clearly having on our health can be compared to a lightbulb with a loose connection. It flickers. It shines weakly. Or it may not light up at all. Would you count yourself among those with flickering, weak, or absent health?

Amos Clifford also states, “When the forest has allowed its place within you it supports your body’s natural capacity for wellness and healing.”

So while our bodies have the ability to self heal, they can only do so when in a balanced state. Inflammation resists this balance. Inflammation must do its job and then subside. When chronic inflammation is present, cortisol enters the bloodstream on a regular basis exacerbating the inflammation.

My own experience with the health care industry has not been a pleasant one. Each frustrating appointment and physical setback had me arranging and rearranging those useless deck chairs as the overall health of my body was sinking.

While inflammation is the fire. There may also be present, smoke from the flames on your sinking vessel in the form of anxiety and depression. Is this another present form of inflammation for you? An emotional and mental one. More deck chairs to rearrange!

When you are overly stressed your body is making more of that beautiful hormone, cortisol. But when you are in the forest, your body releases less of this inflammation inducing hormone. This can start to help with health problems related to inflammation including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, heart disease and high blood pressure, as well as memory and concentration problems.

Not all stress is bad. And cortisol has it’s place and functions. Having the right level of cortisol can help to regulate your body’s stress response. ‘Stress’ is in the work and in the recovery process.

Did you ever stop to think how our bodies probably can’t differentiate between different stressors. It can’t see that’s relationship stress. That’s job stress. That’s gym stress. Our body just sees stress on the body. And each body has an ability to be able to function within a certain threshold. But when we cross that threshold, our body’s ability to recover is limited.

Our body needs time to recover. In every way. For each type of stress. If we are going back to the gym before we are recovered we’re actually getting weaker every time. Your body will reach its limit. If you go from stress to more stress you will become weaker with every step.

Researchers found cortisol decreased by 16% in those who went for a forest walk as compared to those who walked in a lab for the same amount of time. Do you need ways to decrease your cortisol? Join me on a forest walk. Head over to my contact page and send me a message to start the process.

The Association of Nature & Forest Therapy Guides & Programs has on its website this promise: Spending time in the forest can help with stress, which can cause all sorts of health problems.

Another book I have on the go right now is The Nature Fix by Florence Williams. She states that the recommended dose of nature we need as humans is at least 5 hours a month. These hours must be spent IN nature and not just passing through. Do need help getting your recommended dose?

While it is not on the DSM-5 (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) those who have heard of nature- deficit disorder agree there is a rising issue in our society and it maybe should be added. More on this in future posts.

The answer seems small and simple. Almost too easy to be true. Inflammation is hard on our bodies. Time spent in nature reduces inflammation. Spend more time in nature. There I’ve said it.

Lord Byron said, “There is pleasure in the pathless woods. There is rapture in the lonely shore. There is society where none intrudes. By the deep sea and music in its roar. I love not man the less, but nature more.”

Enjoy the small and simple things of life and find pleasure in nature that is hard to find anywhere in our modern lives. Step out into the world where ease and pleasure abound.

Take care my sweet friends.

Practicing Wise Spending: Strategies for Chronic Pain Sufferers

August 27, 2024 pammunkholm

Are you comfortable with how you spend your money? Are you happy with how you spend your time? Do you spend a healthy amount of energy on others? These are the questions I will be exploring today.

Before I go on I would like to add that often the support person of a chronic pain sufferer will be more able to care for themselves and consequently their loved one if they use these tips and tools as well. To this group, I see you, I appreciate you. Your emotional and mental pain is often sharp and silent since it is not the priority. I am thinking of someone in particular that I saw recently. I hope she knows how highly I think of her.

When you think of spending your time, money and energy I want you to picture each increment as a token. It is easy to visualize with money since this is literally the way we spend our cash. Each dollar is represented by a loonie (in Canada, don’t laugh, we know it’s ridiculous) and we get to choose how we spend each dollar. For the purpose of this blog post I want you to picture each increment of time of 15 minutes represented by one token. And to take this a step further let’s also add each increment of energy we expend as one token. How to measure the value of this token is going to be different for each person. We will discuss this later in the post.

