Northwest Rainforest

Welcome to the Northwest rainforest. It's one of my favorite places to explore. And I'm so glad you've joined me. I've been through this forest many times, and with each visit, I discover something new. Lucky for us, we've arrived at the perfect time. The rain has begun to settle and there's a warm breeze in the air. It looks like the flowers are just beginning to open too. There aren't too many visitors today. So we'll have this lush green landscape somewhat to ourselves. And perhaps if we're quiet enough, we may encounter a few unexpected inhabitants along the way. Before we enter the rain forest, I always like to start with a wind down. Tonight's wind down is a breathing exercise. So when you're ready, let's begin. So first get comfortable in your bed. Now just bringing the attention to the breath. Just noticing where you feel it in the nose, the throat, the chest, the diaphragm. You're nice and relaxed. We're going to be taking a deep breath in for four, holding it for four, and then breathing out for six. So are you ready? Let's begin. In for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Now breathing out four six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Hold it for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. In for four, two, three, four. Holding for four, two, three, four. Out for six, two, three, four, five, six. Great. Now, returning the breath to normal. You reach a narrow path where the forest thickens, on either side, and the light seems to dim ever so slightly. In the canopy, birds call out to one another. The air here is filled with loam, and the sweet musk of decaying wood. You stop on the path a moment, to breathe in this scent, and take in the scene. It's not just the variety of plant life here, but the way they crowd and swell, and grow on top of each other. Mosses, ferns and lichens, sprout from the crevices of boulders and tree trunks. The path is lined on your right by a massive fallen conifer. The grooves of its rough body now a nursery for moss, ferns, even other trees. If you reached out to run your hands along the top of this log, it would be as tall as your shoulder. It stretches so far into the distance, hundreds of feet that you can't see the end of it. You decide to walk along it, marveling at the variety of flora it supports. Every 20 feet or so, you encounter another huge tree that grows out of this one, with its giant winding roots growing into and embracing the old nursery log. At the curve of one of these great roots, you find a...