Wellness Wows (Forest Bathing)

Opt for a Wellness Reset With Forest Bathing

Take a break from the rush hours of daily commute and a routine life for a delightful vacay in the verdant lungs of this blue planet — the forests. Inhale a fresh breath of air to feel cleaner and better. Run away from the urban cacophony for some relief. Lull your tired eyes with the lavish greenery around. Give the soles of your feet a warm touch of the mossy soil beneath and douse them in the cool waters of olive green ponds for fishing. Last but not the least, smell the breeze of petrichor — the pleasant loamy essence preceding the first burst of monsoon showers.

BY PRAMITA BOSE

The bright orange sunshine with its spray of light rays, the tall gigantic trees with an expansive diameter of their trunks, the lofty mountain massifs carpeted in thick green vegetation, the heavy bowers of bushes, the velvety grassy meadows woven to the ground below, the gurgling of silken streams along the rows of boulder rocks, the cascading of rainbow-hued waterfalls, the muddy path lying buried under a pile of dry leaves strewn all over, the smell of deep dark woods where daylight is seldom trickles through, the sweet scent of wild flowers, foliage and fruits, the slithering of animals behind the woody brown barks and thorny thickets, the whispers of insects echoing from nowhere in the middle of a forest.....if all these haunt your senses, then we bet you have a lust for forest bathing.

Also called shinrin-yoku in Japanese philosophy, this practice of being in close proximity to nature is so important for keeping good health, suggest nature lovers and environmentalists. From the Amazon Rainforest to California’s Redwood parks, from Africa’s Congo Basin to Germany’s Black Forest or the mangroves of the Sunderbans in the Gangetic Delta of India that further extend to Bangladesh through the Bay of Bengal are among the world’s most popular and beautiful forests to tap into.

The Call of the Wild

“Forest bathing is much more than just a walk in the woods. It’s a deep immersion in verdant nature that engages our senses,” opines lifestyle and personal transformation coach Kiara Jain.

“It’s crucial for maintenance of well-being because it helps reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure and boost the immune system. In our fast-paced urban lives, where we are constantly being bombarded with digital screens and artificial widgets, reconnecting with nature allows us to clear our clogged nerves and reboot mentally, physically and emotionally,” further enlightens the founder of Mindful Living.

Echoing similar views, Tejas Chavan, managing director of Grape County Eco Resort & Spa (Nashik in Maharashtra) admits that “diving deep into the forests allows individuals to disconnect from digital distractions and urban stress, thus helping lower cortisol levels, regulate the heart rate, and improve the overall mood and focus through engagement with nature. It also fosters a profound connection with the natural world by dipping our consciousness straight into it, away from the materialistic pleasures and pursuits, and further encouraging mindful exploration of one’s surroundings.”

Good news is that many rejuvenating haunts design and curate forest-bathing experiences in the purest form for their guests to indulge in. Serene, rain-kissed trails, torchlit walks and immersive treks are stitched together in an attractive tour package to spur a deep sensory bonding with the lush wilderness in the upcoming moist monsoons or other seasons. Such a rendezvous with the invaluable nature — God’s precious gift to our universe — is guaranteed to be simply amazing and priceless.

Trip to Healthify

How about lying on a log of wood and soaking in all the sights, sounds and aromas of the exotic, remote boondocks around you. Your tour guide could play a folk melody on a flute nearby. You close your eyes and take a deep long breath, letting the existent ambience slowly settle in your senses and you soak up the nature completely. After a while, you sit up and meditate, alienated from the human society, the urban cacophony and the hustle and bustle of a busy life. Far from the madding crowd, you stay isolated at peace amid the sylvan lap of Mother Nature, nestled and cradled in her arms for some much-awaited rest and soul searching.

No backbreaking deadlines to agitate you, no ambitious targets to achieve and no tedious phone calls to attend, you remain aloof in your own leisurely thoughts, lazing in the idyllic beauty of a dense jungle and absorbed in a world of all things organic and sources renewable.

