Sometimes there’s beauty that makes me cry. Does that ever happen to you?

I got up this morning to watch the color play of pink and orange and blue and white and gray in the vast sky as the sun was rising to the east over Crystal Lake, Michigan, where I’m staying for a couple weeks. It was a beautiful sunrise for sure and so unique for me because of rising over a large body of water, which I don’t normally get to see. Not only were there the visual colors of the sky and the drama of the clouds, but I felt a light breeze on my skin, and heard the water with its small waves lapping against the dock and rhythmically crashing into the shore.

“And then the day came, when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom."

This powerful quote is most often attributed to Anaïs Nin, though some research suggests it may have been written by Elizabeth Appell. These words carry a profound truth that resonates deeply, especially during our spring and summer months when nature herself demonstrates this very principle in living color.

Continuing from Part 1, where we explored the meaning and foundational principles of Sadhana, the discipline that develops inner strength, and the transformative power of committed practice periods like the traditional 40-day sadhana.

While Sadhana might begin with formal practices—meditation, pranayama, asana, chanting—its influence extends far beyond these structured activities. The beauty of spiritual practice is that it can happen anywhere: on a yoga mat, in a meditation hall, or sitting quietly beside a tree. True Sadhana transforms how we approach every aspect of life, whether we're practicing indoors or connecting with the natural world outside.

Have you ever noticed how a walk in the woods can make everything feel better? How your shoulders drop, your breathing slows, and somehow your problems don't seem quite so overwhelming? There's actually a name for what you're experiencing: forest bathing.