What exactly is Forest Bathing?

A gentleman recently came up to me and quietly asked before the session, do we have to take our clothes off? Alarmed, I gently shook my head no and his concerned frown turned into a relieved smile. In fact, I encourage everyone to leave their clothes on during my guided sessions. The term can be misleading, so I want to clarify in case anyone else shared the same concern! The term forest bathing was coined in the 1980's by the director of Japan's forest agency, Tomohide Akiyama. His goal was to encourage people to get out into nature. The Japanese practice is called Shinrin Yoku. Early studies by Dr. Qing Li, a doctor at Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, showed that blending mindfulness with nature appreciation can have many health benefits. This new interdisciplinary science shows how being more mindfully active in nature reduces stress, reduces the risk of cancer and many lifestyle diseases. His book Forest Medicine published by Nova Science Publishers, Inc. goes into greater detail if you'd like to investigate further. A quick definition of forest bathing is the immersion of one's senses in nature. A guided walk enhances this immersion by allowing you to be fully present without worrying about the time, where to go and what to focus on. A certified guide can create a walk that allows you to appreciate and connect to nature in a deeper way. A way with a multitude of positive impacts. As I smile at the memory of that gentleman's question, I realize there is still a lot of mystery surrounding the practice of forest bathing. In this age of so much information, I'm hoping that a little mystery is a good thing. Some answers you can only find in the forest.