Shinrin Yoku - 森林浴
What is “Shinrin Yoku”? Shinrin Yoku is a Japanese phrase meaning “Forest Bathing”. With the increased population in urban cities, especially in Tokyo, adults, and children succumb to something called “Nature deficit disorder”. Being surrounded by buildings and a fast-paced lifestyle is one of several reasons for the increase in mental illness and stress. By relieving ourselves of our day-to-day life and releasing the need to have a goal, we can gain some of our mental as well as physical well-being back. What about the children? Do they also benefit from shinrin yoku?
For me shinrin yoku is something I also need to practice. I love being in the outdoors whether it’s hiking, scuba diving, or snowboarding. However, even doing this is not enough to practice shinrin yoku. For me, adults and children alike, always have an agenda and a plan for whatever we do. It takes practice to completely be present, mindful, and without a goal. So how do we practice shinrin yoku?
Why Forest Bathing is Good for Your Health:
How to do forest bathing……
Connecting with nature is simple, writes Dr. Qing Li. “All we have to do is accept the invitation. Mother Nature does the rest.” Here are some of his suggested steps.
Find a spot. Depending on where you are, find a good source of nature. One doesn’t need to journey deep into a forest for these benefits. Just look for any green area. It could be an urban park, a nature reserve, or a trail through suburban woods. Forests with conifers are thought to be particularly beneficial.
“Let your body be your guide. Listen to where it wants to take you,” Li says. Some people will respond to sunny glades, others to shadier places. Listen to your own wisdom. For people who don’t have access to a forest, or can’t get outside for some reason, infusing essential tree oils in your home can provide benefits, too.
Engage all your senses. “Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, and feet,” says Li. Actively listen, smell, touch, and look. “Drink in the flavour of the forest and release your sense of joy and calm.”
Don’t hurry. Slow walking is recommended and it’s good to spend as much time as possible. You’ll notice positive effects after twenty minutes, says Li, but a longer visit, ideally four hours, is better.
Try different activities. Try doing yoga in the woods, or Tai chi, or meditation. Take a picnic. Write a poem. Study plants. You can venture alone, or with a companion. In Japan, forest walking therapists are even available.
Appreciate the silence. One of the downsides of urban living is the constant noise. If you’re lucky, you’ll find a wooded area that’s free from human-produced sound. Silence is restorative, and a forest can have its own healing sound—rustling leaves, a trickle of water, or birdsong. Spend a few quiet moments with a favourite tree. If nothing else, when we connect with nature, we are reminded that we are part of a bigger picture; and that, Li notes, “can lead us to be less selfish and to think more of others.”
The benefit of shinrin yoku is backed up by scientific research. Some of the health benefits are:
* Cardiovascular benefits - decrease blood pressure and heart rate
* Significant decrease in the salivary cortisol test (a biomarker of stress) and anxiety, with an increase in Quality-of-Life questionnaires.
* Improves duration and quality of sleep.
* Benefits to the autonomic nervous system
(For more information, please read https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/8/851/htm)
The current studies shine the positive benefits on adults which include regaining what we have lost throughout our lives. What it doesn’t show are the benefits to children’s lives. Children also need an outlet to experience nature in its purest form. The need to not have an agenda is more important for them than it is for us adults to decompress. For the children, it is a time to experiment and learn from their surroundings and appreciate mother nature. By connecting with nature at an early age the children become more connected to it and will therefore become more protective of it as adults.
References
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_forest_bathing_is_good_for_your_health
