A Spring Forest Walk

Wildflowers in the woods are nature’s hymn of praise. On a sunny Sunday morning, I woke up early to meet friends for a walk in the forests near Paris—to practice Qigong. Paris itself is flanked by two large forests (the Bois de Boulogne to the west and the Bois de Vincennes to the east), and there are many lush green forests of various sizes in the suburbs. We often visit the Meudon Forest in the northwest; nearby is the Rodin Museum, which was once Rodin’s sculpture studio and residence. Meudon Forest is not far from Paris, and transportation is now convenient. I had to take the ring road tram and then transfer to a bus. We agreed to meet around 8:30 AM, with everything timed perfectly, but unexpectedly, I was late. My friends had already gone ahead, so I took the bus to Meudon Forest on my own (since I had been there several times before). Anyway, it didn’t matter if I couldn’t find them immediately; at least I was out and about. Breathing in the phytoncides in the forest brought a sense of refreshment to body and mind.

I hadn’t practiced clapping exercises in the forest with my friend, a Qigong master from Taiwan, for some time. Walking alone into the lush green forest, following familiar paths, I arrived at the bright and tranquil lakeside where some people were already fishing, enjoying the morning leisure. Occasionally, I saw residents exercising on weekends—walking, jogging, riding mountain bikes, etc. Under the atmosphere of insect chirps and bird songs, I began clapping while walking along the forest path, performing rhythmic clapping exercises. Accompanied by footsteps and breathing, the clear sound of clapping stood out in the quietness, blending creatively with the natural sounds of insects and birds into a harmonious symphony, as if nothing could be more natural. Occasionally stopping to carefully observe and listen to the silence of the woods, the air felt particularly fresh and clean. Taking deep breaths again and again, I deeply felt the phytoncides, experiencing a sense of relaxation and freedom as if letting go of everything.

Soon, I heard clear clapping sounds coming from afar. Indeed, one benefit of Qigong clapping is that it can transmit information through sound in the forest, making one seem more sensitive to surroundings. Knowing my friends were nearby, I followed the direction of the sound and the rhythm of the clapping to meet them. Soon, a small group of friends practicing clapping appeared among the distant trees, led by the Qigong master and his French students. Although I was late, our encounter in the forest was actually part of the expected itinerary. After meeting up, we continued forward as a group to practice. After more than an hour, we concluded the session. My body felt relaxed and comfortable. Everyone formed a circle, performed horse stance half-squats with eyes closed, visualizing the Dantian, and finally closed their eyes in silence to feel the flow of Qi, listening to the voices of the universe and their own bodies, ending this forest bathing session. Once a week, replenishing sufficient energy is like charging a battery, keeping us energetic throughout the week. Body and mind require more effective cultivation, nourishment, and soothing, so that life can become more brilliant.