Presence Practices by a Mountain Stream
Life in Vikend Naselje moves at its own unhurried pace. In the summer, when the bus service winds down and limits contact with the outside world, I gain something priceless – time and space for foot-led, completely unconstrained exploration. My daily routine here has become incredibly creative and peaceful. Lately, I have spent a lot of time foraging for forest treasures. The bilberry season is already drawing to a close; I often come across berries that are soft and collapsing under my fingers. On the other hand, the blackberries are still abundant and tempting on the bushes, offering an excellent reason for further wanderings.
Today, I decided to push past the boundaries of my usual routine. I chose a well-known forest path, but instead of turning back at the regular spot, I walked further than usual. The sky was cloudless, and the warmth hanging in the air felt magnetic. When I reached a clearing I had never seen before, I felt an overwhelming urge to surrender myself to the sun.
It was there, and later by the banks of a mountain stream, that I performed my deep mindfulness rituals. Here are the presence practices I carried out:
Conscious Sun Exposure (Solar Breathing)
I did not step out onto the clearing to sunbathe; I approached it as a biological and spiritual ritual. I lay down directly in the full sun for thirty minutes, treating the rays as a pure source of energy and a beneficial influence on my body. I allowed the warmth to penetrate my skin, stimulate my senses, and charge my internal batteries, while I remained motionless, absorbing the cloudless sky over Kopaonik.
Forest Bathing (Shinrin-yoku) and Thermal Regulation of the Senses
After the half-hour sun session, I stepped back into the deep shade of the forest. With full mindfulness, I registered the sharp, incredibly pleasant shift in the microclimate. The sensation of immediate coolness on my warmed body became an anchor that grounded me even deeper in the here and now. Walking along a new, unfamiliar path by a small mountain stream, I used my senses to explore every single step, the scent of moisture, and the structure of the forest.
Mindful Listening and Observation Meditation
I sat on a cool stone, right next to a tiny, crystal-clear waterfall. I felt the magnetic power of this place – compelling enough that I wanted to simply remain there. I dedicated myself to the practice of deep listening. I isolated myself from my own thoughts, immersing myself completely in the steady, hypnotising hum of the water crashing against the rocks. I watched its current and learned the art of letting go from it.
Physical Grounding and Sensory Entry into the Ecosystem
Before moving on to the breathwork, I performed a few brief, highly physical practices to bring myself closer to nature. I took off my shoes, allowing my bare feet to make direct contact with the ground. I touched the rough moss and the cool surface of the rocks with my hands, and focused on sensory tracking of the forest scents and the splashing droplets of water. These micro-practices allowed me to finally shed the remnants of my urban identity.
Active Nervous System Reprogramming (4-7-8 Breathing)
Only after becoming completely rooted in my surroundings did I synchronise my body with nature through a deliberate breathing technique. I completed full cycles of deep breathing: inhaling the forest air for 4 seconds, holding it in my lungs for 7 seconds while uniting with the silence of the woods, and then releasing it with a loud whoosh through my mouth for 8 seconds, giving away the remnants of my internal tension to the stream.
This was an exceptionally precious time. A time when I stopped merely visiting the forest, and became an integral part of it.
Ginkgo and Gaia
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