Forest Bathing

 Homosapians had evolved in nature but had subsequently simultaneously diverged away from nature as modernization took place. Although the effects of evolution and urbanization have driven the species from its origin, natural spaces are still where humans are most comfortable. It has been scientifically proven that when humans spend time in nature, the brain behaves differently. It affects emotions and thoughts, which has a direct impact on immunity and healing powers. These inherent healing qualities natural systems provide are directly correlated to our neurological development and human biological ties to primates due to evolution. In the past several decades there have been many scientific studies that demonstrate the mechanisms behind the healing effects of nature immersion. Countries such as South Korea and Japan have funded extensive research for comprehending the beneficial contributions forest environments have on human mental, spiritual, and physical health. In order to experience such a healing transformation and reap the benefits the scientists have researched, one must participate in shinrin-yoku. Shinrin-yoku is a practice that lets in the forest atmosphere into your body through all five senses or merely "forest bathing." It has been developed in Japan throughout the 1980s and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Their research is helping to establish shinrin-yoku and develop forest therapy throughout the world. Although it proves difficult to include the entirety of the scientifically-proven benefits of the practice of shinrin-yoku, forest bathing: boosts immune system functions, increases the count of the body's natural killer (NK) cells, reduces blood pressure, reduces stress, improves mood, increases the ability to focus including children diagnosed with ADHD, accelerates recovery from surgery or illness, increases energy levels, and improves sleep. Simply put, if a person visits a natural area and walks in a relaxed way there are calming, rejuvenating, and restorative benefits to be achieved. With regular practice, shinrin-yoku provides the body with deeper and clearer intuition, increased flow of energy, increased capacity to communicate with the land and its species, increased flow of eros/life force, deepened bonds of friendships, and an alleviated sense of joy. John Muir, an environmental philosopher and advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States of America can be quoted saying, “Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home. Wilderness is a necessity”. These words of wisdom hail true to the core fundamentals of forest bathing. The complete immersion of the mind, body, and spirit allows the innate connection to nature to free itself and recharge, grounding the core senses. Without these leafy spaces, one cannot capitalize on the healing services forest bathing provides. Due to this unique connection between man and nature, it is safe to assume that the destruction of these tree ladened areas by deforestation would be a devastating blow on the cultivation of holistic healing practices for Homosapiens. Without natural healing spaces, the survival of humans would solely rest on artificial pharmaceutical concoctions.