Imagine… walking through a sunny, tranquil forest, surrounded by warmth and the sound of silence. Imagine seeing only the lush hues of the natural world; being free from interruption by voices, cars, or technology.
Pretty relaxing, right?
Now although I consider myself a city dweller, spending most of my time surrounded by infrastructure and crowds of people does make the occasional nature getaway a special experience every time. I find that there is something so beautiful in forgetting all for my worries for even a small amount of time, and taking a day-cation to one of the natural paradises that surround me. Yes, I do live in Calgary, Alberta…no-where near a beach or palm trees with coconuts. But we in the west are fortunate to be surrounded by towering, majestic mountains and miles of untouched nature.
I’m sure that many of you enjoy taking a casual hike through the scenery, be it for exercise or spending quality time with friends. In Japan, people do as well, so much so that they have actually invented a new method of therapy involving being surrounded by a forest. Although it mostly remains in the bamboo and cherry-blossom filled havens of Japan, I think that this method of therapy should be better known on a world-wide basis- it’s beautiful, natural, and it works. What is it?
Shinrin-Yoku 森林浴 (‘Forest-bathing’ in Japanese)
Forest-bathing… it sounds strange, doesn’t it? Just in case you still weren’t clear on the subject, Shinrin-Yoku does not mean literally taking a bath in a forest. It means something more along the lines of relaxing in the peacefulness of the forest. Shinrin-Yoku therapy has been popular in Japan as a preventative therapy since the 1980’s.
Based on the official Shinrin-Yoku website, here is the list of benefits which stem from this natural way of healing:
So how does one participate? It’s actually pretty simple:
Shinrin-Yoku is something you can try almost everywhere, especially as the weather warms up. If you’re feeling stressed from school or simply looking for an escape from the pressures of life, I for one strongly suggest taking a pleasant forest getaway in the form of Shinrin-Yoku- who knows which of the therapeutic effects you’ll benefit from. Have fun relaxing!
