Do you need to decompress? Thanks to the Japanese practice known as Shinrin-yoku, or simply, forest bathing, it can be as easy as going for a walk in the woods. According to the theory, trees produce organic compounds that, when released into the atmosphere, provide healing health advantages by reducing stress and enhancing immunity. Here are locations where you can immerse yourself in a forest to calm your mind, body, and spirit.
1. Pennsylvania’s The Lodge at Woodloch
A certified forest bathing team at The Lodge at Woodloch in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania encourages visitors to connect with nature and use the trees as their therapists. There are opportunities for in-depth reflection and contemplation in nature on the 500 wooded acres at The Lodge thanks to a twice-weekly two-hour class that leads visitors on leisurely, guided walks. A walk around the meditation labyrinth and a purifying deep forest body treatment, which uses regional plants and herbs like dandelion and birchwood sticks, can help guests enhance their experience. The Lodge at Woodloch gives visitors instructions to aid them in reflecting, interacting with nature, and expressing gratitude in a natural setting near their homes at the conclusion of a stay.
2. Vermont’s Stowe Mountain Lodge
When you arrive for the weekly 45-minute forest bathing session at Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont’s Green Mountains, check your iPhone at the door. Guides take visitors deep into the woods, away from the distractions of life, where they can unwind and meditate amidst the lush greenery. The breathing exercises assist visitors in looking more deeply within themselves, and the natural surroundings in the woods promote a closer connection to the earth. Even guides advise visitors to remove their shoes in order to feel more at home and connected to nature. For a more comprehensive nature experience, combine this class with mindful meditation or mountain yoga, or even a body treatment like the sacred earth massage.
