I’d been curious about this for a while, and when an opportunity for trying forest bathing popped up, I blocked out my diary to go along.
I wasn’t really sure what it involved, and did wonder if it was just a nice nap under a tree. I went along to give it a go as one of my fifty-two new things for 2024. Here’s more about the practice, what my experience was like, and how you can try it too.
What Is Forest Bathing?
At it’s most basic description, it is spending time in nature. But there is so much more to it than that.
Forest bathing is a practice that invites you to explore the natural world, one sense at a time, allowing yourself to reconnect, recharge and recalibrate.
It’s an opportunity to pause, pay attention, and mindfully experience all that nature has to offer.
The Origins Of Forest Bathing
The roots of forest bathing stem back to Japan in the early 1980s.
There was a notable decrease in the amount of time people were spending outdoors whilst urbanisation increased and technology advanced.
As people were connecting less and less to their natural environment, Tomohide Akiyama, who was the director the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, discovered some studies which indicated that forest bathing could provide a solution.
Not only could spending time in nature provide health benefits, and a break from the busyness of every day life, they hoped that as people reconnected to their natural world they would in turn want to protect it.
Akiyama harnessed this idea and developed the name, Shinrin-yoku, which roughly translates as Forest Bathing. Along with giving it an official name, he provided guidelines so that people could understand and take part in the therapeutic practice.
Benefits Of Forest Bathing
Hopefully if you get to spend any time in the great outdoors, you’ll feel some benefits. With forest bathing, it’s not just the things that you do that can have an impact, it’s the absorption of compounds released by the natural world that can enhance the positive effects.
Forest bathing allows our bodies to spend time in the rest and digest state, a much needed alternative to the fight or flight mode. It can help to reduce stress and lower blood pressure, whilst also boosting the immune system, and increasing positive moods.
If you’re sceptical and think it’s all a load of hippy talk, maybe you want some evidence, take a look at The Forest Bathing Institute and Forest Bathing Central. They have both collated studies which show just how beneficial the practice can be.
Dame Judi Dench is a patron of The Forest Bathing Institute!
My Experience Of Trying Forest Bathing
For my first ever experience of forest bathing, I attended a drop in session at a nature themed craft day held at one of York’s wonderful green spaces. Homestead Park is a beautiful place just outside of the city centre, with beautiful gardens and wild meadows. It was the perfect setting to give it a go, and thankfully the weather was kind to us!
To begin my guide, Debbie, gave me a brief history of forest bathing, along with just some of the many benefits that spending time in nature can bring. Before we got into the session properly, she outlined what our time would entail. She had a lovely calm way about her, which helped to create a safe space so that I felt I could really immerse myself into the practice.
Debbie would be guiding me through the natural surroundings. We’d spend time focusing on each of the senses individually before bringing them all together for the last ten minutes or so.
Guided forest bathing sessions can take place over several hours. As this was a taster session, it was a condensed version, yet over the fifty minutes I’d get to briefly experience most of the elements that occur in a full practice.
Breathing It All In
After the introduction, and then making sure all electronic devices were switched to silent, we started by focusing on deepening the breath.
Moving through the woodland was slow. Much slower than a slow walk. To anyone who didn’t know what we were up to, it may have looked a bit unusual. However, to actually be doing it felt like a purposeful and gentle way to begin the practice and start to pay attention.
As we focused on each of the senses in turn, Debbie offered helpful prompts, and suggestions of different things to notice that could so easily have been overlooked. It was useful in helping the mind to stay focused.
Regular Reflections
Before progressing to the next sensory experience, Debbie invited discussion about any observations or reflections we’d experienced. There was no pressure to share, yet I found articulating my feelings to be quite a helpful way of processing the sensations.
There was never any sense that something had to be done in a certain way. It was certainly an individual experience in terms of participation, responses and reactions.
Fragrance Of The Forest
It was when we focused on the sense of smell that I had the most incredible reaction.
Of course, I know what things in a forest smell like, but, probably like you, I haven’t purposefully stopped to smell individual items in nature for a very, very long time.
Picking up individual items from a dropped pine cone, to an individual leaf, to a piece of bark, I gave them a sniff. Now I realise that sounds ridiculous, I’ve just typed it and laughed because it is not behaviour we see very often. However, hear me out!
I felt like a wide-eyed child just discovering something brilliant. Using an incredible and simple technique that Debbie showed us, I was able to notice amazingly intense smells. It was a bit like standing in a candle shop, only the things that I was smelling were entirely natural.
It was as though I’d re-awoken my olfactory system. Even what looked like a dead stick had it’s own aroma. It made me realise how so many of the day-to-day scents we experience are artificial, and how the forest is full of fragrance if we stop to notice it.
