March 2025: Aberdeen calling?
Climbing a Scottish mountain containing frogspawn for the first time in the Arrochar Alps, noticing snow atop a summit, interacting with a pine forest and being astonished by the bubbly white threads of waterfalls, felt like the perfect reward for having completed my forest therapy training and for managing to get to Scotland in a seat on the Caledonian Sleeper (another ‘contamination’ fear conquered, which will stand me in good stead for any future long journeys I might take to America). It deeply saddened me, though, that logging sites were never far away; that all of this essential natural beauty will most likely be destroyed by humans.
The voluntary work I had planned (mentioned in last month’s blog) fell through, which gave me the opportunity to simply be present and vital on the Isle of Gigha, which I survived five nights under the dazzling moon and stars upon in a tent at the Isle of Gigha Camp and Motorhome Site: I virtually had the entire island and its breathtaking sandy black rock beaches all to myself. Waking up to red-yellow sunrises and the honks of geese, then eating a hearty breakfast outside was just what the doctor ordered - though the experience wasn’t all plain sailing! You can watch the daily vlog I made of this entire solo adventure on my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/@GemintheMud.
On reflection l could live on an island so long as it’s welcoming, quiet and people leave me alone. What matters above all is that I’m situated somewhere where people still care about the place and the planet as a whole. I note also that I should always take snacks and sun cream with me on hikes - whatever the weather, and that I’d make a great outdoors instructor.
I was offered a learning visit at Rhuba Phoil intentional permaculture community on the Isle of Skye after it was concluded that right now I have no long-term potential as a permanent member due to the responsibilities I have in this life which I’m unwilling to relinquish. Overall things felt a bit ‘off’ so I said no to this opportunity.
The Permies Bootcamp at Wheaton Labs in Montana USA remains in my mind as something I’d really like to, and am slowly becoming more equipped to do, however, and I could go there for the amount of time that’s right for me.
My ‘Operation Aberdeen’ action plan got covered in cat shit but I wrote a new one - which still, interestingly, I called ‘Operation Aberdeen’ - which could suggest that Aberdeen is where I’d like to settle?
While I’m looking for a part-time job to get some money together for study, moving and to pay off my debts, I’m still excited by my idea of working 1:1 in an artistic and therapeutic way with survivors of incest for which I will do a business plan aided by Business Gateway, Aberdeen. It’s a lot to pull off all by myself, though, so I must continue to access as much help and support as I can.
You may have observed that the title of this blog has changed to Sylvotherapy & Artistry Blog to incorporate the more regular writings I’m going to be doing to educate and stir peoples’ interest in sylvotherapy. I decided not to create a separate blog for this because my love of sylvotherapy and forest bathing grew out of and are informed by my artistry, and I’d like for that to be traceable throughout the nearly 20 years of this blog’s existence.
Flourish by Gemma Boyd