Source: There is Magic in the Forest

Yup, science-based, fact-based magic can be found and experienced in any forest in the world. Anyone who has taken a walk in an autumn forest lately knows it can boost your mood. I love to write about the magic of the power of thought and I back it up with a bit of science to make it real. There are natural, magical forces at work in the forest that are amazing in their complexity if you take a closer look.

There is a certain slant of the sun this time of year that shoots through the leaves and turns them neon and just seeing that beauty begins the magical experience. By seeing that burst of beauty your body reacts by releasing chemical reaction of producing the GABA molecule in the brain. “The Anti-Anxiety Molecule” GABA is an inhibitory molecule that slows down the firing of neurons and creates a sense of calmness”, says Christopher Bergland in Psychology Today. 

Surrounding yourself with beauty can bolster your creative flow. Thoreau, Nietzsche and many other creative types have claimed that walking gives wings to the imagination. Last year, psychologists gave this empirical support. Walking, either on a treadmill or around Stanford’s leafy campus, bolstered divergent thinking: the free-roaming, idea-generating component of creative thought.

Once you have taken those first few steps and start to feel calmer, you take a deep breath and inhale scents of pine, birch, eucalyptus, grass, water etc. etc. Now, think about it – when you walk into a spa, what is that amazing scent that wafts over you and draws you into the magic? Yup, pine, birch, eucalyptus, water etc. As we walk through a forest the natural aromatherapy of the forest scents cause us to breathe more deeply, “triggering neurons in your brain which tell the body it is time to relax, a new study has found,” Sarah Knapton, Science editor of The Telegraph says. She goes on to explain:

“Researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of California have identified 175 brain cells which spy on the breath and alter the state of mind accordingly. For thousands of years, yoga students have been taught that controlling their breathing can bring a sense of calm, while it is a well-known truism that taking a few deep breaths can lower rage. But until now nobody knew why it worked. The neurons which link breathing to relaxation, attention, excitement and anxiety are located deep in the brainstem.”

After a few minutes of walking your heart rate begins to climb. Oh, the magic of cardio! We all know the benefits of raising our cardio levels but to put it in a nutshell scientifically, recent evidence points to a pleasurable and pain-killing firing of the endocannabinoid system: the psychoactive receptor of cannabis.

One fascinating study randomly assigned a group of 59 men and women to either an aerobics-focused program or a stretching and strength-training program. After 6 months, sophisticated brain scans using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) showed that the aerobically fit adults had significantly more activity in the frontal cortex of the brain, the region associated with executive function (planning and long-term memory storage), as well as the parietal cortex, the seat of spatial orientation — two areas often associated with age-related cognitive decline.

While cardio does increase blood flow to the brain, that’s not the whole reason for aerobics’ impressive effects. Instead, the researchers believe that many of the positive changes could be attributed to an increase in BDNF, the “Miracle-Gro” brain hormone. The brain that enjoys cardiovascular training, the researchers say, is “more efficient, plastic, and adaptive, which translates into better learning and performance.” Not too shabby for a daily walk in the woods.

On a typical walk through the forest, you may take music along, run into a friend and visit for a while, sharing a laugh or two and pull out a chocolate/vanilla health bar to share. Oh, the happiness chemicals are surging!!! According to studies from Readers Digest:

1. Listening to music you love triggers joy by unleashing feel-good brain chemicals. “The Bliss Molecule” Endocannabinoids are self-produced cannabis that work on the CB-1 and CB-2 receptors of the cannabinoid system.
2. Group exercise has some distinct advantages, according to a recent study. Not only will friends spur you on if you’re flagging, but the shared effort may give your endorphin levels an extra boost. Researchers in 2009 found that college crews who rowed in synchronization had an increased rush of these feel-good hormones compared with those who rowed alone.
3. Laughter is sometimes described as ‘inner jogging’. Research has shown that it can help to: • Lower blood pressure. • Reduce stress hormones. • Boost immune function by raising levels of infection-fighting cells. • Trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers. • Produce a general sense of wellbeing.
4. Chocolate-lovers will be delighted to hear that dark chocolate provides protection against heart attacks and strokes. Thanks to its high content of polyphenols and other antioxidants, dark chocolate reduces inflammation, lowers blood pressure, reduces ιbad᾿ LDL cholesterol, boosts ιgood᾿ HDL cholesterol and protects the health of your arteries. It also contains chemicals that prompt the release of endorphins! Add the benefits of vanilla, which helps reduce anxiety,  often associated with depression. According to a study at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, patients undergoing MRIs who breathed vanilla-scented air reported 63 percent less anxiety than those who breathed unscented air.

To me, the science of the functioning body is magical. Every second, the delicate dances of balance, growth and decay are performed with precision. A simple walk in a forest can ingite and excite so many bodily chemical reactions, it is boggling. It is a testament to how we are all connected in our delicate dance of life.

Another magical forest experience I took part in was the Oregon Family Forest Fest. Imagine the fun of having 130 young families with around 200 kids age 0-5 camping, playing, singing and dancing on a magical farm complete with moss-draped West Coast cedars and a babbling brook.

Off we went to the Leaping Lamb Farm for 3 days of a festival like no other. The weather was perfect and the babies slept… all good. 🙂 The Family Forest Fest is in its second year and was definitely not a disappointment! Entertainers, movies, speakers, giant bubbles and dress-up parades were some of the highlights.