First, money. We don’t need to take a lot of time here as this one is obvious to visualize. But let’s use it for the purpose of this illustration. You make money. You budget what will go where. It is difficult to come up with more in an emergency, hopefully you have savings to back you up. You plan ahead so you don’t get to the end of the pay cheque before you get to the end of a pay period. Finish reading the post for clarification, then come back to answer this question, What other comparisons do you see between spending our money and our time/ energy as though they could be represented by a physical token? Leave a message in the comments.

Now let’s look at how we spend our time. Do you plan your day, your week, your month, etc? Many of us use a rough outline. Often the same outline we have been using for a while. Then we adjust as the day goes. Not a bad way.

Does it help you plan your day at all to know there are so many tokens that you start the day with. Say you are someone that is able to get 8 hours of sleep. That leaves you with 64 tokens of 15 minute increments. Be reasonable with your tokens. If you plan for things to take 1 token and they take 4, that is a stressful 3 tokens! 64 tokens might sound like a lot but once you factor in an 8 hr work day, that takes 32 tokens and you only have 32 left!

Time and energy often go hand in hand but I want to take a look at our energy in terms of tokens. How many energy tokens do you start the day with? Someone with chronic pain often has less tokens. That’s just how it is.

Someone with chronic fatigue definitely has less time tokens at the start of day.

Many months ago I saw a TikTok that spoke to me. I looked for it to verify the details but I couldn’t find it. Based on what I can recall, in the video, a man sat with his bowl of cheerios. In attempting to eat the bowl of cheerios with a spoon the task was easy peasy. But, he asked, what if he had to eat the cheerios with a fork? Yes maybe you could but it would take longer and you wouldn’t get the milk.

If memory serves me right, he was trying to make the point that we do not all have the same utensils when we wake up in the morning to eat our cheerios. You could even end up with only a toothpick to eat your cheerios. You can still accomplish the task at hand but with great difficulty. Someone with chronic pain, especially silent and invisible chronic pain, will eat those cheerios. At great expense. And not a soul will know the cost. And then the question from the video that really stuck with me, Is it even worth the cost?

As a chronic pain sufferer I realize that I wake up with less time tokens because I need extra sleep and I also have less energy tokens despite that extra sleep. Many of my energy tokens are eaten up with pain management.

My energy tokens are worth a greater increment. Not because I’m special, let me give a couple of examples. When I shovel snow or go bowling, my vertebrae will twist out in a subluxation. That has been proven time and again. Any twisting motion will be too much for my loose ligaments and tendons to hold me together. I will undoubtedly twist too far or too many times and the vertebrae will get stuck out of place.

So when I spend an increment of my energy on that task or activity I will need to include in that expense the time it would take to recuperate, plus the time, cost and energy to visit physio to fix the problem, plus the time and energy to make up for the lost muscle strength while I could hardly move. That’s a tall order for a lousy game of bowling.

It’s also true, hopefully for each of us, that we have carved out of our lives the time for self care. In whatever form that may take. For you it may be a trip to the massage therapist while for me it may be grounding in my backyard. For all of us we can find self care in the forest. I saw this idea online that the best rest we can get is in the forest because it is For Rest. Add one R and a space to the word and the place (FOREST) becomes the means (FOR REST).

That cute little wanderer in the pose of a Big Foot sighting is my grandson

Chronic pain sufferers such as myself may feel a stab of guilt on a moment to moment basis that we have this time to rest and stabilize. Lay that guilt aside my friends and decide the type of rest that is right for you this week.

PHYSICAL REST- napping, deep breathing, and also going for a walk or stretching all provide a physical type of rest. Is your physical body crying out for these or others?

EMOTIONAL REST- journal, any self care that is meaningful and restful for you, talking to a friend. manage time with those that are expensive emotionally for you and seek support. Do you have anyone that is emotionally expensive in your life right now?

MENTAL REST- scheduling breaks throughout busy parts of your day, meditation. When and where do you get your mental reset?

SPIRITUAL REST- prayer, reading scripture, devotionals. This looks different for everyone and that is perfect!

SOCIAL REST- assess your relationships and spend your social time wisely, balance alone time and social time according to your needs. Are you being pulled into saying yes when you should say no?

CREATIVE REST- play an instrument, write a story, sing a song. What type of creative play strikes a chord in your heart?

SENSORY REST- digitally unplug, go ground outside in the grass, turn off your phone notifications, turn off the noise and distractions. What needs to be turned off or unplugged for you to get this type of rest?

