Have you ever suspected that spending time among trees is good for you? Does that sound too obvious to even say? Well, it may be even better for your health than your intuition knows. Recently the Japanese tradition of shinrinyoku (roughly translated as ‘forest bathing’) has gained significant traction in the scientific and outdoor communities. You can find oodles of studies and talks on the topic. And this should come as no surprise, since people are really excited about the scientific validation of this otherwise self-evident fact.
Forest Bathing is largely based on sensory experience, and it is a slow, contemplative activity. Shinrinyokuwas formalized as a practice in the late 80s when the Japanese government recognized the adverse effects of a highly urbanized and technological way of life. Now scientific studies bear out this practice, showing benefits such as reduced blood pressure and cortisol levels.
For this outing with North Cascades Institute, we’ll be led by local practitioner April Claxton in the 100 Acre Woods in Fairhaven. She’ll start by sharing some of the research on the health benefits of time in nature, then the principles of Shinrin Yoku. She’ll guide us through a grounding walk focusing on the soles of our feet, then work through each sense, one at a time.
The session will include walking, sitting, standing, kneeling and putting our hands in the soil. We’ll listen to the sounds of the woods, look at the variety of colors and patterns and get to know the plants and other aspects of the woods through both touch and smell. Most of our time will be spent in silence in order to get out of our heads and to take a pause from our busy lives!
When you depart, you will have the fundamentals of a new outdoor practice that can serve you for the rest of your life!
