You've heard of the Japanese tradition called Shinrin Yoku [森林浴]. This tradition is a kind of therapy translatable as forest bathing and consists of going to a forest or making contact with nature for a while.
I think most people recognize the importance of being in touch with nature and how refreshing and relaxing it is to walk through a beautiful forest and see the komorebi sun rays. The Japanese go further by transforming this practice into therapy and a word.
This Japanese practice of walking and walking through the forest began in the 1980s with numerous research and dissemination of benefits. The word Shinrin Yoku was coined by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in 1982.
How to do a forest bath - Shinrin Yoku?
The forest bath is not just walking through a forest quickly, it can even be relaxing but the results are lower. For full enjoyment of shinrin yoku, the participant needs to do meditation while observing nature.
In addition, the walk should be very slow paying attention to all the details such as the movement of leaves, the sound of trees and the activity of the area. This allows for a complete and relaxing immersion in the forest. It's no wonder people make relaxation videos with nature sounds or landscape paintings.
Take a deep breath to enjoy the oxygen of the trees, run your finger over things to feel the texture and enjoy all the sound of the environment. This experience alone and without electronic devices is recommended.
You don't always need a forest, just apply the method and enjoy any location, whether it's your garden or a square around the corner. The secret is to relax and meditate, enjoying your surroundings and focusing on nature.
This practice is very common in Japan, no wonder the country is crowded with parks and gardens, not to mention that Japan's 80% is forests and mountains. What makes a simple walk in the forest beneficial for health?
What are the benefits of Shinrin Yoku - Forest bath
The secret behind forest bathing comes down to naturally produced allelochemicals known as phytoncides. Its job is to protect plants from insects and slow the growth of fungi and bacteria.
When humans are exposed to phytonides, these chemicals are scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, relieve stress and boost the growth of white blood cells that even fight cancer.
Research carried out by physician Yoshifumi Miyazaki from Chiba states that Shinrin Yoku reduces blood pressure, heart rate and stress and anxiety. More than 50% is believed to enhance the activity of the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calm.
Even the smell is able to reduce the stress and irritation of the body. Walking through the forest stabilizes blood pressure and strengthens people's immunity. All this happens because our senses like sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch are in contact with nature.
In addition to the physical improvements in the body, relaxing in the forest can eliminate depression, anxiety and anger problems. You can experience it by eating in the forest, yoga, breathing exercises, aromatherapy and especially visiting a natural hot spring on the mountain (onsen) which also has numerous health benefits.
Other benefits of Shinrin Yoku listed are:
- Aumento nas células NK do corpo;
- Humor melhorado;
- Aumenta a capacidade de concentração;
- Ajuda na recuperação de uma cirurgia ou doença;
- Aumenta a energia; Melhora o sono;
- Aumenta o senso de felicidade;
- Aumenta a força vital e fluxo eros;
The Meaning of the Word Shinrin Yoku
If we look it up in a dictionary like jisho we will see that Shinrin Yoku literally means forest bath, but other suggested translations are forest therapy and peaceful walk through the woods for health benefits.
First let's talk about the composite word of the ideograms [森] which means forest or woods, followed by the ideogram [林] which means small forests and woods. Ending with an ideogram [浴] which means to bathe, but it conveys the idea of being favored, that is, receiving the benefits of nature. +
The junction of the 2 forest characters [森林 shinrin] simply means forest, so the word is just the junction of forest + bath. What do you think about Shinrin Yoku Forest Bath? Hope you enjoyed the article. We appreciate the comments and shares.
If you liked the idea of walking through the forest, you might like the article about the sun's rays through the trees or also our article about language of flowers and their meanings Hanakotoba.