Be careful how you spend your time and energy the way you are cognizant of spending your money. You have a limited amount of time and energy to spend every morning, the way you have limited finances to spend. Plan ahead. Budget wisely. It is (at least in my mind) impossible to come up with more energy in an emergency. When you hit a wall and then you get a flat tire and there is no cell service, what are your options? My lesson learned is to not run myself to the bottom of the tank, this way in an emergency I can rise to the challenge without trying to change a tire with only a toothpick for tools.

While there may not be an instant way to fill those reserve tanks there is a way to make more energy to fill up our reserve tanks. For even the most ill among us. How, you may ask? Time spent in forest therapy. It is healing and therapeutic in a way that nothing else could do for my pain. If you’d like to join me in the forest and see what it can do for you, head over to my contacts page to book a session.

It can be easy to put yourself in a category of less- than as a chronic pain sufferer. But this poem I read spoke to some of the feelings I have as I keep reaching and trying to get through another day. (Today was a hard one)

The poem is called Stretching, by Nancy Sorenson. No one promised this would be easy. Change is never easy but then, neither is reaching for a star. But, too much change at once makes the stretch marks gaping holes, through which the world can see my tears and even the hurt, sometimes. When I am done with this change, I wonder if I will be taller from all this stretching.

Now read it again and substitute the word ‘change’ with ‘chronic pain’.

Be gentle with yourself my fellow chronic pain sufferers. Be mindful with your time and energy tokens. They are precious. We cannot be expected to treat them the way non sufferers do. The forest is for rest. Especially for us. Use it often. Find the type of rest that speaks to you this week and include it in your schedule. Do not run your tank dry in case of emergency and spend time in the forest to boost those reserves.

Take care my friends.

Overcoming Obstacles: Life Lessons from Watching a 2-Year-Old

August 20, 2024 pammunkholm

My two year old grandson was happily playing in the yard. I was happily watching him. I love to see how his little mind works. And in this particular instance I got to see a bit of myself in him as he struggled.

He has a little cart that he pushes around. He was attempting to go around the patio table. In his way were the bags of bottles that I should have been returning to the depot instead of watching him play. It is so much easier to ignore the chores as ‘the grandma’ than it was as ‘the mom’.

At first he was frustrated but I sat back to see what he would figure out. He wandered away and then started moving the bags of recycling from one spot that was in his way to another spot that would be immediately next in his way. Of course his little 2yo brain couldn’t see this the way I could.

He was so calm and focused on the task at hand. I sat back to see how he would handle the upcoming challenge.

It was time. His little plan had been executed flawlessly. Now he was going back to attempt to push his cart through again. He was so happy. He got past where his path had previously been obstructed. Only to immediately be blocked. He saw his error. Panic ensued. His hands flew to his face and he stopped dead in his tracks. He looked at me with dismay in his eyes.

Of course I flew to his aid. We worked to put the bags in a better spot until the time Grandma stops playing and gets to the bottle depot. He grabbed his cart and around he went.

How often do we try something and when it doesn’t work the way we expect we panic and stop trying? I have been guilty of this useless response many a time. My little grandson is still figuring things out. I don’t judge him for his response. But I saw so much of myself in it that I have been thinking about it since.

I have a good idea. It doesn’t go as planned. I panic. I stop. I give up.

Good ideas are the way to start. Planning to watch it fall apart might also be the process going perfectly. It is over this period that you get to see what is working and what isn’t.

I applied this to my perceived progress as a human being. I am always trying to improve but when it doesn’t go as planned I often feel a surge of stress leaving me in a bundle of singed nerves. The improving is timely and correct. The not going as planned is timely and correct. The only thing going wrong that I have control over is that surge of stress. I can control the surge by controlling my thoughts around my circumstances.

Maybe this is how the sequence should go. Attempt one. Utter and abrupt failure. Thoughts. ‘Well that didn’t go well’. ‘Maybe I should adjust.’ Attempt two. Less abrupt but still utter failure. Thoughts. ‘I have learned how to avoid some of the pitfalls. What do I still have to learn?’ And so on. The wording may seem elementary but it gets me pointed in a different direction.

Dr Daniel Gilbert said, “Human beings are works in progress that mistakenly think they’re finished. The person you are right now is as transient, as fleeting and as temporary as all the people you’ve ever been.”

