I have always been a nature lover, who appreciates spending time outdoors and soaking in the positive energy of the green surroundings. So I was simply thrilled when I came across a popular practice in Japan called ‘Shinrin-yoku’ which means ‘taking in the forest atmosphere’ also known as ‘forest bathing‘.
Spending time in nature is healing energy for the mind, body and soul. The idea with Shinrin-yoku, a term coined by the government in 1982 but inspired by ancient Shinto and Buddhist practices, is to let nature enter your body through all five senses, and feel at one with the forest. It is about being mindful of your surroundings and the experience.
It’s not about extreme outdoor sports or being alone in the wilderness, but about allowing your body and psyche to unwind in the peace of the woods, similar to natural aromatherapy. Ancient wisdom and tribes, who live in harmony with nature, have advocated this for long, and only in recent years there have been studies carried out to prove the health benefits of forest bathing.
