What’s in a word or two? For me, a lot. Take the words “forest bathing”, introduced to me by my sister-in-law Linda, and derived from the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku developed in the 1980s. Shinrin-yoku, which translates as “forest” and “bath”, means bathing in the forest atmosphere — or absorbing the forest through our senses. Instead of walking in Stanley Park, I now go forest bathing there. Two words transformed my regular ritual into an enticing experience.
The key difference: my deliberate engagement with nature by becoming mindful of all I see, hear, smell and touch when wandering alone in the woods. I don’t use my fifth sense of taste — except to hydrate from my obligatory water bottle. After all, the wild mushrooms might be poisonous.
Forest bathing involves contemplative walking, standing or sitting in a serene spot, or lying on the forest floor as we exercise our senses. Since scientific research shows doing it leads to reduced stress, improved mood and less fatigue, advocates think forest bathing should be one of many activities — e.g. dance and art classes, gardening, museum and art gallery visits — now prescribed by some doctors for our wellness.
An imperative of forest bathing is to leave behind our devices. To truly disconnect. Oops. A confession: when the lighting’s sublime, I tweak this rule by taking out my prohibited cell phone for the photo op. Well, that does help satisfy my aesthetic needs.
THE HOW-TO
Find a treed area to walk slowly, aimlessly, for up to two hours (though even 20 minutes will benefit us). Then connect wholly with nature. As expert Dr. Qing Li writes: “listen to the birds singing and the breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees. Look at the different greens of the trees and the sunlight filtering through the branches. Smell the fragrance of the forest and breathe in the natural aromatherapy of phytoncides… Take deep breaths. Place your hands on the trunk of a tree… Lie on the ground.” More tweaking: I don’t lie down.
Because I’m directionally challenged, I do not always walk the trail less travelled. First I must suppress my apprehension of getting lost — as my sister-in-law Nina and I once did — in this 405-hectare park with 27 km of trails winding through it. But sometimes, deep in the forest, a deafening silence enwraps me, profoundly. It’s worth risking minutes of confusion. Or carrying a trail map. And as Dr. Li says, “it doesn’t matter if you don’t get anywhere. You are not going anywhere.”
No easy access to a forest? Just head into nature, to a grove of trees at a neighbourhood park for instance. Then practice bathing, breathing exercises, meditation, yoga or T’ai chi. To boost our fitness, another tenet of wellness, add power walking before or after forest bathing. •
P.S. If I rename cooking, will it transform into an enticing task? That’s food for thought! Please add your suggestions in the comments below.
Deborah Etsten says
Beautifully stated and the photo is glorious. I’ve enjoyed bathing with your sister-in-law, many times, but we keep to separate “tubs?”
Pam McPhail says
Very droll. I like it!
J Grant McPhail says
That’s why we live where we live. 83 acres of trees and marsh. My kids said, “Dad wants to live in the middle of nowhere….near a golf course.” I’m livin’ the dream.
Thank you for describing the experience better than I could! ❤
Pam McPhail says
Do you hug trees as you amble about the Manitoba fiefdom? Hope so — for the bathing benefits.🥰
Judy Hopps says
I enjoy walks in the woods and marsh almost everyday. I love the tranquility, the different light depending on the time of day. I miss walks in Stanley Park when I used to be there for work – I never missed a late afternoon walk. I especially liked the candelabra primulas in the Park in the Springtime.
Pam McPhail says
You sent me to google to discover your allusion to primroses. I await their appearance this spring.
Tim McPhail says
Just in case you ever find yourself lost in the forest again Pam, remember the moss grows on the north side of the trees.
Perhaps more realistic, your smartphone should have a GPS locator as an app. You will need a WIFI data plan though. Download a compass app if you don’t already have one.
I envy your nearby access to Stanley Park and the Vancouver Seawall. And Spring is just around the corner. I’m guessing the most enjoyable time for forest bathing. We will try to find something close to it here in downtown Toronto. Fortunately, we likely won’t ever get lost with the CN Tower to lead us out of the woods.
Tim
Pam McPhail says
You’re trying to be helpful, Tim, but knowing the directions of north, south, east or west doesn’t guide me. And I have no data so GPS won’t rescue me either. I really just intuit my way around until familiarity sets in. These years if I find the ocean from the forest, I know every step of the seawall to wend my way home.
You have the wonderful ravine system in Toronto to explore, a huge urban park. Bathing in it can be a spring project for you.
Linda Richardson says
The photo in this post is just begging us all to experience forest bathing. I do so frequently in nearby Thetis Lake Regional Park and the Hatley Castle/Royal Roads University grounds as well as in so many other beautiful parks and hiking areas that we lucky Victorians have access to. Walking and hiking in the forest is always restorative.
Pam McPhail says
I didn’t exercise my senses wholly in the forest until reading and writing about forest bathing. Slowing down to consciously engage with nature for at least part of my walk enriches the activity. Plus the name gives it cachet!
Ken McLean says
We too enjoy forest “bathing”, though also like to take photos. There is also something to be said for sometimes seeing above the forest, by climbing a hill; recently we expanded our horizons by adding Mont Hatley to our hiking repertoire, but I find that my cell phone camera is not very good at vistas. I actually find winter the best time to forest bath here. For me the beauty of snow covered evergreens surpasses that of spring or fall.
Pam McPhail says
You have easy access to many forests in the Townships. Winter pleases your sense of sight. How about the other senses? Maybe you and Marie make snow angels on the ground?
Tanya Maev Loretto says
I too love forest bathing. It is a contemplative practice well worth doing. Thanks for giving me a new name for it!
Pam McPhail says
No one suggested a new name for my nightly ritual in the kitchen. Guess I’ll go with “colourful cooking” as I do try often to prepare the rainbow.