Have you ever felt like your mind is racing, dragging you through memories
of the past or worries about the future? If so, you’re not alone—and you’re not
broken. You’re simply human.
Imagine, for a moment, that your mind is like a river. Floating gently – or sometimes tumbling chaotically – down this river are your thoughts. Each one a leaf, carried by the current. Some leaves glide by unnoticed. Others hook your attention and have you fall into the river with them. Now, imagine yourself as a tree on the riverbank. Firmly rooted in the earth, present and observing. This is your noticing self, the grounded part of you that sees thoughts as they are, without getting swept away.
This simple but powerful metaphor invites us into a different relationship with our minds. Instead of being pulled into the river of our thoughts, we can learn to stand back and watch them float by. This is the heart of Embodied Cognitive-Based Mindfulness Practice. It teaches us to shift our awareness from the chaos of the mind into the grounded stillness of the body. While the mind is often where suffering begins – through looping thoughts, old narratives, fears and doubts – the body is where pain and emotion physically show up. By learning to come home to the body, we can find a place of safety even when our inner world feels turbulent.
As we sit on the riverbank, we start to notice the directions in which the river flows. To the right, the stream pulls us toward the past – this is where regret, shame, and depression dwell. To the left, the current drags us into the future, toward anxiety, worry, and fear. Neither direction is inherently wrong, but both can carry us far away from the only place we have any real control: the present moment.
So what do we do when we realise we’ve fallen in? First, we simply notice the thought. “I notice I’m having the thought that…” is a useful mantra. There’s no need to argue with the thought, change it, or make it mean anything. Then, we unhook from the thought, letting the leaf float away. We return our attention to an anchor in the here and now: our breath, the sensation of feet on the ground, the texture of something in our hand, or the distant call of a bird. Any sensory experience that connects us with the present will do. And then, we sit with what’s happening in our body. Without trying to fix or avoid it, we notice. Tightness, heat, restlessness, heaviness – each sensation is accepted, acknowledged, and observed.
It’s not always easy. Sitting with strong emotions takes courage. But when we stop adding painful mental stories to the discomfort we’re feeling, something changes. Our body becomes a place not of overwhelm, but of truth-telling. Slowly, we might notice a shift – a sensation moving, softening, or even fading. It may be subtle, but it matters.
This practice rests on two key principles: acceptance and non-judgement. Acceptance means recognising that thoughts will continue to arise. Our job isn’t to stop them, but to allow them to come and go like leaves on the river. Non-judgement invites us to treat every thought – even the harsh, self-critical ones – with the same gentle attention. “Ah,” we might say, “there’s that old thought again,” and we let it pass.
Mindfulness isn’t a quick fix or a one-time practice. It’s a returning, over and over again, to what is real right now. It’s noticing when we’ve been swept away and choosing to come back home – to our breath, to our body, and to the solid ground of the riverbank.
You are the tree. Steady. Rooted. Observing. Let the river flow.
FB is a nature connection practice inspired by the Japanese where it is called Shinrin Yoku. The Western Culture has also taken the practice and uses the terms forest therapy or nature therapy.
It’s not about
getting wet.
The idea is to
fully immerse yourself in nature and to bathe your senses.
Put simply it is
about taking a slow mindful walk in nature, breathing in the forest air,
sitting and observing, and developing an emotional connection to the forest.
It is different
from hiking – where the pace is faster and you miss a lot of what is going on
around you. It is also different from a
naturist walk – where you might be identifying and naming particular species of
fauna or flora.
A forest bathing or nature therapy walk covers less than a kilometre over a 3 hour time frame. Its aim is to help people slow down and take a break from the stresses of daily life, and to appreciate things that can only be noticed when moving slowly. Some people describe it like doing meditation or mindfulness in nature.
How do you do it? What do you
actually do?
So my role as a Guide is to open the door for participants, knowing that the forest will provide exactly the kind of medicine they need. I do this by issuing a series of invitations, that participants can choose to take up if they feel comfortable. We always start with a guided meditation bringing people’s awareness to all their senses, and finish with a tea ceremony ideally using plants harvested along the trail. What happens in between, depends on what kind of environment we are in and what else is might be happening around us.
After
each invitation, we come together as a group to share our experience, as much
as we want to reveal, about what we are noticing within the environment or
within ourselves.
We have a saying
that the forest is the therapist, the guide just opens the door. Basically we make it easy for you to drop in
to a relaxing and mindful space.
What evidence is there to say that
it works?
The Japanese have been studying the effects of forest bathing since the 1980’s when it became a public health initiative, in response to the number of people that were basically working themselves to death. It was based on the principal that spending time in the forest was beneficial to health. To prove it, the Japanese ran a number of studies to evaluate the effects of walking in urban environments compared to the forest.
What they discovered was an
antimicrobial organic compound called phytonicides that are given off by
evergreen trees such as pines and eucalypts. When you go on a relaxed forest therapy walk
breathing in these phytonicides, your blood pressure drops, your cortisol level
(or stress hormone) reduces, and heart rate variablilty improves. Phytoncides, are natural immune boosters which
increase the natural kill cells in our body, which have been associated with
fighting cancer.
