Nemophilist. Noun. One who is fond of forests or forest scenery.

I am a self-declared nemophilist. I love the sound of the breeze in the trees, the crunch of leaves and twigs underfoot, the sound of birds singing, and the smell of the earth (especially after rain, but that’s entirely another blog post).

Being in the forest brings me an enveloping sense of peace. This is why my website, and my logo are themed around trees and the forest. The vastness of forests, the mystical spirituality and associated magic of the woods, the creatures, fauna and flora (especially ferns, I have a real love of ferns!), everything about the forest fills me with joy.

The metaphor of a tree, the roots deep within the ground, the branches reaching up for the sky, the strong trunk, gnarled and scarred from the elements, the idea that trees, like us, have to be able to flex and bend to survive. If they are too rigid, they could be toppled in a storm; if they are too flexible, they could break. The roots need to be tended to; they need water, nutrients, and space to grow so that the tree can thrive. The branches need to reach toward the light so that the leaves can convert sun and carbon dioxide. Trees change with the seasons, with periods of rapid growth and periods of dormancy. As people, we are not so different from the trees in a loosely metaphorical sense.

Everything about the forest calms each of my senses, except perhaps taste; I tend not to wander around licking the trees or eating the twigs. Each to their own, though.

Our senses are important for processing the world around us. A common grounding technique known as 5-4-3-2-1 uses each of our senses to help us focus on the moment to help calm us, lower stress, avoid anxiety attacks and give us a quiet moment in an otherwise hectic day. Here is a link to a previous post about this powerful grounding technique for stress and anxiety that you can use whenever the need arises.

The forest reminds me of camping holidays with my grandparents as a child to the Forest of Deane, long walks on the Quantocks with my grandad and walks with my son and dog. The forest is my happy place.

Are you a nemophilist? Is the forest your happy place? Perhaps your happy place is somewhere livelier, like a bustling city? Maybe you feel at peace by the ocean with your toes in the sand. Maybe you love being up a mountain with the crisp frozen air in your lungs? If you want to find what makes your soul sing and connect with your happy place, then I can help. Get in touch; I would love to hear from you.

I can reply to your message as soon as I get back from the woods.

~ Lisa