Forest Bathing

I just spent the weekend up at the Serpentine Buddhist Retreat Centre at Jhana Grove, revelling in sharing a silent weekend with 60 other participants, plenty of meditation and time to rest, eating wonderful vegetarian food, and walking in nature. Although I love it all, the best part for me is the bushwalking. Time spent walking paths I am now familiar with, and some new ones, connecting with the forest. It is an area that is loved and cared for by the monks and Buddhist community. It was raining some of the time, but not all the time. 

Forest bathing is a term coined by the Japanese in the 1980s. The intention was to help people recover from corporate burnout and inspire them to reconnect with Japan’s beautiful forests. It is called shinrin-yoku, or ‘taking in the forest atmosphere”, or forest bathing. So, the phenomenon began to be studied in the 1990s, providing scientific backup for what we already know- that spending time in nature is good for us. 

Forest bathing has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure and stress levels. And while that might not sound like much, it can also help cardiovascular and mental health.

It can be really simple, or a more elaborately organised and intentional experience. Some people take groups on forest bathing events, and they help people connect with nature and themselves with various rituals. That can be lovely. I love being alone in the bush and walking, stopping now and then to look more closely at something, or a good view. 

If you feel stressed out, burned out, or haven’t been on a nature walk for a while, maybe it’s time? The wildflowers here are starting to come out, the weather is wonderful for walking, and its too easy to get too busy and put it off. I know I feel inspired to head to the hills more often. Spending time in nature is as important to our wellbeing as eating well and all the other things we do.  After all, we too are nature. 

(I took my phone to send a photo to Dave - in the only spot that had reception :) )