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A Half-Day Exploration of Shinrin-Yoku

with Frank Inzan Owen, M.A.

NATURE AS GUIDE & HEALER: CONNECTING WITH FORESTS FOR PHYSICAL-MENTAL HEALTH, PSYCHOLOGICAL INTEGRATION, & SPIRITUAL-CREATIVE INSPIRATION

The art of healing comes from nature, not from the physician. –Paracelsus, 16th-century Swiss physician

Sometimes a tree can tell you more than can be read in a book… People get dirty through too much civilization. Whenever we touch Nature, we get clean. – C.G. Jung, Swiss psychoanalyst

Shinrin-yoku (森林浴) is a Japanese term first coined in 1982 by Tomohide Akiyama, the then-Director General of the Japanese Ministry of Forestry. The term literally means “forest bath” – a modern, poetic way of referring to an ancient practice of immersing oneself in the atmosphere of the forest. In this half-day, informational and experiential retreat, we will explore shinrin-yoku from the vantage points of physical health, mental health, innerwork, and creative and spiritual inspiration. Along with a summary of some of the many benefits of shinrin-yoku discovered by medical science, and a basic introduction to a framework of the practice, we will embark upon an experiential exploration of shinrin-yoku in a forest environment. After some group sharing to conclude our time together, participants will depart with a list of resources for further exploration including books, films, medical studies documenting the physiological and mental health benefits, study and training programs, and a list of good places for forest bathing in the Atlanta-area.

Our half-day retreat will begin at 10:00 am at the Daniel Johnson Nature Preserve (1301 Beech Valley Rd, NE, Atlanta – free street parking on Beech Valley Rd.). Please bring a pen, notebook or journal, a pair of walking shoes or hiking boots, a rain poncho (in case of Spring rains), and a small blanket to sit on.