Forest Bathing, Forest Therapy or βSilvotherapyβ is a health-promoting practice that involves spending time outdoors in nature and amongst trees to enhance wellbeing and relieve stress through increased nature-connection and harnessing the healing and restorative powers of nature.
βImagine taking a walk in the forest right now. You feel the earth and leaves under your feet, the snap of twigs. You listen to the birdsong and look up through the breaks in the canopy to the sky above, noticing how the light filters through to a point just further along the path. You breathe in, deeply.
You smell the distinct forest aromas: Moss, Sap, Earth and Wood.
You take it all in.β
Yoshifumi Miyazaki - Shinrin-yoku: The Japanese Way of Forest Bathing for Health and Relaxation
In todayβs modern world, people are increasingly becoming disconnected from nature, and this can have a negative effect on their health, wellbeing and happiness; their creativity and concentration levels; and their relationship with the natural environment.
An Darach Forest Therapy is based in Strontian in the West Highlands of Scotland, an area known as the βOutdoor Capital of the UKβ. We provide a wide range of ways that you can (re) connect with nature and become more in tune with your environment and the wider natural world, online as well as in-person.
I am a certified Forest Bathing Guide and Forest Therapy Practitioner and I offer guided Forest Bathing and Therapeutic Nature Connection activities, mostly around West Lochaber in the Highlands of Scotland. I also offer online nature connection activities and programmes, Nature-Based Wellbeing Plans, Corporate Wellbeing Workshops and I have written a range of booklets to help you to deepen your nature connection that you can purchase from our store.
Forest Bathing
βForest Bathingβ is a nature connection practice that almost everyone can take part in, that will benefit your physical, emotional and cognitive functioning. It is increasingly recognised as a preventative approach to healthcare - a kind of βforest medicineβ that utilises the restorative power of trees and nature to improve health and wellbeing.
Spending time in forested or wooded areas for the purpose of enhancing health, wellbeing and happiness has been practiced in Japan for centuries and is referred to there as βShinrin-yokuβ. This translates as βForest Bathingβ, but it is also sometimes referred to as βForest Therapyβ or βSilvotherapyβ.
What Does Forest Bathing Involve?
Forest Bathing is a health-promoting practice that involves spending time outdoors in nature, sitting peacefully or walking slowly and leisurely through the woods or forest, immersing yourself in the natural environment and mindfully using all your senses.
People who follow this practice commonly find that it is physically, psychologically and spiritually beneficial to spend time βbathingβ in the atmosphere of the forest. There is a wealth of scientific evidence to support the benefits to our health that immersing ourselves in nature in this way can bring.
Recognising that not everyone will be able to engage in guided Forest Bathing, or may just want to try it for themselves, by themselves or with select friends, we have written a series of short booklets about Forest Bathing Invitations, the Forest Therapy practice called βSit Spotβ, and some fun Nature-Connection ideas. These are available from our store.
Please Consider Supporting Our Crowdfunding Campaign
We are endeavouring to cover the costs of the initial print run for a new workbook on 'Supporting Your Recovery Through Nature Connection'.
Nature-mindfulness, the practice of connecting with the natural world through all your senses, has been shown to be effective in reducing stress, anxiety and depression. Stress, anxiety and depression are all risk factors for problematic drug and alcohol use, and for relapse back into drug and alcohol use for those who have become abstinent or are in recovery. Nature-connection practices have been shown to be effective in reducing these relapse risks, and they are free to access. So I am creating a workbook to describe nature-connection practices and other strength-based approaches that people can use as strategies to cope with cravings and to build their resilience to relapse. As part of this initiative I will also be producing a range of online resources that people using the workbooks can access.
When printed, these workbooks will be sold for Β£12 each. If you pre-order by supporting this Crowdfunder they will cost you Β£9 or less. You can also buy a copy to be donated to a drug and alcohol recovery charity for Β£6. The books will be sent out at the end of May 2024.
10% of the proceeds from their sale will also be donated to a drug and alcohol recovery charity in the UK who use nature-connection practices in their work.
FREE 28-Day Sit Spot and Nature Connection Programme
Improved connection with nature has been shown to lead to lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress; increased attention span and cognitive functioning and improvements in psychological and social well-being.
Sit Spot is a simple but powerful practice that encourages you to become more mindful; to connect with nature; to cultivate a deeper awareness of yourself and others; and most importantly to cultivate a deeper understanding of the relationship that you have with the natural world.
There is NO PRESSURE to get out everyday and do any of the suggested activities, nor is there anything that says that you canβt do them in the way that most appeals - just do the parts that resonate with you.
Follow the link below to register, and we will send you a link to our 28-Day Sit Spot and Nature Connection Practice Programme.
Nature-Based Wellbeing Plans
Nature-Based Wellbeing Plans are individualised wellbeing plans, developed in collaboration between us.
They introduce you to a range of nature connection activities based around your different senses and then build on these experiences and what you have learned about yourself, the natural environment around you. They utilise the types of nature connection activities that resonate most strongly with you in order to create a plan through which you can increase your connection with nature in ways that benefit your health and wellbeing.
Nature-Based Wellbeing Plans can be delivered as part of an individual programme of support, or as part of a group or corporate activity day.
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