Meghalaya’s Shizen-Yoku: Getting Your Way Back To Nature

SHIZEN – YOKU

Parismita Goswami

I was always interested in Japanese movies or series, books written by Murakami, and Ikigai (cherry blossoms) of all. The closest to my state where cherry blossoms bloom is the exquisite Meghalaya, a place abode of the clouds.

If you ask me what my favorite destination is, my answer remains the same, nothing but nature.

I guess you all have heard about the term Forest Bathing, shinrin-yoku. Shinrin means “forest,” and yoku means “bath”. It is something I want to experience not just once in my lifetime but every month. Forest beholds all the secrets to life. There is no denying what nature offers us and what we take from it.

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The fact that today, when the world is developing faster. Many of you must have heard your grandparents complaining about how buildings have taken over sceneries. Well, it is true and lost. The aroma of the first rain is a myth nowadays, and catnapping under a tree has become rare. Our generation is moving farther away from nature. 

‘Shizen-Yoku’, which means nature bath in Japanese, is inspired by ‘Shinrin-Yoku’. It means bathing with nature or taking in nature with all our senses. Shizen implies nature, Yoku means bath. They say nature has all the answers, and you can be with your spirit and forget it all.

Explaining the experience of Nature Bath

You can’t tell how frustrating a corporate job can be until you are one. Taking a subdued break or hitting the runway is the only way to get yourself away from the hustling life of the 21st century. You will partake in a time when your body and mind crave it—demanding you to take a gadget and technological detox; never ignore it.

For some reason, or maybe the only reason, hills heal me. My spirit often demands high-end roads, the edges, and discomfort. When the unrest mind asks for a recess, the eyes crave a view, and the soul cries for that belongingness; go for it.

To me, the mountain wind can blow its healing homeopathy and ease me with its exquisite smell of the countryside quintessence. It freezes my nerves while the veins magically release some chemicals that can open the enduring mind blocks. In a true sense, mountains can break my fear and free me.

Something changes every time I navigate through the peaks, curvy roads, the clear sky, and minimalist living. Hope, power, possibility, love, and art fills the heart. They feed in fondness, answer to my desperation, and give me what my spiritual soundness solicits.

Mawphanlur But In Words:

Meghalaya is not just a place that blooms cherry blossoms but a place that unlocks one’s power to sense and breathe freshness. And, Mawphanlur is a surprise, a classic beauty. I can guarantee that every curve will cure you and make you hum like an old-school enthusiast. 

Words somehow cannot justify the feelings of a restored heart. Last weekend, the trip to Mawphanlur was on the go. The off-beat west Khasi hills were surrounded by steep slopes and forest along the edges of the Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura Highway. Although we pre-booked our stay there in a resort, for some reason, it got canceled. But, villagers ensured that we didn’t face any inconvenience as we came a long distance.

They took us to a homestay hosted by the village headman of Mawphanlur. He is a teacher in the upper primary school and has been  the village headman for years. The roads to reach the location were no doubt tough; we had to taste the mire of the West Khasi hills. It was quite an adventure. We arrived at the top, which belonged to his wife, enclosed by a forested hill and a wooden house on the escarpment.

These experiences often remind me of what we are missing out on in life. Life there is spotless, all away from the city amidst the silence and fresh air. And one must be endowed to be encircled by nature in today’s time. Behind, there was another hill from where you could see the entire village. The elegant view of the distant mountains was therapeutic, and you could listen to the rustling leaves, the running water below the valley, and the clear sky. Frivolity can’t bother while you resettle your thoughts and revive your peace.

While conversing under the bonfire in the quiet space, under the trees, and sitting on a wooden plank, I understood that a progressive mind is a myth. Mawphalur, a must-in-a-lifetime place to visit, has some magnificent lakes, nature’s warmth, and some kind people. Secluded and tranquil, it is a paradise in the West Khasi Hills. The village headman initiated a conversation regarding the region’s development and people.

He is often pleased to meet new people, know them better, and treasure stories. Even though the village has few people and houses there, they were quite forward-thinking with updated facts on what and how things need to be looked after. I found his thinking was quite ahead of time, residing in such a remote location and yet so conscious and aware of the world.

The next morning we woke up to the voices of the woods, pink cherry blossoms, and an enjoyable breakfast. I should have mentioned before about the dinner, and I would rather say it was an exotic local feast prepared by the headman’s wife. All I remember was peace in the eyes, soul, mind, and heart in the morning. Having to wake up to these after burst life in a city is seraphic.

When humans learn to respect and live with nature, they live an exceptionally better life. It was an eccentric affair of all time. I comprehended so much that the change within was felt instantly. My uplifted energy was the birth of a new me; I brought it back to Assam with photographs and memories.

Behold and take a detour. Feel the life and endure in the intoxicating nature. Shizen-Yoku is what we all need. Living a life without expectation, happiness, and filled with gratitude is the most effortless route to nirvana.

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