Forest bathing has rightfully exploded in popularity over the last few years; this Japanese brand of accessible and mindful adventurism quietly made it over to our side of the planet, and in so doing has helped a great many people reconnect with the world, and more importantly, themselves.
Forest bathing – or to give it its Japanese name, ‘shinrin-yoku’ – describes the simple act of immersing oneself in nature. Active immersion in Britain’s incredible forest environs is far more than a simple ‘walk in the woods’, imparting as it does a great deal of mental health benefits. You might be interested in discovering some such benefits yourself, but might not know exactly where to start; let the following guide fill you in.
Choosing the Right Location
Though the benefits of forest bathing are far greater than the activity may suggest, that activity is nonetheless an incredibly simple one to undertake. After all, all you need is a good forest and the means to get there! The ideal location for your forest bathing activity is large enough for you to feel immersed in, accessible enough that you won’t have trouble getting to or from it, and diverse enough that you can engage yourself in many different aspects during your walk.
Mindful Techniques
The point of forest bathing is to put the principles of mindfulness into active practice – mindfulness being a powerful strategy for interrupting the mental processes that build in to depression, anxiety and other mental health conditions. As such, your walk through your forest of choice should be an engagement of all your senses.
Noticing aspects of the forest with each sense can help keep you fully present and in the moment, a world away from the tired mindfulness exercises you may be used to reading from webpages or worksheets. Noticing your body and its response to the environment is important to – which is why taking moments to simply stand and sit are just as important as making your way around the paths ahead.
Essential Gear
Forest bathing doesn’t need to be a major undertaking; if your forest of choice is within walking distance of your house, you may barely need to change out of your current clothes. However, it can be helpful to prepare a little, if only for maximum comfort. For instance, a good pair of boots will never go amiss when traversing uneven paths. A full water bottle or thermos, too, will ensure you stay hydrated while out and about.
Additional Tips
Mindfulness goes both ways when it comes to your local environment, of course. Just as you get to benefit from the sensory experience of enjoying the forest, so too do you need to respect its sanctity as a natural environment – which means leaving no trace as you pass through. Besides this essential tip, the best thing you can do for yourself is to make forest bathing a regular part of your routine going forwards!