I am trying to remember in my moments of panic. When I realize I have done something wrong/ stupid/ careless, that this is part of the human experience. And it is passing and fleeting. And EVERYBODY gets things wrong at times. We are all disasters trying to look like we have it all together.

If you can see the humor in your error, even better! But all in good time, the subtle art of laughing at one’s self is taking it to the next level.

Some of your efforts are going to tank. And that, my dear friends, is actually things going perfectly. Make adjustments. Try again.

So much of my time growing up was spent worrying that I was doing things “wrong” and that someone might see. Much of my young adult life was spent hoping nobody would notice I had no idea how to be a mom. I have spent so much of my time in chronic pain thinking I must be doing it “wrong” because I’m not getting better. I can’t get to a plateau of healthy like everyone else.

I just kept feeling wrong!

Until I found healing in the forest. This, I know how to do intuitively.

“For beauty give me trees with the fir on” -Henry David Thorough

Being in the forest increases feelings of awe, wonder and gratitude. In the forest we can relax the overworked brain and just be. There is no wrong here. The only thing that has to be done is to take your next breath. And unwind. Soften. You can let go here, the forest has your back.

When things in life go awry, take a moment, and when you are ready, make the next plan, schedule the next attempt, put yourself back into the arena regardless of the possible flop.

And remember to have fun with it!

I absolutely agree with Sarah Ivens who says in her book Forest Therapy, “We need to be reminded of just how good puddle jumping and mud cake baking, tree climbing, squirrel chasing, blossom breathing, and forest foraging feel. Because nature really is the best medicine.”

Playing in the forest can prepare you to integrate play into your day. This can open your brain to overcoming the challenges you face. And when you see it as play, the challenge is more of a dare. I double dog dare you to spend time playing in nature this week. See if it helps your daily living.

If you need help finding ways to use the forest as your friend and guide, reach out to me on my contacts page.

The obstacles you face will always have an answer. It just might not be resolved at your first undertaking. Keep trying and take care out there.

Overcoming Chronic Dis-ease in Modern Life

August 13, 2024August 13, 2024 pammunkholm

I attended a family reunion this weekend. What a wonderful and terribly stressful event those are! It was lovely.

I looked around at my mom, her siblings and cousins and all their spouses. They are in or around their 70s. Many of them are starting to have symptoms of old age or chronic conditions. Their grandparents before them lived to ripe old ages of 98 and 94. Their parents lived to reasonably old ages. And they are dealing with chronic health issues in their 70s. And even more concerning is that their children are also starting to deal with different but serious health conditions in their 40s.

What is happening? I would like to see your thoughts. Feel free to comment.

Here is my theory. Our world has changed drastically in the last few generations. The food we put in our bodies is further from the earth and more processed. The information we receive is constant and confusing. The effort it takes to be physically active can be too demanding after an already full day and exercise is less of a priority. I have already mentioned the distance we have put between ourselves and the earth, the lack of grounding we experience. And stress. I feel we have been hoodwinked into thinking this modern life is so much better than days gone by.

My number one caution to those who have not yet started experiencing those effects of this world is to lower your stress level!!!

I suggest this to my family and friends in their 20s and 30s and they scoff. If only we could! No seriously, do everything you can to lower your stress levels. Every person can find something that works for them. It is not about pretending things are ok or getting rid of our children who are the cause of the stress. The answer is to find coping strategies that work for you.

Maybe that’s hiding in the bathroom and doing breathing exercises for 30 seconds every few hours. Maybe you have a monthly date with a massage therapist. Maybe you have a time of the week that is just yours and you can go for a walk in nature! The options are endless.

Don’t scoff and picture your life getting calmer when your children are older. I noticed something at this family reunion of 60-some people. Most of them from one set of (my generation’s) grandparents.

I had children when I was young. I was so busy with my three boys for what seemed an eternity, And then they grew up and I relaxed as I watched my siblings and cousins struggle with their babies and toddlers. And I laughed and laughed and laughed.

Now I see them sitting and relaxing with their young teens and young adults and I am running around after a grandchild. And I see my older cousins that are also at this stage who have had time to relax and watch and laugh and now they are running around helping with their grand littles too. It all goes around.

