DIY forest baths
Guided forest baths certainly have added value, but in times of corona this is not possible.
That is why Wendy Wuyts (world forest) gives some tips on this page and launches the hashtag #DIYbosbad.
For your forest bath:
90% of the forest pool experience happens before the forest pool itself. This is the case in the art world: the experience becomes richer if you consciously think about a few things and prepare yourself.
Guides don't just pick a bunch. They often do a whole landscape scan. They learn more about the history, present and future of the landscape. Which beings live or have lived there? What are their stories? What should we be aware of? The forest is the partner of the guide and of the participant. That is why we would like to invite you to think or find out what the questions are for the following questions:
What name (s) does this forest have?
How old is this forest?
Has this forest always looked like this?
What folk tales exist about this forest?
Which creatures (animals, plants, etc.) live in this forest? (E.g. good to know that for example adders live there)
Which stream / river flows through this? Which people you love live near this river / stream?
How does this forest connect you with other people you love? Which of them also often visits this forest? Who lives near this forest?
Who cared for this forest? Thank them before and / or after your forest bath.
Gratitude
Forest bathing is getting closer to yourself, but also recognizing your dependent relationship with others and the rest of nature. Forest baths come from the Japanese Shinrin yoku and was created by the Japanese government in the 1980s, but the Japanese government is also clearly (unconsciously / consciously) inspired by Shinto and deep-rooted ideas about eco-centric thinking, as well as Confucius. Forest bathing is also about recognizing your place in the universe, that you are just a drop in a great sea of ​​love and energy. Some say that 'being in a forest' is seen by the Japanese as shinrin yoku, but 'being in a forest' also means for the Japanese to recognize and honor the ancestors, the kami who took care of their land and blood.
It's an act of gratitude.
Speaking of gratitude, did you know that the Japanese don't have a word for tasty? Before they eat, they say itadakimas , which means "thank you to those who provided this food" and that can refer to the cook, to the earth, to the farmer ...
Some guided forest baths (e.g. ANFT style forest baths) end with a tea ceremony. This is not the same as the Japanese tea ceremony (also a whole series of different schools, each with their own rules and history). The tea ceremony at the end of a forest bath serves as a kind of sign that it is over. This is also the time to show gratitude. Why not try saying 'itadakimas forest'? ;)
Books and other resources:
Pocket book for forest baths (Sarah De Vos & Katriina Kilpi) - a printed book with beautiful photos (available from October 2019)
The Bosbadkaart (Steffie Vandierendonck & Wouter Van Dyck) - Interactive e-book with downloadable forest bathmap, videos, audio version and private group to exchange experiences. (beta version, available from November 2020)
Be aware of the following:
Time in the rest of nature has many benefits, but we must be aware that we share this space with other beings.
Such as ticks, bees, vipers, poisonous plants. We recommend the same precautions as with any walk in the forest:
Check your body for ticks in the evening.
Do not touch plants whose names you do not know (i.e. do not know if they are poisonous).
If you have a bee allergy, always bring your epipen with you and tell others where you took the epipen in your backpack.
You can limit the risks by informing yourself about which creatures live in a forest. Several nature organizations organize guided walks and courses, sometimes free of charge.
In addition, it is also important that you wear the right clothing, adapted to the weather.
'There is no such thing as bad weather, only poorly adapted clothing.'
The basic rules for colder weather are:
Bring rain gear.
Wear layers. Bring extra layers.
100% wool is always a good investment.
Always keep your torso and your head warm.
In forest baths you also listen to your body, so normally this is not an activity where you exceed your own body limits (such as when running).
Hashtag #DIYbosbad
People prefer to stay indoors in this late fall and winter, but it's so important to your mental and physical health to go for a forest bath every month. That is why I launched the hashtag #DIYbos on my Instagram profile @wereldwoud at the beginning of November and I invite everyone to share photos of their DIY forest baths in November and December on their social media.
This page was written by volunteer Wendy Wuyts (world forest).
Date of last update: 06 November 2020