“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.
— Albert Einstein
Nature and Nurture
We all know how good being in nature can make us feel. We've known it for centuries. The sounds of the forest, the scent of the trees, the sunlight playing through the leaves, the fresh air — these things give us a sense of comfort. They ease our stress, reduce our worry, help us to relax and think more clearly. Being in nature can restore our mood, give us back our energy and vitality, and rejuvenate us.
What exactly is this feeling that's so hard to put into words?
Forest Bathing
In Japan, there is practice called forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku.
Shinrin in Japanese means “forest,” and yoku means “bath.”
So shinrin-yoku means bathing in the forest atmosphere, or taking in the forest through your senses.
It's not exercise or going for a hike. It is simply being in nature, connecting with it through our senses of sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch. Shinrin-yoku is like a bridge. By opening our senses, it bridges the gap between us and the natural world.
In light of vanishing natural spaces and limited time to get out into them, what can we do?
Balance
By 2050, 66% of the world’s population is projected to live in cities. According to a study sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency, the average American spends 93% of his or her time indoors.
But the good news is that even a small amount of time in nature can have an impact on our health.
A two-hour forest bath will help you to unplug from technology and slow down. It will bring you into the present moment and de-stress and relax you.
Beyond this, how can we design living spaces that harmonize the inevitable move towards urbanization with the pressing need for natural elements?
This question of balance is one of the most important to ask when it comes to landscaping and landscape design. Those of us blessed enough to have lived here in the Fraser Valley for more than a decade or two are well aware of the changes and the vanishing of natural space.
As disheartening as this can be to think about, its also an opportunity for home owners, developers and landscape professionals to elevate the bar and restore the balance.
Personally, our team loves to blend "nature" with "nurture". Meaning, natural or wild growing elements with curated features like pavers, planters, lawns and other installed features.
Does it count as Forest Bathing?
No.
But in these crazy times having a space that makes room for nature right outside your back door may be just what's needed to keep your health and peace of mind.
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