Other research has shown that being
in nature:
Reduces depression and anxiety
Makes us more calm, focused and
creative
Improves our mood and sleeping
habits
Helps us to recover quicker after
surgery or illness
In Japan and Korea, doctors now offer ‘green prescriptions’ for their patients to go walking in a Certified Forest Therapy trail. Other countries such as America are also working towards this in their health system. It’s starting to be talked about slowly in Australia but we are a long way off adopting this as a ‘go to’ prescription for mental health.
Why do we need forest bathing?
1. It’s part of our true nature
Our species evolved in forests. We spent the first several million
years of our existence in them. Then we invented cities. Suddenly, while our
genes are still optimized for the forest, our bodies live in the busy,
stressful conditions of modern civilization.
Richard Louv has also used the term nature deficit disorder to
describe the problem of children spending much less time in nature based
outdoor activity, which is having a detrimental impact on their development.
2. Our own health and wellbeing
We have rates of mental health problems that are out of control. Over 50% of people are stressed at work. And 1 in 5 of us will go on to experience a
mental illness. Many physical illnesses
and disease can also be linked to stress as an underlying cause.
There is lots of scientific evidence to show that being in nature
lowers stress levels and boosts immunity to fight infection and disease.
3. To address the Global climate problem
Humans have become so separate from nature that there has been little
regard to how we treat the earth. I
believe that if we are more closely connected to the natural world, we are more
likely to want to care for and protect it.
So rebuilding our intimate connection to the forest again, will ultimately lead to the healing of the planet and of course, our own health too.
Why go with a guide? Why not on your own?
Some people find it really hard to slow down and they need someone to show them the way. Just like yoga, meditation or working out, Shinrin Yoku is a practice, that a Guide can help you develop and integrate into your everyday experience.
I guess one way of
looking at it is… you could ask your partner for a massage, but if you want a
really good massage from a trained, experienced person, then you go to a
massage therapist.
In saying that, I am all for, more people getting out in nature more often. If people would like some ideas on how to incorporate nature connection in their life every day, I encourage them to get in touch. Subscribe to my newsletter and I will send you a free e-book of Nature Therapy invitations you can use on your own private forest bathing experience.
Where can I try it?
From time to time I offer public Nature Therapy walks or you can book a private walk with a group of friends, work colleagues or an intimate experience with your partner. I also offer forest bathing as a Corporate Wellbeing experience for small teams who want to promote health and wellbeing in their workplace.
Get out in nature. It not only feels intuitively good for you. But science says it’s so.
As an
advocate for the power of nature in mental health promotion, I have been
wondering lately what herbs have to offer us in treatment?
Herbs can
be an attractive alternative for people with mild to moderate mental health
issues who are hesitant about starting pharmaceutical medications or want a more
natural approach to their health. Our
history of using plants as medicine in Australia dates back thousands of years
and many First Nations people still use traditional bush medicines in the
treatment of various illnesses including mental disorders. Indigenous peoples worldwide have a holistic
view of health that promotes re-balancing both our physical and spiritual selves
to treat illness. The answers are found in
nature. After colonisation, the adoption of herbal
medicines came from folk lore remedies passed down from European
ancestors. With the rapid growth of
industrialisation, there has been a corresponding growth in pharmaceuticals to
meet the rising demand for treating mental illness and somewhere along the way,
we lost touch with our traditional plant knowledge.
This blog is the first in a series introducing herbs that have been used in traditional, Eastern or folk medicine to treat various ailments including mental health issues. Some of these have since been studied in the science lab to try and understand their effects, and some haven’t. The willingness of doctors to include them in your treatment plan will therefore be limited, unless they have been thoroughly tested and are recommended in the global clinical guidelines. At the very least, your doctor should be able to guide you on whether a particular herb will react with any medication you might already be taking. And if you are not taking pharmaceuticals then there is probably nothing to lose.
St Johns Wort (hypericum perforatum)
In centuries past, the Greeks and Romans used St Johns wort to drive out evil spirits said to possess humans and protect them against witches’ spells. Those afflicted were encouraged to drink the tea or hang bunches of the herb around their neck or over doorways in the home. St Johns Wort has a large variety of traditional therapeutic uses on the human body including conditions of the nervous system such as depression, restlessness, anxiety, tension, irritability and nightmares. The herb has been well-researched scientifically in Europe to have an effect on lightening moods in people affected by bipolar depression, seasonal affective disorder (SAD), melancholy and low self-worth, through increasing feelings of euphoria and well-being. St Johns Wort is believed to work by optimising the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain such as ‘the feel good’ chemical, serotonin. Depleted serotonin levels are associated with depression, anxiety and mania. St Johns Wort demonstrates similar results to pharmaceutical drugs such as fluoxetine with fewer side effects. For mild to moderate depression, it is now one of Australia’s top selling herbal medicines but may take as long as 2 or months to start having maximum benefit.
Native to Europe, but now naturalised in
Australia, some states have declared it a noxious weed for its invasion of
farmland. It is best grown from a
cutting or division of the roots, as seeds take a long time to germinate. It prefers well drained soil and performs
well in temperate climates. Contain the
herb in a pot to prevent spreading, however it generally only lives for a few
years. It cannot be grown in Victoria as
it is declared a noxious weed.
Infuse a tea of ½ to 1 teaspoon of herb in a
cup of boiling water and drink with meals.
It is also available in a tincture, taken three times a day.
