THE PRACTICE OF
FOREST THERAPY
What is Forest Therapy?
Forest therapy (also called forest bathing or shinrin-yoku) originated in Japan as a way to help people de-stress and improve their overall wellbeing. While spending time in nature, forest therapy invites us to slow down and let go of distractions that may be contributing to stress and a sense of disconnection. By engaging our various senses, forest therapy helps to cultivate awareness of the present moment, connection, and calm. Reconnecting with nature in this deeper and more mindful way is like a home-coming for our bodies and minds.
Participants can expect to spend time in nature, usually by wandering through a woodland area or other nature setting, taking time to notice what is present. By offering a crafted sequence of nature meditation and sensory invitations, the forest bathing guide will help create space for participants to open up to the present moment and experience nature in a more meaningful way, fostering a sense of awe, curiosity, and calm.
Forest therapy is also partly a gratitude practice. By taking time to notice the natural world and to acknowledge all that this Earth shares with us, forest therapy evokes a sense of gratitude and appreciation. At the end of a forest therapy experience, participants are invited to join in a tea gathering, allowing time to reflect on the experience of reconnecting with nature, recognizing the gifts the land has offered, acknowledging those who have cared for the land, and giving thanks in return.