10/2/24: 🌲 Finding Home: My profound evening in the forest

Happy Wednesday my friend,

Finding Your Way Home: My First Guided Forest Bathing

Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku in Japanese, may be what your soul is seeking.

It was for me.

Two days ago I participated in my first ever official guided forest bathing session. And it was incredible.

It's not a hike with a destination. It’s not an expedition to identify plants and trees. It’s not about learning or thinking at all – at least not in the academic sense.

Forest bathing is about slowing down, surrendering, and finding your way home as a human.

And when you do, encapsulated in the womb of the forest, the sights, smells, tastes, sounds, and feels…will quite literally help heal your body and mind.

Many scientific studies (mostly done in Japan) have proven repeatable benefits of forest bathing:

• Reduced stress and anxiety: Studies have shown that spending time in nature can significantly reduce levels of cortisol, the stress hormone.

• Improved mood: Exposure to natural environments has been linked to increased levels of serotonin and dopamine, neurotransmitters associated with happiness and well-being.

• Enhanced immune function: Spending time in forests can boost the immune system by increasing the production of natural killer cells, which help fight off infections.

• Improved cognitive function: Studies suggest that forest bathing can improve attention, memory, and creativity.

• Lower blood pressure: Spending time in nature can help lower blood pressure, reducing the risk of heart disease and stroke.

I read (and recommend) M. Amos Clifford's excellent "Your Guide to Forest Bathing" as it accelerated my desire to experience this practice.

As you might expect, I am certainly someone who spends a lot of time outside – hiking, walking, biking, running, etc – however, there's something transformative about having an “official” forest bathing session with a certified guide.

The guides study for 6-12 months or more, and complete their training with a 4-day immersion in the woods (I want to do this!). Their presence as they lead you in the woods creates an immediate sacred space, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the natural world without the distractions of wondering “am I doing this right” or “has it been long enough for this to count”.

A forest bathing guide allows you the ability to hand over the steering wheel and untether your mind from having to decide what’s next, or where to go, and how to do it.

You’ll be amazed at how profoundly moving it can be, even though you’re technically not doing much of anything.

And that’s the secret. It’s about letting go.

Instead of having to think, or do… we simply were able to just BE in the forest.

We slowed our pace to a near standstill, allowing our senses to fully engage with the surroundings. We listened to the birdsong, felt the soft breeze on our skin, and inhaled the fragrant aroma of pine needles. We observed the intricate details of the forest floor, noticing the delicate patterns of moss and the vibrant colors of the leaves shifting to fall.

We tapped into the swaying of trees, the crawl of ants, the careful retreat of evening light.

In these moments of stillness, I found a deep sense of peace and tranquility.

As a seasoned meditator, and nature enthusiast…even I was craving this depth of slowing down. I couldn’t help but wonder how desperately others need this – especially the very many in modern times who do not have access, or proactively make time for nature.

The evening’s impact reverberated in me more than I expected when I signed up for the event. And my appreciation was not unique. My wife, and 5 other guests all seemed to have a nervous system transformation, and shared reflections of a serenity that moved them emotionally, and brought them back into an certain essence of childhood.

It’s hard to describe much more without doing it yourself, as some feelings cannot be simplified into words. But I believe our literal DNA and neuro-programming are remembering something ancient when we activate this intentional time fully immersed in nature, with no other agenda or “activity”.

The distractions of the modern world fade away, and a sense of awe and wonder revisit like an old friend you forgot how much you missed.

You awaken to the beauty and complexity of the forest ecosystem, and acknowledge a perfect metaphor for humanity and our civilization as a whole.

You feel small, but in the most significant way.

It almost felt euphoric, like a drug.

I was the only one in our group who opted to remove shoes and socks, and I’m glad I did. It up-leveled the health benefits to another degree, as we know undeniably the magnitude of physiological improvements that happen within minutes of grounding electrically to the earth.

Our guide shared that she was drawn to her forest bathing practice a few years ago after the passing of her partner, and the following overwhelm of grief. It was the forest that reminder her what kind of emotional and spiritual healing was possible, when she allowed Mother Earth herself to provide the salve to her wounds.

If you feel curious, please search for a guide on this directory.

(The website may not cover every region on Earth, but if there isn’t a guide in your area, YOU could become the guide.)

The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy (ANFT) will provide loads of additional resources.

Guided forest bathing is a powerful tool for promoting mental and emotional well-being. By slowing down and immersing ourselves in nature, we can not only reduce stress, improve our mood, and find a sense of inner peace…but the science is showing that is has measurable physical health impact with true reduction in disease. No longer can this modality be belittled as ‘woo-woo’.

This practice is another reminder that we are part of a larger ecosystem and that our health and happiness are interconnected with the health of the planet.

YOU ARE NATURE. ❤️

To a healing future,

— Rob