The Art of Forest Bathing

I love to walk in the forest. There’s something comforting about being surrounded and enveloped by trees, animals, and birds while also being supported by the ground and the mycelial web underground. 

At the same time, you have to be alert and respectful in the forest. There could be creatures you don’t expect who might be afraid of you or see you as a threat. It’s also easy to get lost in the forest, which could have dire consequences. 

Forest Bathing

A walk in the forest requires an attitude of respect and reverence. The practice of forest bathing, which originated in Japan (Shinrin-Yoku), is based on both of these qualities. A few years ago, I read a couple of books on the subject and then found a certified guide here in Niagara. 

The 2 ½ hour walk with Melissa was amazing. She set guidelines for how to be in the forest. Below are some of the basic principles.

• Acknowledge thresholds, for example, when you enter and exit the forest.

• Go slow. This is not a hike or a photo shoot. Let go of any destination or expectations. Let go of taking photographs (the hardest part for me).

• Attune to your physical senses. Note what you see and hear, for example, sounds, stillness, smells, colours, motion, plants, and animals. What’s blooming? Experience the forest touching you. 

• Be curious and playful. Dance, hug, splash, touch. Notice what brings you pleasure or delight.

• Notice any emotions that arise, even if uncomfortable. Let them flow through you. 

• Let the forest lead you to a spot where you can sit for a while, perhaps under a particular tree. Use all of your senses while sitting in that spot. What is the forest saying to you?

• Bring a thermos of hot water and make trail tea with something you find in the forest, from pine needles to other herbs.

• Give something back to the forest in return before you leave. Make a mandala (circular design) from found objects. Write a poem. Sing a song. Pick up litter.

Peter Wohlleben, New York Times-bestselling author of The Hidden Life of Trees and a new book, Forest Walking, recommends using your senses and becoming a forest detective. Follow the spread of a root, taste the tip of a branch, search out the source of smells. Turn over a rock in a stream and discover the creatures underneath. How can you understand a forest’s history by the feel of the path underfoot, the scars on the trees along the trail, or the play of sunlight through the branches? 

Practice

Do you have a forest you can walk in at your place? It doesn’t have to be a big wilderness area, just a small grouping of trees will do the trick. Go forest bathing there this week. If you can find a guide in your area, even better. I googled ‘forest bathing niagara’ to find Melissa. For more extended variations, see the practices below.

David Haskell writes about Eleven Ways of Smelling a Tree.

Also in Emergence Magazine, Kimberly Ruffin offers a guided audio practice that can be done on any walk. She suggests choosing “an article of faith, something small that is significant to you and can be easily carried during your walk.” Download and listen to the guided practice here. 

Share your experience of forest bathing in the comments or on Instagram. Add the hashtag #seeingyourplace2022.

Learn more about Forest Bathing

Forest Bathing via Time

Forest Bathing book by Dr. Qing Li