Forest Bathing
Inspired by the Japanese practice of “shinrin-yoku” (“bathing in the atmosphere of the forest”), the practice of forest bathing supports healing and wellness through sensory-based immersion in forests and other natural environments.
Studies have attributed a wide array of health benefits to this practice, including reduced heart rates, cortisol levels, and blood pressure, as well as enhanced immune function. Participants report reductions in excessive thinking, anxiety and depression, and heightened mental clarity, intuition, and creativity. Many experience a lighthearted sense of ease, joy, and playfulness. Nature’s medicine comes in many forms.
“The Forest is the Therapist. The Guide Opens the Door.”
Unlike a traditional hike or naturalist walk, a guided forest bathing session is a slow, quiet, and meditative experience. During each session, a certified forest therapy guide leads participants through a series of structured and serendipitous “invitations” to experience the natural world around them through all of their senses and deepen their relationship with the more-than-human world. Instead of trying to “go somewhere” or “learn something”, the intention is simply to “arrive here”, in intimate connection with the present moment and an embodied sense of place. Participants tend to benefit from a forest bathing experience each in their own unique way. Some may find deep rest, stillness, and peace while others may feel more enlivened, intuitive, and creative. Nature seems to know just what kind of medicine is needed for each individual.
The ANFT Approach
The Association of Nature & Forest Therapy (ANFT), founded by Amos Clifford, is the most experienced global leader in the development and promotion of forest therapy, with a global network of over 2000 certified forest therapy guides in over 60 countries. The ANFT’s “relational forest therapy” approach draws on the latest medical research, new developments in the field of nature connection, as well as ancient traditions. Apart from fostering the many health benefits of the practice, the ANFT approach helps awaken the remembrance that we are a part of nature, not separate from it, and related to all other beings in fundamental ways. This gives rise to a very natural sense of reciprocity and right relationship with the more-than-human world which, in turn, contributes to the ecological and spiritual healing of the planet.
For more information on the ANFT and the benefits of forest therapy, please visit: natureandforesttherapy.earth.
Forest Reiki
The word Reiki comes from the Japanese word (Rei) which means “Universal Life” and (Ki) which means “Energy”. Reiki is the life energy that flows through all living beings.
Reiki is a subtle form of energy healing using spiritually guided life force energy. It is believed that when a person’s “ki” or energy is strong and free-flowing, their body and mind will abide in good health and well-being. When the energy becomes weak or blocked, however, it can lead to symptoms of physical or emotional imbalance. A reiki session can help alleviate tension and stress, thereby restoring the body’s innate flow and capacity to heal itself on all levels – physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
Traditional Reiki
A traditional usui reiki session is typically 60-90 minutes long. During the session, participants rest comfortably and fully clothed on a massage table. A session can either be hands-on, with light touch, or hands-off with hands held slightly above key energetic centres of the body. A recipient of reiki might feel warming or tingling sensations during the session, or nothing at all but sheer relaxation. Traditional reiki can also be practiced remotely in what are known as “Distance Reiki” sessions – please submit an email inquiry if you are interested in a distance reiki session via zoom.
Forest Reiki
A forest reiki session amplifies the benefits of traditional reiki by combining it with the healing powers of nature. In a forest reiki session, participants rest on a massage table situated in a forested setting outdoors, amidst a soothing soundscape of birdsong and distant ocean waves, a light breeze on their skin, and the fragrant scents of cedar and fir wafting through the air. A guided nature-based meditation using forest therapy practices opens the session, helping to ground participants into their senses and the environment around them. The remainder of the session follows a traditional reiki protocol, with a number of forest therapy-inspired accents along the way. In rare cases of inclement weather, the session may be held indoors with forest sounds, scents, and foliage still present for the experience.
For more information about the healing practice of reiki, please visit: https://iarp.org/what-is-reiki/
