Intro to Forest Bathing
Gayle Byck | InTune With Nature
Gayle is a Certified Forest Therapy Guide who leads forest bathing walks for groups including families, friends, work teams, sisterhood groups, full moon walks, etc. She also does indoor and outdoor nature programming for older adults, including people with dementia and their caregivers.
What is a typical forest bathing experience like?
I start with an overview of forest bathing, including that’s it’s a slow-paced walk where we immerse our senses in the forest, rather than a strenuous hike. I talk about the health benefits. Then I lead a guided meditation that focuses on awakening our senses. Then there are a series of invitations to wander out and notice something, I lead into each invitation with a poem or a quote, then the invitation. An example of an invitation is “wander out and notice the tiniest details you can see.” And I give people magnifying glasses for that invitation. After we spend time on our own for each invitation, I call the group back and we have a sharing circle. We end with a tea ceremony - after all, forest bathing started in Japan, where it’s know as shinrin yoku — that focuses on gratitude and reciprocity with the earth; it’s also a time to reflect on the experience. Forest bathing is really about mindfulness and learning to be in the present moment.
What are the health benefits of forest bathing?
Maybe some of you have had experiences in nature where you feel calmer,
more energized, less stressed? There’s actually scientific research supporting the
very real health benefits of immersing yourself in nature, specifically forest
bathing. Some of those health benefits include: reduced stress, lower heart rate and
blood pressure, improved sleep, mood, concentration, increased creativity, and more.
In our fast-paced, always connected world, research and experience show that
slowing down and being present are good for our health - and so are the trees!
Have you heard of phytoncides? They are aromatic compounds or oils that trees
emit as part of their immune system. When you breathe in, you might smell them,
especially in the evergreens, pines, and cedars. They protect trees from pests and
pathogens. When we inhale phytoncides, our own immune system gets a boost as
well, which increases our natural killer cells, which are our first line of defense against stressed cells. Scientists are studying whether being in nature can help with cardiovascular health as well as cancer prevention.
Do you need to be in a forest to forest bathe?
Ideally, we’d have time to spend in nature - in the forest - every day but that’s not feasible for most of us. The good news is you don’t have to be in a forest to get the benefits of nature. You can go in your own backyard, walk in your neighborhood, go to a local park. There’s a concept called “sit spot” where you find a place you can be in every day, if possible, for at least 10 minutes, and just sit… you give yourself permission to do nothing. It’s not easy to do nothing! When I first started doing sit spot, I picked my backyard, since I could easily get there, and I would look around and notice weeds that needed to be pulled, shrubs that should be trimmed… but eventually I was able to tune all that out and just sit and enjoy my yard. I have lived in my house since 1995 and I noticed things in my yard that I had never noticed.. one tree had a heart shaped indentation in it but I had never noticed that. It makes me smile every time I see or think of that tree.
“Gayle, Thank you so much for the invitation to the forest bathing you guided us through. It was so great to meet like-minded people and to share the experience with everyone that was there. I thank you because it took me out of my daily routine. It was magical. I got lost in just being and forgot about doing. The rest of the day, I felt relaxed and at ease and the feeling actually lasted into the weekend. I hope to be able to join you again soon.”
Intrigued? Have more questions? Ready to schedule a forest bathing experience?
naturewalkswithgayle@gmail.com | 847-920-8238 | www.InTuneNature.com
