Forest Bathing is Healthy. There has been much written about the benefits of forest bathing. While this may seem like a crazy urban fad, there are many people who don’t have access to the forest - beyond a city park, and many people have never had the opportunity to experience spending time out in nature and find the idea of being in the woods intimidating.
Just google the phrase "forest bathing" and you'll see a ton of information on how to go about forest bathing, and many groups and companies that run excursions you can join. Regardless of how you find your way into nature, any time spent outdoors in the woods is beneficial to your health and overall well-being.
Since we met over 28 years ago, Deb and I have always hiked, camped, paddled and cottaged and for us, the idea of forest bathing is less “a thing” and more just part of our regular lifestyle. Recently as part of Debs’ birthday presents, we got a wonderful hammock with mosquito netting and a fly.
We set up our hammock in the woods behind our cottage and it takes the idea of forest bathing to another level! Similar to being enveloped in a bath of water, lying cocooned in the hammock under a beautiful maple canopy is a wonderfully relaxing experience. It is a safe place where one can read, nap, meditate or just gaze up at the many shades of green that form the forest canopy, watching the leaves rustle in the wind and listen to the birds sing and the sounds of critters running through the forest!
Letting go and being present to this natural wonder we're all part of at our core is healthy and time well spent. Whatever little piece of nature you have access to - go out, breathe deeply and enjoy being part of something more enduring than yourself, intrinsically we are all part of the natural world!
