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You may have heard by now of the Japanese term, shinrin-yoku, which translates as forest bathing –– a restorative treatment for depression that is said to elevate our immune response. But did you know that there is also a Japanese word for the ‘dappled sunlight filtered through trees?’

The term is komorebi, which in four simple syllables conveys the breathtaking experience of encountering such a vision in the forest. It is reminiscent of the light that filters through cathedral windows reminding us of our otherworldly origins.

Time stood still for me when I first real-eyes’d that the English word forest reveals itself explicitly as for rest. It makes total sense and explains why we breathe a sigh of relief among the tall trees.

The natural world is the source and substance that composes and nourishes every body on Earth. I actually believe that behind all our frantic, manic grasping after material objects and physical pleasures, is the desire to come home to a place of peace and power inside our own skin while in this world.

We are all innately related to the natural world. But because we live primarily in artificial environments, it can be a struggle to find our way back into Flow. I remember just where I was when I had the epiphany that a flower is a flow-er –– and that I could be one, too.

Matthew 6:28 describes –– ‘the lilies of the field … that toil not, neither do they spin. When I let go of my stress-based fear and uphill struggle –– which accompanies an overall resistance to existence –– it’s just natural to slow down and ‘go with the flow.’ Then, of course, things just naturally work out for me. That’s the Law of Attraction in action –– so I know it’s true for us all.

In fact, it’s how we can reach a state of peace and grace that surpasses human understanding –– because it is unrelated to the shifting dance of mood and circumstance. A simple walk in the woods can help us to return to the natural harmony that resides in the core of every being.

Or –– if there are no woods in your vicinity –– but you do have access to a big old dictionary (ideally hardbound but otherwise online), I recommend foraging at random for a fascinating morsel of insight. Once you hit ‘pay dirt, you’ll be amazed at what awakens within you. You may even be inspired by the experience to create a new word that conveys it in ways that no other word can.

Laurel Airica

My abiding fascination with the English language has enabled me to develop great skill in using it to express ideas that make a positive difference in people’s lives.