The Benefits of Forest Medicine also called Forest Bathing are the perfect way to Unhustle
We spend our days indoors looking at screens. This domestic life brings stress, anxiety and other health issues. Going outside in nature has profound health and mental benefits. The scientifically proven benefits from connecting with the outdoors and nature include:
– Reduced stress
– Reduced blood pressure
– Boosted immune system, with an increase in the count of the body’s Natural Killer (NK) cells
– Improved mood
– Increased ability to focus
– Increased energy levels
– Improved sleep
The Japanese call it “shinrin yoku”. It’s a term that means taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing. But it’s not a modern thing. John Muir wrote,
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home. Wilderness is a necessity.”
I was interested to give it a try and joined Ashley Aarti Cooper on a Forest Medicine hike during the RAY Festival at Granlibakken. Some of the photos below are from that hike and some are from my own nature walks.
I realized that I’ve always been connected with nature. I grew up in Bulgaria and spent the summers playing in the countryside. I l live in Tahoe and Baja, always looking for a reason to go outside. Intuitively, every time I felt stressed out, had a hard time with something, needed to find a solution, wanted to relax, disconnect, focus, I went out in nature. My Unhustle™ morning always include going outside in nature and paying attention to the details: the flower blossoming, the water drops on the grass, the aspen leaves whispering in the wind. Having a dog definitely helps in getting you outside.
The next time you need to Unhustle™, go out for a walk in the outdoors. Here are some simple guidelines you can follow:
1. Walk slow. Pick a trail you have already been on but walk it slowly. See what you can notice along the way.
2. Walk in silence even if you have company.
3. Unplug from your phone.
4. Play. Be a kid again.
5. Follow your intuition. If something calls you, go check it out.
6. Engage your senses. Smell, see, hear, feel, and touch.
7. Smell the ground. Pick up a little bit of dirt in your hand and inhale it.
8. Feel your body, feel the trail under your feet. Breathe in your heart area. Bonus points of you go barefoot.
9. Every once and a while just stop and observe. If you cross a creek or walk near water, spend a few minutes there. Steady your breath, soften your gaze on one area on the water. What are your feeling? Welcome that. Say to yourself: I see you and I welcome you. Then smile, soften and release. What are you experiencing now?
10. Find an area to rest, eat a snack and observe your surroundings. Close your eyes and breathe deep.
Forest Medicine is an old practice, taking us back to our roots. Listen in on my conversation with Jane Votka, a 35 year naturalist talk about the healing powers of nature to The Unhustle Podcast .
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