Green Breathing

Getting back to nature with Green Breathing

I wrote this originally in May 2015 and thought it had a place here on the new website. so voila!

Green breathing is so simple and so pleasant. Its consciously breathing with a plant / shrub / flowers etc ……. breathing in the oxygen that it emits whilst breathing back to the plant the carbon monoxide that it needs….

I came across this on Bailey flower essences blog and decided to give it a go…..

In my garden I have an old concrete formed chair tucked in between the pieris bush and a bench full of pots with tulips, pansies and other winter flowering bulbs that are still going strong…..

I nestled myself in…… the pieris bush cascading over my shoulder ……. I turned my head to face into the bush and took three long slow breaths in and out……. with every intention of sharing the air…. both in – the oxygen in its purity directly from the plant and gently blowing out to give back to the plant.

I then just allowed my breath to find its own natural rhythm, trusting and knowing that this would also be in the correct timing for the nature around me.

And then I just sat, peacefully in silence……

The bird song began to get louder and louder by the minute as I naturally tuned into my surroundings….

I watched a blackbird taking a bath in the birdbath…… noticing each droplet of water shining in the evening light and hearing the water lap on the side of the bowl….. He got out several times to shake his wings and then got back in again to enjoy some more…….

I became aware that the tension in my body seemed to be just melting away from me……bliss……

My feet firmly on the ground feeling the energies of the earth pulling them down to be as one……

It felt like my own energetic roots were seeping down, deep down into the earth to feed on the natural and vital nutrients that they needed.

Greenbreathing is consciously breathing as one with nature……..

I stayed like that for just over half an hour……. it felt like 5 minutes – it felt absolutely wonderful.

Before finishing my time, I took the opportunity to check in with myself…… how did I feel? What else could I do for myself right now? (And followed with a quick body scan to gain any messages or notes of wisdom that may be available to me now…if I listened.)  Before finally refocusing on my breathing and sharing the air with the plants around me.

I felt relaxed, refreshed and at peace with myself.  I felt like I had really connected both with myself and with nature at the same time.

I enjoyed just giving myself time to just be….. and the support and revitalisation that nature had given me too.

My first experience of conscious green breathing, I say conscious green breathing as I am sure that I have done this many times before without realising.

AND….There will be many more.

Give it a try for yourself…… there’s nothing else needed other than you and the nature around you.

Or if you would like to try this in a group – get in touch with me and let me know.

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Today in August 2022, I have revisited this simple practice with the deeper knowledge and appreciation that now exists and wow - it is definitely something that I will be adding into my existing sit spot practice