Forest Bathing – Our Connection with Trees

There is a concept, known as biophilia, introduced by American biologist E. O. Wilson in 1984, that humans have an innate need to connect with nature. Wilson believed that because we evolved in nature, we have a biological imperative to be close to it, and this affinity with the natural world is fundamental to our health and well-being.

Experts in forest therapy say that being in the forest reduces stress and blood pressure, strengthens your immune and cardiovascular systems, and boosts your energy, mood, creativity, and concentration. In addition to the philosophy of forest bathing, or what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, there is some compelling science behind it as well.

I am reminded of my own experiences in nature — in my youth, running through the woods behind my childhood home, later enjoying the Swedish forest, and most recently my trips to Jamaica Pond and the Arnold Arboretum in Boston.

I’ve always been drawn to trees and found them to be somehow soul healing. As I write this article for Venü, my body seems to remember the way I feel in nature. My breath slows and deepens. My muscles relax and my state of being is one of contentment. Does being out in nature also leave us with body memory lasting after we have come back indoors?

Forest bathing is a practice, not an event. It doesn’t include hiking, jogging, or getting wet. It’s only requirement is simply being out in nature. Being still. Opening up your senses to what is around you and noticing as your body responds to your surroundings. Perhaps you wish to meander down a certain path. Or stop to notice the patterns made under a snow-covered bush. Following your desires of exploration is part of the beauty of forest bathing. It is an activity that can be enjoyed year-round as each season has its own unique personality and offers us an abundance of natural gifts from observing the opening of the spring buds to experiencing the quiet of a snowfall. We are encouraged to take our time. There is no destination or end goal.

According to Dr. Qing Li, one of the world’s leading experts in shinrin-yoku, in Japan, both official religions — Shinto and Buddhism — believe that the forest is the realm of the divine. For Zen Buddhists, scripture is written outside in nature. In Shinto, it is believed that spirits reside in nature. Nature is not separate from mankind, it is a part of us.

In Scandinavia, the forest is also revered. A Scandinavian lifestyle includes an abundance of outdoor life. In Finland, seventy-five percent of the landmass is covered in forest and many regard mushroom hunting and berry picking as lifestyle activities. Forest bathing, although not previously known by that name, has always been a way of life in the Scandinavian countries.

Ninety-seven percent of Sweden is uninhabited, and national parks and reserves cover one-tenth of the country’s landmass. More than eighty-percent of Swedes live within five kilometers of a nature reserve or a national park, and because of allemansrätten — the guaranteed right of access — land is open to all. Residents can often simply walk outside their door to find a natural setting.

A good amount of my time in Gothenburg was spent at the city park, and I was fortunate that from my apartment I was able to access a number of wooded areas and forests. I remain convinced that there are magical things in those forests.

Enjoying not only the mental health and spiritual aspects of forest bathing, practitioners of shinrin-yoku, also seem to benefit in physiological ways. According to Dr. Qing Li, the health secrets of forest bathing seem to lie in two areas — a higher oxygen concentration that exists in the forest, and the presence of plant chemicals called phytoncides.

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Have you enjoyed this excerpt? See the full article at Venü Magazine.

Here are a few of the books and resources I used for this piece.

Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness. By Dr. Ging Li. 

The Secret Therapy of Trees: Harness the Healing Energy of Forest Bathing and Natural Landscapes. By Marco Mencagli

Your Guide to Forest Bathing: Experience the Healing Power of Nature. By M. Amos Clifford

The Association of Nature and Forest Therapy – Guides and Programs.

Shinrin-yoku, The medicine of being in the forest:  Free forest bathing starter kit.

Forest Bathing Central: Forest bathing in the winter.