FORAYS INTO FOREST BATHING Exploring nature one tree at a time By Courtenay Schurman, 29-year member
Foliage on the Baker Lake Trail. Photo by Gabe Purpur.
Forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, is a Japanese nature therapy practice to help individuals develop strong connections with nature and reap the physical and emotional benefits that this connection provides. Although its roots are far older, the modern understanding of this practice began in 1982 when the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries instituted a national forest bathing program. Now gaining traction internationally, forest bathing is a tool that many are beginning to explore. Read on to learn about one member’s experiences, and steps you can take to begin your own forest bathing journey.
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xploring forest bathing has been one of many touchstone experiences on my two-year journey towards a better life balance, deeper self-discovery, and a recovery from addictions to sugar and exercise. This Japanese practice of self-care and mindfulness involves opening your senses to all that the forest has to offer, without the need to get to the top or finish in a specific time. As a self-proclaimed doer, meditation in its many forms never held my interest until now. In early spring 2021, I joined a small group for periodic forest bathing walks at a local park. Our leader, a woman with twotoned hair and a melodic voice, explained that our practice
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mountaineer | summer 2021
over the next two hours would be to explore our five senses, let go of our worries, and return to “the world” renewed and refreshed. It sounded blissful, and although skeptical, I was curious and willing to try it.
A new experience Our guide led us to a shady spot surrounded by trees where we formed a socially distanced circle. We were, after all, still coping with a pandemic. She instructed us to keep a soft gaze as we gently twisted to look behind us in both directions, and then looked up, familiarizing ourselves with the shapes,
