Earlier this year, Cataraqui Conservation’s Senior Conservation Educator Stana Luxford Oddie travelled to Japan to immerse herself in the experience of Forest Bathing or Forest Therapy (known in Japanese as Shinrin-Yoku) in the place where the practice originated. A certified Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guide and Trainer for nearly a decade, she wrote about her experiences in a two-part series.
This third blog article focuses more specifically on nature mediation as a spiritual or healing practice and Luxford Oddie’s opportunity to gain first-hand knowledge and wisdom from a Buddhist monk during her time in Japan.
An Experience of Matcha, Meditation & Moss.
Pure Magic in Kyoto, Japan!
Sitting and Breaking in Silence Together
Sipping frothy Matcha
A crow calls from the garden
The stillness of Moss
Haiku by Stana Luxford Oddie
From the moment I started planning for my time in Japan I knew that I wanted to experience Zen Meditation guided by a Zen Master. I have had an interest in Buddhism since my early 20s then took a hiatus and rediscovered Buddhist teachings and philosophy in my early 40s through Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh’s Plum Village Tradition.
My online searches to find a Zen teacher in Kyoto kept leading me back to GetYourGuide.com and the company Travel Japan Together, TJT. I took the plunge and signed up for the 70-minute morning session alongside five other people to be guided in Zen Buddhism at a hidden temple in the heart of Kyoto.
What a delight it was to walk the streets of Kyoto in the glow of the early morning sun with the fresh spring air and silence all around. I had some butterflies of excitement as I had no idea what to expect and had been looking forward to this experience for a number of weeks.
Our friendly guide from TJT found us gathered at the meeting spot and escorted the six of us to the secluded temple where we took off our shoes and each found a cushion set up along the walls in the modest temple named Korinin. The windows and doors were open allowing the sunlight to filter through, along with the delicate smells of the surrounding moss garden.
We were quietly greeted with a warm smile by the honourable Zen Monk Koin. He proceeded to offer us a matcha tea ceremony. First, we each received a delicate sweet treat followed by a hand-whisked, delicious, frothy matcha that he prepared for each one of us. I can still taste the sweetness followed by the gentle matcha. He mindfully gathered our tiny plates and matcha bowls.
Honorable Monk Koin shared that one way of looking at our thoughts is that we can picture them like sand swirling around in a shaken clear bottle of water. When we take time to sit and concentrate on our breath, experiencing our thoughts and letting them pass, we can notice the thoughts start to settle like sand coming to rest on the bottom of the bottle.
He explained that we would now move into ‘zazen’ or sitting meditation for 10 minutes. We were invited to find a position of comfort with our legs crossed if possible, with three points of contact with our hands gently resting inside our lap, right hand being cradled by left and thumb tips touching each other, allowing ourselves to sit upright, but relaxed.
Monk Koin suggested we might concentrate on counting our in-and-out breaths up to ten. If we noticed ourselves getting carried away by our thoughts and forgetting our breath and our count, to gently return to one. One in breath and one out breath; two in breath and two out breath … “hmmm, that matcha was delicious, okay now back to one in breath and one out breath”.
I love having the opportunity to sit and breathe with others. There is something special about the shared energy of practice. The power of community especially joining together with people travelling from around the world with a shared interest in presence.
After our sitting meditation, we were invited to ask Monk Koin any questions. For me, I was grateful for the insight he offered to my question of how do I not take on other people’s energy - especially negative energy? I recall him sharing the essence of removing yourself from the situation, however when that is not possible to come back to your breath. That’s why having a regular, daily sitting practice (sit spot) is beneficial for challenging moments we encounter, because we have the practice of simply breathing and witnessing whatever is showing up.
Someone else rephrased my question to dig a little deeper into not taking on what other people dole out. Monk Koin shared we can look at what people offer to us is like a gift that we can choose to receive or not. I connected it for myself as if someone asks, “do you want salt and pepper on that?” It is not rude or disrespectful to decline whatever is being offered. So, instead of reacting when I encounter someone putting out negative energy is to take a pause to ask, “do I want to accept? Is this offering energy I want to take or say no thank you and move on?”
What has also come to me from this teaching is that I don’t need to receive and get taken away by what my own mind is offering me. I can just take a breath and see what story lines are showing up or what old habit energies are emerging and graciously offer myself a “no thank you, not today.” This has been helpful for me as I have strong habit energies of taking on other people’s stuff and wanting to make everyone happy and to please them.
What I loved was as we were preparing to visit the lovingly tended moss gardens, Monk Koin’s cell phone rang. What thoughts came up for me were: “Oh, he is human and a part of this world and even keeps a cell phone in his robe.” But what I noticed was how he moved, excused himself and answered the call. I knew I was in the presence of a seasoned practitioner. Also, at one point, he excused himself to go to the bathroom … we all have things that we take care of, even Zen masters!
It was magnificent to stroll and linger in the secluded moss garden. To be in such a special space without the throngs of tourists taking selfies amongst the cherry blossoms, but instead with a small mindful group of humans savouring the moment, before Monk Koin invited us to gather for any final questions and a kind farewell. I am grateful I sought out this opportunity, as well for the care and support the TJT staff provided me in partaking in it, and for their assistance in getting the details correct about my experience to share it in this way.
There is magic when we come together even for a short amount of time to share in presence. I am grateful that Monk Koin generously offers his time to teach others about Zen in Kyoto. I have taken these teachings home with me and apply them to my time in nature and my day to day.
A deep bow of gratitude.
One does not need to travel halfway around the world to find the perfect venue in which to practice meditation, mindfulness or experience spiritual uplift in nature. The Cataraqui Region is blessed with an abundance of vibrant natural environments where one can escape to revive, recharge and relax – including our own conservation areas. But you can also find your place of refuge, your ‘sit spot,’ your prescription for Vitamin N (nature) in your own backyard, at the cottage – anywhere where there’s fresh air to breathe, trees to hug, and the wistful sounds of birds chirping.
To delve even deeper into the benefits of an immersive Forest Therapy Walk, Luxford Oddie hosts both public and private walk experiences regularly, beginning in the fall. To learn more, please visit https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/about-forest-therapy and to register for an upcoming walk visit our event calendar https://cataraquiconservation.ca/pages/events.