Many know that I’m an avid hiker, always connecting with Mother Earth. Last week, I visited Big Sur, California, a coastal destination known for, among other incredible natural wonders, its forests of redwoods, majestic trees reaching toward the sky. While some trunks had been charred from earlier wildfires, new growth sprung from their bases and mighty limbs. I felt a very strong sense of spirituality and healing energy just walking among their midsts. It was like these towering giants were talking to me. Perhaps, even protecting me.
Little did I know just how much that would ring true until Dr. Kim Dire’, a psychotherapist with an impressive trauma healing background, shared with me the concept of Forest Baths.
The Japanese government invited “forest bathing,” a preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Japanese researchers have established the health benefits of rejuvenating under, around, and through a canopy of a forest. The Japanese call this Shinrin-yoku Forest Therapy.
The scientific benefits of Shinrin-yoku are:
- Boosted immune system functioning, with an increase in the count of the body’s Natural Killer (NK) cells
- Reduced blood pressure
- Reduced stress
- Improved mood
- Increased ability to focus, even in children with ADHD
- Accelerated recovery from surgery or illness
- Increased energy level
- Improved sleep
Dr. Dire’ notes that one doesn’t have to live in the Far East to take advantage of this natural healing. Check out the video clip of her enjoying her own experience in Arizona.
For me, who knew that the whole time I was connecting with the redwoods in Big Sur that I was having my own forest bath!
Love and light,
Tony
The redwoods of Big Sur bathed with me with their spiritual goodness.
Beautiful story Tony! I can attest to the power of Forest Bathing. ❤️
I know!! All those great hikes you’ve just been on recently!!
This is exactly what I felt on my hike today. 💕
It’s amazing, right?!!
Love that! Every time I’m hiking in Colorado, I feel the same way. It’s amazing how my energy, mood and so much of my being change to a place of gratitude, peace and feeling amazing! Thanks for the share!
Colorado is an amazing place! Love hiking in Boulder!!
Great story – for me it is the ocean. I can sit and just listen to the waves and hear them speak to me of just letting go and feeling free from all the stresses in life. I have often said I was going to bring a bucket of beach sand into work and whenever I was overwhelmed with work and life I would just stick my feet into the sand and feel the relaxing power of the sea.
I’m an ocean person too! Love the sounds of waves.
There is nothing like an Idyllwild Forest Bath to cleanse and rejuvenate!
Yes!! What a beautiful and healing place!
Oh how I could use a forest bath.
You’ve chosen such a beautiful place to live. Or did it choose you!? 🙂
I think it chose me. It just took me a little bit of a while to understand that!! 🙂