Some people can react to taking St Johns Wort
in combination with certain pharmaceutical drugs and foods or drink. Please consult with your medical
practitioner to make sure it is safe for you and your circumstances.
German Chamomile (matricaria recutita)
There is some evidence to suggest that chamomile might be helpful for people who experience anxiety. Studies as recent as 2020 have also shown clinically meaningful antidepressant effects in patients with co-morbid depression and anxiety. However, more research is needed. It is believed that chamomile works to boost mood regulators in the brain including serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline, however this has not been clinically proven.
Monks in the Middle Ages would lay sick people
down in a lawn of chamomile, believing that the pleasing aroma of the leaves
lifted them from depression and illness.
An oil of chamomile made from chamomile flowers and olive oil macerated
for two weeks is used in aromatherapy to lift the spirits of emotional, anxious
or over-sensitive people.
Chamomile is best propagated by seed. Plant directly in the garden or in pots in
well drained soil, in a sunny position.
In hot and tropical climates, choose a position in the garden which gets
afternoon shade. In cold, frosty
climates, wait until spring to plant seeds.
For tea, pick the flower heads as they start to
bloom and dry in the shade. When fully
dried, store in a sealed container.
Picking flower heads regularly will stimulate more production and extend
the life of the plant. Seed can be saved
from flower heads that have started to droop, before they dry out and fall to
the ground.
Chamomile can have negative interactions with
prescribed medications or other supplements so consult your doctor.
Passionflower (Passiflora)
As far back as the 1560s, the Incas were using passionflower to brew a tonic tea. But it was the Christians who shortly after gave the passionflower its name, taken in by the large blossoms that appeared to evoke the Passion of the Crucifixion. Passionflower contains tranquilizing chemicals, maltol, flavonoids and passiflorine, which is similar to morphine. It also contains stimulants although researchers believe the overall effect is mildly sedative, and therefore you cannot get addicted to it. Passionflower is believed to assist with feelings of nervousness, restlessness, anxiety, depression, tension and stress. It is a favoured herbal alternative to pharmaceutical drugs like Valium. Passionflower is also used to assist in managing hyperactivity and sleeplessness.
The passionfruit plant is easy to grow in
tropical and subtropical climates, from seed, cutting or root runners. In cooler areas, some species such as the
Banana Passionfruit are cold tolerant.
The trailing vine with is colourful flowers is a wonderful addition to
the garden, igniting all the senses.
The leaves and flowers of the passionfruit
plant are used in herbal preparations.
One teaspoon of dried herb is steeped for 10-15 minutes in one cup of
boiling water. Drink the tea up to three
cups a day including one before bed to help you sleep soundly.
Passionflower should not be taken with
antidepressant drugs, while pregnant or if you have liver disease. Do not take any more than the recommended
dose.
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Catnip has been used medicinally for a wide range of afflictions from Europe to China over the last 2000 plus years. Most noted for its intoxicating effect on cats which brush up against or eat the leaves, not all cats have the gene that contributes to their experience of euphoria. It is the same chemical in catnip that attracts cats called nepetalactone isomers, which produces the relaxing effect in humans, similar to the natural sedative in Valerian (valepotriates).
Catnip has the effect of uplifting your mood,
easing emotional tension, relaxing the whole body and boosting well-being. It is also used as a mild sedative for
insomnia.
Catnip is a useful aromatic addition to the
garden attracting bees and repelling mosquitos.
It is easy to grow from seed, cutting or root division, in a wide
variety of soil types and climates.
Harvest the leaves and flowers in late summer while in full bloom, dry
them and store in an air-tight container in order to preserve the volatile oil.
Use 2 teaspoons of the dried herb in a cup of
boiling water and steep for 10 to 20 minutes.
If it is going to work for you, you should start to notice the effects
in 2 weeks. Even tucking a bag of dried
catnip leaves under your pillow help to induce a restful sleep.
Catnip is non-toxic but if you
experience an upset stomach or allergic reactions, either decrease the dosage
or stop using it.
Motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca)
Motherwort has a strong folklore history. The ancient Greeks and Romans used it for depression, physical and “emotional problems of the heart” experienced as palpitations. The Chinese have revered the herb for longevity. An English herbalist called Culpepper in the 17th century once wrote, “There is no better herb to take melancholy from the heart and make a merry, cheerful soul”. It got the name motherwort from its use as a uterine stimulant to bring on labour. Despite limited research into its effects, some European countries have approved its use to treat a rapid or irregular heart rate caused by stress, anxiety and other nervous conditions. One study in 2011, demonstrated after 28 days of treatment with motherwort, 32 percent of participants with significant improvement in symptoms of anxiety and depression, and a further 48 percent of participants showing moderate improvement.
Motherwort can be quite difficult to
grow from seed, enjoys a sunny or partly shaded position in the garden, and
adapts to any soil and climatic conditions.
It is sometimes affectionately known as Lion’s Tail due to the tall distinct
tail-like stems from which soft, hairy leaves grow.
Use motherwort dried leaves in a tea
steeped for 10 minutes, with a little honey or lemon juice to hide the bitter
taste or combine with another herb such as spearmint. Sip 1-2 cups throughout the day or
alternatively take ½-1 teaspoon of tincture three times a day.
Motherwort should not be used in
pregnancy. It should be used only under
doctor supervision, if cardiac drugs are being prescribed and used.
