What is a forest bath?
We entered the forest at dawn. It is not cold nor hot, there is only you and the sound of nature , a light breeze that moves the leaves of the trees and the song of the birds that surrounds you. Around you nature is bursting with fall colors and the trees seem to want to touch the sky. Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel that you connect with the earth?
The yugen is the Japanese word that comes to express those sensations too deep to be able to describe them. And one more step to understand what is shinrin-yoku, why is it a common ancient activity in Japan -it is practiced by between 2.5 and 5 million people annually- and how has it become so popular this last year.
JAPAN, THE BEGINNING OF FOREST BATHS
The **forest in Japan ** is as important as work because, despite the fact that its urban rhythm of life does not stop growing, this country has one of the largest forest masses in the world : 5,000 kilometers of forest that occupy two thirds of its territory.
Nature permeates everything in Japan and each of its trees has a meaning and a use, the most common of which is the suggested, trees of more than a thousand years of life and of great height . There is a belief that says that kodamas who are deities live in them. If someone intends to cut down one of these trees he must know that he will be exposed to a curse.
The truth is humans before stepping on the asphalt inhabited fields and forests , that's why we are more connected with nature than with any other place. The Japanese have also given that a name: Shizen, which means that we are all connected to nature spiritually.
From there are born so many traditions such as the Japanese art of floral composition, called ikebana , the hanami in spring, or the contemplation of the moon in autumn, the tsukimi . Now do you understand why the shinrin-yoku or forest bathing ?
WE ARE NOT MADE TO LIVE IN THE CITY
Did you think that being an urbanite runs in your veins? That you were born to live from brunch to brunch all your life? Well, you're wrong, the human being is more connected to nature than to the city according to science. Biophilia is a concept, popularized by the American biologist E.O.Wilson in 1984, which refers to the need to love nature and connect with it.
“Shinrin-yoku opens our senses and creates a bridge between us and the natural world. And when we are in harmony with the natural world, we can begin to heal ourselves, "says Doctor Qing Li in his book _ The Power of the Forest. How to find happiness and health through trees _ (Roca Editorial, 2018).
Despite what the data says ** (the UN estimates that in 2050 almost 70% of the world's population will live in cities) **, we need to be in contact with nature , which has accompanied us since the existence of the human being.
“In your air-conditioned or heated office, you may not have realized what the weather is like outside. Have you noticed that spring has come outside?” adds Doctor Qing Li in his book. And so it is, despite the fact that it has been proven that sunlight is beneficial to our health, We spend most of the day locked up.
Feel the embrace of nature.
Also, we live glued to electronic screens and the more time we spend, the more exposed we are to suffering from 'technostress' ', the same one that provokes us headache, fatigue, anxiety, insomnia, frustration...
And the most feared by all, the Depression , the plague of the 21st century that, according to the World Health Organization, affects more than 300 million people worldwide. But there are solutions and they are closer than you think: Did you know that trees can help us find happiness?
WHY YOU NEED A FOREST BATH
Before learning how to experience a forest bath, we need to know what exactly they are. "Is a contemplative practice in which the idea is to stimulate the five senses while you are in the forest, to allow the body to heal through contact and contemplation through the trees”, Alex Gesse, guide, guide trainer tells Traveler.es , founder of Shinrin-Yoku Barcelona and author of _ Feeling the Forest. The shinrin-yoku or forest bathing experience _ (Grijalbo, 2018) .
Science has determined through several studies why it is so beneficial to be in contact with nature on a daily basis . In fact, the first time this term was coined was in 1982 in Japan, when the then Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries stated that the people needed to heal through nature.
It's all about slowing down.
In 2004, it was when the Japan Forest Therapy Study Foundation, where Doctor Qing Li also works, demonstrated through various studies in Iiyama Forest the benefits of practicing shinrin-yoku. And these were the results...
MAIN BENEFITS
What can it do for our health? We point out the main benefits of forest bathing thanks to Alex Gesse's book, Feel the Forest. The experience of shinrin-yoku or forest bathing (Grijalbo, 2018) .
1- Boosts the immune system
2- Reduces anxiety, depression and anger
3- Reduce stress
4- Helps you relax and slow down your body and mind
5- Improve your mood and health
6- Improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system and reduces cardiac pressure
7- It affects less overweight and obesity
8- Helps to fall asleep
9- Contributes to mental health
10- Contributes to cohesion and social welfare
You can practice it alone or in a group.
HOW TO PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
There are many experiences called forest bathing , there are even achievable in the office or in the city; There are also different opinions on how long they should last, it is recommended that they be about 30 minutes a day, but they can reach hours or you can adapt it to the time you have.
The guide is the person who will be in charge of accompanying the person or group in the experience or trip through the forest , but you can also do a forest bath alone.
How to practice a forest bath?
Leave your mobile, keep in mind that walks through the forest have to be at a slow pace, so forget the rush. You can sit somewhere where you feel comfortable , take off your shoes, breathe deeply, feel the roots of your feet with the earth, bring an infusion of natural herbs to the forest …, in some forest baths yoga, meditation or tai chi are practiced; and in Japan open-air hot spring baths.
“A forest bath, the way I lead, not a cognitive experience in which we try to understand the forest and what happens in it, or an activity in which the forest is a setting for exercise”, says Gesse.
We take from Gesse's book two practices that you can do in a forest bath. Get rid of shame, fears or prejudices. Are you ready?
"CONNECTING WITH THE EARTH"
Duration: 10-15 minutes
- Go for a walk in space
- Find a place that seems comfortable to you
- Sit on the floor and lean back slowly, at your own pace
- Let the earth welcome you. Let the grass hold you
- What do you notice?
A forest bath of 30 to 40 minutes is recommended.
"LEAF OF THE RIVER"
-Take a tree leaf that appeals to you
- Walk along the river in the direction of the water current
- Feel the water that walks with your body. Where are you going?
- As you walk slowly, write something on the sheet, a secret, a wish, a regret... Whatever you want
- When you feel comfortable, share it by dropping the leaf in the river