If trees can be your source of health and happiness will you opt for it? Or does it sound too good to be true? Believe it or not, in Japan this is the new health craze and people are going for a unique ‘forest bathing’ technique clubs for their emotional and physical well-being.
In 1982, the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries launched a national health program and called it “shinrin-yoku”. Thanks to social media, people are getting to know about this wonderful health-enhancing technique to boost their energy levels and counter depression. The term “shinrin-yoku” is commonly known as ‘forest bathing’ – ‘Shinrin’ means ‘forest’ and ‘yoku’ means ‘bathing’.
A report published by the United Nations said, 66 percent of the world population is likely to live in urban areas by 2050. This might lead to an emotional health crisis in people who will distance themselves from nature. Fret no more! Japan has found a unique way to counter this problem and is actively looking towards ‘forest bathing’ that can benefit humans in the best possible way.
Over the years, Japan has been studying the physical and psychological impact of ‘forest bathing’ on humans and they have found out that it is not just about fresh air, but the trees emit oils as protection from germs and insects. These oils are called phytoncides and it makes our immune systems stronger and keeps several diseases at bay.
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Some city-dwellers are even joining ‘forest bathing’ clubs to counter stress and anxiety and to rejuvenate themselves. Don’t mistake it for sweaty hikes; it happens at a much slower pace. The idea of this therapeutic technique is that you will feel more relaxed and rejuvenated when you spend more time around trees. The best part is when the mind becomes stable, intuition works best. The quietness of nature helps you to heal your soul and body and it acts like a soothing balm that replenishes your depleted energy and helps to bring back the positivity within.
With the urban lifestyle in demand around the world, it seems people have divorced themselves from nature. If you have scratchy feet, plan your trip to woods to open your senses. No jogging, no workouts, just quiet contemplation near trees.
Time to step back from technology and unwind the mysteries of nature and remember not all who wander are aimless!