A simple antidote to our nature-starved lives, The Joy of Forest Bathing is an enticing and comprehensive introduction to forest bathing—or Shinrin-yoku, in Japan—the meditative practice of connecting with nature and disconnecting from the distractions of daily life.
Full sensory immersion in the beauty and wonder of nature and trees can produce mental, emotional, and physical health benefits. Research has shown that forest bathing lowers blood pressure, pulse rate, and cortisol levels; improves mood; and may even boost our immunity to cancer and other diseases.
The Joy of Forest Bathing invites you to experience the benefits of this healing practice for yourself. Learn the history and background of forest bathing, followed by detailed instructions for establishing a forest bathing practice in your own adopted “wild home,” encompassed in three steps:
1. Disengagement from your daily routine
2. Deep breathing and nature connection through a series of quiet activities or “invitations”
3. Transitioning back to your daily life
This restorative activity can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities: children, teenagers, and even senior citizens with limited mobility and people recovering from illness and surgery. And you don’t need to travel to the Japanese alps to experience the benefits of forest bathing. All you need is a small patch of untouched (or lightly touched) nature to adopt as your “wild home.”
Within, find practical tips and inspiration for forest bathing through the seasons: in the winter, when the leafless trees open up new vistas; in the spring, when you can hear the melodious serenade of song birds as they nest in the newly formed green canopy; in the summer, watching the butterflies nectaring on wildflowers; and in the autumn, when you can catch glimpses of hurried squirrels storing food for the winter.
The Joy of Forest Bathing introduces a variety of activities that can be enhanced with forest bathing elements, such as mindfulness practices, exercise, art and writing, and outdoor celebrations. Learn, too, how surrendering to the mysteries of nature can provide guidance through difficult times.
As you find nourishment in nature, you will instinctively begin to wonder how you can preserve and protect this healing resource. This guide includes suggestions for tending to your “wild home.”
Illustrated throughout with enchanting artwork by Dutch illustrator Lieke van der Vorst and stunning nature photography, The Joy of Forest Bathing is the perfect guide to enhancing your life with the wondrous world of nature.
The Japanese tradition of shinrin-yoku and the antidote it can offer our nature-starved lives is meditated upon in this stirring introduction to the practice.
“In all her years of leading traditional nature walks, [Author and Naturalist Melanie Choukas-Bradley] writes in The Joy of Forest Bathing, the moments that meant the most to her ‘were the times of collective reverence, when everyone grew quiet, surrendering to the beauty and wonder of the moment. On a traditional nature walk, such moments may occur occasionally. On a forest bathing walk, however, quiet surrender to beauty and wonder is the essence of the experience.’ That surrender isn’t just pleasurable, it is good for people’s mental and physical health, according to Choukas-Bradley. Research shows ‘that forest bathing lowers your blood pressure, pulse rate, and cortisol levels; increases heart rate variability (a good thing); and improves mood,’ she writes.”
