First published 21 December 2023

To hug or not to hug… a Tree that is…

(advance warning – there is a ‘challenge’ in bold near the end, so if you aren’t in the mood to read today, please do scroll to the challenge!)

As you will most likely know, I am a bit of a bookaholic!  One of the benefits of that is I can share with you snippets that I think might be useful and/or helpful to you.

My ‘business book club’ wrapped up the year with SuperBetter by Jane McGonigal.  It was a long one! Over 14 hours in it’s audio book format! (it might not surprise you that we have picked shorter books for 2024 🤣)

The book was filled with quests to help you get SuperBetter in 4 key areas – Physical, Mental, Emotional and Social.  As I work in all of these spaces with kinesiology you may find some of these quests popping up in our sessions – seems silly not to add them to the ‘homework’ menu – right?

OK, so back to the point of this weeks musings…. when was the last time you went outdoors purely for the sake of being outdoors?

Not to go to the shops or work or to pick some one up etc, but rather just to be outdoors?

As the days grow shorter (although with tomorrow being the shortest day of the year we will be moving back to longer days!) many of us have found ourselves retreating indoors. 

Seeking refuge from biting winds, a deluge of rain or frosty landscapes.  It’s the season for hibernation.  However, there are huge benefits in embracing the outdoors.

One of the quests in SuperBetter asks us to get inspired by “Tanuki-gakure”.

Depending on which source you believe, this concept is derived from Japanese Folklore and embodies the idea of finding shelter or hiding away in nature.  It encapsulates the joy of finding refuge and solace when you get there.  There is a comfort and tranquillity to be found – and if you are in Scotland, you don’t have to go all that far to find it, and there is the benefit that it will likely be beautiful to look at too – the landscape/scenery that is!

One definition states that Tanuki-gakure is the practice of climbing and tree and camouflaging oneself within the foliage.  But, I don’t think we need to go that far into Ninja training to get the benefits of the concept (unless you want to that is… who am I to judge? 😉).

As I pull myself back out of the google rabbit hole I found myself in, I love the concept of being an observer rather than an active participant.  To just be.

To breathe in the fresh air (boosting your immune system and clearing the mind).

To be exposed to natural light (helping regulate sleep patterns and boost mood)

To go for a walk  (I personally don’t recommend the hills but if that appeals to you, please do so safely!)

To leave the world behind – if you do need to take your phone with you, put it in your bag on silent if you can, so that it’s not easy to access!)

The quest in SuperBetter is pretty simple – to go and spend 5 minutes next to or under a tree.  The science behind this (from the book) is that trees emit airborne chemicals called phytoncides which help to protect the trees and have an interesting side effect on humans.  It boosts white blood cells that are essential to immune function and also lower the levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  I think that might just be worth 5 minutes near a tree – it’s your choice whether you choose to hug said tree or not 😉.

Although – as we are in Scotland – make sure to dress appropriately, a lot of enjoyment can be had outdoors, and as I am sure you have been told many times before – there is no such thing as bad weather only the wrong clothing!

So, what are you waiting for, wrap up warm and go find your nearest tree!

I’m challenging you, if you are up for it… when you do go out in nature, take a few seconds before you tuck your phone away and grab a photo.  And then share it on your choice of social media channels don’t forget to tag me in @hkInnerPathways – if I am not on your platform of choice do let me know and I’ll go investigate!

And for those of you celebrating over the next week, Happy Solstice for tomorrow and Merry Christmas for Monday.