Immerse Yourself in the Forest: The Benefits of Shinrin Yoku
By David Motzenbecker, Founder of Motz Studios Forest Bathing Experiences
Shinrin Yoku: A Brief Primer
Nature is very much woven into Japanese culture and myth. Shinrin Yoku, or Forest Bathing, originated in Japan – a country that is nearly 70% forest. Related to the subject is Japan’s native belief system, Shinto, a religion that sees spirits (called Kami) within natural objects such as trees, water, and stones. A religion without a founder or ancient scripts, it’s been historically rooted and passed on through rituals striking harmony between nature, humans, and Kami. The Japanese word - Shinrin Yoku – means: Shinrin = forest and Yoku = bath. It translates as ‘taking in the forest air with all one’s senses.’
So how does one forest bathe? Shinrin Yoku explained.
To experience a traditional forest bath, you must dedicate some time – two hours is standard. Which, if you are a fan of the outdoors, isn’t much different than the time spent on a typical weekend hike or bike ride. Forest bathing is viewed as a mindfulness practice much like yoga or meditation. As such, the more you practice, the more you benefit. You can go alone or be professionally guided on a forest bathing walk. There are numerous books available that offer creative ideas for how to forest bathe by yourself. As a professional guide, I can tell you that being guided offers a deeper level to the experience that you may not quite tap into by trying invitations from a book.
What are forest bathing activities? What are the principles of forest bathing?
No water involved! First, unless it happens to be raining, there is no water involved in forest bathing. You won’t be wearing swimwear, or need towels, or be playing Marco Polo amidst the trees. What do you wear to a forest bath? Whatever you might typically wear to go for an outdoor hike – this is where the similarities end.
Forest bathing is about experiencing a place with all of your senses, in an intentional way. As one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, said: “Attention is the beginning of devotion.” Forest bathing teaches us how to curiously explore details and give more acute attention to our surroundings. This skill of noticing allows our natural sense of curiosity to bubble up, drawing us deeper into exploring our surroundings.
All the immersive walks I host through Motz Studios Forest Bathing Experiences begin with a wander through the senses. This experience ignites new levels of concentration. We begin with this because enlisting your newly tuned senses throughout the remainder of the forest bathing walk enhances the depth of the experience.
Another principle is slowness. Humans move through the world incredibly fast every day. We also have a work culture that values long hours as a badge of honor. (Seriously, what is wrong with us?)
In the 1980’s the Japanese did too. People at the time were working 100+ hour weeks, every week. Suicide was at a high point. The Japanese created a specific word for this phenomenon of ‘death from overwork’ – karoshi.
What we’ve learned over time is that our bodies were not designed to be always on. We need to rest, recuperate, and rejuvenate in order to perform at our most optimal. Intuitively, we know being outside in nature is good for us. We now have the metrics to prove our intuition was right all along, the benefits are exactly what our bodies need.
A Series of Invitations. After focusing our senses and slowing ourselves down, we are primed to engage with the transformational nature of the forest via a series of performative invitations. The invitations are influenced by the place, the weather, the time of day, the season, the people on the walk, and more.
Forest Bathing Benefits
What are the healing properties of forest bathing, and how long do the benefits of forest bathing last? The short answer – there are a LOT of benefits, and how long they last is entirely up to you.
Stress relief. An oft-repeated and validated study tells us that after a 20-minute walk in the forest both our stress hormone, cortisol, and our blood pressure are reduced by approximately 20%. What’s more fascinating is that this benefit only happens when walking in the woods. People who walked in either a tree-lined neighborhood or a downtown environment saw no change at all.
Improved immune function. Trees emit compounds called phytoncides – these microscopic compounds help the trees stay healthy and fight off invaders. We breathe them in and absorb them through our skin. When they integrate into our bodies, they boost our internal levels of cancer-fighting natural killer cells. After a 4-hour walk in the forest, one Japanese study highlighted an increase in these levels of 46%! This increased boost stuck around for a week to a month afterward, depending on each person’s physiology.
Creative potential. After clearing your mind during a forest bathing session, studies have shown that people perform much better on creative tasks.
Increased kindness. Altruism has been shown to rise measurably after people spend meaningful time in the woods. Moods are also boosted after forest bathing.
So now that you know what’s involved in forest bathing, give yourself permission for a little respite and get out into the woods. Your body, mind, spirit, and family will thank you for it. And remember, leave your bathing suit at home
Try it out yourself at these metro-area green spaces:
15651 Skuya Dr, Prior Lake, MN 55372
LONE LAKE COMMUNITY PARK & PRESERVE
5624 Shady Oak Rd., Minnetonka, MN 55343
COTTAGE GROVE RAVINE REGIONAL PARK
9653 Keats Ave S, Cottage Grove, MN 55016
100 85th Ave NW, Fridley, MN 55432
Research led by the University of Exeter, published in Scientific Reports, and funded by the UK’s[MOU5] [GU6] NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) discovered that two hours of nature exposure per week is the recommended dose for improved physical and psychological wellbeing.