Forest Bathing
We often recognise that a walk in nature can help clear the mind and lift our mood. Forest bathing takes this a little further. Rather than walking for exercise, reaching a destination or simply enjoying the outdoors, forest bathing invites you to slow down and intentionally experience nature through the senses.
Originating in Japan as Shinrin-Yoku, forest bathing may be experienced independently, or through a facilitated session where a trained guide supports you through gentle sensory invitations: noticing sounds, scents, textures, light, movement and the body’s response to the natural environment.
While a walk in nature can be restorative, a facilitated forest bathing session offers a more intentional experience. A trained certified guide gently leads you through sensory invitations, helping you notice sound, scent, texture, light, movement and the body’s response to the natural environment. Sometimes this kind of guidance can help us slow down, reconnect with ourselves and remember how to be present again.
Parks Victoria offers information on forest bathing, suggested locations and pathways for experiencing this practice with a certified forest bathing practitioner.