Forest bathing in the unknown: Why now is the perfect time to start
“Wherever there are trees, we are healthier and happier”
— Dr. Qing Li
It’s an odd feeling when we begin to miss something before it’s even gone. That moment when you realize it won’t last forever, or much longer at all.
The fear begins to creep in, and you want to hold onto it. But then your grasping ruins the magic, so you then attempt to let go.
It’s reminiscent of the feelings of culture shock; once you realize you’re in it, the adventure starts right away, ready or not. Then your heart wraps around itself so many times that it becomes a ball in your chest and peeks out as a lump in your throat.
With the forest fires of the past few months in California and the West Coast, I’ve been feeling this sort of culture shock at home. I am trying to find my place in this changed and unfamiliar environment. I simultaneously realize that, like visiting Venice before it's underwater, now is the time to see all the natural sights I’ve taken for granted. The forests that I’ve grown up around may not be there tomorrow.
It makes me feel an urgency of appreciation. Like I need to get into the forest and memorize each path, see every landmark tree before it disappears.
I’m struggling to value the familiar without clinging to it.
“Leave your cup of coffee and your phone behind and just walk slowly. You don’t need to exercise, you just need to open your senses to nature. It will improve your mood, reduce tension and anxiety, and help you focus and concentrate for the rest of the day.”
— Dr. Qing Li
Forest bathing to the rescue
Forest bathing is an ideal way to slow down and savor the bounty that’s available to you in the present. For those of you not familiar, forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) is a Japanese practice of ecotherapy where you spend time soaking in the atmosphere of nature.
I learned about it a few years ago after reading “Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health And Happiness” by Dr. Qing Li. Full disclosure: I fell into it pretty hard, searching for Hinoki cypress and using ALL the essential oils from trees to get my ‘phytoncides’ dose (the immune-boosting chemicals produced by evergreens).
But more than that, it changed how I approach nature. I’m not sure I would’ve even thought to change my pace if it wasn’t for the detailed explanation of why to do it, and for the research in this book shining a light on the subtle positive effects that nature has on our body.
Since then, my closeness to the trees in my life has deepened to a spiritual experience. I take breaks on weekend hikes to notice the trees and nature around me instead of just forging ahead to the finish line of a waterfall or view. I’m listening to them now. I feel connected to their presence.
Read next:
Mindfulness through your senses
The positive effects of being in nature and forest bathing
Even a single tree can change your state of mind. If a forest is not in your immediate area, think green (the color) and go for walks in parks, gardens, or adopt some house plants. Merely taking a nature break can have incredible effects on your well being.
You’ll be happier! It improves mood and focus, and has been proven to help with depression.
Forest bathing increases your creativity.
It reduces stress, as seen in how it can cause “lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, increase parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity compared with city settings.”
Improves length and quality of sleep.
How to practice forest bathing (shinrin-yoku)
This practice is dead simple, and you’ve likely already done it without realizing it.
Find a couple spots (ideally with some evergreens) you can visit easily and frequently.
Leave your devices at home. Enjoy the forest in silence.
Slow down, and wander. Listen to where your body wants to go, and go there.
Change your perspective: Zoom in. For example, at a small stream, watch the leaves floating on the water. Observe the details of the micro-ecosystem. Then zoom out and sense how you are part of the larger whole in the forest.
Stop and rest. Use your five senses to engage with the space around you. Get comfortable and settle in. Hang out awhile. “Drink in the flavor of the forest” (Li).
Think of this green space as your refuge and use the space for meditation, drinking tea, yoga, picnics, and your creative endeavors. Invite a friend or two to join you.
It’s not too late to begin
While forest bathing isn’t a cure for grasping, it can make your spirit feel lighter and your chest spring open with joy as you hang out with your tree friends. Like any friendship, you can’t know if it will last forever. But when you focus on being with them, you sink into the beauty of right now.
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