The Japanese term shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” was coined in 1982 to point to the benefits of forests beyond logging, but the practice of finding connection and serenity in nature goes back millennia.
Studies show forest bathing – immersing oneself in a forest or other natural atmosphere and connecting with the environment through the senses – can improve cardiovascular and immune health, improve mood, reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, and make us feel a greater sense of belonging with the world around us.
UCLA’s Project ReConnect is presenting a free Earth Day forest bathing experience on Tuesday, April 22 at the UCLA Mathias Botanical Garden. Led by a mindfulness teacher and certified nature therapy guide, the 90-minute experience “is like a walking meditation in nature,” says Landon Pollack, cofounder and executive director of Project ReConnect.
Forest bathing and ecological medicine
The practice of forest bathing perfectly illustrates the components of ecological medicine, an emerging field of study that examines relationships between human and planetary health and their health care implications, Pollack says.
“Project ReConnect’s mission is to promote connection and reconnection to self, other human and non-human species and the natural world,” he says.
“This Earth Day we want to highlight ecological medicine – connecting with nature as health care,” says Helena Hansen, MD, PhD, interim chair of psychiatry and director of the Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA. “In addition to guided nature walks, community gardening and contact with therapy animals also improve mental and physical health.”
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and Semel Institute are introducing a new undergraduate course in Ecological Medicine this summer.
The forest bathing event shows that you don’t have to go far to have restorative nature experiences.
Do it yourself
To create your own forest-bathing experience, follow these steps:
- Find a park with trees or a place you feel surrounded by nature.
- Commit to spending at least 15 minutes on the experience.
- Turn off notifications and put away your phone.
- Tune into your senses: What do you see, hear, smell, taste and feel? Notice the colors and textures around you, the scent of the air, the sounds of the leaves or birdsong.
- Allow yourself to linger on what you find interesting or beautiful.
- Move slowly, breathe deeply and bask in the natural environment.
