Once you have learned how to do it, you can do shinrin-yoku anywhere – in a nearby park or in your garden. You can forest-bathe anywhere in the world – wherever there are trees in hot weather or in cold in rain, sunshine or snow. Shinrin-yoku is suitable for any level of fitness. It doesn’t matter how fit – or unfit – you are. Here are some of the things people do: forest walking, yoga, eating in the forest, hot-spring therapy, T’ai chi, meditation, breathing exercises, aromatherapy, art classes and pottery, Nordic walking and plant observation. And there are many different activities you can do in the forest that will help you to relax and to connect with nature. The therapist then works out the best walking plan for you.īut it is just as easy to forest-bathe without a guide. When you arrive, you are given a physical health check and a psychological questionnaire. Doctors are on hand to offer general health assessments. In one of my favorite forests, Iinan Furusato-no-Mori, the forest-therapy program includes guided walks. Walking with a guide who is a trained forest therapist can help you feel more comfortable and find the right environment to fit your needs. You may have been rushing around so much you no longer know how to stand still. When you have been busy at work all week, it can be hard to slow down. These places will be special to you and your connection with them will be strong. Maybe you have a place in the countryside that reminds you of your childhood or of happy times in the past. Then the effects of the forest will be more powerful. If you love the smell of damp soil, you will be most relaxed where the natural landscape provides it. It is important to find a place that suits you. When it comes to finding calm and relaxation, there is no one-size-fits-all solution – it differs from person to person.
You have crossed the bridge to happiness. This is your sixth sense, a state of mind. Drink in the flavor of the forest and release your sense of joy and calm. Taste the freshness of the air as you take deep breaths. Smell the fragrance of the forest and breathe in the natural aromatherapy of phytoncides. Look at the different greens of the trees and the sunlight filtering through the branches. Listen to the birds singing and the breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees. Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet. The key to unlocking the power of the forest is in the five senses. By opening our senses, it bridges the gap between us and the natural world. It is simply being in nature, connecting with it through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. This is not exercise, or hiking, or jogging. Make your wellbeing a priority and sign up for TIME’s guide to self-care. Shinrin in Japanese means “forest,” and yoku means “bath.” So shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere, or taking in the forest through our senses. In Japan, we practice something called forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku. And I have been investigating the science behind that feeling for many years. Being in nature can restore our mood, give us back our energy and vitality, refresh and rejuvenate us.īut what exactly is this feeling that is so hard to put into words? I am a scientist, not a poet. They ease our stress and worry, help us to relax and to think more clearly. 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. We all know how good being in nature can make us feel.