Whilst introducing
herbs might be something to try, it is also important to consider what else is passing
your lips. Some nutritional
deficiencies, such as vitamin B and zinc, are associated with depression. It is well known that a diet of processed
foods, as opposed to a balanced wholefood diet of lean meats, fish, whole
grains, fruit and vegetables, puts you at higher risk of developing depressive
and anxiety symptoms. For more on
the impact of diet on mental health, check out my
other blog.
Whilst all these plants can be bought as either a tincture or dried herb, I highly recommend trying to grow your own. Getting out in the garden and breathing in the soil microbes are also a great mental health initiative. Old traditional herbs are a wonderful addition to the garden and allow you to play a role in preserving our wonderful history of herbal medicine. Just check if there are any growing restrictions in your state.
Please remember, that medicinal herbs should only be used in
consultation with your treating medical practitioner, as there may be
contraindications with your current medications, possible side effects or
higher risks of allergic reactions. Some
herbs are also not suitable to take during pregnancy or to give children to
children.
A good GP should be willing to consult with you, if you are wanting to
introduce herbal medicines into your treatment plan. All the available research on what is effective
and what isn’t is published in these
global clinical guidelines, accessible to clinicians, who are often unsure
of the most recent available evidence.
I invite you to imagine putting on a pair of sunglasses, metaphorically of course. These glasses have blue lenses that reflect judgement and criticism. While wearing these glasses you only notice how bad you feel, think how hopeless you are, and leave you wanting to push away uncomfortable feelings. It is really hard to notice anything good at all. These are the glasses our human brain wants to reach for first without too much thought about it.
Now I invite you to put on a different pair of sunglasses that help you look through yellow lenses of compassion and kindness. While wearing these glasses you still notice the ‘bad’ feelings, but they help you see its okay and it’s normal, and allow you sit in uncomfortable feelings with acceptance until they pass. You also notice feelings like joy and pleasure, and relish them. These are the glasses we can wire our human brain to reach for first, through the practice of mindfulness.
There are some problems in life that are hard to shift and might be out of our control. Mindfulness won’t make these problems go away, but it will change the way you look at things. From time to time, we are also going to have uncomfortable feelings arise like anger, sadness, jealousy, shame, guilt, pain and hurt. I don’t necessarily consider these negative or bad feelings. They are part of the human condition and serve a purpose. When they arise, we can choose to allow our brains to put on the glasses of judgement and criticism, or the glasses of compassion and kindness.
Mindfulness does not have to become a burdensome new thing you have to schedule into your already busy day. You can still keep doing those things but just wear a different pair of sunglasses doing them! But it does take practice because our human brain wants to default to the negative. You will have to consciously keep swapping glasses until your brain gets the message that you want to wear the yellow glasses right now not the blue ones.
So you notice an uncomfortable feeling arise. You start making judgements or criticise yourself for feeling this way. You realise you have the blue glasses on. Now what? How do we do this mindfulness stuff? Okay, time to put the yellow glasses on.
Tune Out.
At the first sign of an uncomfortable feeling or sensation in the body,
it helps to become grounded. Notice what
is happening externally in the environment around you. Using all your senses, explore what you can
see, touch, hear, smell and even taste.
Tune In.
Now take your mindful presence inside by noticing your breath. Observe how the breathe moves in and out of
your body. Notice what you feel in your
body. What feelings or sensations are
arising? Where in your body are they sitting?
Stay With. Bring you awareness one at a time to each of
these body sensations. How strong and
how big is it? Does it have a colour,
shape, texture? What temperature is
it? Does it move? What else are you noticing? This is all about observation without
judgement. Get to know this feeling or
sensation as if you are a detective having to write a factual report on what
you find.
Breathe.
Take a deep breath and send this air into this part of the body you are
focusing on. Allow the air to create
some space around this sensation. Keep
breathing just observing what this does to your body.
Notice.
Keep focusing your awareness on this sensation as you mindfully breathe
and simply observe what changes. Stay
with the experience and see where it takes you.
Do you notice a shift of some kind?
How does it feel now? How is the
whole of your body responding?
Reflect. When you are ready, bring
yourself back slowly from your internal focus of attention to the external
environment. Use your sense of touch,
sight, sound, smell and taste to bring yourself back. What are you noticing about this
experience? What is different now or
new? What have you learnt?
Warning: Please don’t despair, if you notice unhelpful or uncomfortable thoughts arising during this exercise. The brain will try many times to distract you. That’s perfectly OK. Just don’t get caught up in the thoughts or let judgement or criticism take over. Simply acknowledge the thought, allow it to float away and bring your awareness back to whatever is the current focus of your attention – be it your sensory experience, the breath moving in and out, or the sensation in your body. The more we do this, the more we develop our mind muscle so it eventually learns your preference for wearing yellow sunglasses.
In short…
My favourite place to practice mindfulness is in
nature. The sound of birds, the smell of
the salty sea or the touch of the grass on your feet can be beautiful focus
points to ground us before stepping into the journey inside.
So next time you feel emotion rising inside, step outside.
