The Benefits of Forest Bathing
Most people these days who live urban, fast-paced lives have no time to stop and breathe. Going around like a clock all the time builds up stress in the mind and the body resulting in various chronic illnesses. Spending time amid nature is, unsurprisingly, a scientifically proven remedy. Unfortunately, city life leaves people with little time to venture out into the greenery. Thankfully, forest bathing has emerged as a healing therapy through which you could rejuvenate your mind and body simply by taking a walk down a thick, wooded area, with ample greenery, soaked in all the goodness of nature.
How to Experiences Forest Baths?
Forest bathing is not a new concept. It originated in Japan back in the 1980s and was locally called ‘Shinrin-Yoku’. With time and more research on its benefits, the therapy has extended to the rest of the world. If you plan on taking a forest bath, here are a few ways to go about it.
Forest Therapy Walks
In Japan, forest therapy walks are predominantly held in thick, coniferous forests; in other regions of the world, the wilderness can vary. For optimum benefits, contact a certified forest therapist who can organize a walk through your area’s best forest regions. The idea is to take slow walks through the thick woods and engage in the sounds and the smells of the surrounding environment. This is not the same as going for a hike but is more of a meditative approach than a vigorous exercise.
Local Gardens and Parks
For those who do not have access to certified forest therapy tours, you could still organize a forest bath to suit yourself. Any time spent within nature and in the company of trees is known to be beneficial to your overall health. If you have a local garden or a park in your area, go and take advantage of it. Be sure to include earthing techniques in the experience, which means walking barefoot on mud or grass. If your local park is more concrete than natural walkways, however, earthing may not work.
Simulate with Essential Oils
What if you do not have access to either natural forests or local parks? Could you still experience forest bathing from the comforts of your home? Well, it may not be ideal, but incorporating certain essential oils such as rosemary and frankincense in your environment could help simulate the experience. To enhance the feeling of being there in an actual forest, you could fill a room with lively pictures of dense woods and breathe in the essential oils while your eyes soak in the pleasure of the images of the lavish verdure. As an add-on, you could go for a deep tissue massage with sounds from the forest while being engulfed in the woody fragrance of the essential oils.
Simulate with Harmonic Egg
Another way of obtaining similar benefits to forest bathing without stepping into an actual forest is to use a harmonic egg. A harmonic egg is an egg-shaped chamber, as large as a room, where you could recline in a zero-gravity chair while experiencing the harmonious, soothing effects of light, sound, and vibration. The inside of the egg is made with wood, and the shape of the chamber utilizes sacred geometry; used together, both can potentially mimic the feeling of being present within a forest. The use of tonal healing techniques could be applied to modulate the internal atmosphere to sound as close to a natural forest as possible. The use of frequency medicine, which forms an integral part of the harmonic egg, is a well-researched method of healing.
You can learn more about the Harmonic Egg here.
Benefits of Forest Bathing
Let us now look at some of the great things forest bathing could do to your mind and body.
- Stress Reduction
Forest bathing has been seen to significantly reduce cortisol, the hormone that otherwise remains elevated for those who deal with chronic stress.
- Improved Immune System
Japanese research has shown that spending time in the woods enhances the natural killer cells in the human body. This effectively arms the immune system to fight against various illnesses.
- Improved Heart Health
Taking a walk among the dense foliage could significantly lower your blood pressure, thus improving your overall heart health. If you are dealing with hypertension, this is nature’s gift for you.
- Boosting of Mood and Creativity
Spending time with nature and away from digital distractions could help release hormones that pertain to happiness. Being one with nature might also nurture the creative portion of the brain.
- The Woods Are Calling
Being surrounded by nature is beneficial to both physical and emotional health. Take some time out of your busy lives to immerse yourself in the arms of Mother Nature and benefit by her abundant gifts of diverse flora. ‘A walk in the park’ is often the simplest way to heal yourself and give yourself the much-needed energy boost.
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