I see the changing of the guard. My generation is starting to care for the older generation in small and simple ways, It all goes around. There are times of hard and times of growth. I see the importance of it all.

How do we find a way to bring that stress level down in all stages of life? Maybe you can’t get it to base level when you are raising your babies. But you can likely bring it down from wherever it now resides.

I don’t have the answers but I do want to start the conversation. Is our generation the one to say, things need to change? How do they need to change? Do we adopt a Mediterranean lifestyle? It seems to work for them!

What can we adjust in our individual lives and as a community that will stop the progression of dis-ease that is happening to us and those we love? Dis-ease if you divide the word like so, is the hard truth. Many of us experience chronic physical, mental, emotional dis ease. We are never at ease. But constantly and drainingly the opposite. This can’t be the only way!

It might take something unheard of. Something that seems too hard. IMHO there are so many broken systems. Which ones need fixing so that our kids and grandkids don’t have it worse? Which ones are in your sphere of action? Will generations after be able to look back and see this moment when the tides shifted in their favour because of what we were willing to do. But what is it? What will shift us from dis- ease to a life- not one that is easy but one where you can be at ease while you deal with the vicissitudes of life.

In the book, The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing, author, Julia Plevin says, “As a society, Americans have reached the impacts of being disconnected from nature and are suffering as a result. Chronic illness including cancer, depression, anxiety, exhaustion, and ADD are widespread and on the rise, These issues affect adults and children alike.”

So what should we do about it? I am open to suggestion. One thing that resonates with me is to get back in touch with the earth and what she has to offer. In any way and every day that you can.

Dr Qing Lee, the world’s foremost expert in forest medicine, wrote in his book The Japanese Art and Science of Shinrin- Yoku: Forest Bathing, “Forest medicine is a new medical science that could let you know how to be more active. More relaxed. And healthier with reduced stress and reduced risk of life style related disease and cancer by visiting forests”.

I don’t think forests hold all the answers for how to live in this world. But I know that being in the forest clears out the cobwebs and I can focus again on the needs of my day. If you’d like to experience what forest bathing has to offer, head over to my contact page and let me know how I can help.

Take care of each other out there my sweet friends.

Summer Reflections: Letting Go and Embracing the Present

August 6, 2024 pammunkholm

Does anyone else feel like summer goes way too fast? I am loving walking everywhere with my grandson. We go to parks, and spray pads and pools. I love time with family from far away.

But it always ends. The days get shorter and the nights get cooler. Did I do everything I was supposed to do on summer days? Did I take full advantage? What if I missed something?

I hear a general consensus among my friends that there is a certain expectation with summer. You have to do all the summer bucket list things. And take pictures and post them (or it didn’t actually happen). You have to get a super nice tan. You have to spend time at the beach.

Camps. Boating. Family time. The list is infinite. But the weekends are finite. And they seem to disappear to things like weddings and reunions. Then a couple inevitably host bad weather. And that’s it. It’s over.

This year I am embracing all of it. Last year I made sure I had things to look forward to in the fall. But this year instead of a checklist I want to have more of a relationship with the changes of the seasons.

I want to use this summer to accomplish whatever is right and good for that day. I don’t want to mourn the loss of each Saturday. I don’t want to complain over what didn’t work out. I want to enjoy. To the fullest means possible. Because, why not?

We are connected to our earth and when we are in right relationship with her we can solve mysteries that perplex our fellowmen. The peace we can access. Our centered, balanced state. I see the change of the seasons as an example of how to be in right relationship.

Sunny summer days are magnificent. Cozy fall evenings are restful. Snowy winter days are dazzling. And hopeful spring mornings are reassuring that the brilliant process will continue on. Right relationship leads me to enjoy and appreciate it all.

I have a story about wanting things to be a certain way. Maybe even a way others would agree is ‘right’. But timing and how we approach our day are greater indicators of hopefulness than continually striving to make it work the way we want.

I have three sons. They all played soccer. We spent so many hours cheering at the sidelines of a soccer field. So. Many. Hours.

Photo by u041cu0430u0440u0438u043du0430 u0428u0438u0448u043au0438u043du0430 on Pexels.com
(not my boys)

One evening we sat in our camping chairs, half asleep and less than half paying attention to the game as we chatted with other parents. Our relaxation was suddenly obliterated when with looks of wonder and alarming amazement we saw our son. Our not super athletic son being put in goal.

