forest-bathing (shinrin-yoku)
We all know how good being in nature can make us feel. We have known it for centuries. The sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the leaves, the fresh, clean air — these things give us a sense of comfort. They ease our stress and worry, help us to relax and to think more clearly. Being in nature can restore our mood, give us back our energy and vitality, refresh and rejuvenate us. Forest-bathing gives us permission to slow down.
Forest-bathing (shinrin-yoku) is a form of nature therapy that originated in Japan in the early 1980s by the Japanese Government and has been incorporated into the country’s health programme. Whether you choose to experience forest-bathing on your own or guided by a trained forest-therapist, the core principle is simple — to be fully present in nature.
The idea was created based on an intuitive understanding of Tomohide Akiyama (the chief of the forestry ministry) that the woods do people good, while distance from nature makes us sick. In order to better understand this somewhat poetic concept, American evolutionary biologist Edward O. Wilson formulated his own thesis in his book Biophilia (1984) to explain why nature has such a huge impact on people. It was his belief that people have a biological urge to commune with the primordial mother, Earth, which nurtures us. He believed that humans have evolved to love all forms of life and the processes that reflect our existence, which are everywhere visible in nature. Wilson called that attachment biophilia, from the Greek bios, meaning life, and philos, meaning loving.
Following this, medical researcher Roger Ulrich in 1984 published a study called “View through a window may influence recovery after surgery.” Records from a Philadelphia hospital over a decade showed patients with green views recovered sooner and were less depressed than those forced to stare at buildings.
Evidence supporting shinrin-yoku as a form of therapy is building, so far every study that has been conducted on the topic has demonstrated reductions in stress, anger, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness amongst the participants. In fact after just 15 minutes of forest bathing blood pressure drops, stress levels are reduced and concentration and mental clarity improve.
Through forest-bathing, you can learn to tune in to each of your five senses, creating a deep sense of mindfulness and connection to your environment. By fully engaging your attention on your surroundings, you will notice the complexity of nature, and your mind won’t able to dwell on thoughts and stresses that may be bothering you.
Sight
Psychologist William James explained that urban environments are cluttered with visual stressors, dangers, and demands that direct your attention. While natural settings prompt involuntary focus, where our vision and attention are open and relaxed, not jerked around from one potential danger to another. In a forest your gaze softens and opens. You are attentive, aware but not tense, and this relaxed attention makes you more mentally receptive. James said that we think and see more clearly in nature. Natural beauty soothes us, he believed, and that beauty relaxes the mind, too.
Sound
Most of the time, we’re listening in — to the babbling brook of our inner thoughts and chattering ego. Being in nature encourages us to listen outward, slowing down and tuning in to hear the birdsong, the rumble of thunder, gurgling water, breezes on branches, crunching leaves, howls and all the subtleties we otherwise miss.
Smell
Trees actually release antimicrobial chemicals, called phytoncides, to protect not only themselves from germs and insects, but have been proven to also increase immune system function in humans. These phytoncides create unique essential oils called ‘terpenes’, that have also been found to help boost mood, reduce blood pressure, heart rate, stress, anxiety, improve sleep and creativity, and may even help fight cancer and depression. A walk in the woods is on its own, a (free) intense aromatherapy session.
Touch
Craving connection and touch is something we all experience. We are all aware of the love and support that our relationships can bring us, but maybe you wouldn’t expect nature’s touch has the power to satisfy our biological need for connection too. Although it might seem strange at first, hugging a tree can be strangely soothing. It engages the sense of touch, get us right up close to those phytoncides, and satisfies our biophilia.
“Shinrin yoku is like a bridge…between us and the natural world…We many not travel very far, but in connecting us with nature, it takes us all the way home to our true selves.”
Taste
Forests are filled with natural medicines and herbal remedies, however unless you know how to distinguish between poisonous and non-poisonous items maybe we’ll leave that one up to the professionals.
Getting started
Step 1 – leave behind your phone, camera or any other distractions, so that you can be fully present in the experience.
Step 2 – Leave behind your goals and expectations. Wander aimlessly, allowing your body to take you wherever it wants.
Step 3 – Pause from time to time, to look more closely at a leaf or notice the sensation of the path beneath your feet.
Step 4 – Find a comfy spot to take a seat and listen to the sounds around you. See how the behaviour of the birds and other animals changes when they become used to your presence.
Step 5 – If you go with others, make an agreement to resist talking until the end of the walk, when you could gather to share your experiences.
By routinely slowing down to practice forest-bathing as a form of mindfulness, your body and mind will thank you — the psychological benefits will start to find their way into your everyday life. You will find it easier to respond calmly, stay composed in stressful situations, observe without judgment, remain curious, see the good, and feel a deeper sense of appreciation and gratitude.
References:
Li, Q., Kobayashi, M., Kumeda, S., Ochiai, T., Miura, T., & Kagawa, T. et al. (2016). Effects of Forest Bathing on Cardiovascular and Metabolic Parameters in Middle-Aged Males. Evidence-Based Complementary And Alternative Medicine, 2016, 1-7. doi: 10.1155/2016/2587381
Li, Q., Morimoto, K., Nakadai, A., Inagaki, H., Katsumata, M., & Shimizu, T. et al. (2007). Forest Bathing Enhances Human Natural Killer Activity and Expression of Anti-Cancer Proteins. International Journal Of Immunopathology And Pharmacology, 20(2_suppl), 3-8. doi: 10.1177/03946320070200s202
Li Q. (2010). Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function. Environmental health and preventive medicine, 15(1), 9–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12199-008-0068-3
Li, Q. (2018). Shinrin-yoku. New York.
Park, B., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2009). The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan. Environmental Health And Preventive Medicine, 15(1), 18-26. doi: 10.1007/s12199-009-0086-9
Selhub, E., & Logan, A. (2014). Your brain on nature. Toronto: HarperCollins Publishers, Ltd.
Ulrich, R. (1984). View through a window may influence recovery from surgery. Science, 224(4647), 420-421. doi: 10.1126/science.6143402