Letting The Goodness Wash Over
Once we had spent time exploring each of the senses, there was the opportunity to relax. There was no assumption that this would be done lying down, but I felt comfortable and wanted to fully absorb all of the goodness around me.
I did close my eyes, but again there was no expectation that I had to do this. To any passer-by, it perhaps looked a bit odd, but I managed to switch off and not worry about what anyone else thought.
Feeling the light breeze ruffle my hair, noticing the dappled sunlight as it trickled through the leaves to warm my face, hearing the trees swaying gently whilst the children played in the park, and smelling the distinctive woody aroma of the earth around me. You’ll have read descriptions like these. It probably sounds familiar and you can imagine what it is like, but when did you last actually experience those sensations?
A Wonderful Way To Reconnect With Nature
Sitting back up and chatting to Debbie, I don’t think I’d expected to feel quite as relaxed as I actually did when the session was over.
With it being a shorter, taster experience, I don’t think I experienced the deeper connections I might do in a longer practice, but there was still a definite sense of calm, recharge, and appreciation of the natural world.
How I Felt Trying Forest Bathing
I loved it! I love being out in nature and I can feel the benefits it brings to me, but I’ll admit I was a little sceptical about what more this practice could do.
Having the opportunity to experience exactly what forest bathing is, and going on a guided session helped me to stay focused and really engage with and soak up all of the good stuff in nature.
I did wonder if this was something that I could go out and try on my own. Now that I know what forest bathing entails, I’d feel more confident in being able to practice it individually. However, I think having a guide is so helpful for staying focused and present.
Why You Should Try Forest Bathing
Life is busy. It’s hard to switch off when there are so many demands on our attention and our time.
A forest bathing session gives a sense of permission to pause, to pay attention to all that nature has to often, and to focus on the here and now.
It gives the thinking mind a break, allowing it to recalibrate, reset and refocus.
Some people might think the idea of forest bathing is therapeutic, meditative, and relaxing. To others, it could be considered a little bit odd or awkward. I can imagine some people cringing at the idea of it. However, if you go with an open mind, and a willingness to give it a go, you might just be surprised at the results.
Want To Try It Yourself?
- Debbie will be delivering regular forest bathing sessions at Homestead Park.
- You can find out more by following her on facebook, instagram, or visiting her website. You can also see more about the complimentary therapies she offers.
- You can find guided forest bathing experiences through The Forest Bathing Institute.
- Take a look on Eventbrite for forest bathing events near you.
- Forestry England offer guided forest bathing events, and some guidelines if you want to try it on your own.
- There are some forest bathing experiences available through Virgin Experience Days.
- Take a look at some other relaxing experiences and spiritual experiences that I’ve tried as part of Challenge Fifty-Two and see what else you might feel inspired to try!
Cost Of Experience
- The particular session that I joined was free as it was part of a day of nature themed crafts hosted by Thrive Outside CIC.
- Guided sessions, may have a cost associated to them, and the prices will vary.
Recommendations
- I’d highly recommend having a guided session if you’ve never tried it before.
- Dress for the weather. Forest bathing can be practiced at any time of year. Layer up if you need to, wear waterproofs if the forecast is looking wet, and don’t forget your suncream.
- Whilst lying down isn’t essential, take a blanket or towel so that you’ve got something to use if you do decide want to stretch out and relax.
- Switch off your devices. Or at least turn them to silent.
- Take some water with you, make sure you stay hydrated.
- Of course we share nature with many wild creatures. Double check before you touch anything or pick it up to make sure it’s not living, and hasn’t recently been used as a lavatory.
- Keep an open mind, and you might be surprised at how it can make you feel.
I’ve heard of forest bathing, but I didn’t really know what it involved. It was great to read about your experience, and it does seem like a good way to slow down and focus on the present. Debbie does sound like a wonderful guide!
Thank you for reading! It was really good to find out what forest bathing actually involved. Even from a taster session I felt fantastic afterwards! Do you think it’s something you might ever try?
Thanks for the comment :o)
This sounds like something I would absolutely love to do as I like to spend time just connecting to nature. Opening all my senses to being in a forest or somewhere similar sounds perfect to me!
I hope you get to give it a try! :o)
I don’t think I’d expected to feel quite so relaxed at the end, and I loved focusing on the senses and noticing things in nature that I wouldn’t usually pay attention to; it was amazing! I’m definitely going to adopt some of the principles more often!
Thanks as always for reading and commenting, I really appreciate it.
I’m intrigued by the reaction you had to smell! I walk a few times a week in Epping Forest and must confess I scarcely notice the smells, except for petrichor after rain. I’ll definitely look into forest bathing!
It made me realise how little attention I’ve paid when I’ve been out in nature recently. Stopping to purposefully appreciate the scents was amazing – I was really surprised at how strong some of the smells were. I hope you get to give it a go.