A plethora of physical and mental benefits is ensured at the end of forest navigation. Like a jungle safari, forest bathing offers a myriad of physical advantages, including enhanced resistance capacity, decreased inflammation and better cardiovascular health.

Plant life nourishes the human lung condition by releasing the life-saving oxygen into the atmosphere in abundance and sopping up carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, which eventually trims the carbon footprint to a huge degree. Psychologically, it’s incredibly effective in curbing anxiety, depression and mental fatigue.

“Nature’s calming influence helps restore our nervous function, enabling us to feel grounded, composed and more attentive. The surreal experience of being encircled by trees and natural elements has a penetrative impact on the mind and body. It erases the mental clutter and promotes clarity,” claims Jain.

Getaway From Daily Grind

Given the toxic gases in urban environment, a stressful life and zero contact with nature and soil, one wonders how significant does forest bathing become in one’s hectic life on the weekends or during those flitting leisurely hours?

In today’s urban settings, where pollution, stress and a detachment from nature are rampant, forest bathing becomes a powerful tool to revive balance.

“It’s not just a pastime; it’s a form of self-care that can significantly curtail the mental and physical toll of urban living. Even a short weekend outing to the forests or spending an hour under the cool shaded canopies of trees standing in close clusters can drastically mend our mood and spike the energy levels, so indispensably needed. This is like a life-altering capsule for those living a hectic, stress-ridden life with demanding schedules,” prescribes Jain.

Having breakfast in a tent, listening to birdsongs or their chirping in flocks, spotting rare and endangered species through a binocular, boating in creeks and witnessing submerged reptiles in water, swimming with white swans in a lake, crossing a bamboo or a rope bridge riding a pony, taking long walks as far as the winding forest roads take you to its never-ending vistas, expecting a tiger to be on the prowl from a watch tower or identifying its pugmarks on dirt tracks, observing fireflies glowing on treetops, hearing the buzzing of bees and crickets in the evening or continuously gazing at the starlit night sky to marvel at a natural planetarium — all this and much more could invite you for a sojourn on a remote temptation island or in a wellness retreat to recharge your energy batteries for a healthy reset.

Getting One’s Hands Dirty

Green crusaders and NGOs dealing with climate-change projects and holding awareness drives for communities at large frequently organise camps and a flurry of group activities to support forest cleansing as well as conservation of greenery and wildlife. They also host tree-plantation programmes, demonstrations against deforestation, inspire the art of ethical living, sustainability and encourage manufacturing cruelty-free products.

Enumerating the basic roster of activities and exercises involved in forest bathing, Chavan lists that “the core events include slow walking, deep breathing, responsible observation and sensory alertness. Participants often engage in birdwatching, cycling through forest paths, exploring nature trails or enjoying locally foraged forest foods. While group sessions can be interactive, solo experiences and actions tend to cement more personal ties with nature.”

Incidentally, all five sense organs can be best utilised while forest bathing through sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touches. The exercise involves fully engrossing all sensory organs in the natural environment.

One may imbibe the colours, shapes and textures of the trees, plants and sky via the sense of sight. “Allow your eyes to relax and focus on the natural beauty around you,” instructs Jain. “Or listen to the rustling leaves, twittering of birds, gusts of strong winds blowing through branches or the flowing waters murmuring at length. These sounds have a tranquil, therapeutic effect on the brain,” she explains.

For the olfactory function, inhale air to suck up the rich, earthy aromas of trees, fresh soil, buds and bloomed petals, plus the woodsy scent of pine or cedar like a sponge. “These natural fragrances empower the sense of smell and help unwind the mind,” she infers.

With a word of caution, she further volunteers to add: “If safe, try tasting the fresh air or even sample edible plants and berries (with proper knowledge). Tasting nature can be a grounding experience.”

Finally, she asks curious nature gazers to feel the texture of a tree bark, the softness of moss or the coolness of a stream through the sense of touch. “Physical contact with nature can create a soothing and tactile connection,” she fathoms.

