Day 30 - Forest bathing

I spent the morning reading Shinrin-yoku, a book about the art of forest bathing. Think of it similar to sunbathing in the sense you don't actually 'bathe' in the sun but you take in and relax beneath it.

For forest bathing - you do that but in the forest. You take a walk in the forest, take in all the senses you feel from the forest and 'bathe' in the forest atmosphere. Immerse in all its glory. The majority of us are urban city dwellers. When was the last time we took a walk in a park? Or went on a trail in a forest or hill? Some of us might be lucky that nature is a stone throw away from where we live, while others not.

According to the book, forest bathing affects your mood in that it increases positive moods and decrease stress levels. I do admit there is a certain relaxation I feel after every hike in the forest, but it's a few years the last time I stepped foot in one. The last one was a trip in Japan! Imagine I might have to wait for travel trip to do that.

Once the lockdown gets lifted off again (for the third time), I might try to go hiking again every (other?) week or at least once a month. I'm so tired from this pandemic. Everyone is. The least we could do is get some real fresh air in the forest and immerse ourselves in it. It might not solve our problems, but it might do the trick to destress even just for a little while.