What Is Forest Bathing? Forest Bathing (Shinron Yuko) Vs Forest Healing Vs Planetary Healing.

Forest Bathing (Nature Therapy or Shinrin Yuko) seems to become a very popular Mindfulness trend right now. Just like Yoga, meditation, and other relaxation methods Forest Bathing can really help us to “get centered.”

But what exactly is Forest Bathing (or also called
Nature Therapy or Shinrin Yuko)? Is it really that helpful and why can’t we simply just go out on our own instead of relying on a guide?

So What Is Forest Bathing Exactly?

Forest Bathing is a Japanese (scientific) study about the mental, emotional and physical health benefits of “bathing” yourself in the atmosphere of a forest or nature itself.

Japan is a country that is mostly covered with beautiful forests, however, the majority of the people have moved to overly crowded cities. Like most of us around the world. Modern civilization has sold us the dream of comfort, luxury, job, and work security and the many conveniences found in cities.

Unfortunately, many of us experience now quite the opposite. The pressure and unrealistic expectations from our work-life are taking a toll on our overall well-being.

The cost of living in cities is putting an enormous amount of pressure on us in order “to keep up.” Then of course the expectations of “doing well” in the eyes of materialism and consumerism.

Another thing that becomes mentally draining is the amount of time we sit indoors staring at devices and computer screens.

So to really sum it up. We have become highly disconnected from nature and the natural world. And I am sorry to break it to you, but we are human beings and not “Human Doings”, we ARE part of nature. Yet it seems we live highly artificial robotic lives.

That’s why getting out in nature to find some peace and quiet has become a luxury many of us are now craving for.

Unfortunately for many of us, city dwellers don’t like going out alone. We don’t know anyone who would love to go out because everybody we seem to know is stuck in their own little rat race.

And that’s why we now have Forest Bathing groups we can actually find and connect with other like-minded folks with similar interests to get out. And even better is to join a group that is organized by a guide who can actually guide you to slow down.

Because that is what Forest Bathing is really about. Slowing down!

The actual practice and purpose of Forest Bathing.

So the actual practice of Forest Bathing is learning to slow down and become very mindful and present of “what is.” Forest Bathing is not about completing a long hike from point a to point b. Although the guide might actually want to take you a bit further into a forest away from the beating path.

Forest Bathing is simply observing what you can perceive using your 5 basic senses. What can you hear, see, smell, touch, or even taste and simply be with that? Just let your to-do list and busy schedule behind and become fully present in the ambiance of a forest.

A nature therapy guide can actually help you to facilitate these experiences. Most of us are not used to “paying attention” and probably will rush to the next thing. Whether that is the next thought, idea, worry, or location you want to go to. This “rushing behavior” is what made us disconnected from “what is” in the first place. It has become one of our coping mechanisms to deal with our artificial lifestyles.

So what exactly are the health benefits of Forest Bathing?

There is plenty of scientific research that dives much deeper and further into this topic. Have a look at Amazon and see the books written about this.

A few benefits to mention are first of all Stress Reduction. Like I said in the beginning, our daily busy lives in the cities, pollution, indoors behind a screen all day long can cause a lot of stress. It ain’t a natural thing to do for us human beings.

Getting out improves your overall mood, gain mental clarity, activate your creative mind, accelerate your metabolism, immune system, reduce high blood pressure and improves recovery from physical illness.

What I think is “lacking from Forest Bathing?”

Don’t get me wrong here. I think Forest Bathing is a wonderful Mindfulness practice that can ground you into your own natural state of being. It’s a great invitation for many people who are new to Mindfulness and well-being.

However, what I felt was missing from my Forest Bathing experience is it doesn’t really take you further into Alternative Healing. Yes, you can experience all the health benefits from getting out in a forest.

But to experience true profound healing I believe you must take your practice a few steps further.

Introduction To Forest Healing.

Following the basic principles of Nature Therapy, you can already experience some great benefits for your overall wellbeing. But because of my background in Reiki Healing and Shamanism (Ancestral Healing), I would actually like to invite people to dive even deeper within.

Utilize the Third eye chakra for internal vision (Intuition) and move beyond the 5 basic senses of perception. Use Forest Bathing as a simple basic Mindfulness practice to become present and centered in order to go even further and higher up.

Through guided meditations, I would actually like to invite people to use visualizations and creative imagination to really connect with the energy flow of nature and the Earth. This Energy Flow just like with Reiki can actually do so much more for our energy system.

Think about the opening of the Chakras, Earthing with the center of the Earth, and much more. Check out my guided meditations to get a glimpse.

What Is Planetary Healing?

Planetary Healing is in my personal opinion the next step in uniting with the energy system of the Earth.

Around the Earth, you can find various energy centers just like our own chakra system. Taking up your consciousness to these places can really help you to re-energize yourself to a whole new level. You would become a generator of energy.

Working with these types of energies can also help to give and send healing to the Earth as well.

It may sound a bit ridiculous and a bit “up there”, but this is actually a whole new topic that already exists for many centuries, explored and developed by many different civilizations.

Forest Healing and Planetary Healing is a topic that I will be exploring much further so if you are new here and would like to embark on this journey with me then feel free to subscribe to my mailing.