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In this blog, I will explain what forest bathing is, the benefits of it, and how you can use Forest Bathing as a mean for self-care.
An Intro to Forest Bathing :
Let’s start with the Origin, the Japanese word, “Shinrin Yoku,” meaning “forest bathing,” shinrin meaning ‘forest’ and yoku beaning ‘bath.’ Forest bathing is to simply, be “in nature, connecting with it through our senses” (Li, 2018). There is a difference when practicing indoors and outdoors which will be explained further on.
By using our senses we can then connect with the natural world.
I first came across forest bathing from the book, “Forest Bathing: how trees can help you find health and happiness” By Dr. Qing Li, the chairman of the Japanese Society for Forest Medicine. I recommend this book as the knowledge behind it mixed with the everyday implementations coincide beautifully. I have always had a love for the natural world, and this book furthered my appreciation for it.
Listen to the sound of nature while you read
Benefits:
1. Understanding of being in something bigger than us.
2. Lower stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
3. Improve your mood
4. Help you sleep
5. Boost the immunity system
6. Increase energy
7. Decrease anxiety, depression, and anger
8. Improve concentration and memory (Li, 2018)
Senses
Outdoors:
In the book it talks about incorporating your 5 senses and hints at a new sense while in the nature forest bathing, those including;
1. Looking
2. Listening
3. Smelling
4. Feeling
5. Taste
6. State of mind: after connecting with nature you can choose to
change your state of mind, you can now slow your pace and take
in the world around you at it's natural pace.(Li, 2018)
At home:
The book continues to say that indoors we can use two senses, sight, and sound.
1. Sight
2. Sound(Li, 2018)
I would like to expand on that to include other senses at your home practice.
1. Imagine what being in the forest is like; thinking about what
it looks, sounds, smells, tastes, and feels like.
2. If you have the supplies, use aromatherapy, plants, or dirt
for smell, a tea for taste, and have something to feeling
from nature (a leaf, branch, or plants).
How to practice forest bathing?
Outdoors:
1. Forest walking
2. Hot-spring therapy
3. Yoga in nature
4. Meditation in nature (Li, 2018)
At Home:
1. Nature documentaries(Li, 2018)
2. Pictures of nature (Li, 2018)
3. Aromatherapy (Li, 2018)
4. Reminisce on a time you were in nature
5. Close your eyes and imagine what being in nature is like (what
does it look, sound, smell, feel, and taste like?).
6. Virtual reality of nature
7. Gardening
8. Guided forest bathing (virtually)
9. Reminsce on the natural changes from season to season. Forest Bathing as Self-Care:
As mentioned above, there are various ways to practice forest bathing both at home and outside. Self-care is incorporated into the practice of forest bathing as it can be used to maintain your well-being and personal health while promoting your personal development by giving yourself time to connect with nature and slow your pace.
By connecting with nature we are also given the time and space to connect with ourselves.
Recommendations:
This is the book that sparked my interest in forest bathing and is beautifully written and illustrated.
While at home you can still enjoy the beauty of nature, and experience a 'walk in nature.' I encourage you if able, to walk while the video is playing, thinking about the senses in nature.
Take a "walk" in a national park in Canada using google maps.
There are a multitude of video platforms and many come at a cost, many content creators have used YouTube to broadcast for free. Simply look up, 'nature documentaries' on YouTube and pick one that interests you.
Explore, learn, and record while using iNaturalist on your nature adventures. This is not necessarily forest bathing, it does, however, allow you to find a greater appreciation for the nature around you.
Thank you for letting me share some ways to cultivate your moments.
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References:
Li, Q. (2018).Forest bathing: how trees can help you find health and happiness. NY, NY: Viking
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