The Art and Science Story and photos by Suzanne Rothmeyer It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit. -Robert Louis Stevenson
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how they define success and happiness. The psychological fallout that isolation, disease, and unemployment have brought is its own pandemic. But there was an interesting side effect—at a certain point, people started going outside in droves.
hat comes to mind when you hear the term “forest bathing”? To be honest, the first time I heard it, I imagined a bucolic scene of floating naked through—you guessed it, a forest worthy of a fairytale. But that’s just me imagining my best life. Studies show that shinrin-yoku (literally “taking in the atmosphere of the forest”) has many psychological and physical benefits. Coined by the Japanese in the 1980s, the concept was a government response to increased stress levels and burnout in the workplace. Coupled with a campaign to raise awareness around preserving the country’s forests, the idea took hold. The program’s success triggered a flood of studies in the ‘90s, producing some surprising results. What does that have to do with us today? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, 38
The heartbeat of Cascadia
Immersion
but the COVID-19 pandemic has had a very real effect on our psyches. After experiencing the forced shutdown, many people reevaluated their lives and
As an outdoorsy person, I couldn’t help but notice the dramatic uptick in bodies on the rivers, lakes, trails, and mountains I spend time on. And this, in turn, seems to have further reinforced the reevaluation of how we spend our time. Why? What is it about immersing oneself in nature that results in such a profound rethinking of our state of being? And what is happening in our brains and bodies when we slow down and interact with the natural world? It turns out that spending as little as 10 minutes connecting to nature has significant health benefits. The concept is not new. What ancient cultures knew >>> Go to AdventuresNW.com
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