Forest Bathing

Last week some of the Personal Euphoria instructors went forest bathing. I didn’t know what to expect. Really, it has a terrible name. For me it brings thoughts of nudity, a bit of hokeyness, or potential images of cleaning the forest with sudsy bathwater. I know it’s none of those things, but the name does the practice no real service. My basic understanding was that it was meditating in the forest. Knowing that trees make humans feel better, I thought this might be a good excursion. It was.

We met at Pleasant Valley Preserve in Lyme, CT (a location I can’t recommend enough if you haven’t been there). This is a quiet treasure near the southern border of our state. We walked slowly through these beautiful woods, took deep breaths, did gentle stretches, and sat or wandered in specific areas—all guided by Regan Stacey. She invited us to hone into all our senses and encouraged us to explore. It was always an invitation to do something, not an order.

Forest bathing is not hiking. I’m one of those hikers that likes to move. I like to get to the top, to the view. I don’t typically stop to smell the roses. I break to catch my breath and then I’ll notice something near me, but I don’t dilly dally on the trail. I appreciate a good smell of pine and I’ll pause when I’m bombarded with the scent. I love when I reach the tree line and I’ll take in the view from the top of a mountain. I’m not just on autopilot, but I’m there to move and complete the trail—a hiker on a mission. Moving slowly does not come naturally to me. It takes effort.

On our forest bathing excursion was sat for a while along a stunning, crystal clear, small river. If I were just hiking, I’d never stop and stay in this particular place this long. It did feel like that would be a missed opportunity. Sitting along the water’s edge provided a sense of calm and made me happy. While we sat Regan suggested we notice how the air felt, what we heard, and what smells wafted by us. Including all the senses (smells and sounds), not just visualization, into our meditation can be helpful for stress reduction.

Other times along the path she encouraged us to notice movement and shadows. The air was still that evening, so we found surprising types of movement. Cobwebs would appear and disappear depending on how the light hit them. They weren’t moving, but the light made them appear to be.

I was struck by how taking in nature reminded me of being a kid. The woods can seem magical, mysterious, there are hiding places, and craggy trees can become eerie as dark descends. It feels like there is a story in the woods—maybe they have their own, but you’d also be enticed to make one up. The forest calls us to be playful and creative.

Later in the woods, Regan asked us to wander and return with an object that called to us. The hunt for that object required us to look more deeply at woods. We had to really see the world surrounding us as we sought our forest treasure. Then we came back with our items—a fallen pine sprig, rich brown tree bark (both shattered and strong), a mini mushroom, a pinecone, a leaf turned to lace—and shared what we found and why they seemed profound to us. Laying them all together on a rock made a beautiful blend of colors and objects of the forest—another story emerging in the woods.

For our final stop, Regan had prepared a tea party of pine tea (apparently high in vitamin C). Again, I felt a reminder of childhood. There is a sense of wonder in a woodland tree-tea party.

Perhaps this sounds odd, but I get the feeling trees have a sense of character. It’s not quite a personality, but trees seem very easy to personify. They are rooted and strong, but flexible as they give to the breeze. They seem old and wise. Spending time amongst them feels comforting. That sensation is never missed, even on my fast-paced hikes. The difference with forest bathing is that it felt more mutual. I had time to give the trees some appreciation and attention. Like houseplants that respond to music, talk, and touch, do the trees enjoy a little TLC? I imagine so. Shel Silverstein’s the Giving Tree would make us think so.

The journey through the woods had moments on our own and moments where we’d come together. It was nice to share our experience and listen to how the woods inspired others.

Trees release chemicals that boost our immune system. We inhale the chemicals called phytoncides and it increases our natural killer cells and makes them more active. Walking in trees has been shown to lower blood pressure and cortisol (a stress hormone). Basically, we were meant to be in nature and we need a relationship with the trees.

Maybe when you pass a tree today, give it a smile. It’s giving you a boost.

To book your own tour with Regan, connect with her here: https://reganstacey.com/forest-bathing
To watch more on forest bathing check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsjGYl-SJy4

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Forest Bathing

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About the Author: Maggie Downie