Please check out Family Forest Fest info HERE  and visit The Leaping Lamb Farm HERE

Finally, I’d like to introduce you to a phenomenon in Korea, called “Salim yok” and “Shinrin-yoku” in Japan or “Forest Bathing”. The practice of forest bathing is proven to lower heart rate and blood pressure, reduce stress hormone production, boost the immune system, and improve overall feelings of well-being. Similar to Finnish traditions, doctors have recognized the numerous health-boosting effects of being in nature. In contemporary times, The Korean Forest Research Institute has found that chemicals from conifers (specifically Torreya Nucifera), phytoncides, are associated with positive health effects. Packaging and proliferating phytoncides in workplaces and elsewhere have been shown to increase productivity. In fact, out of workplace lunchtime has many people seeking forest to walks to rejuvenate themselves over that period.

So friends, I don’t know if it really is magic or science or just a beautiful thing, but what I do know is the forest does have a resonance and power to make us feel better, be younger, smile and be happy.

Take that walk soon and feel it.

Sources and more info:

8 Ways to Naturally Increase Endorphins

The Neurochemicals of Happiness

Deep Breathing Calms You down

How Physical Exercise Makes Your Brain Work Better

Beautiful Leaping Lamb Farm

Family Forest Fest

Forest Bathing

Finally, I invite you to check out a sneak preview of my new book about finding magic in the forest, “The Adventures of Presley and the Mighty, Noble Knights”  PresleyMK  

(CLICK on Presley MK)

Thanks for coming along on my journey through the woods. I always like to back up magic with a little science.

Cheers! xoxox

With a nod to International Women’s Day, I thought I’d explore the dichotomy of keeping inspired through despair. So many of us women try to be Wonderwoman and it’s only natural to be struck with setbacks of exhaustion, self-doubt and the reality of not being able to achieve all that we wish to. What happens, though, when negativity wins over inspiration? Depression can set in and if you are like me, it can become a looming entity hovering between you and your dreams.

There are many degrees of depression and I won’t even begin to profess to be an expert. They range from chemical imbalances to a critical inner voice and all are destructive. Whether you may experience being particularly hard on yourself to perform or are battling a losing war with a chemical imbalance, I thought I would reach out with a bit of wisdom wrought with love.

For the last while (I won’t admit to how long …) I have been “shoulding” myself to death. Instead of just getting on with all that I want to do, I heap way too much on my plate and then get overwhelmed by the mass of it. Procrastination reigns and I end the day again, feeling pissed at my inability to move forward.

So instead of whining to myself (and you) I thought I would search out some bad habit blasters and share them with you. Yes (busted!!) I am procrastinating again but by reaching out with these hopeful points, maybe I will feel like I accomplished something today.

1. Ok, first we have to love ourselves. I live to spread love out but find it very hard to accept love in.

Here is a great perspective on remembering what it takes to love yourself. Grab yourself a cup of tea and have a listen to A Tedx Talk by Gala Darling titled Radical Self Love.

2.We all try to be special in some way. As an inspiration to our gender, I want to share two very special women with you to make you smile and love what makes us women.

As many of you know, Maya Angelou spoke her truth throughout her whole life. Her dedication to Human Rights, starting with her life story, inspired the world to love her. One of my favourite quotes from Maya is, “You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don’t make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing so well that people can’t take their eyes off of you.”

Martha Graham was a pioneer of modern dance. Her passion for dancing wasn’t thwarted when she was told she was “Too old, too big and too ugly” to be a ballerina. She created a new expression of dance that at first repelled her audience. It was so different, so awkward that it’s authenticity made people uncomfortable. It didn’t take long for the passion for the art to shine through and convince the world to love a new, bold and raw form of dance that moved the audience to tears.

The two women above didn’t try to be Wonderwoman. They just lived authentically and made their purpose their passion. How easy is that? Very, because it’s hard to dampen down passion. Even if we have “down days” our passion is still there, waiting … quietly.

I guess we should go easy on ourselves. There I go “shoulding” again.

3. But, really, it’s so easy to be hard on ourselves when we could be just taking a deep breath and making a list! Let’s start “coulding ” ourselves!

Seriously, making a list helps when you are overwhelmed. If you are specific about your tasks, just the process of listing them is an accomplishment. You become more clear and focused and by just ticking off one thing, you break the cycle of frustration.

Check out Michael Pollock’s blog to help you get your goals back on track.

4. Look around. Life is good. One of my all-time favourite things to put life into perspective is DESIDERATA. Have a look and download!

5. Try going for a walk or meditating, or just having a bath. The time and place where you can spend some quiet time with yourself can be healing in many ways if you let it. As you take these few minutes, think of how you would describe yourself from the perspective of someone else. Really try to look at yourself from another’s eyes. You aren’t so bad, right?

This is a quote from Martha Graham: “There is a vitality, a life-force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost.”

If you are inspired by Gala, Maya and Martha that’s great! They have amazing perspective and I wish I could get all three in the same room. If, however, you still feel the grip of depression dragging you down, it’s no light matter. Have a look at Dr. Lisa Firestone’s  6 truths and 8 ways to fight it.

In closing, our dreams are the things that keep us going. As women, we multitask through our day and still feel we didn’t do enough. Let’s pat ourselves on the back instead of putting ourselves down. We are wonderful women – no need to be Wonderwoman!

Bonus: I ran out to do an errand before posting this and gave myself time to reflect on how personal this post is. I gave myself a moment to ask if I wanted to “spill”. I decided to leave it as is because that is what blogs are – personal. I was listening to the radio and heard a “Woman mash shout out” for Women’s Day and they played a tune from the past that always had me up and smiling. So, along with the walks, baths meditation or cup of tea I have suggested, get up and dance TO THIS!!

Happy International Women’s Day. xoxoxo