What Is Japanese Forest Bathing and How Can It Improve My Health?
“The forest is a living creature, a living entity. Each forest almost has its own personality, its own character. And that's because each forest is comprised of very specific, unique vegetation. And it's the relationship between the trees, the plants, the animals, the birds that live in that area.”
Episode two of our newest podcast series, Roots & Ritual, explores shinrin-yoku, the traditional Japanese practise of immersing oneself in nature. Trippin’s co-founder Yasmin Shahmir and co-producer Robyn Landau, speak to leading experts and locals to uncover the origins and delve into the science behind shinrin-yoku. Our special guest on this episode is Stefan Batorijs, Nature Therapist and shinrin-yoku practitioner. Listen to this episode on all streaming platforms, as we explore themes around nature restoration, embodiment, spiritual wellbeing and the environment.
Shinrin-yoku is a traditional Japanese practise of immersing oneself in nature. Translated as “forest bathing” or “taking in the forest atmosphere”, it involves a full sensory immersion by mindfully activating all of our senses as we move through a natural environment, putting the body before the mind throughout the experience. There is nature all around us all the time, no matter where we go, and being able to notice, tune into and relate to these pockets of nature can have huge benefits for our physical and spiritual wellbeing. We speak with Stefan Batorijs, a nature therapist in Devon, UK bringing the ancient Japanese wisdom to communities to build spiritual and psychological connections to nature, and educate on how we can learn to respect and include nature in our lives more deeply. Stefan shares the essence of what happens when we switch into a receptive mode through our senses, away from the normal chatter of our minds.
“The senses are like the interpretes of sensations that allow our souls to express our physicality and material existence. And when we begin to tune into the senses in greater detail, we just get back in touch with this deeper resonance that we have within us, this animal spirit, which brings us more to life.”