I am writing this on the banks of the Macleay River in Kempsey. I feel a few gentle raindrops hitting the back of my neck. I smell the manure of the resident ducks wafting in the air. I hear the sound of the breeze whistling through pine needles. I see ripples of sunlight and reflection dancing over the water. I pick up a lonesome goose feather, run it across my cheek, and wince with the tickle. The cut grass feels prickly on the backs of my legs. This is mindfulness; what it feels like to be in the present moment, just noticing what is around me and the effect it has on my body.
I notice that which brings the most pleasure and choose to linger in those sensations a bit longer. Some would say we have lost the art of how to feel pleasure deeply, that somehow it is indulgent and we should move onto the next thing quickly for instant gratification.
A sensory experience on the banks of the Macleay River, Kempsey
In my mental health counselling practice, I come across a
lot of people who struggle with meditation.
They have been told to do it by well- meaning health professionals to
cope with the stresses of daily life, anxiety or depression. But they often feel they can’t do it or at
least sustain it. Some of us are just
not born to sit still with our legs crossed on the floor humming a mantra. And the simple fact is, you don’t need
to. The same kinds of relaxation and
mind stilling effects can be gained by spending time in nature, mindfully and
with intention. Nature helps us to turn
our brains off and just be.
Often what brings people unstuck is the constant invasion of
thoughts or feelings that arise during meditation. The voice of anxiety or depression definitely
doesn’t want you to enjoy yourself. I
know I struggled with this for many years, wondering if I was somehow doing it
wrong or failing. I gave up and came
back to it later in life when stress was impacting seriously on my health. Know that it is OK to have invading thoughts
and feelings. Rather than push them
away, welcome them. Then gently bring
yourself back to the focus of your attention.
The focus of our attention does not have to be breathing,
counting to ten, or repeating a mantra.
It can simply be bringing your awareness to the natural environment using
all your senses. Give yourself
permission to enjoy that bird song, watch that butterfly, breathe that ocean
air.
Let’s try it now. (You
may like to record the following script on your phone, with gentle pauses or
have someone guide you.)
I invite you to find a spot in nature where you can sit, stand or lie down without being interrupted. Allow yourself to just take in your surroundings and notice what is around you. If you feel comfortable doing so, close your eyes. If not, you can lower your eyes to the ground and gently soften your gaze. Take a moment to tune into your body. Notice if there is a part of you that is a bit tight or tense. Without making judgement, just give your body what it needs to feel relaxed. This could be a stretch, a deep breath, a wriggle or shake. When you’re ready, bring your attention to the part of your body that is connected to the ground. Notice how it feels just to be supported by the earth. Notice the feeling of gravity and what it is like to be pulled gently towards the earth. You may find that you are distracted by thoughts or feelings. This is okay. When you notice them, acknowledge them and let them float gently away again, like a leaf in the wind. Now bring your attention to your sense of touch. Hold your hands out in front of you and notice the sensation of the air on your skin. You may like to explore the variety of textures on the ground around you. If there is a particular sensation of touch that feels pleasurable to you, invite it in for a minute. Turning your attention to your hearing, notice what sounds are around you. Notice the variety of sounds, what is furtherest away, what is closest to you and what is filling the gap in between. You may notice the sounds are interacting with each other, like a chorus or symphony. Exaggerate the sound of your own breathing to see if you can blend it in with this rhythm. Perhaps there is a sound which is giving you the most pleasure. Allow it to penetrate your being. Breathing in through your mouth, see if there is a taste to air. Notice the texture or quality of the air. If you’re feeling a bit cheeky, poke out your tongue and turn your head in different directions to see what changes. Breathing in through your nose, notice what smells are being offered. Move your head in different directions to notice what changes. Give yourself permission to linger longer in the smell that is giving you pleasure. Before opening your eyes, imagine your eyes are like the sun popping over the horizon on a brand new day. When you are ready, open your eyes slowly, low at first and gently moving skyward. Notice what comes into your awareness.
Journalist and author, Christine Jackman practises mindfulness in nature on the Coffs Coast.
You may like to reflect on what you are noticing about this kind of mindfulness meditation? What are you noticing in your body, in your mind, in your mood? What are you noticing in your surroundings that you have not observed before?
To me, a mindfulness practice in nature feels like ‘coming home’ to my true nature. It’s a way of being that has been practiced by our ancestors since time immemorial.
For more ways of being truly present in nature for good health and wellbeing, check out my Nature Therapy e-book. It’s free when you sign up to my newsletter.
I am wondering about the power of nature imagery as a tool for relaxation. Not everyone has access to beautiful landscapes or nature at their back door. Access to the outdoors may be limited by mobility or circumstances. Some of us live in cities where green space is lacking. Recent studies show that prisoners watching nature documentaries are less aggressive and violent, so we know that one doesn’t need to actually be outside to receive the healing benefits of nature.
I am thinking about a refugee whom I support on Nauru in indefinite detention, who is unable to get outside due to chronic pain and continuing trauma. He recalls fond memories of being a lifeguard on a beach before the detention centre was closed and all services were withdrawn from the island. I have been trying to work with him to visualise that special beach in his mind. This is challenging given the circumstances he finds himself, in chronic pain and confined to his room.
I think there is real value in present moment situations of chronic stress, depression or anxiety, to call upon nature as our friend to induce a state of relaxation. To bring a sense of calm to the amygdala, activated by the sympathetic nervous system. To reduce the negative effects of rumination on mood and wellbeing. To open up a space to breathe while the unpleasant feelings pass.
