You Need to be Forrest Bathing - Here’s Why
The air smells like Christmas, and camp-stove-made instant coffee with Bailey's Irish Cream liqueur is the only thing that warms me, wrapped under layers and layers of wool. The picture of the lake in front of me is fuzzy through a hazy film of fog. Cliffs rise around our backpacking campsite at the perimeter of the basin, and small purple wildflowers populate the grass fields that serve as a shore. Zero phone service meant for total silence. No facetime calls ringing to disturb the quiet, no notifications tearing my focus from myself, and no news feeds playing on repeat in my subconscious. My head and heart were clear, for the first time in what felt like eons.
In 1980, the term "shinrin-yoku", or "Forest bathing", was coined in Japan, where the practice of spending time bathing in nature in order to reduce stress and connect with one's inner self is heavily practiced. Since then, the ideology has gathered a small following of practitioners, seeking to find solace under the trees. This exercise, meant to be both physiological and psychological, presents an antidote to the constant burnout felt by your Average Joe within a tech-invaded world.
Gen Z, so far, is the generation most disconnected with nature. We aren’t only living through a pandemic that has forced us into online learning, online meetings, and self-reclusion indoors. We've also been the first generation subject to the addictive properties of social media and digital content during the most developmental part of our lives. Gen Z, known for its high numbers in struggles with mental health, identity, happiness, and connectivity; is facing problems that in a lot of ways, nobody knows quite yet how to solve. Our generation – who could arguably benefit from forest bathing the most – has partaken in it the least.
Growing up in Washington state, famous for its coffee, apples, and mountain ranges, "Forest bathing" was something I took part in constantly while growing up without even realizing it. My mother is a self-proclaimed outdoorswoman. I owe my connection with nature, and willingness to delve into it, to her. Every weekend of my childhood overflowed with granola bars, dusty purple hiking boots, and the next dirt trail that she deemed fit. Some of my best memories growing up happened in tents, under the stars, or on the top of a snowy peak. The feeling of wet grass under your feet, or sitting in the shadow of Washington's crowning jewel, Mt. Rainier, brings a sense of clarity that can't be found through any other source.
Living in one of the most outdoor-centered states in the U.S. has allowed me to truly immerse myself in a “forest bathing” lifestyle. This kind of experience in eco-loving communities growing up has proved to me what a little mountain air and vitamin D can do for a depressive episode, a panic attack, a creative funk, or even your average off day.
By opening yourself to nature, you close the gap between you and the universe. There is no separation, and you realize how small you are - and not in an insignificant way. Forest bathing has made me realize that I am a puzzle piece. Microscopic in the grand scheme, but an essential part of the balance that exists in the environment around us. Letting go of tedious responsibilities and life stressors, and letting the earth cradle you, even if only for a short period of time, is magically rejuvenating.
Like many others, especially during this time in the world, I have been experiencing higher levels of anxiety than ever before. With constant news feeds, stress about my health, and an overwhelming amount of screen time, I have felt out of touch with myself. We may be connected to the world around us through our digital feeds every waking second, but it has driven many of us away from maintaining a peaceful mental state. Feeling empty, bored, and trapped has been a common theme that – as fall and winter approaches us – poses extreme threats to the collective mental health of Gen Z.
Forest bathing, in its traditional Japanese definition, brings to the table much of what we are lacking in this current global state. Vitality, high meditative power, increase in creativity, immune health, reduction in stress hormone production, and lower blood pressure is just breaking the surface on the benefits of spending time in nature. For those who have found themselves feeling isolated, lost, or worn out from hours spent on TikTok or google classroom, seeking peace outdoors is one of the best things any of us can do for ourselves. In the last few months, every truly peaceful memory I can think of centers around a trip to a national park, a hike, a camping trip, or even a walk taken in the spare time of a busy schedule. Not everyone lives in a place like Washington, but that doesn’t limit the ability we all have to go on more walks, do our homework at local parks, or drive out into the countryside for a picnic or a hike.
John Muir, known also as "John of The Mountains", a renowned mountaineer from the 19th century, says it best: "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." From him, who lived a life centered around his time spent in national parks and the outdoors, we can learn a valuable lesson on the universal tie between the individual and the wilderness.