Mind you this was still small potatoes and it didn’t really matter whether they won or lost but my mama heart wanted to go save him. He looked so small with his great big goalie gloves and that massive net behind.

I prayed for our forwards and our defense. And against their team. Just keep him from being embarrassed. My prayers were working. For minutes now he hadn’t had to do anything. Dang this mama can make miracles happen.

Actually it had been so long since he’d had to do anything that he noticed the goalie shirt he’d had thrown on him in his rush to get on the field, was backwards.

Not a big deal. Except. No. He wouldn’t. Noooo. He would. He did.

He left on his massive goalie gloves and started to turn his shirt around. Luckily play was still at the other end of the field. As the rest of the parents’ eyes were aimed at the other team’s net and they laughingly and happily cheered for their kids, my eyes were fixed with incredulity and twitching with great anticipation as my son, currently in goal, was changing his shirt.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto on Pexels.com (not me)

As only a good story could go, the play changed direction and was fast approaching my son who now had the shirt the correct direction but regrettably, no better off due to the fact that it was inside out and currently stuck over his head.

At this point my sweet boy noticeably jumped. For although the shirt was over his whole face he must have been able to sense some of what was about to happen.

The rest of the crowd joined me in looking towards the goal that my son was covering. Some quietly snickered. Some tried to shout helpful suggestions, “Just take the shirt off!” “Not that way, it’s twisted!” “Why are you doing that?” someone pleadingly shrieked (that last one was me). All this happened within seconds as the play was coming upon my dear boy.

And then a breakaway. To my awe and amazement, my not-so-sporty son proceeded to make a save. With a shirt completely covering his face. And then another save. And another. Inevitably he was scored upon.

In all my hours of sitting on the sidelines that was my absolute favourite moment of all time.

But not HIS favourite memory, although he can now see the humour in it.

If he had chosen to keep the shirt as it was, it wouldn’t have been perfect but it would have kept him from getting a shirt stuck over his face while he was in goal. With the possibility of the game changing in his direction.

Is there something in your life that currently seems wrong, that you are being tempted to fixate on, when that is not the goal for this season of your life? Are you hanging on to the way it ‘should have been’? Let go.

Allow the goalie shirt to stay backwards for a time.

You can go ahead and pull it off and hope for a quick change that goes smoothly and is accomplished in good time. But what if you are supposed to be watching the play? What if you are the one to save something? Or someone? What if you need to pay attention to what is in front of you and not what you are wearing?

My hope is that these questions will strike each of you in a spectrum of rays depending on your season and your energy level. Your energy level does not define you, but you do need to pay attention to it.

Enjoy summer days. Doing all the things or none of them. Enjoying all the people or sticking to yourself. Let the expectations stay with whomever created them. Just BE in summer and allow the effects of nature to be stored in you like wells of water that you can draw from in the winter months.

Join me in a forest walk to enhance the treasures you can find in nature. Head over to my contact page to reach out and to book. Take care sweet friends.

Immerse in Forest Therapy: A Slow-Paced Journey for Healing and Rejuvenation

July 30, 2024 pammunkholm

A forest therapy walk should never have a set plan or direction. It is like improv or playtime. The pace should be slow and the distance covered is not the name of the game. Nor is physical fitness. As the picture states, allow your soul to lead the way, Don’t rush. Give yourself space and time. At least a couple of hours to fully immerse in the experience.

Turn off your music. If you are able, put your phone on airplane mode to cut down on distractions. This is your time to be quiet and to begin to notice the world around you. Call attention to the experience of your body. Quiet the talk in your head by turning up the volume on what your soul is saying.

Awaken your senses. Smell the grasses. See the clouds and their motion. Lightly caress the sides of a leaf. Listen for the wind and the sounds it produces. Taste a berry! And what about your other senses. I just learned about proprioception. If you close your eyes and move your arm, you can still sense where it is in space. What do you sense in the world around you when you close your eyes? .

Next find a spot to sit and be still. Remove your shoes and socks. Get your feet into the earth. Take this time to consider how you are realigning to the natural world. We are re wilding ourselves from the inside out and the outside in. Listen. Not with your ears, but intuitively. What is your purpose? The earth is calling out to you. What is it saying? Get in touch with wonder. With healing. Our bodies are capable of rejuvenation. But to do so they must be in a balanced state. What will bring you to a balanced state?

