I’d heard of the concept of forest bathing before and thought I had a pretty good handle on the why of it, but when one of my recreation group members asked me just what we would be doing at the Guided Shinrin-yoku: Rest and Restore in Nature event I suggested for us, I struggled a bit to describe it.
I guess this really is one of those things you have to have done before to fully understand and articulate. I imagined it to be a slow, thoughtful hike, but it was really quite different than that—and much more interesting and engaging.
Hosted by Katie Venechuk, Founder of In Your Element Wellness, this particular event we attended was held in the evening at Blandford Nature Center. It had been on-and-off raining and sprinkling much of the day, and I’ll admit I was a bit dubious about how enjoyable it would be out in the dark, in the woods, in the wet air, under increasingly cooling temperatures. But, I reminded myself that if we only go out and enjoy life under the most pleasant conditions, we are missing a great deal of it. Katie reinforced that idea in sharing with us the Henry David Thoreau quote from Walden: “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” And, that’s exactly what we did.
After sufficiently equipping ourselves with red-filtered flashlights, cushioned sit-upons, blankets, and rain ponchos (all provided for us), we began our descent into the trees. A short, quiet hike later, along a trail partially lit by luminarias, we arrived at the sanctuary she’d set up for us. We all took our seats on the ground inside the circle, many of us happy we’d brought all the extras.
Once settled, Katie began our experience by explaining the meaning of Shinrin-yoku, translated from Japanese as “forest bath” or “taking in the forest atmosphere.” More than just being outdoors, forest bathing takes a deeper dive into the natural world, exploring our connection to it through all of our senses—even taste, as we’d get to later.
What came next was a series of invitations. First, we relaxed into our individual spaces with some deep breathing exercises and a brief meditation practice, not unsimilar to mindfulness meditation. From there, we were encouraged to touch the earth surrounding us.
We then ventured into the woods on our own, with our flashlights, to see, touch, hear, and smell: the sky and the nearly full moon, bark peeling from trees, moss and lichen, bits of green life cropping up from under the thick covering of wet leaves, a handful of confused insects fluttering around, our own breath in the flashlight beams, sounds of planes flying over and cars in the distance, the plop of an occasional raindrop, and a mixture of subtle aromas. Some also saw a deer and several encountered a spotted slug creeping along a tree trunk, reminding us of our mission to slow down.
There were moments throughout to share with others what we’d discovered and the opportunity to take one last wander before returning to the circle where Katie was preparing a roasted dandelion root tea. We enjoyed the warm elixir and snacked on dates, cookies, and homemade chocolate candy made with hackberries that Katie had foraged.
And, just like that, it was time to exit our refuge from the noise and the busyness and the weight of our world. It was refreshing and calming at the same time, making it easy to see why there is science-backed evidence showing how spending time in nature positively affects our physical and emotional wellbeing. Especially when we’ve properly prepared for the conditions!
I was thankful for Katie’s message ahead of time advising us to dress warmer than we’d think we needed to. It was a mild 49 degrees, yet I was wearing jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, fleece jacket, winter coat, hat, heavy socks, and lined boots, and I felt just right—if not somehow slightly chilled at times. If you’re planning on attending one of these events, and I hope you are, keep that in mind. It made all the difference!
The best way to find out what’s next on the calendar is to follow In Your Element Wellness on social media, at facebook.com/iyewellness or instagram.com/iyewellness. There is an abundance of info on her website as well, including some of the research behind forest bathing benefits.
Coming in January will be the “Shinrin-yoku: Winter After Dark” series at Blandford, with more details coming soon. Katie also teaches a “Foraging & Wild Tending” class and is launching a Winter Wellness Club for 2025, with the goal of helping herself and others overcome winter dread and cultivate a more positive relationship with the season. Find all of her offerings at iyewellness.com
