When it comes to natural healing, the Japanese know better. They came up with a term, "Shinrin-yoku," popularized in Japan in the '80s and later introduced to the world.
Forest bathing isn't taking a bath in the forest in a literal sense. It simply means reconnecting with nature and disconnecting from life's stressors -- causing diseases.
It's been a year since I've lived in a rural area; in my hometown. It's countryside living away from too much noise and chaos.
Since the beginning of the pandemic and due to the lockdown, some plans weren't able to happen, and since then, I wasn't able to come back to Manila.
I'm living my best life away from distraction and pollution; forest bathing on weekends is my healing wonder. It's all we need in times of stress and whenever we need to relax and rejuvenate. It cleanses and purifies our physical and mental bodies.
So Japanese people are considered world leaders regarding health and longevity. Their approach to health and wellness is just holistic and admirable. Hence, they're a world record in having supercentenarians.
We Filipinos adapted to this Japanese form of natural healing. Forest bathing is slowly gaining recognition, especially among health and fitness enthusiasts.
Hikers, trekkers, mountain climbers, and yoga and meditation practitioners are among those groups gaining from the healing benefits of forest bathing.
In the Philippines, there are places I've done forest bathing on a day trip.
In the Philippines, there are places I've done forest bathing on a day trip. Camp John Hay in Baguio City is where you can find the most pine trees. And has the most forest cover in the area.
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| At Camp John Hay, Baguio City, Philippines |
That was a refreshing forest bathing experience as I felt the foggy place's mists. It feels so great to be surrounded by trees, which give off natural cleansing energy.
Bucari Highlands in Iloilo, Philippines, is one of the best mountain resort destinations in the country.
When we visited, it was rainy on the way up and with a foggy and misty climate. Like Baguio City, it has many pine trees making the environment more relaxed.
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| Bucari, Iloilo, Philippines |
There are other places where I've enjoyed forest bathing. The Mount Arayat National Park in Pampanga, Philippines. The La Mesa Eco-park in Quezon City, Philippines, and Naddi Village in Dharamshala, India.
My parents were inspired to develop our farm over a decade ago, so they planted Mahogany trees, making it a mini-forest. Now the trees have reached their peak maturity and are tall, giving a cool shade in the surrounding.
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| Our Mahogany tree park |
And so, every time we visited the farm, I would do forest bathing. I walk barefoot and remain under the trees until I've reached a meditative state. Feel the serenity and inhale the life force.
Anyone can do it. When life gets tough, we must take slow and find a greener space to unwind and re-energize.
The Japanese people are doing it as a lifestyle, so we can learn and adopt their healthy and balanced lifestyle.
©️2020 Del Cusay
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