Shinrin-Yoku
If you have ever experienced the forest in a mindful way, you were practicing the Japanese art of Shinrin-Yoku or “forest bathing”. Forest bathing relaxes your mind and body and allows you to connect with nature through all your senses. When you lose yourself in the beauty of your surroundings and leave everyday stress behind, you may reach a place of greater calm and wellness.
Though this forest therapy has been noted for centuries, in 1982 the Japanese Forestry Agency formally coined “Shinrin-Yoku” and marketed the beneficial effects of forest immersion.
The world’s foremost expert in forest medicine, Dr. Qing Li, reports that forest bathing can reduce your stress levels and blood pressure, strengthen your immune and cardiovascular systems, boost your energy, mood, creativity, and concentration, and may help you lose weight and live longer. Other studies have purported to show decreased Cortisol levels and increased levels of natural killer cells—the body’s disease fighting agents – after several hours in nature.
Dr. Li suggests that there’s no one right way to practice forest bathing, but when you do, there are three key aspects to keep in mind:
Leave technology behind. Untether yourself from anything distracting that isn’t found in nature so that you can truly experience a natural environment. If leaving your phone behind causes anxiety, then, bring your phone, but silence it and keep it out of keep out of sight.
Find a quiet place to sit among the trees, on a bench or large rock along a forest path or in a relatively empty park or garden, but even if quiet, outdoor spaces are hard to find in your area, you can really practice forest bathing anywhere there are trees, even sitting on a chair or blanket in your own backyard.
Experience the outdoors through all your senses. With technology off and the hustle of the city behind you, you are ready to experience nature with your entire being. Smell the changing leaves or fragrant flowers in the air. Taste the fresh air or morning mist as it hits your face. Feel the sharp needles or rough bark of a tree, soft moss on a stump or the cold pebbles on the edge of a stream. Take in the surrounding sounds – small animals and birds rustling through the bushes, the crackling of tree limbs as they settle, or your own footfalls as they cross over a wood plank bridge. And finally, observe the beautiful stillness of life right before your eyes. For it is in this stillness that you can truly appreciate nature and become a calmer and more centered individual.
Forest bathing doesn’t require you to sit still. It can involve an activity, such as walking, tai chi or yoga, or even painting. Experiencing the serenity of nature is different for everyone. Ensure the full benefits of Shinrin-Yoku and find the experience that best works for you.
September 11th is International Forest Bathing Day and would be a great opportunity to experience the tranquility and beneficial effects of the forest, a garden or your own yard.
D.C. physician, Dr. Robert Zarr founded Park Rx America and created an online, scalable park prescribing site. If this experience appeals to you, follow this link to find a suitable forest bathing park near you: Park Rx America – Nature Prescribed