Into the Woods as an escape from overstimulation?
What we really look for when we venture into nature and how we can integrate it into our daily lives.
Luscious foliage forming a roof of intersecting treetops speckled with patches giving away to glimpses of the deep blue sky, the sound of dancing leaves ruffling in the cool breeze and the scent of damp moss rising up from needle-covered pathways–the forest is a multi sensory experience that immediately puts mind, body and soul at ease.
In an age dominated by urban society, in which we are constantly plugged in, glued to a screen and captivated by the endless stream of information, it is easy to feel alienated from the people-nature dynamic. However, many are craving this inceptive connection to the outdoors and thus look to escape the crowds and artificial overstimulation of the city.
But what are these fleeing urbanites truly looking for when they flock from the buzz of the big city to the quietude of the countryside? What constitutes the mystifying appeal of the forest and how can we integrate it into our lives in a more lasting manner without having to feel like we are constantly chasing calm?
Inspired by our latest autumnal limited collection, Charles Simon invites you on a journey of introspection, a journey towards pensive tranquility, a journey... Into the Woods.
The allure of the forest is marked by absence–absence of noise, absence of pollution, absence of all the draining overstimulation of urban reality. This absence creates room for fresh air, for open space, for silence and most strikingly, for introspection. This can be attributed to the ways in which being in the forest incentivizes the centering of attention on a subdued, limited field of stimuli, which enables us to enter into a state of pensiveness linked to an unawareness of time, space and the constraints of our physicality. The forest experience provides the opportunity to detach from the self and identify with nature in order to put ourselves in the context of the wider environment, not just our daily obligations and challenges. In addition, this reflective mode increases our awareness of patterns of behaviours, feelings, values and beliefs and therefore inspires the evaluation of our individual qualities and commences a subsequent first step towards personal growth.
Therefore, what draws us into the woods goes beyond the surface appeal of visually pleasing greenery, clean air and reduced noise levels, even though all of these factors certainly play a vital contributing role. The rightful enchantment of the forest lies in the way it transforms us as individuals, the way it makes us think and feel and the inner peace that comes out of this state of mind.
So, when we are craving the outdoors, we are actually longing for a way to achieve serenity through disconnection from our daily stressors, and the quietude and seclusion of the forest merely serves as a catalyst to attain that sense of calm.
As much as occasionally escaping from the city into nature in order to decompress sounds like a decent method to maintain peace of mind it does pose the question whether it is the most efficient approach. Aren’t there other ways in which we can accomplish serenity in a more consistent manner? Shouldn’t we find methods to integrate the gratifying calm of the forest into our everyday lives?
Instead of seeing modern, urban life and our primeval connection to nature as polar opposites, why not look for ways to combine both spheres to provide a well-rounded environment?
On an individual, conceptual level however, integrating the forest into our urban lives entails creating opportunities for introspection in our routine in order to be able to achieve moments of quiet and serenity within our day to day realities. This can be achieved through the cultivation of a quotidian environment and behaviours that conjure calm. Through exposure to soothing people, places and products, tranquility becomes part of our everyday experience, which leads to a more long lasting level of content. For that reason, curating one’s daily environment and the stimuli we are surrounded with is incredibly important.
It is our goal at Charles Simon to help transport the tranquility of nature into the everyday and become an integral part of personal, soothing environments. That is why we focus on developing innovative ways of refining surroundings in order to elevate individual journeys.
