SHINRIN YOKU

Dear friends,

Shinrin-Yoku or Forest Bathing, is a practice that is described as nature therapy and is used to improve physical health and increase relaxation and stress reduction. The concept that humans have a biological need to connect with nature has been called biophilia, from the Greek, meaning "love of life and the living world".

Our spirit is woven from it, hope rises on its currents

- E.O. Wilson

In order to have the experience of feeling closer to the universe, you need to walk or stand quietly in the forest. It's best to do it on your own if you can.

Why do you want to do this? 


Picture this: You are standing in the street, surrounded by concrete and buildings, traffic, noise, and concrete. Not too relaxing of an image, right? Now, imagine this: blue skies, bird’s song, tall trees bending on the gentle wind, and soft grass under your feet.

Even just by visualizing it, your body can feel the benefits of nature. The tension in your jaw and muscles slowly subsides, the headache that’s been bothering you all morning starts to calm down, and the emotional pressure goes away – if only for a couple of precious moments. 

IT CHANGES YOUR INNER LANDSCAPE

You can also practice something called Mindful Walking. Thích Nhất Hạnh, one of the most well-known Buddhist monks in the world, taught us the techniques of Mindful Walking. He described it like this:

walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet

When we connect to nature, with all of our senses, we feel the magic of creation - the miracle of life. We connect to something larger than ourselves.
Our minds and our lives can be transformed.

xxxx Gillian xxxx

Please write to me if you have any questions or comments.with so much love, Gillian