Solely concentrating on the fragrance of dew-drenched damp earth, visual patterns in the olive, emerald, bottle or cyan green canopies, textures of barks or pebbles and perhaps, the tastes of the hunted herbs, seeds or plucked local tea varieties engage one’s senses by collecting and converging the same fully into the present.

“Staying in thoughtfully designed forest-facing villas or reposing in eco-friendly homestays further amplifies this sensory connection to feel one and united with the raw nature. These are the moments that one would love to treasure for life. With efforts at government level, and a systematic pooling in of funds and resources from the environment ministry, such experiences leveraging nature’s spoils and adventures to the hilt could lend an excellent instance of ecotherapy excursion,” observes Chavan.

Nurtured by Nature

Against the backdrop of cramped spaces and a matchbox existence, one may quiz if it is at all possible to soak in a slice of nature at urban homes. “Yes, absolutely! Why not? One can easily fetch elements of nature into urban living spaces. Simple steps like keeping houseplants, creating a small indoor garden or even adding a water feature can make a significant difference,” shares Jain.

Additionally, taking mindful moments to step outside, breathe in fresh air or listen to nature’s sounds from apps can help bridge the gap between the maddening din of a city life and the serenity of nature. Incorporating natural materials into decor, such as wood, stone or bamboo also helps cultivate a more ethical, nature-inspired atmosphere at home.

“There is nothing like embracing nature in the comforts of one’s home,” avers Jain. “Whether you own a piece of farmland, a little kitchen garden in the backyard for organic farming, a manicured landscape for growing orchards or floral gardens, a terrarium, balcony creepers and climbers, a pergola, vertical plantation or terrace cultivation — it all boils down to sustainability and nature preservation,” she elaborates ahead.

Tour Guide

Notably, a guide enriches the experience of a visitor by helping him/her identify flora, fauna and safe paths, especially for the first-timers. However, forest bathing can also be intuitive and subjective when done mindfully alone. An individual fresher can absorb and assess things via his/her own perspective. Hence, one may or may not be accompanied with a forest tour guide on his/her forest sojourn.

Checklist

One must carry an array of necessary items on forest trips for peace and safety. A rucksack of light essentials like drinking water, insect repellent, a basic first-aid kit and preparedness without disrupting the natural setting are expected to come in handy in times of emergencies.

Dress Code

A prospective forest bather must slip into compatible outfits and footwear for a hassle-free experience. Comfortable, breathable clothes in earthy tones are ideal. Footwear should be closed-toe and suitable for uneven terrains like trekking shoes or sturdy walking sandals.

Duration

An ideal forest bathing session doesn’t require to last long. Even a short 30 to 60-minute forest enchantment can be effective. Longer sessions may reap greater gains but the key is to witness an unhurried, quality tryst with the natural environment.

Like a Night in the Forest….

Forests in the evening or at night have a different beauty and charm to offer. Is forest bathing during the dark recommended?

“Well, nighttime forest experiences can be mesmerising and meditative but should be approached with caution. Unless guided and well-lit, daylight hours are generally safer for forest bathing,” reminds Chavan.

Destinations to Explore

There are many forest sites and green hubs in India that provide a perfect destination for forest bathing. Places like (Grape County Eco Resort & Spa in Nashik) resorts and spas offer ideal settings with biodiverse forests, eco-conscious stays and curated nature experiences. Other notable hubs include the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu, Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand and the Western Ghats in Kerala. Each spot is rich in flora, fauna and quietude for an immersive forest bathing.

Time to Set out

Forests in every season have different exploits to dish out. Post monsoon to early winter is often the best time to chart out the virgin pockets of forests when the landscapes are luxuriant, air is crisp and visibility is high. The forests feel alive with fresh foliage and an active wildlife. Moreover, soothing ambient sounds deliver a captivating experience for forest bathing.

*********************************************************************************