SHINRIN-YOKU
The Medicine of being in the Forest
Shinrin-Yoku literally means ‘forest bathing’, or ‘taking in the atmosphere of the forest’. The modern version of this ancient tribal practice developed in Japan in the 1980’s, quickly becoming a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. It is now fast expanding to the the rest of the world, fulfilling an often deep yearning for reconnection with nature in a way that is accessible to almost everyone.
Shinrin-Yoku is practiced through a series of slow and gentle, guided walks in forests or other naturally healing environments, and supports physical, mental and emotional well-being. Japanese and South Koreans researchers have established a robust body of scientific literature on the health benefits of spending time under the canopy of a living forest.
For example, many trees give off organic compounds called phytoncydes that support our NK (natural killer) cells that are part of our immune system’s way of fighting cancer and other illnesses.
SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN BENEFITS OF SHINRIN-YOKU
Include but are not limited to:
– Boosted immune system function, with an increase in the body’s count of NK cells;
– Reduced blood pressure;
– Reduced stress and cortisol levels;
– Improved mood;
– Increased ability to focus, even in children with ADHD;
– Accelerated recovery from surgery or illness;
– Increased energy level;
– Improved sleep.
On the beyond-physical levels, this practice also results in:
– Deeper and clearer intuition;
– Increased flow of energy:
– Increased capacity to communicate with the land and her more-than-human species;
– Increased flow of eros & life force;
– Deepening of friendships;
– Overall increase in happiness.
THE FOREST IS THE THERAPIST
the Guide is the facilitator
The Forest is the therapist, and the guide opens the door through a series of Invitations that are crafted and perfected specifically to allow for each individual's best experience.
In order to be prepared to offer this, guides go through an extensive training and certification process.
I began this practice in January 2015, and found it so joyful and beneficial that I decided to train as a Forest Therapy Guide.
I did my certification with the first school of this kind in the United States: the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy, founded by Amos Clifford, M.A. and based in Northern California.
ANFT were the first, and from that new schools were created and are now available for you to train with. I will list the ones known to me below.
WHY DO I EVEN NEED A GUIDE TO WALK IN NATURE?
I asked that same question myself when I first started.
My friend and Forest Therapy Guide, Denell Nawrocki, said it perfectly:
"Shinrin-Yoku is a practice, and just like any other practice (yoga, meditation etc.), teachers and mentors are there to provide information, support and inspiration for the practice itself. Guides help people slow down, they help people connect with their senses. Guides are neutral and open hearted witnesses to the experiences of the participants, and they hold safe space for them to experience something new."
The image shows Amos Clifford as he prepares a foraged tea for the tea ceremony that always concludes a Forest Therapy walk. The ceremony is a beautiful and informal way of bridging the liminal space of the experience and the return to "regular life".
SHINRIN-YOKU INVITATIONS
What are they?
They are called Invitations because the guide "invites you" to a certain activity during the walk, but you are free to accept or do your own thing.
Shinrin-Yoku Invitations are simple and will not take much time. They are intended to help you decompress, relax and ground you into yourself and the natural world around you.
The Forest Therapy Guide chooses Invitations that are are inspired by the group that is present, but also that suit the environment and the season. Through experience, the Guide knows how sequence them for optimal results and to keep everyone comfortable while at the same time giving them a touch of something new.
Over time I have collected (some learned from Amos, some the result of my own personal experience) a series of Shinrin-Yoku Invitations which I have been sharing through this blog, making them available to everyone who wishes to deepen their connection with nature.
If and when possible, the optimal location to do these Invitations is in a semi-wild forest environment, though a local park, garden or simply by a tree in your backyard will do for everyday.
You can choose to do the invitations individually, or several together, one after the other, to expand the benefits of your nature connection. You can also modify them to suit your comfort, location and the weather. They are, after all, just that: Invitations. You can accept them or decline them as feels right to you. The most important thing is that you are comfortable and feel relaxed. If you find yourself effecting, just let it go.
