A New Kind of Clean!

By Samantha Steele

What is forest bathing? It is the practice of absorbing the forest atmosphere—unwinding and restoring your being in a natural setting. This includes concentrating on using your senses to soak in and relax by mentally, physically and emotionally immersing yourself in the forest around you. Sound interesting? It most certainly does to me!  

Ever since I was a child I’ve enjoyed being outside. I can remember many days hanging out in my backyard or wooded neighborhood roaming around exploring or digging in the dirt. When I left the house for these adventures, my mother would give me a large paper bag to gather all my “nature treats” so that I could bring them back home. I would collect and handle all sorts of forest treasures such as pinecones, rocks, sticks and moss. Even today as a full grown adult I collect these types of things almost daily! While on a walk I oftentimes pick up a seed or a stone and just hold onto it, rubbing it and smelling it as I explore the outdoors. I can’t fully explain it, but nature has always been so calming to me. I’ve actually been a little bit shy about sharing this eccentric side of my personality with anyone until I learned that it was truly “a thing.” Nature does heal and soothe and bring about feelings of peace and well-being. I find myself becoming quite restless when I am forced to exist indoors for days on end. I love going for long walks, oftentimes wandering into the woods and exploring nature. I love lying down in green grass and beside water…just like the psalmist David says, it most certainly restores my soul! In the midst of today’s hectic lifestyle, of being rushed and over stimulated, nature is a neglected resource for mental well-being.

Have I piqued your interest?  Would you like to try the practice of forest bathing? Let’s get started:

• Set aside 2-3 hours to spend outdoors
• Start with an attitude of gratitude; be thankful for creation.
• Your primary goal is to be meditative, not terribly active.
• Set your mind on unwinding and resting, not achieving.
• Ideally, choose a private, secluded setting with woods and water; a clearing or a trail is ideal for unhindered exploration.
• It’s important to unplug during this activity. Explore while untethered! Please leave your phone and iPod at home. 

As you thoughtfully meander through the woods, try having your own little “five senses” scavenger hunt. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, feel? Allow the aromas and sensations to wash over you. Take off your shoes if you want! “Earthing” barefoot and barehanded while touching and digging around in the soil is especially beneficial. Don’t be afraid to get dirty! Find a comfortable place to sit and simply watch, listen, and smell the world around you. Rub your feet into the earth and feel the soil on the soles of your feet. Crumble the soil and “forest litter” between your fingers. Reach around and feel or pick up items from the forest floor. Inspect them. Smell them, grasp them in your hand and hold for a little while. Do you sense anything different? 

In your mind, recognize and count the different sounds that you hear. Take several deep, slow breaths. What do you smell? How would you describe it? Listen to the sounds of nature and look around intently to see wildlife. Do the forest animals know you are there? What is their behavior like? What are they doing? Do you feel the wind? The sun? Are you warm or cool? How does the ground feel beneath you—dry, cold, wet, soft, coarse? Take several more deep, cleansing breaths. If there is space, lie back and face the sky. What do you see? Clouds? The shapes of the tree tops against the sky? Birds flying? 

What happens next? Your blood pressure drops, your mental clarity and concentration improve, your stress level is lowered and your immune system is strengthened. (All this happens in about the same amount of time it would have taken to check your Facebook account.) Forest bathing is extremely effective in lowering stress. Studies show that with as little as 40 minutes in a natural setting, cortisol levels decrease and the parasympathetic nervous system becomes more active. This promotes rest, conserves energy, reduces heart rate and promotes overall cardiovascular and mental health. Even the immune system is stimulated and intestinal and gland activity are increased, promoting detoxification. 

See what you’ve been missing? Over the last 100 years, we have gradually navigated away from valuable time spent outdoors. Our modern society has created a generation of kids who are huddled inside four walls, staring at man made electronics and coating themselves with antibiotic solutions every time they get a little dirt on their hands. So how has our limited interaction with the outdoors harmed us?  

• Our lack of Vitamin D from sunshine impairs our immune system and poorly affects our mood.
• Electromagnetic fields within our indoor environments disrupt our health and well-being.
• We are missing enzymes and probiotics from the soil. These valuable components nurture our gut and brain health.
• Our cardiovascular systems are limited to absorbing mostly indoor, stale, and sometimes toxic, artificial air. We are not challenged to breathe deeply and exhaust ourselves outdoors like our ancestors once did.  

With these findings, I hope that I have inspired you to take a fresh look at your world around you. What better time than the spring? Grab your water bottle, and head outside–maybe I’ll see you out there!  

Samantha Stephens is a nutritionist, food scientist and herbalist who loves spending time outside foraging for wild foods while appreciating the abundance of God’s creation.  Samantha can be contacted at cmlmag3@gmail.com.

SIDEBAR:

According to the National Environmental Education Foundation, “An increasing pace in the last three decades, approximately, of a rapid disengagement between children and direct experiences in nature…has profound implications, not only for the health of future generations, but for the earth itself. The effects from nature deficit disorder could lead to the first generation being at risk of having a shorter lifespan than their parents.”