Since my childhood Nature attracted me greatly. As a kid, my parents took me and my sisters to the mountains near Alsace (region where I was born) called Les Vosges to go wild raspberries and blueberries picking and these moments are the best memories of my childhood. In the Autumn, we would go to the forests nearby for mushroom picking and every year it was a joy for the whole family! This love of the outdoor was passed onto by my parents but I quickly felt it in my body that it was in Nature that I felt my happiest.
Then as I grew up, my studies took me to Paris and straight after to London. Luckily most of my life in the UK was spent in lovely Windsor where the famous Windsor Great Park opposite the WIndsor Castle became my to go place on a daily basis. Walking through the woods, the deer park, the farms and everything that makes up that beautiful park became also on occasions my solace especially during the Covid crisis. That is because Nature is a Healer, not just for me but for everyone!
Have you ever noticed that the simple act of stepping into Nature has become a powerful antidote to your stress? As we live increasingly in a digital world, we need to reconnect to Nature more and more.
Many therapies are now based on spending time in nature and Forest Bathing is one of them.
Forest bathing - the Japanese practice known as "shinrin-yoku" - isn't just a pleasant walk among trees; research shows it's a legitimate health intervention with measurable benefits for both mind and body.
Forest environments affect us on a physiological level. Studies have found that time spent among trees reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), lowers blood pressure, and improves immune function.
The phytoncides - airborne compounds released by plants - have been linked to increased natural killer cell activity, potentially boosting our defense against illness.
But the mental health benefits are perhaps even more profound. Just 20 minutes of forest immersion can significantly reduce anxiety and rumination while improving mood and attention. The sensory experience of Nature - the soundscape of rustling leaves, the visual fractal patterns of branches, the earthy scents - provides a perfect environment for practicing mindfulness.
Outdoor mindfulness differs from indoor meditation. Nature provides both a backdrop and active participant in the practice:
Unlike hiking with a destination, forest bathing is about immersion without agenda:
Even for those with limited access to forests, research shows that smaller doses of Nature like tending houseplants, sitting in urban parks, or even viewing nature photographs offer scaled benefits.
In a world where mental health challenges continue to rise, the forest offers an accessible therapy that requires no prescription. The practice reminds us that we evolved as part of the natural world and reconnecting with it might be exactly what our modern minds need most.
Now I live at the feet of the Pyrenees mountains, mountain trekking has become a regular activity for me with friends and Nature has been a great help here very quickly whilst going through period of great difficulties. When in the mountains walking through the forests and then onto the rocks and sometimes ice and snow, I feel this sense of freedom and wellbeing entering my body and mind.
The stunning views give me that feeling of freedom like never experienced before and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else. Thank you Universe for bringing me here.
So next time you feel stressed, simply step outside maybe just in your garden, local park or mountains, and notice the effects of Nature on your wellbeing.
Namaste
Christel 🙏
Yoga Instructor in Saint Gaudens, Haute Garonne
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