what is forest bathing?
WHAT IS FOREST BATHING?
Shinrin- yoku - Forest bathing comes from the Japanese term and practice shinrin-yoku. "Shinrin" means "forest," and "yoku" means "bath.", so "shinrin-yoku" means "bathing in the forest" or "taking in the forest through our senses."
The term was coined in 1982 by the Director of the Japanese Forestry Agency as part of a public relations campaign to encourage more people to visit the country's national forests. For over 40 years, shinrin-yoku has attracted the attention of medical researchers whose studies have shown that a walk in nature is not only pleasurable but lowers stress, boosts the immune systems, and lowers levels of the stress hormone cortisol on a physical level. On a spiritual and emotional level, it can further the understanding of interconnectedness and develop a deep reciprocity with nature and one's higher power.
Although forest bathing is secular in nature, there are many parallels to practices I partake in such as Buddhism and Taoism. These are not necessarily concepts I learned in my training ANFT but from the connection in my own personal practice.
Buddhism - According to Buddhism, changeability is one of the perennial principles of nature. Absolutely nothing in nature is static; therefore everything is impermanent. This concept is expressed by the Pali term anicca. Everything formed is in a constant process of change (sabbe sankhara anicca).[1]
In forest bathing, we observe the constant nature of nature – which is change. A bird flies by. A cloud moves to reveal the sun's rays. Another bird flies by. The wind carries the smell of the soil. A leaf falls from a tree. Even just a few moments in the forest or any natural setting shows us the beauty of impermanence. This is beneficial to the person participating in forest bathing because they can begin to see and feel the many layers of understanding impermanence. For many of us we've been so inundated with societal programming that everything in life must be consistent, eternal, and within our control. This conditioning creates a fear and resistance to any change. As we journey through our awakening, peace and freedom lies within the acceptance of impermanence or change. We learn to be with change and nature is a beautiful and powerful teacher to guide us in this.
All Pali texts referred to are editions of the Pali Text Society, London.
[1] A. IV, 100.
Taoism – Taoism (also spelled as Daoism) is a Chinese philosophy attributed to Lao Tzu (c. 500 BCE) who wrote the main book of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching.
Taoism emphasizes mimicking nature and "going with the flow" in accordance with the Tao (or Dao), a cosmic force that flows through all things, binds and releases them and ultimately is them. The philosophy grew from an observance of the natural world, and the religion developed out of a belief in cosmic balance maintained and regulated by the Tao.
The Tao is the infinite, common source, eternally present within you and me. There is no beginning or end; it's the essence of wisdom - to just be.
You see, we live in a society constantly telling us to go, do, produce, achieve, and then do some more. We're raised to be human doings when the truth is, we are human beings. In order to know ourselves, our truth, the peace that is inherently within us, we must learn how to be. Forest bathing, like any kind of meditation, is a tool on how to practice this beingness. In forest bathing we connect with our senses and the environment around us, which is ultimately teaching us how to be present. When we are present we are here, right now. Not over there. Not on yesterday's drama or tomorrow's to-do list. Here. Now. The mind quiets. The body softens. And a whole new perspective can be seen through the eyes or witness of the beholder. Nature is never in a rush, nor does it live in the past or future. It's always perfectly here. When we connect with nature in this beingness, we open an opportunity to connect, heal, and listen.
This is not meant to be an extensive list of the connections I've learned but they give you a sense of common religions/philosophies and how they can relate to nature and forest bathing.
HOW MY OFFERINGS ARE DIFFERENT
You'll hear me use the terms Forest Bathing and Nature Therapy Walks; these seem to be the labels I find people can relate to the most. Although I do use the evidence base sequence, I learned from the ANFT professional training, my guided experiences are different from what we learned in training.
A lotta bit of Love – For those of you who are on your healing/spiritual journey, I believe we are in training to be instruments in a society where we can be stable in the presence of change, not holding onto the old systems, but being able to move into the unknown without fear. Change is an opportunity for growth, but it also requires a consciousness that holds an inner quality of equanimity and openness to the unknown. A certain way in which the chaos of the moment does not undercut you because you are not dependent on the external for your equanimity. There is no one way to "achieve this" but to practice and I believe forest bathing is one method to practice.
A little bit of Nature – Although nature therapy is not a naturalist tour, I love to share what I've learned about plants and fungi over the years. I enjoy sharing about the medicinal properties of certain plants or mushrooms we see along the way, along with ethical foraging practices and how we can be better stewards of this incredible land.
A little bit of Science – Science has always been a source of fun curiosity for me, so naturally, I enjoy learning and talking about it. I share in my forest bathing walks what I learn from a scientific perspective in a light-hearted and easy-going way. For example, I could talk about understanding our nervous system or how rest and stress affect our bodies and minds. I could talk about scientific research I've learned on how trees boost our immune systems through breathing phytoncides that emit in the air. I believe this can help our rational mind to understand why we need to incorporate centering practices in our lives. Forest bathing can look like just a walk in the woods, but there is so much more going on!
WHAT TO EXPECT?
We meet at the trailhead and double-check everyone has their items from the What To Bring list (in FAQs). We hike to our destination for around .5-1.5 miles and arrive in our area. Through a combination of guided sensory meditations and some somatic work, we allow our nervous system to slow down to a more balanced state. We become fully present with nature around us to fully absorb the mental and physical benefits of spending time in nature. I may pose questions or themes to sit with while you commune with nature. At the end of each invitation, we circle together for light sharing and community. We finish the retreat with a tea circle, specially brewed with wildcrafted or local herbs from our area. We then hike back to our cars for another .5-1.5 miles to complete our experience. You will leave relaxed and recharged after this one-of-a-kind retreat in the San Juans Mountains.
The key here is to allow yourself permission to slow down and be present with the forest, and I will guide you every step of the way. Although you don't need a guide to take a walk through the forest, forest bathing is so much more than just a walk. The practice of forest bathing is simple, and yet, as with anything new, some guidance is needed. Our minds tend to be very strong, distracting us from seeing what is truly now and in front of us. As your guide, I will help you note those distractions and pivot to the present moment. In the present moment is when the magic happens. For each person, their experience will be unique - feelings of awe, gratitude, creativity, clarity, oneness or so much more may arise. I truly believe the forest is the therapist; the guide simply opens the doors.
ARE WE A GOOD FIT?
On a surface level, a nature therapy walk is for adults looking to experience peace and calm in nature with a professional guide in the forest. It's a slow-paced and intentional experience to quiet the mind and relax in the gorgeous San Juan Mountains near Ouray and Ridgway. This is not an athletic hike, naturalist tour, psychotherapy in nature, or swimming/bathing in the river.
On a deeper level, this practice is for those on their spiritual awakening. As we flow through our spiritual awakening journey, we learn new tools and practices to dissolve the veil and connect with Source. Nature can be a beautiful partner in this journey, and forest bathing can be a tool like yoga, meditation, chanting, mantras, music, psychedelics, and so much more.
This experience and practice is also used to connect and nurture your relationship with your higher power, guides, ancestors, angels, or what you call them. When we are fully present we are open to receiving and flowing with the now. When our minds are quiet we are more prone to listening deeply to our high Self and the ones who support us. You may be experiencing something in your life right now that calls for guidance from your higher power or guides. Forest bathing is a perfect opportunity to connect with your higher power to ask and listen for that guidance.
Since this question often arises, I do not serve plant or animal medicine on my guided forest bathing walks.
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