Forest Immersion

Forest bathing, or Shinrin-yoku, developed in Japan in the 1980s as a practice of slowing down and spending intentional time in the atmosphere of the forest. Despite the name, there’s no swimming involved — and it isn’t about hiking farther, exercising harder, or identifying plants and trees.

Instead, we slow the pace and use our senses to experience the forest in a different way. Through a series of simple invitations, you may notice sounds you normally pass by, explore textures and scents, wander quietly, or simply find a comfortable place to sit beneath the trees.

Modern research into time spent in forest environments has explored potential effects on stress, mood, attention, blood pressure, and other measures of well-being. Forest bathing isn’t a medical treatment, but it offers something increasingly uncommon in everyday life: time to slow down, become present, and let the natural world have your attention for a while.

No experience is necessary. There is no right way to participate, and you are always free to decline an invitation.