FOREST BATHING

Part of my purpose as a life coach and artist-healer is to provide some ways to reduce stress and bring relaxation into all our lives. My guided meditations often involve mentally and emotionally experiencing Nature in some way.

And here’s why.

From my own experiences in Nature, I know I become relaxed and clear my mind. I grew up with Nature-loving parents who took us children out into forests every possible weekend, and camped in forests near lakes or rivers every summer. I still remember a walk at age five in the Black Forest of southern Germany. My dad showed me a snail crossing the road and leaving a silvery shiny trail behind. I was completely mesmerized, crouching down to watch it slowly cross the entire road. There was a serious connection there, and I know it was one of my earliest spiritual experiences. Dad stayed with me until I was ready to continue our walk — I’m sure he could see what was happening. Thanks, Dad!

This kind of being in the moment and in total immersion is called “forest bathing.” Unlike hiking, which is about getting to a destination, forest bathing focuses on being in the moment, in mindfulness, through the senses. You tune in completely to what specifically you can hear (birds, a woodpecker, leaves crunching beneath your feet, insects buzzing, drizzling rain or a breeze in the treetops, a plane overhead), what you can see (squirrels, birds, different kinds of trees, flowers, fall colors, a glimpse of the sky), what you can smell (fresh clean air, pine trees, flowers, muddy earth) and what you can feel (sinking into soft ground or mud, textures of various leaves or tree barks, the earth, cool breeze on your skin). Maybe you even found some wild strawberries to taste.

Research shows that just 10-20 minutes forest bathing a day lowers your heart rate, blood pressure and cortisol, the stress hormone. It boosts the hormone serotonin, the “feel-good” hormone. It calms and clears your mind, helps solve problems, and sparks new ideas. Further benefits include reducing anxiety and improving memory and sleep. Similar effects are found in meditation and yoga.

And how about the colors of the forest? When you leave the hustling bustling city and enter a forest, how do you feel seeing all that green?? My daughter, home for a visit after living in arid Southern California, was astounded by the green Massachusetts countryside; she had a big smile as she exclaimed “It’s so green here, Mom!” There is a body of research on the psychology and physiology of colors. The long wavelength of green has a calming effect on your brain via the pituitary gland, and this increases focus and concentration.

Another contributor to our love of Nature is a concept called “biophilia.” This term refers to the idea that humans are unconsciously emotionally connected to Nature. Well, I say of course! It’s obvious! We evolved as part of Nature and we are still part of it, no matter how hard we try to distance ourselves from it (cities, technology and such).

When you’re in a forest, you will begin to recognize and appreciate its beauty. You may come to understand deeply that there is more than just you, just your daily life, your regular world. You really feel the depth and immensity and power of this Beauty. Such insights can be life-changing; they can be a spiritual experience.

So when you get a chance, go out into the forest, or even a park, and stimulate your mind, body and soul. Take it all in, one sense at a time. If you’re unable to do get to a forest, buy yourself a plant or two and take good care of it.? Let me know what you discover!