You can do them alone, or with others. If you do them with others, I suggest that you do so in silence, so each person can fully benefit from their own experience without distractions. You can, if you like, share with each other at the end (of each invitation, or of a series).
If you keep a journal, you might feel called to write down your impressions and thoughts afterwards.
This is what we do during a guided Shinrin-Yoku walk. At the completion of each invitation we gather in a circle to share what we experienced. This is called "council". Each person in turn has a chance to speak while receiving everyone else's focused attention.
This is a very rewarding part of the walks, and it is where people connect and often new friendships can be formed, especially in groups that repeatedly gather together for these Forest Therapy walks.
Overall my intention has been to offer you something easy and beautiful that will help you feel better afterwards. It will be like joining me on a Shinrin-Yoku walk from wherever you are.
I have collected all the Shinrin-Yoku Invitations in this downloadable e-book which I hope you will love. The e-book is in PDF format, features my nature photography, and I am making it available to you for FREE.
All that I ask in return is that you sign up for the Life Out Of Bounds e-mail newsletter. Your information will be secure and private, will not be shared with others, and will only be used for the purpose of sending you the e-mail newsletter.
By clicking here you will be taken to the sign-up form that will begin the process, which will be complete when you receive the link to the download.
You can print the e-book if you like, or you can save it in your iPad/tablet or iPhone/smartphone so you can carry it with you everywhere.
I hope you will enjoy my little offering, and please feel free to share this page with your family and friends.
Looking for a Forest Therapy Guide or to train as one?
HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES
Association of Nature and Forest Therapy Guides and Programs - or ANFT for short
Founded by M. Amos Clifford and based in Northern California, this association has been the first to bring Shinrin-Yoku outside of Japan, create events and train guides. Every year they hold training cohorts in various locations around the world. I trained with them back in May 2015.
Ben Page, who trained with me, is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and is very active both in hosting immersion walks, retreats and trainings. You can find more information on his website: Integral Forest Bathing .
Ben and his partner, Manuela Siegfried, also offer wonderful nature retreats for healing, self discovery and personal growth. You can find all information through their new website Gingko Heart Retreats .
In Canada, Ben Porchuck, also fellow trainee, founded GIFT - Global Institute of Forest Therapy and Nature Connection . He also hosts walks and trainings. You can check his website and get in touch with him for most recent events.
Also in Canada, there is the recently launched Forest Bathing Institute who also offer both guided walks and trainings.
In Italy, you will find guides and trainings through Settore Nazionale Forest Bathing (website is in Italian and English). They also offer guided walks and trainings.
All of the above sites also offer portals through which to find guides, but there is also a website called Forest Bathing Finder , if that makes it even easier.
As I find more, I will endeavor to keep this list updated.
My personal experiences with
shinrin-yoku walks
If you would like to read about my personal experiences with Shinrin-Yoku and see some of the beautiful forests I have explored, you can click on the images below. Each one will be a post about a different location and Shinrin-Yoku walk, starting with my first ever and life changing set of Seven Walks in Seven Weeks series, which took place between February and March 2015.
NATURE LOVERS
will enjoy the following posts
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LINGUINE WITH ZUCCHINI BLOSSOM, SHRIMP AND SAFFRON
When I dashed to the grocery store yesterday I found some glorious and fresh looking baby zucchini with blossoms attached. You should have seen my face - sorry there is no equivalent e-moji!
I knew I had frozen shrimp and saffron at home, and parsley of course. So I grabbed some linguine and that became today’s lunch!
