It is now well known how spending time in nature improves health in so many ways. The lifestyle of our modern society now, all focused between offices, busy schedules and fast-paced living, significantly increases the stress levels in our bodies, which causes a number of problems on a physical and even mental level.
Depression, chronic fatigue and unhappiness are the great evils for the third millennium. From Japan, however, comes a way to counteract these effects, namely Shinrin-yoku, or "forest bathing," a much deeper way of contemplating nature than we might be used to.
Indeed, the complete perception of the nature around us is proven to have beneficial effects on stress levels, mood and more.
Shinrin-yoku, which literally means "to benefit from the atmosphere of the forest," is a practice in Japanese medicine that we might compare to aroma therapy, which involves spending as much time as possible in the open nature. The benefits would be many, especially in decreasing stress and improving mood. It has been popular in Japan since the 1980s. A term that gives a better understanding of what it is about is "forest bathing."
Often one turns to experienced guides, who manage the (often very slow) pace and direct to the best places. Unlike a simple walk, "forest bathing" invites one to enjoy the moment not just with sight but with all five senses. One is encouraged to live in the moment, to fully enjoy the place in which one finds oneself, to abandon technology to find a true relationship with nature.
The centerpiece of forest bathing is undoubtedly meditation mindfullness, that is, being present with body and mind in the present moment, focusing on oneself and the natural world around. Other activities can be long, slow walks, meditation, breathing exercises and tree hugging.
The positive effects are innumerable, as also shown in a 2010 study entitled "The Claim: Exposure to Plants and Parks Can Boost Immunity" and published at New York Times. An increase in immune function is one of the most immediate benefits, but other benefits have also been noted, as reported in another study, "Shinrin-yoku: the Medicine of Being in the Forest". In this article, decreased heart rate and blood pressure are reported, as well as decreased stress and cures for depression.
The crux of the whole matter is that it is not enough to take a jaunt into a forest to feel immediate benefits. It is more of a mental exercise that one comes to with time, practice and concentration. One needs to make an effort to perceive all things with the five senses, one must try to abandon thoughts of the city and technology. Immersing oneself in the forest is a conscious exercise that must be embraced in its entirety if it is to be effective.