Are you one of those people who are exhausted and tired from working long hours? Bathing your senses in nature through shinrin yoku could be the best way to relax.
Imagine yourself being in the forest. Just close your eyes and hear the delicate rustle of the wind through the leaves.
A ray of sunshine moves through the trees and catches your face, warming your skin. Tuning in to the here and now has long been a practice of mindfulness.
It offers people the capability to understand and accept their thoughts and know they are in the present moment.
What is Shinrin Yoku?
Shinrin yoku, also known as forest bathing, is the Japanese tradition of immersing oneself in nature, particularly in the forest, and paying attention to how the environment interacts with your senses.
It developed in Japan in the 1980s as a type of natural therapy, particularly intended for weary individuals searching for respite from chaotic urban living.
It was then only the start of the tech sector’s boom, yet many people were already experiencing the so-called tech burnout.
The Japanese government obliged its people to go to the forest to escape for a while from the city’s stress.
What Can You Learn from It?
Forest bathing is known to have a lot of benefits. It is good for both physical and mental wellbeing.
Research has proven that it stabilized blood pressure, lowered stress hormone levels, lowered blood sugar, improved immune systems, and specifically, improved the “natural killer” of white blood cells that fight off cancer and infections. And it improves the feeling of Happiness.
After a forest bath, people feel more relaxed, lighted, and happier, and have more mental creativity, focus, and clarity.
On a social level, forest bathing is considered to support confidence, and empathy, and enhance communication and supportive relationships.
Tips to Consider When Doing Shinrin Yoku.
Did you know that there are now forty-four accredited Shinrin Yoku forests in Japan? Further, research is being performed to help develop the practice and forest therapy throughout the globe.
If you believe it all sounds too good to be true, why don’t you give it a try?
The best part here is that you don’t need to have a forest or woodland nearby. You can easily practice forest bathing even in the park.
5 Tips for you to keep in mind when doing so.
- Leave your phone behind, camera, or any other distractions. That will allow you to be present in the whole experience.
- Leave behind your expectations and goals. Feel free to wander and to allow your body to take you wherever it likes.
- Stop from time to time. Try to look more closely at a leaf or feel the sensation of the path under your feet.
- Look for a comfortable place to take a seat and listen to the echoes around you. Look at the bird’s behavior and other animal variations when they become familiar with your presence.
- If you plan to go with other people, decide to resist talking until the end of the walk.
So, are you now ready for your shinrin yoku experience?
Read more:
The meaning of Ikigai plus Tips for your Happiness.
Kintsukuroi, a beautiful Japanese concept for your Happiness.
What to do in Tokyo, Japan? And why you will love this city.
Hygge: The beautiful Danish Secret to Happiness!
Find here additional research about Shinrin Yoku.
