Forest Bathing Rock I Funk I Blues I Reggae I Latin I Metal
Paul Jutras
DRUM KIT AND HAND PERCUSSION LESSONS 35+ years experience- Private / One 2 One / Customized / Fun
Beginner to advanced - In your home or in my studio in Duncan
250-732-7735 I chopsdrumschool@gmail.com
Valleyview
Centre
So much to offer!
1400 Cowichan Bay Rd Wellness Reiki Wellness 250 743-8122 Reiki, Foot Detox, Infrared, Acupuncture, Reflexology
Healthcare
Food Country Grocer 250 743-5639 Bakery, Meat, Seafood, Produce, Deli & Floral, Supplements
We Welcome New Patients!
Cure Artisan Meat & Cheese 250 929-2873 Charcuterie, Cheese House Made Pates
Island Pharmacy 250 743-1448 Open 7 Days a week for all your pharmacy needs.
Valley Health and Fitness 250-743-0511 Full service gym/classes
Cobble Hill Dental 250-743-6698 Friendly, Family Practice
18
Fitness
F
orest Bathing - I just love saying these words together. I find the image that comes to mind so peaceful.. Studies have shown that being in nature reduces stress, anxiety, depression, anger, and it strengthens our immune and cardiovascular systems. Most people who walk in the forest know they feel good while doing it, and feel better when they are done. Forest Bathing – Shinrinyoku, is a practice that started in Japan in the 1980s. Forest bathing is about taking time to really enjoy and absorb nature, with all of our senses: with our eyes, noticing the various colours of green, the sunlight through the trees. With our ears, hearing the rustling of leaves and birdsongs. With our nose, the smells of the earth, the air, flowers. With our hands, touching the textures of tree bark, smoothness or roughness of leaves and rocks, warmth, coolness, dampness of the earth. Also, allowing instinct/ intuition to direct us to where we would most benefit from all that the forest has to give us, while standing, sitting, walking under trees, on rocks, or in clearings. Forest Bathing is also much more about the chemical aerosol spray that trees give off, an essential oil. Different trees give off different oils. The immune boosting benefits of these essential oil sprays has been scientifically proven
to last for 30 days after your walk in the forest. Evergreen trees are the greatest producers. I am encouraged that there are countries all over the world that understand the life giving properties of the old trees and intact forests. They make a point of preserving them and consider them important to the overall health and wellbeing of the people, society and the future of our planet. There are many places all over the world that offer up their Forests for Forest Bathing practices, Japan, Finland, Iceland, Sweden, Switzerland to name a few. As we move into the year 2022 and start to think about making New Years resolutions, let’s add forest bathing to our lists. If enough of us experience these amazing benefits, we will see our trees and forests in a much more life affirming way. Rommy Verlaan is the creator of Heart Song Native American Style flutes in Lake Cowichan.