We know that the brain cannot tell the difference between sitting in real nature or imagining a landscape in our mind. The same physiological and psychological benefits of stress reduction are experienced in both of these situations. So just by thinking about your favourite safe place in nature is enough to produce the required relaxation response.
Here are some simple instructions for a Tree Visualisation meditation, I gave recently at a Nature Therapy talk I did with cancer patients. Another option is to have a basket of nature objects such as shells, stones, pine cones, leaves, feathers, gum nuts and other interesting objects. Just holding one of these treasures in your hands with eyes closed, eliciting all the senses to engage with it, can bring forth a range of mindful responses. Both of these activities elicit strong memories for people, of places they have been before, of experiences they have had and of traditions or rituals held precious. I watch their faces as anxiety or fear is replaced by instant comfort and joy.
As quickly as the stress response is triggered, the brain has the power to bring a state of relaxation and calm to us. Nature and the imagination are perfect partners to try this out for yourself!
First of all, you might be wondering what exactly is forest bathing?
Forest bathing is a nature connection practice inspired by the Japanese where it is called Shinrin Yoku.
It’s not about getting wet.
The idea is to fully immerse yourself in nature and to bathe all your senses (more than 12 of them!).
Put simply, it is about taking a slow mindful walk in nature, breathing in the forest air, sitting and observing, and developing an emotional connection to the forest. It is different from hiking, where the pace is faster and you miss a lot of what is going on around you. It is also different from a naturist walk, where you might be identifying and naming species of fauna or flora.
A Forest Bathing walk covers less than a kilometre usually over two or three hours. Its aim is to help you slow down and take a break from the stresses of daily life, and to appreciate things that can only be noticed when moving slowly. Some people describe it like doing meditation or mindfulness in nature.
So now that we know what it is. Why on earth would we want to do it?
1. Forest Bathing is Part of Our True Nature
Humans evolved out of forests. Our species spent millions years of in development within these ecosystems. Then our world experienced rapid industrialisation and we moved into cities. While genetically our bodies are optimized for the forest, we are now trying to survive in the busy, stressful conditions of modern civilization.
Our separation has caused what Richard Louv terms, ‘nature deficit disorder’. He argues that our children are spending so much less time outdoors than previous generations, it is having a detrimental impact on their development.
Rather than seeing ourselves as separate from nature, we must remember, we are nature.
2. Forest Bathing Promotes our Health and Wellbeing
In the Western world, rates of mental health problems are out of control. Over 50% of people are stressed at work. In Australia, 1 in 5 of us will go on to experience a mental illness. Many physical illnesses and disease can also be linked to stress as an underlying cause.
The Japanese have been studying the effects of forest bathing since the 1980’s. What they discovered was an antimicrobial organic compound called phytonicides that are given off by evergreen trees such as pines and eucalypts. When you breathe in phytonicides, your blood pressure drops, your cortisol level (or stress hormone) reduces and heart rate variablilty improves. Phytoncides are immune boosters which increase the natural killer cells in our body, associated with fighting cancer.
I know, it’s a big call. But I firmly believe that if we are more closely connected to Mother Nature, we are more likely to want to care for and protect it. Ours is a reciprocal relationship. When the earth is sick, so are we (see point 2). We need healing and so does our earth.
Humans have become so separate from nature that there has been little regard to how we treat the earth. It has been seen as a collection of resources to be exploited for our benefit. On a guided forest bathing walk, there is particular attention paid to the practice of reciprocity. In supporting the development of human-nature relationships, we foster the role of humans as givers, as well as receivers.
People who engage regularly in forest bathing practices, tend to spontaneously find themselves engaging in place tending on a personal level or want to get involved in environmental activism at a macro level.
So rebuilding our intimate connection to the forest again, will ultimately lead to the healing of the planet and of course, our own health too.
If one or more of these reasons has inspired you to try forest bathing, then feel free to join the Japanese where is it called “Shinrin-yoku” (森林浴), the Germans practising “Waldtherapie”, the Koreans engaging in “Sanlimyok (산림욕)” and of course, the Australians, Americans and Europeans, where we use the terms “nature and forest therapy”.
If you are in the Central Gippsland region, you can join me on your very own private Nature therapy walk. Or you can find other Certified guides in Australia here and elsewhere in the world here.
After three days of constant rain, I feel myself starting to go a little ‘cray cray’. I miss my daily walk up the country road where I live. Not surprisingly, I come down with a cold and by day three it turns into a headache. Does this happen to you? After days of not venturing outside, your health starts to deteriorate?
It makes a lot of sense, given that being in nature or green spaces is scientifically proven to promote good physical, mental and spiritual wellbeing.
Don’t despair. I have some tips for bringing the benefits of nature indoors, so you can enjoy the sensory experience even when stuck inside.
1. Pot up the pesky weed and bring it inside.
Plants are not only a visually pleasing and calming addition to your home, but can be a great source of air purification. Two of the best plants to remove indoor toxins and chemicals are Mother in Laws tongue (a weed in the garden) and the Peace Lily. With increased oxygen levels in your home, you will also breathe easier.
Houseplants also reduce the incidence of dry skin, colds, sore throats and dry coughs. Put a plant on your desk to give your eyes a rest from your computer screen, boost concentration and be more productive. One study showed that hanging out with indoor plants can increase memory retention up to 20 percent. Weird but true.
