The traditional way to forest bathe involves an actual forest, of course. However, I’d be remiss to dismiss the benefits of being in nature, even when you don’t have access to an actual forest. 

And winter is a difficult time to make it to the forest for some. [Learn ways to embrace winter forest bathing anyway.]

If you’re not inside the forest, you may not be exposed to the specific phytoncides that trees give off, but you can still get therapeutic value from the other elements of nature, and probably many scientists haven’t identified yet. 

Science shows the act of grounding, or standing on the ground barefoot, for example, produces antioxidant effects in the body and getting some vitamin D from sunlight provides all kinds of preventative benefits.

So we know we benefit from nature, scientifically and intuitively, whether under a dense stand of trees or not. Plus, nature offers relief from modern overload and mental nourishment in any of its forms.

 

Let’s explore several ways to receive the benefits of forest bathing without the dense canopy of forest.

 

7 Ways to Forest Bathe Without Trees

1. 1. Practice garden medicine: gardening isn’t just a way to make your environment prettier, it’s also a real way to improve your wellbeing. First, gardening is a physical activity that can give you a pretty good workout. Also, when you work in the soil, you’re exposed to the beneficial microbiome that exists there. Finally, the colors of living growth, the exposure to the sun, the grounding effects of having your hands in the earth: these all provide profound mood-boosting effects right in your backyard.
   2. Visit a botanical garden or greenhouse: most cities have a green oasis awaiting you somewhere inside their concrete bustle. Like gardening, botanical gardens and greenhouses offer exposure to life-giving natural elements. You can feel the positive effects the minute you step into the glass building. The temperature and sunlight invite you in, the quality of the air expands your breath, and the rawness of the green beauty there leaves you with a sense of balance and vitality.
   3. Find one tree: most people aren’t far from a single tree, and that one tree can be a significant source of retreat. One single tree is enough to oxygenize and relax you, if you let it. Prop your spine against its trunk. Rest your ear against its bark. Hold its leaves in your hand. Climb into it if you’re nimble. Five minutes in a natural landscape like this can enhance mood and reduce stress, which we can all use. Pull up a tree and stay awhile!
   4. Head to the meadow: think about the sounds that reverberate from the meadow in deep summer. The crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, toads, and other wildlife create a pleasing cacophony. Even in the absence of trees, that reverberations alone gives you a healing experience. The tranquility of a meadow environment is optimal for your mindfulness practice, so feel free to practice any of your invitations there. My own sit spot is more meadow than trees, but it isn’t any less replenishing than a certified therapy forest.
   5. Take a sound bath: the idea of a sound bath shouldn’t be foreign if you understand the concept of a forest bath. Just like immersing yourself in the forest atmosphere, a sound bath is about surrounding yourself with pleasing sound. Scientists say the sounds of nature are ideal for sound baths, such as the meadow in the above example. If you don’t have access to a meadow or similar wild space, the next best thing is to listen to a recording of it. You can use sites like myNoise to give yourself a healing sound bath.
   6. Use authentic aromas: Pure essential oils and infused oils literally encapsulate the essence of the forest in a bottle. In fact, Dr. Qing Li discovered Hinoki Cypress essential oil contains the healing phytoncides you get exposed to when forest bathing. You can purchase or make your own oils and incorporate them into your meditative practices to access some of the forest’s healing elements when the forest is inaccessible.
   7. Pepper your space with indoor plants: Studies show the mere view of greenery has mood-enhancing effects for employees, cancer patients, post-op patients, and you. But you have to lift your eyes long enough to appreciate it. Start by adding green plants, even indoor trees, to your home or work environments. You may even incorporate a breathing room or Skogluft into your space. Then, set aside a sit spot inside your house next to your greenery to meditate and absorb the benefits.

 

Grab your Treeless Forest Bathing Tear Sheet Here

[Find a list of all our Tear Sheets here]

 

Now that you have several forest-less to forest bathe, let’s go over how to actually practice shinrin-yoku without the trees.

 

Forest Bathe Without the Forest Exercise:

• Choose a natural space from above to have your session. Find a comfortable spot to sit or stand.
• Set an intention. Think about what you’re doing this for, what you hope to get out of your practice. Do you need to relax? Get reprieve from the noise of your life or brain? Appreciate nature? The reason helps you connect to your practice in a more meaningful way.
• Unplug. The overarching purpose of your practice is to eliminate distraction, so turn off all devices and get as far away from mechanical noises as possible. You won’t get much out of this if you look at your phone or wander a million miles away in thought.
• Get grounded. Wiggle your bare feet into the grass or place your hands on top of the soil to ground into the earth.
• Breathe deeply and slowly. Bring your focus to your breath as you lengthen and deepen your breathing. You may even close your eyes. The point is to switch from running on your overactive sympathetic nervous system to your relaxed parasympathetic nervous system.
• Be mindful. Open your eyes and take in your environment with each of your five senses separately and then all at once. Where you direct your attention is important. Pay attention to what’s going on around you in nature rather than the ruminations of your mind.
• Spend as much time enjoying your environment as you’d like. When you’re done, close your eyes and take a few grounding breaths before returning to your regular routine.

 

Nature provides so many potent benefits, with or without trees. It’s important to spend more time outdoors, whether you have direct access to a forest or not. Leverage what is available to you at any given moment and find respite in those quiet pockets of nature around you.