How to tune into your senses and be soothed by the aliveness of everything.
5 steps to forest bliss
- Leave all tech behind. Things like your phone, a camera, or headphones will only distract you from your purpose. After all: being fully present is the point!
- Go easy on yourself. You don’t need to set any goals or have any expectations for your forest-bathing experience: simply let your body take you where it wants. To mangle Tolkien: not all those who meander are lost.
- Take a moment to pause. Forest-bathing is the perfect excuse to spend long minutes gazing at the perfect purple of a fringe lily, following the movements of a beetle, or revelling in the iridescence of a butterfly. The longer we look, the more we see.
- Get comfortable. You don’t have to keep moving – find a spot to rest; listening to the sounds around you or watching the birds and critters get used to your presence. You’d be surprised how much you’ll discover when you’re simply sitting still.
- Quiet time. If sharing this experience with friends or loved ones, commit to resist talking until the end of the walk. A challenge, yes, but for a worthwhile outcome!
Take your medicine
The idea might seem simple, but as various scientific studies have shown, the benefits are real. Forest-bathing can:
- Lower concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol, as well as lower pulse rate and blood pressure,
- Increase parasympathetic nerve activity (the body’s ‘rest and digest’ system, which functions to conserve the body’s natural activity and helps relax an individual after an emergency has passed) and lowers sympathetic nerve activity (our ‘fight or flight’ responses, such as increased heart rate, dilated pupils, bursts of energy to respond to perceived danger),
- Aid in relaxation,
- Enhance immunity,
- Regulate mood,
- Reduce anxiety and depression, and
- Improve overall feelings of wellbeing.
WORDS AND IMAGES: Pamela Edmondson