2. Knock on Wood.
A lot of research has shown that using wood indoors in the form of furniture, fittings and features helps us to relax. Simply running your fingers across a wooden benchtop can calm your nervous system, lower your heart rate and reduce brain activity, promoting an instant soothing effect. The smell of naturally dried wood has a similar effect and can be replicated by spraying some essential oils such as cedarwood, siberian fir or eucalyptus around your home. Always choose naturally dried wood products, not heat treated wood for your home as the aromas produce very different results. A good excuse to treat yourself to a new chopping board!
3. Create a nature table.
Dig out that shell collection in your bathroom, then go gather some stones, pine cones, feathers, or other forest finds that bring you pleasure. Not just for kids, a nature table or basket is a good ‘go to’ to distract us when feeling stressed, anxious or depressed. In this situation, pick up something that attracts your attention, find a place to sit, and just explore this treasure with your sense of touch, smell, hearing and sight. Notice how this feels in your body. Notice what memories arise for you. Does this natural object have a story to tell? Allow yourself time to be mindful and present. Let feelings arise and fall away. Just notice without judgement.
4. Uber some fresh cut flowers.
There isn’t a human being around that doesn’t get pleasure from admiring and smelling cut flowers. But did you know that flower arrangements also offer physical benefits too? Simply looking at fresh flowers in a vase has been shown to decrease the sympathetic nervous system response to stress and increase physiological relaxation responses. A similar result is experienced when smelling floral essential oils, inducing relaxation and comfort. So go pick a wild bunch and knock yourself out.
5. Bring nature imagery inside.
This is a great one, particularly if you live in an apartment in the city, or have very little green space around where you live. Science has shown that showing prisoners photos and videos of forests, glaciers and waterfalls reduces tension, improves sleep and results in less violent angry outbursts.
Install some nature artwork, change your screensaver to a majestic landscape or watch a nature documentary. Or simply close your mind and put yourself in your favourite natural landscape. The brain doesn’t know the difference between real life and mindful imagery. You get similar mental health benefits either way!
So if you’re stuck indoors, know that nature with all its healing properties is there for you. Go out there and invite it in. Do it mindfully with intention and purpose.
For more quick and easy Nature Therapy practices you can incorporate into your day, sign up to my Newsletter and I will send you my free e-book featuring the 21 Day Nature Therapy Challenge. That’s 21 days of Nature Therapy ideas to help you develop a healthy new habit.
References:
Miyazaki, Y. (2018). Shinrin-yoku: the Japanese way of forest bating for health and relaxation. Octopus Publishing Group, London.
What would it be like if we responded to perceived ‘negative’ feelings in the same way we responded to ‘perceived’ positive feelings? You know the feelings I’m talking about; the ones that make our body feel uncomfortable. Anger, sadness, grief, guilt, pain, hurt, shame, jealousy and the like. Growing up we learn to push these feelings away, ignore them, get over them, put a lid on them or deny them. In fact, society expects us to. And if we can’t, then we are told to go to a counsellor to learn how to, because there must be something wrong with us.
What if instead we were to normalise these feelings, rather than to see them as abnormal or bad? After all, it’s only the behaviour that accompanies these feelings that may cause a problem, not the feeling itself. Somewhere along the line society has labelled emotions ‘negative’ and ‘positive’. The so named ‘negative’ ones we want to avoid. The ‘positive’ ones we crave more of. We should to be happy all the time, right?
What if we were instead to ride through the wave of perceived ‘negative’ emotion, like a piece of driftwood that rides the ocean currents, knowing eventually the rough and tumble will be over and it will wash up on the shore, ready to dry out and fulfil its potential in the sun?
Nature has much to teach us about living with our emotions, just as nature is a stimulus for experiencing emotion. Nature shares with us her awesome presence and we experience feelings of awe and wonder staring at a sky filled with millions of stars. We dwell in delight and joy at the sound of birdsong or a fleeting visit from a timid animal in the forest. We are wrapped up in happiness and excitement as we discover unexplored, beautiful places that take our breath away. Our bodies respond to these sensory experiences in pleasurable ways. We are totally present in the here and now, relishing in the feeling of the moment.
The skill of being mindful in nature can be applied to all our emotions, not just the ones that give us sensations of comfort. Nature provides some clues about this. A fire sweeping through the bush is horrifying and scary. Trees do not enjoy having their leaves stripped bare or bark scarred. But they stand there, remaining steadfast. They ride it out. They slow down their breathing and conserve their energy. Trees have learnt how to protect themselves from past experience by growing thick bark. Eventually, the smoke clears, the rains come, and seeds burst forth in regrowth.
What if we were to sit with our emotion in the moment and bring the same kind of awareness to our experience, as we do with ‘positive’ emotions? To sit and dwell in the pit of crappiness, to bring awareness to the tightness in our stomach, to be accepting of our vulnerability, to notice the change in sensations as the feeling eventually passes.
What if we were to treat our emotions like a friend to get to know rather than an enemy to run away from. With curiosity, get to know its habits, its likes, its dislikes. If you can recognise the signs of its arrival, you can be prepared, and find a place to sit and ride it out (preferably in nature which has immediate calming and relaxation effects).