Consider this space sacred. The rocks. The trees. The leaves. Even the bugs. The corresponding colour of the heart chakra is green. This is a space where your heart can feel calm enough to open more. Notice and encourage this opening. Find there a portal into true understanding and love for one another. And that truly is sacred.

Did you know the sounds that put people most at ease can all be found in the forest? Birdsong. Trees moving in the breeze. And water running in natural streams. The pace of our modern world and the associated stressors and triggers require a space for quiet and peace. Many people go through life with flickering or weak health. The daily pain we experience that is not a concern to doctors. So much of this can be resolved with a weekly or even monthly appointment with yourself in the forest. If you struggle to make the plans and go yourself, reach out and we can book a one on one or group forest walk. Go to my contacts page to inquire about booking.

Reciprocity. How does this apply to the forest? Reciprocity can be defined as a mutual exchange of privileges. What privilege do you gain in time in the forest? What can you offer in return? Some people make tea and drink a bit then pour out the rest as an offering back to the forest. Others might offer a song or a poem. Notice what you are noticing in the woods and recognize that it is an offering from the earth. Everyone has something to offer in return. Just find what is right for you.

I am noticing… I am feeling… I am thinking… Finish these and other thoughts. Some thoughts come and go like a leaf on the stream. That’s ok. But grab hold of some of your thoughts and give them your attention to completely notice and think and feel. Your heart and mind will come to a deeper knowing.

Reach for the light on your journey. There is so much awaiting your arrival.

What did you find as you went down into the woods today?

Finding Harmony: Embracing Nature’s Influence in Life

July 23, 2024 pammunkholm

The clearest way into the universe is through a forest wilderness. – John Muir

As I was searching through topics to write about this week it hit me how very dismal our world can be. If you do a search of the hottest topics out there on social media right now you’ll see a lot of worry and despair.

I choose not to feed that part of me. Like many of you, I carefully choose my social media use and what I am digesting wisely.

Many of you have heard the Jim Rohn quote, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” I wondered if that applied to podcasts. Would you want to be the average of your top five podcasters? I love my podcast sisterhood. They don’t know me but we are the best of friends.

Do you listen to podcasts/ read books or blogs/ fill in the blank with people you want to become the average of? When you think of your highest self, do the people you join forces with in person or online, line up with that version of yourself?

I went through my podcast subscriptions the other day and purged the ones I either don’t listen to or are a waste of my time. That’s not to say you should never have time wasters. There is a time and place for time wasters. All I’m suggesting is to choose wisely and revisit your choices often.

What about nature? Does it count as a friend you want to spend time with? Can you become more nature- like?

Nature is loyal in its cycle of seasons. I am learning to trust the times and seasons of my life. There are times I will have more energy but during these summer days it is important for me to rest and refresh my soul. I had days of running after littles and managing a household of chaos. This is my rest phase.

Nature has its own rhythm and dance. It is never in a hurry or behind schedule. Sometimes it roars like a lion only to fade into effulgent beauty and stillness. Other times the breeze whispers so softly you need an afternoon of stillness to hear what the steps are. I want to find this cadence for my life. This beauty and stillness, yet force of …nature. Like a wildflower who has sprung when and where nobody would ever have expected one to survive. My roots run deep and give me strength to survive any storm.

Nature recognizes sometimes ashes need to come before beauty. I always want to jump to the good parts. The happy endings. I want the happily ever afters. But I forget that sometimes we need to get to the root of the problem before beauty can emerge. When we jump to the good parts we miss the growth that happens in between.

Nature feeds us. In so many ways. From the grain, fruits and vegetables grown that literally feed us, to the energy we can harness from natural resources, the world’s offerings are tremendous. How do I feed others? Are my offerings of time and attention feeding others or just making me feel good about myself?

These are the thoughts on my heart and mind this summer evening. Let nature’s loyalty help you find comfort. Allow her rhythm and dance to excite and lull you depending on what you need in the moment. Acquiesce to her demand to burn and then watch spellbound for the beauty to emerge. Grant her desire to feed you. Physically. Spiritually. Energetically. Nature has so much to offer. Adopt the practices that will invite her to impact you.

Head over to my contact page today to book a forest therapy walk with me for the greatest impact.

Take care friends.