The 12 Days of... Treebath’s Festive Meditations!
The festive season is officially here! The sound of jingle bells are dancing through the sky, the aroma of chestnuts roasting on an open fire is perfuming the air, and we couldn’t be more excited to discover what Santa has in store for us this year!
But, for all the joys of the season, Christmas can be stressful; there are presents to buy, meals to cook, and celebrations to organise, and these tasks can often leave us feeling overwhelmed, stressed, anxious or burnt out to the point that this wonderful time of year can hardly be enjoyed.
So (instead of letting your inner Grinch take the reins this season) we’ve put together our ‘12 Days of Treebath’s Festive Meditations’ to offer you a selection of our favourite festive meditations and mindful activities to help you keep you calm and grounded during this busy time of year.
So, without further ado, on the first day of Christmas Treebath gave to me...
🌱 Grounding Yourself
Feeling overwhelmed? Practice physical and mental grounding exercises with this In Motion meditation session. Travel through your natural space to reconnect and recenter with yourself and nature.
🌱 Basic Body Radar
Reconnect to your mind and body with a basic body radar meditation. Practice isolating different parts of your body to truly experience and appreciate the sensations of being alive.
Simple Breathing
Give these 2 breathing exercises a go when you notice your anxiety and stress beginning to rise:
BOX BREATHING
Imagine a box where each side represents 4 counts- breathe in for 4, hold for 4, breathe out for 4, and hold for 4 counts each. Keep doing this for as long as needed.
3-5-7 BREATHING
Breathe in for 3 counts, hold for 5 counts, and breathe out for 7 counts. Keep doing this for as long as needed.
Breathing exercises lower your heart rate and calm your body, sending signals to your brain that there’s nothing to worry about, because otherwise you wouldn’t be breathing so calmly! It therefore lowers physical reactions to stress, anxiety, and overwhelm, and offers you time for mindful reconnection with yourself.
🌱 First Snowfall
See how concentrating on the wonders of fresh snowfall can help you focus on the present moment to find some mental clarity amidst the Christmas chaos.
Sensory Spotting
When you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, ground yourself with a simple sensory spotting exercise; note 5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste. This helps you to reconnect with the present moment and distract yourself from negative ruminations.
🌱 Blow Away Anxiety
Practice calming your anxiety through some simple breathing exercises. Combat winter overwhelm by getting out in nature and finding peace within the present moment.
Anchoring Objects
Have an object that excites your sense of touch. In difficult moments close your eyes and focus all your consciousness onto your sense of touch, feeling this object and noting the different sensations that arise. Ask yourself whether the sensations change if you touch it in a different way or place, or compare it to other sensations such as the feeling of your clothes against your skin. Do this to ground yourself in the present moment and distract yourself from overwhelming thoughts and feelings.
🌱 Frost Self-Care
Focus on the delicate swirls and whorls of frost to clear your mind and find beauty in imperfection. Use frosty leaves or window panes in this wintery reminder to take care of yourself.
Nature Art
The ultimate mindful distraction! Go for a walk and pick up any interesting sticks, stines, leaves, or other pieces of nature that draw your attention. When you get home see what nature-based masterpiece (festive themed, of course!) you can create.
🌱 Nature In A Cup
Soothe and relax with the help of a warm drink. Take time for yourself over this busy period by finding a quiet spot indoors or outside, and mindfully have a mug of cocoa, tea, or coffee in a way that savours every moment.
Journaling
Take 5 minutes to sit down and write about what’s going on for you. List your fears and create rationalized answers, or just free write whatever’s on your mind. Getting your feelings out on paper will give them less power over you and give you a better opportunity to assess whether they’re real or simply a manifestation of your festive fears.
🌱 Gather Energy - Wreath Building
Get in the festive spirit with this wreath building meditation! To be done alone or in a group, gather objects from nature as a way to re-energize your mind and soul during the busy holiday season.
We hope these ‘12 Days of Treebath’ festive meditations and mindful activities will help you keep your cool over the coming month, and beyond! If you have any other meditations or mindful activities that help you through stressful or overwhelming times we’d love to hear more about them- post them in the comments below, email us at youmatter@tree-bath.com, or let us know on our socials!
Have a tree-mendous festive season, we can’t wait to hear all about it!
All ‘🌱’ meditations are available on Treequility- the only Forest Therapy app!