This beautiful old tree graced the yard of a B&B we stayed at over a weekend a few years ago. It was lit up at night. Against the stark, star studded night sky it looked magnificent. Called The Nest, the quaint cottage was secluded. Windows on all sides, even in the bathroom, overlooked the rustic country landscape dotted with splashes of flowers. Wild birds flocked to the garden for breakfast and dinner. It was so serene and peaceful we didn’t want to disturb the sounds of nature – simply immerse ourselves in it with windows open to enjoy the view.
Have you ever heard of forest bathing? I hadn’t until I stumbled across it recently. It immediately piqued my interest. Strolling in the forest, being absorbed in the smells, feel and sounds is something I have always loved. I don’t do it often enough. I have always been drawn to the majesty of trees, the different textured and coloured bark, foliage. It seems there is good scientific evidence to back up the feel good factor of being immersed in a forest, or, as it is being called, forest bathing.
Without knowing it, I used to forest bathe at least once a week when I was working. Whilst out on community visits, I would find a secluded park surrounded with trees to have quiet time in nature while I ate my lunch. There were a couple of favourites spots I frequented. One of them was almost in the CBD. It was a hidden treasure, I thought, nested in a small ‘valley’ by a stream. During the week days I was often the only one there. On one such occasion I was joined by black swans, ducks and other wild birds. They formed a semicircle in front of me, waiting patiently for me to feed them. It was magical. I always carried a bag of wild bird seed with me.
Forest bathing has been practised in Japan since the early 1980’s. And, I have discovered that there are guided forest bathing experiences on offer in Adelaide! The sessions are combined with mindfulness and meditation over a slow, leisurely stroll lasting 2.5 to 3 hours. I can do that without a guide. In fact, that is just what I was doing on those lunch breaks. Interestingly, many of the creative visualisation meditations I have scripted are set in a forest.
The Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences in Japan’s Chiba University measured the physiological effects of forest bathing on 280 subjects in their early 20s.
“Forest environments promote lower concentrations of cortisol, lower pulse rate, lower blood pressure, greater parasympathetic nerve activity, and lower sympathetic nerve activity than do city environments”
Now these are forests that I would love to bathe in!
© Raili Tanska
Sounds rejuvenating.
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It is 🙂
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Trees are just the best. My grand-mother always said we were so healthy because we lived with a yard full of pine trees. May be some truth to that. The video of flowering trees is just magical. Thanks for sharing.
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Nature’s bounty. Pine trees smell wonderful. Have a look at the info in this – http://www.naturallivingideas.com/pine-essential-oil/
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the wisdom of Nature and grand-mothers
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You just know how much I loveeeeee this Raili 💚🌳 Sharing!!! 😊
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Now go hug that gorgeous tree of yours again 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Reblogged this on Spiritual Dragonfly and commented:
As a Tree Lover this post just screamed to me to be shared 💚💚💚🌳🌳🌳
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Awww, thanks Linda! I was thinking of you as I was writing it 🙂
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💚🌳💚🌳
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How wonderful! The forest will always be my favourite entry into Heaven on Earth. My maiden name is Andrea Wood – so I have a feeling it’s in my blood. Thank you for sharing your experience Raili! I felt transported to a higher place just by your post alone. The best!
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Thank you so much, Andrea 🙂 An affinity with the forest is a wonderful thing to have !
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That’s a lot of benefits from taking a walk in the woods. But I TOTALLY get it. Like the ocean, the forest always puts me in a better frame of mind.
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Back to nature it is 🙂
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What a very lovely, refreshing idea. I’d never heard of forest bathing. Thank you for introducing it to me.
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My pleasure. Now off you go and have enlivening conversations with trees, leaves, ferns, rocks, moss …. 🙂
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You know I will! 🙂
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Look forward to hearing what they have to say 🙂
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Haha. I’ll keep you posted.
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Just wonderful, the sight of all those Trees, the smell of the Trees the soil everything about the Woods is magical. I always wanted to live deep in a Forest, away from everyone except animals and the freedom the space and all that is glorious. Lovely blog Linda, thinking of you poppet.
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It’s amazing what knowledge lies within our own tuition. I’ve always felt beneficial effects of being near trees and walking barefoot. Now I know why!! Interestingly, I had a student who did a project on green spaces in urban areas, reporting on both the psychological and physiological positive effects of having more green spaces. Trees talk (you refer to that in a later post), perhaps we should learn to listen?
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On the talking theme – came across this article today: https://www.brainpickings.org/2017/12/08/the-songs-of-trees-david-haskell/
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Wow, that is fascinating.Thank you so much for the link – I have bookmarked it and copied it to maybe use in a post at a later date..
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I’ve always bathed in forests and taken pleasure in trees. That tree was a beauty.
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I thought this would resonate with you, Opher.
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