We all know the feel of being too scheduled, under too much pressure or just having too much to do. With jobs, kids, marriages, schools, activities, smartphones, bills and millions of responsibilities, the modern world can be a world of tasks and worries without end. However, a growing trend within sustainability and landscape design called Shinrin-Yoku, or Forest Bathing, is showing us that getting out in nature is healther than you might think.
Need to Step Outside
Forest Bathing is a cross between a slow walk and a deep meditation done in the woods. There are books, spas and other resources that make the practice accessible and easy to experience. It is because of how beneficial it is that it makes a perfect gift for this holiday season.
Japanese Placemaking
Forest Bathing is about focusing on where you are. When you do that surrounded by nature, research has found it actually has health benefits. You de-stress better and faster, AND can actually reduce depression symptoms. The benefits go beyond mental wellness though. Studies show that your white blood cell counts elevate for up to seven days after a trip into nature, so you are, literally, less likely to get sick.
Forest Bathing is a cross between a slow walk and a deep meditation done in the woods. There are books, spas and other resources that make the practice accessible and easy to experience. It is because of how beneficial it is that it makes a perfect gift for this holiday season.
Japanese Placemaking
Forest Bathing is about focusing on where you are. When you do that surrounded by nature, research has found it actually has health benefits. You de-stress better and faster, AND can actually reduce depression symptoms. The benefits go beyond mental wellness though. Studies show that your white blood cell counts elevate for up to seven days after a trip into nature, so you are, literally, less likely to get sick.
The easiest and most affordable gift you can give to someone that you think would love to know more about Shinrin-Yoku is by giving them a free copy of the Amos Clifford’s book A Little Handbook of Shinrin-Yoku. You can find it on Amazon.com.
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If giving a free download isn't your idea of a holiday gift, you can easily take the next step up with a number of other books you will need to purchase. Three of my favorites are
If you want to give something that includes a little more structure or face-to-face experience, you can find a forest therapy guide through the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy. All you need to do is type in the name of your city or its zip code, and the map will show you the nearest program to you. They have a worldwide database of trainers, guides and mentors that makes pinpointing someone near you easy greasy.
If you want to offer a gift with even more structure and firsthand experience, look to a place like The Lodge at Woodloch. They have weeklong programs through the year that help you reconnect to both the outer nature and your inner nature too.
You have a great opportunity to incorporate nature and its beneficial characteristics to your daily life too. With the right landscape design (both indoors and outdoors), you can find your special place just outside of your back door. When you do it with sustainability, you get the chance to, not only receive positive impacts from nature, but you get to help the ecological world heal too. If you want to design your natural oasis, contact us for how to do it.
Want More Gift Ideas:
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9 Days Till Christmas, Give Life to Walls
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Want More Gift Ideas:
6 Days till Christmas, Year-Round Indoor Gardening
7 Days Till Christmas, Animal House(s)
8 Days Till Christmas, Planters of Life
9 Days Till Christmas, Give Life to Walls
10 Days Till Christmas, Give a Spade
11 Days Till Christmas, Time’s Running Out
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