I had no idea my strange forest behavior, cravings for being in the forest, AND the way I feel when I come out of it, not only had a name but is a proven practice in Japan called Shinrin Yoku.
Shinrin Yoku is defined by Shinrin Yoku United as taking the time to reconnect with nature, with your body, your senses, feelings and emotions. To practice you need nothing more than nature (preferably a forest, or trail in a city works to!) and your ability to slow down, breathe, and re-focus the energy of your body to the energy of the nature around you, while connecting to your various senses and the senses and language of the forest, water, and animals.
In practice this is walking with no destination, no music, no conversation, it is being in nature as a complete observer to what is happening. What sounds are the trees making? Have you ever laid your hands on a giant tree, closed your eyes, and tried to feel its energy? You can actually feel it! Can you make out a pattern in the bird calls? Can you hear water running? Take off your shoes, how does the ground feel beneath you? Are there any wild berries you can eat? In Issaquah we have a TON of edible berries, but be careful with this one!
This type of meditation is proving to be profound in treating;
- Stress and anxiety
- Increases human natural activity and expression of anti-cancer protein
- Psychological effects like; refocusing on aspirations induce a gentle calm, clarity, and creativity
- Lessening chronic pain
- Treating addiction
- Increased skin health
- Lowered cortisol (stress hormone) levels, anti-depressant
- Better sleep
- Lowered blood glucose levels
- Lessened inflammation
But how does this actually work? Is it all in our head or is there something more happening? To get this answer, Shinrin Yoku experts also turn to science.
Multiple scientific studies have been documented in the National Library of Medicine. In a paper published, The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan, scientists site the results from numerous studies. The results show that 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.
Whats even more, is trees and plants emit a natural compound called phytoncides. Trees known to produce high levels of phytoncides include evergreen cedars, spruces, confiders, pine and oak trees. According to Ecotherapy Heals, phytoncides are airborne chemical compounds that protect trees and other plants from bacterial, fungal, and insect attacks. As they are absorbed through our olfactory glands, these same compounds that protect trees from disease can also boost our human immune system. When emitted by trees and breathed in by humans, studies prove the effects are decrease the production of stress hormones by our bodies, while increasing the number and activity of a type of white blood cell called natural killer cells or NK cells.
What are Natural Killer (NK) cells? These are cells that serve a variety of functions in the immune system. They destroy abnormal or infected cells in the body. They are the army within you to protect you from harmful cell players. These bad asses can even target specific infections within your body and go after them. There is a whole world happening right inside you! Research has shown that Forest Bathing (Shinrin Yoku) enhances NK activity in humans by increasing the number of NK cells and intracellular levels of anticancer proteins.
Sounds pretty easy right? I just have to take a walk on a regular basis? It’s actually harder for most people to do this on a regular basis than you think! Life always seems to get in the way. So how do you make the time?
My personal experience with Shinrin Yoku started with the long walks I would take with my mother between our towns of St. Charles, Illinois and Geneava. Between the 2 towns, tucked within a tree line was a winding 10 mile trail. The trail took us over the local streams on beautiful bridges, would wind into parks and then dense forest areas again. Sometimes we would walk for an hour and would hardly say a word. It was during these times that I started to notice my creativity shooting thru the roof when I would get home, my health was in peak condition as was my body. Walking and being in nature continued to be part of my life, but not on purpose and not consistently.
Until I moved to Issaquah Washington. Issaquah has a population of about 40,000 people and bordered by the Sammamish Plateau and the Issaquah Alps. The Issaquah Alps consists of three mountinas, Cougar, Squak and Tiger. It is almost impossible not to be intrigued to go on the trails, it’s a way of life.
But it wasn’t truly a way of life for me until my health and emotional state was in peril. My mom passed away and by the time we moved to Issaquah it had been 5 years since her passing. I gained a LOT of weight, was in the ER multiple times for back issues, nerve pain, a faulty gallbladder and other issues. I started walking the trails slowly. Targeting a few times a week. I would listen to the sound of my footsteps crunching each leaf, and the birds were incredible! Issaquah is a Native American name that means “the sound of birds, or “little stream. I would stop and touch the moss growing on a tree and marvel at the world within a world happening on just a layer of moss! I could also feel my mother’s energy more than ever when I was alone with the forest.
I started to notice a difference in my mood, my productivity, my skin, my weight and my over-all state of mind and well-being when I would come out of those walks. That’s when the cravings for it started.
Now it has become A WAY OF LIFE, and I am continuing to explore the effects and benefits. And I NEVER knew it was a scientifically proven treatment. This information now makes scheduling it as part of my day even more justified! My out-of-office message during my hour a day of Shinrin Yoku will say “Sorry… I have a therapy appointment with a tree,” because it is very real and now I know that my strange forest behavior is actually saving MY LIFE.
Make time, go hug a tree today!
References:
Issaquah Adventures 