Like most pasta recipes, this one is easy, too. You only need few ingredients:
🔸Linguine (pasta) or even fresh egg Taglierini (thin tagliatelle)
🔸Fresh (or defrosted) nice shrimp, shelled and deveined
🔸Lovely baby zucchini with the blossom attached (or even just squash blossoms)
🔸Saffron powder
🔸Freshly chopped parley
and, of course: extra-virgin olive oil, coarse sea salt for the pasta water, fine sea salt and pepper for seasoning the shrimp and veggies
Full recipe to be found in the blog via the link in profile, under Recipes for Summer. It’s one of my most popular posts, so you can also find it on the home page. Or you can comment SAFFRON below and I will be happy to send you the link directly.
xoxo
M
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#loob_food #recipe #italianfood #pastarecipe #pasta #linguine #zucchiniblossoms #shrimp #saffron #italianlife #summerfood #fooditaly #italianfoodbloggers
In the last few days I noticed how the light and the colors in nature have shifted. The sweltering heat may disagree, but the light is softer and there are more yellow tones overall in nature, and greens are more subdued in the trees, especially the big ones.
I notice this every year, increasingly more keenly since becoming a photographer and thus having learned to constantly evaluate the light. Noticing this subtle transition seems to happen no matter where I am. I used to notice it even when I lived in Hawai’i, where there are no deciduous trees and this shift is much more subtle….
Continued in the comments… .
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#loob_nature #nature #forestbathing #shinrinyoku #summertime #theartofslowliving #momentsofmine #mindfulness #presence #summergarden #summerlife #italianlife #earthenergy #groundingenergy #naturehealsthesoul #sacrednature
It’s so hot in Italy these days that it’s sweltering even on the top of our little hill under lots of green trees. I think about the various places I would like to explore, the friends I want to see, but the only place I feel inspired to go is the frozen section at the grocery store.
And that’s where I went yesterday, where I found such glorious local peaches that today I am making this bruschetta for lunch… again. It’s a favorite. This and variations there of.
My brother has a really happy and lush plant of basil growing in a pot just outside, so I will be using that instead of thyme. But then, peaches and basil are a match made in heaven!
It’s a recipe, non-recipe. You can see it on the blog, but it’s so easy it’s really a list of ingredients put together:
🟠 slices of good quality crusty bread, grilled or toasted (no garlic!)
🟡 spread that with some fresh ricotta or even some burrata cream (the filling inside burrata)
🟠 top that with one or two slices of prosciutto or speck (the smoked version of prosciutto)
🟡 top that with slices of grilled peaches
🟠 a little drizzle of balsamic reduction
🟡 a sprinkling of fresh basil or fresh thyme
A little chilled Prosecco and we can toast to perfect temperate weather all year round!
Happy Monday!
xoxo
M
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#loob_food #summerfood #peaches #bruschetta #italianfood #thisisitaly #italiansummer #foodstyling #foodphotography #prosciutto
Happy Birthday to my gorgeous Mum! 83 and counting! ❤️
So grateful she is still with us, especially after the scare she gave us a year ago.
This is a portrait (of a series) I did a few years ago with one of her beloved gowns. Definitely a princess, don’t you think? ❤️
She is saying you should go and treat yourselves to some cake, or better yet, her favorite dessert: Panna Cotta!
xoxo
M
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#loob_people #portraiture #environmentalportraiture #portrait #makeportraits #portraiturephotography #nikonnofilter #portraitshoot
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©Monica Schwartz - all rights reserved.
This beautiful Habedasher’s Pantry was inspired by a local butcher shop in the North Downs, UK.
It is part of a multi space project by the talented team at deVOL Kitchens, which includes a kitchen with a stunning island by Officine Gullo, as well as a coffee/tea station and a whole boot room (mud room).
Swipe the images to take a peek, but more images and full descriptive story can be found on the blog. See links in profile @lifeoutofbounds under “latest post”, or if you prefer, just comment KITCHEN below and I will be happy to message you the link directly.
Take a peek and let me know what you think.
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#loob_design #kitchendesign #habedasherpantry #pantrydesign #homeinspiration #housebeautiful #homedecor #homestyling #interiordecor #worldofinteriors #custumfurnituremaker #kitchencabinets #kitchenisland #beautifulspaces