Indigenous peoples do not push their grief away or hide it or try to move through it quickly. They spend many days or weeks, sometimes months expressing their sorrow after the passing of loved ones. They feel it shifting through their bodies as they dance and sing to the natural rhythms of the earth.
Experiencing and sitting with the full gamut of emotions is what it means to be human.
For those that have experienced trauma, the experience of sitting with emotions can be much more difficult. Our response, driven by the brain’s need to protect us, might shut our body down completely so we don’t have to feel at all, or help us get ready to fight or run away from a perceived threat. This is where nature’s healing powers can really do its work. When uncomfortable or painful feelings come to the fore, nature provides the distraction needed to calm our over-reactive limbic system. Taking some time to sit in green space with the sun on your face, the breeze drifting over your skin or the grass beneath your feet, is the first step to retraining your brain through a mindfulness practice. Building up the muscles in your brain to bring awareness to your felt sense, slowly makes space for the more uncomfortable feelings to be explored in small steps over time. Sometimes a support person or counsellor is needed to guide this process.
Every feeling we have is normal. They are part of this journey called life. They come and go. Even those that are a result of traumatic experience can be healed, through a practice of mindfulness in nature.
Be gentle on yourself. Sit with your emotions. All of them. Breathe through them. Notice their passing.
Nature is brave enough to do it. Humans are nature, so we can too.
Did you know that more than half of the Australian workforce is stressed and almost just as many of us will go on to experience mental illness? Stress related claims cost Australian business over $200 million annually!
The impact of stress usually results in deteriorating work performance, taking more time off and running down your immune system. Illness has a direct effect on both the quality and quantity of your work. You will work more slowly than usual, make more mistakes or need to repeat tasks. This lower labour productivity translates to increased costs for employers.
It’s a pretty depressing picture, isn’t it? What’s going on? Why are we such a stressed out bunch? Well, there’s probably a lot of reasons! And something needs to change. We spend a lot of our lives at work, we deserve to be happy and for work to be a fun and relaxed place to be, where we feel respected by our (not stressed out) colleagues and valued by our (not stressed out) boss.
One view is that people are spending much less time in nature and that we are suffering from ‘nature deficit disorder’ which affects us mentally, physically and spiritually. I’ve been doing a lot of research recently around the effects of nature on health and wellbeing and how this carries over into our work life. People who spend time in nature are not only happier and healthier but also smarter and more successful inside the office. Happy people are 31% more productive, less absent with 23% fewer fatigue symptoms and up to 10% more engaged in their work. The benefits flow on to business with a happy workforce bringing in 20% higher profits. It’s a win, win for everybody.
One study showed that staff on long-term sick leave from stress related illness show improvements in functioning and mood after being in a forest. Even just looking at trees out a window has a positive effect on mood; workers experience less frustration, more patience, less health complaints and higher job satisfaction.
Employers that invest in staff health and wellbeing can expect increased work performance and productivity, cost savings from higher retention and lower absenteeism, and a happier organisational culture.
So what can you do to bring these benefits of nature into your office space? Here’s a few ideas.
Take your lunch break outside. Go for a walk to a nearby park and lie under the trees or ask your boss for an outdoor sit space to eat. Get your daily boost of Vitamin D and invite in the sights, sounds and textures in your environment to relax and restore your mind, body and soul.
Bring a pot plant to put on your desk. They provide numerous benefits such as cleaning the air, helping to relieve stress, contributing to your creativity and giving your eyes a break from the computer.
Add nature to your commute. If you walk or cycle, change your route to include a park. If you catch public transport, be intentional about noticing nature on your route. Get on later, or off earlier so you can include outdoor time as part of your journey.
Take your next meeting outside or try a walking meeting in a natural space. Being in nature brings with it better decision making, more creativity and alertness.
Turn your desk around so you are facing the window and can give your eyes a rest from the computer now and then.
Open the blinds to allow the natural sunlight to flood the room. Or better still open your window to let in the natural (non-airconditioned) air and the sounds of the birds or leaves rustling in the wind.
Block out the office noise and listen to nature sounds like running water, bird song and gentle rain on your headphones.
Hang up a painting, artwork or photography showcasing nature’s wonders or install a nature computer screen-saver. Even looking at nature has health benefits too!
Have a nature play table in your office with shells, stones, bark, feathers or other things you find, alongside your oil burner decanting a natural pine scent. Colleagues that visit might linger a while longer!
Sweet talk the boss into investing in biophilia as a core design principle in the office or outdoor spaces. For inspiration check out what Google and Ferrari have done.
This Saturday at #StartUpsCoffsCoast I will be launching a new service to promote a nature-based approach to health and wellbeing in the workplace. This includes Half-Day Corporate Wellbeing Sessions for team-building, planning days and Corporate events; Guided Lunchtime Daily Doses for Staff, and access to Consultation Services to develop and implement Green Wellbeing policies, drawing on the combination of professional expertise at Nature and Wellbeing Australia. My new look website with more details is on its way very soon.
I hope to see you in nature. And don’t forget to take the boss with you!
The impact of stress usually results in deteriorating work performance, taking more time off and running down your immune system. Illness has a direct effect on both the quality and quantity of your work. You will work more slowly than usual, make more mistakes or need to repeat tasks. This lower labour productivity translates to increased costs for employers.
