There are times when being barefoot on the earth is my best choice. The need for a retreat from everyday duties and responsibilities calls and fortunately the woods are close by. The place is lush with Stair Step Moss, the river far below fills the air with the rush of its flowing. Tall trees stand watch, Cedars, Firs, Alder, Maples along with delicate Huckleberry bushes and Red Elder.

My mind slows down. Here I write a bit, sing a little – sometimes songs with new melodies appear in the inner concert hall, and I scramble to get them down on paper. Am I fearful they will never come to me again? “Go slow,” I tell myself, “Just be. Let the energy of time and place take hold.”

This time away is re-connection, allowing, and trust. It is drifting, and also the clearing away of old worn-out stories – working with the mind while allowing the body to deeply rest. Let’s just call it Forest Napping; My Let it Be practice for an hour or so.

When I can’t get away to the forest I visit that place in my inner vision – see the trees swaying overhead, smell the musky scent of mushroom and loam, touch the rough stone, taste the berries, and hear the heart of silence that beats there. This mental worship bridges the gaps and renews me for the next task that wants to be done.

In the wild there is a pulse that quickens the heart, and a depth that allows the inner voice to be fully heard. The mind rests, the body is at ease.

— Helen