“Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.”
Nature Therapy
Nature, or forest, therapy is based on the Japanese technique of shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing. In the 1980’s, many people in Japan were spending more time in urban areas and more time indoors. Around the same time, the Japanese government noticed dramatic increases in cancer and autoimmune diseases. In researching the causes, they discovered that spending time in nature could actually improve health and wellbeing.
Additional research has shown that being in the forest, or in any natural area, has tremendous health benefits. Connecting with the natural world has been shown to:
- Reduce stress
- Boost immune system function
- Increase creativity
- Improve mood
- Enhance attention and focus
- Improve our relationships
How does it work? We’re not sure. Plants do give off certain chemicals that may play a role. Trees, for example, give off phytoncides. When we’re around trees, we’re bathing in these phytoncides, which have been shown to increase the number of immune cells (Natural Killer or NK cells) that can help prevent serious illness. The benefits may also come from the time that we are taking to slow down, connect with our senses, and just be.
During a nature therapy walk, we will do introductions; phones and other devices are turned off and put away; and then you are guided through several “invitations” such as:
Walk around slowly and feel the textures of the bark on different trees. Feel the textures and temperatures under your fingers and palms. Run your hands horizontal. Now vertical. Is there a difference. What are you noticing?
Take 20 minutes to sit, walk, close your eyes, lie in the grass, or do whatever feels right to just be.
Look around you. What do you see? How would a child see it? Take 20 minutes to play like a carefree child.
After each invitation, we will gather and share. The guide will provide a prompt, but you can share anything in any way that you like. If you want to dance and sing that is not only okay but encouraged. It is also completely acceptable to not share. At the end of the walk, we will do a final share over tea and snacks.
Find more information on nature therapy at the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides website. For upcoming walks, check out our Events page or Contact Us to schedule a walk.
Learn more
To learn more about our programs including Life Coaching, Meditation, Nature Therapy, Yoga, Reiki, and programs specific to kids, visit our Services Page. Visit the Calendar Page for a listing of planned events, or get in touch through our contact form.