Thoughts on forest-bathing

I want to reflect on a recent research group that I was invited to join - to summarise, the idea (or research) is to have people in leadership or up-and-coming leaders to partake in forest-bathing, known in Japan as Shinrin-Yoku, to improve wellbeing and their ability to lead.

First of all, I was very happy to be invited. My role at work is not as a leader as such - more of a mentor to juniors and anyone willing to listen - so I don't have the pressures of needing to manage the politics and the wellbeing of people under me. However, it was valuable all the same as I believe everyone should be encouraged to tune in to nature on the reg (especially people in the IT industry).

Forest-bathing doesn't require you to get your kit off (my manager insisted when she extended the invitation), the practice when more akin to sun-bathing, you simply spend time in it. Being present with the smells, sights and sounds that come with being surrounded by nature. More scientifically, exposure to the phytocides released by trees increases the number and activity of a type of white blood cell (Immerse Yourself in a Forest for Better Health) which fight nasty cells like cancer. Big win for hugging trees, huh?

We did a variety of activities to get us in the zone: a silent, slow walk through the wood, being encouraged to look at colours and notice things. Then we stopped and picked a spot to take a detailed look at the foreground, midground and background. We carried on the walk after this, touching leaves and tree branches as we went - tree moss is super soft! We came into a clearing where were did some sniffing of things, snapping fallen twigs and leaves and huffing the earthy scent, some people dug the earth itself gave it a smell (honestly that just smelt like when I do potting in the garden). We stopped again to share what we had noticed with the group. This was fab because everyone noticed different things, it made me then look at those things too. One example was that people had looked up to see how the sunlight filtered through onto the leaf canopies to create beautiful patterns and shapes. We cupped our ears to increase what we could hear and I was actually blown away by how much detail I could hear when I did that. So give that a go next time you hear a bird in the distance. And finally, we sat in a circle and listened to an integrated meditation, which was basically a story of water and how it travels through it's different states. This one for me didn't do anything and tbh I would have loved to have just sat and listened to the sounds of the wood, but others reported it was soothing so perhaps it will work for you.

Afterwards I felt suuuper zen. Although a bit disheartened that we even have to do this, when in eras gone by, this would have just been the norm. We are animals after all. I would like to work outside more, spend more time by or in water. I really really enjoyed it, but not sure it's for everyone —

You need buy in. Not money buy in, like mind buy in. It feels weird to go round sniffing sticks or stroking a leaves, you need to be willing to give it a go. While I am pretty sold on the benefits of forest-bathing (can you tell?) not everyone would be, so I've compiled a little list of things you can do to weave Shinrin-Yoku into your everyday.

• Decorate your surroundings with nature, bring the colours indoors, greens, browns, wood, house plants, essential oils.
• Work outside if you can: take that meeting outside; bring your laptop into the garden; get some fresh air at lunchtime.
• If you can't work outside, open that goddamn window! Especially when it's raining. Frills drools at the smell of petrichor
• Go for a stupid little walk for your stupid mental health.
• Look up, notice what isn't directly in your eyeline.
• Touch grass. Honestly, just touch it.