What does it mean, to “bathe in the forest”? Forest bathing as a phrase may sound silly at first to some, conjuring up images of hippies with flowers in their hair, dancing nude through the woods in glee. Now, while this is not inherently against the taught practices of the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, it certainly is not the way.
The real reason we embrace “bathing” as a translation of the Japanese phrase shinrin yoku, is a quite literal explanation, but in a context you may not expect. Trees exude these natural compounds called phytoncides into the air; these molecules are part of the tree’s immune response system to fend off fungal and microbial disease. When we go on a walk in the woods, these phytoncides are all around us, in the fluid system of the air. We are actually bathing in an invisible ocean of tree healing-stuff.
It just so happens that Japanese scientists from the 1980s onwards, as well as other researchers from around the world in more recent years, have identified significant human immune system responses in the presence of these phytoncides. In fact, our exposure to them triggers an increased production of “natural killer” or NK white blood cells throughout our bloodstream. These cells are a primary means of proactive immunological wellness in human beings, allowing us to fend off inflammation, stress, and in some cases even kill pre-cancerous cells. To bathe in the forest is to heal the self; it’s just the facts.
But there is far more meaning, and wellness, I find in the conscious and aware practices of forest bathing, beyond the basic immune system benefits of the activity, which happen on their own in the background of what we experience and feel as people.
In the simplest ways, this practice is one of noticing; to be present and acknowledge for yourself that you are witnessing the world of nature all around. This may be the particular green color of a young unfurling leaf; the rhythmic bend and sway of meadow grasses on the breeze; the sound of the wind passing through the forest canopy overhead.
In this embodied practice, the intellectual knowledge of trees from the vantage of arboriculture melts into the sensory; what matters is not what we know or analyze, but what we witness and wonder. I do, in full transparency, believe that many in the profession of arboriculture would benefit from just having a bath, once in a while at least!
Share circles during the course of a forest bathing experience invite an opportunity for expression and reflection on what is being noticed, for each individual. The sharing process, I find, brings a sense of community to the group, a safe space held by the forest, the guide, and all in the circle. With each passing share, may the experience come to feel more and more complete.
Wandering slowly is often an essential part of the forest bathing sensibility; a meandering pace allows for much more noticing than simply rushing by. There is no destination in forest bathing, there is only being. You can’t do it right or wrong, well or poorly. You can just slow down, and grow.
There is a concept known as liminality, or the state of being in a liminal headspace. It’s a beautiful place to be, however elusive. Liminality is a kind of flow-state, where the noticing draws us into deeper connection with the forest, and the volume of our intellectual brain is turning very low, all the way down. In this kind of consciousness, joy and playfulness are present, and our inner child is welcomed to relax and have fun exploring in the noticing-ness of it all. Critical thinking is not needed in the land of liminality; it will most likely just get in your way of being fully present. The way of forest bathing is to embrace the liminal, slow down, and invite the many beings of the more-than-human world into our gentle company.
Under the light of the full moon, groups will gather each month moving forward at Cypress Lawn Arboretum, to experience the practice of forest bathing and hopefully connect with the cemetery in a new, positive way. So far, our first couple of walks have been a growing joy, gatherings of peace and connection and rest. After all, Cypress Lawn is just a safe place to be, to totally rest in peace while our hearts still beat; with this budding practice of forest bathing, we invite you to join us in the beautiful web of interbeing. See you in the moonlight!
