Shinrin-roku: Forest Bathing is Gaining Awareness Amongst Doctors in The West

Originating in Japan, the healing powers of forest bathing are catching the attention of medical professionals in the West.

Focus on the sights and sounds around you

Nature lovers instinctively know that being out in the Great Outdoors is good for you both physically and mentally, but may not be aware of the Japanese tradition of forest bathing.

A more accurate description is nature immersion - a kind of meditation practice in which you let the sensory elements of nature wash over you. It can be as simple as "a quiet, contemplative walk” or a “‘sit’ in nature with no real agenda other than to notice what you notice.” Its effects are particularly powerful for those who spend little time in the countryside and are, therefore, being increasingly encouraged to do so.

Forest bathing is scientifically proven to lower the stress hormone cortisol and improve well-being. “We often go out on a trail charging forward with our heads down,” says Dr. Suzanne Bartlet Hackenmiller of the University of Arizona. “One of the tenets of forest bathing is that it’s a slow, methodical practice where you become engrossed in the noticing. Walk slowly, look up and down, maybe even crouch. It’s almost playful. People say they feel like a kid again.”

That feeling of childlike joy, wonder and happiness drives the work of America's conservation nonprofit Trust for Public Land. By protecting and creating parks and landscapes, which are nothing less than happiness laboratories, TPL’s mission is to connect everyone to the outdoors.

In a traditional forest-bathing walk, Dr. Hackenmiller explains, you should focus in silence on one aspect of your surroundings for about 20 minutes. The focus could be what’s in motion (the surface of a lake, the sway of wildflowers, the flight of birds). Other focuses might include paying attention to sounds (rustling leaves in the breeze or the chirping of birds); noticing dark colors (tree trunks, boulders, soil), and physical sensations. She also suggests that people to take off their shoes to feel the ground with their feet or to place their hands in the water of a creek or stream.

The idea is to “take people out of the ‘monkey mind’ state and move into the pleasures of presence,” Dr. Hackenmiller points out.