Riley’s Rainforest: Unwind in Nature
“Send down . . . from the clouds of Thy mercy the rains of Thy healing ...” — Bahá’u’lláh
I had a rough day yesterday. I messed up my math test, tripped during lunch and got fruit salad everywhere, and got tons of homework. I felt pretty ruffled.
I told my friend Pip about my disastrous day, and he suggested something he learned in Japan: shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing.
It doesn’t mean you actually take a bath in a forest. You spend mindful time in nature to relax. Pip says nature is like medicine. It can brighten your mood, reduce stress, and even help you heal faster from injuries!
Trees give you oxygen, and they also release oils that may boost your health. Sunlight causes your body to create vitamin D, which can strengthen your bones and muscles.
Even though I live in the forest, I don’t always take the time to enjoy it. So I flew to the upper canopy with Pip to give forest bathing a try.
At first, I wasn’t sure what to do. Pip said to take deep breaths and notice things around us. So I breathed in the fresh air and focused on the sunlight glittering on the river below.
Guess what? It really helped! Soaking up the beautiful views and warm sunshine made me feel a lot better. Pip cheered me up too, of course! Check out these ideas we came up with and do some forest bathing of your own. It can make your spirit soar!
Explore & Soar: Try Forest Bathing!
Experiment with these ideas for relaxing outdoors.
- Choose a quiet, peaceful place, like a park or garden. It doesn’t have to be a forest.
- Turn off distracting devices so you can feel connected to nature.
- Take deep breaths to relax. Identify some pleasant scents.
- Close your eyes and listen. What do you hear?
- How does the ground feel when you walk barefoot (if possible)? Is it springy or soothing?
- What colors do you see? How does the light change as clouds pass by or you walk under a tree?
- How does tree bark feel to touch?
- Sit with friends and ask each person to share what brings them peace. Take your time. It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey!
Curiosity Canopy
Playing outside can be like gaining superpowers! Kids who spend more time playing outdoors can develop tougher immune systems, more physical fitness, better concentration, and stronger teamwork skills. How do you like to power up in the great outdoors?
For a printed version, download a PDF of this page.
Riley112 Riley’s Rainforest49 Nature174 Earth190 Friendship185 Healing5 Characters493 Environment176 Healthyscreens21