Category: 🙏 Mental Health & Wellbeing 🙏

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Introduction to forest bathing ( shinrin-yoku )

SummerLeave a comment

Known in Japanese as shinrin-yoku, forest bathing is a practice of walking in nature ( forests ) and taking in the energy and atmosphere through all your five senses. Its not about exercising in the forest its more of a slow practice of being present and listening to the sounds around you, noticing the smells and the feel of the wind on your skin. Connect to mother nature!

History of forest bathing

The term shrinrin-yoku was coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982, there was a need in post war Japan for people to slow down as the rapid urbanisation and work loads were making citizens ill. By the 1990s, designated Shinrin Yoku Trails were established across Japan to facilitate this practice for citizens as the government studies on forest bathing gave promising results. The studies indicated that immersion in forest settings could significantly reduce stress levels, enhance mood, and boost immune function so that’s pretty cool right ?

What to do while forest bathing

Sit and reflect : Find a beautiful spot to sit down and reflect for 10 minuets or so, this can be on a bench or on the ground, you could take part in a bit of grounding if you take off your shoes on the grass or sit down on the grass.

Deep breathing : Take advantage of the clean air surrounding you and take deeper breaths while walking slow.

Pay attention : Get lost in the sounds of nature, the birds tweeting ? The branches in the wind. the colours of the flowers around you. Take a look at the beauty of nature. Take it all in.

Studies on forest bathing

Studies have shown that forest bathing helps to lower cortisol ( the stress hormone ) and improve mood/mental function.

Have you ever heard of Nature Deficit Disorder ? , a term popularized by Richard Louv that describes the negative consequences associated with no or reduced contact with natural environments. Studies indicate that this disconnection can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and other health issues etc.

How to forest bath

Find local parks/forests on google that are local

Try to organise a forest bathing session once per week, try to stay for at least an hour or two. Don’t rush your experience.

Ask friends or family to come with you and enjoy

Create your own forest bathing group r find one on social media to join

Bring a backpack with supplies, such as water, notepad and pen. try to keep off your phone as much as possible

Further Reading and Links

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_exposure_and_mental_health

https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/talking-therapy-and-counselling/ecotherapy/

https://www.forestryengland.uk/blog/forest-bathing

https://richardlouv.com/

💞 Self Care 💞 · 🙏 Mental Health & Wellbeing 🙏

10 different ways to ground while outdoors ( Grounding and Earthing activities )

SummerLeave a comment
  1. Start gardening in your own garden or at a local garden where you can volunteer. Touch the soil and the plants, and even go barefoot. Interact with the plants and flowers as long as parts of your body are touching the earth and plants, etc. You’re good!
  2. Walk barefoot on the grass, being careful of objects, and select a nice piece of earth to walk across. If you have a garden, you are lucky; if not, maybe a beach or public park. When visiting places like mountains or rivers, I always just pop my shoes off to stand in the water and grass, but I check the area first! Sometimes I do this when it’s cold, but it’s great knowing I can pop my shoes on at any time again, so I always keep them close by.
  3. Hug a tree. I know this one seems crazy. Watch out that no one is watching you! I do attempt this at times, but only if it’s an area with hardly any people. The energy from a tree is very powerful.
  4. Buy special grounding shoes! ( Earthing shoes )
  5. Meditate on stones or sit on stones and rocks, You know those beautiful big stones at beauty spots grab a seat on one. All you need is one point of contact with the rock or stone to exchange electrons with the earth. Take in the scenery, Multitask reading a book or writing.
  6. Use an earthing mat
  7. Laying on the ground, Maybe at a beach or park somewhere clean and tidy, luckier if you have a garden you can relax and read or listen to music etc.
  8. Go for a swim ( wild swimming ) in a lake or river, You can simply put your feet in the shallow end and this will be enough!
  9. Hiking, When you reach the top slip off your shoes and ground them to the earth while you sit and take in the view 20 minuets is all you need. or pop of shoes at certain intervals along your journey !
  10. Natural hot springs and mud baths – used for hundreds of years as ” healing ” centres for people everything from decreased signs of ageing to reduction in inflammation.