What is Shinrin Yoku?
Shinrin-Yoku is the practice of immersing our senses in nature with the intention of enhancing well-being. It is a Japanese term that translates into “forest bathing” - taking in the forest atmosphere. Because of its holistic therapeutic effects on our mind, body and spirit, it is referred to in many parts of the world as Forest Therapy.
In a guided Forest Therapy experience, you will be led by an experienced guide through a series of connective invitations that slows you down, awakens your senses, opens your heart and supports you in building a deep, healing connection with nature.
Often times what happens during a Forest Therapy walk is improvised in the moment by the guide working in partnership with what nature offers, and adapted to meet the needs of the participants. While everyone’s experience is different, participants often shared that they experience a kind of communion with nature and other people in the group in a way that they have never experienced before.
In other words, Forest Therapy is not just a hike or a walk in the park. Each Forest Therapy Experience is thoughtfully designed by your guide following a standard sequence that has been adopted by hundreds of guides across the world, proven to support you to establish an embodied relationship with the present moment and the land.
The experience is gentle and accessible to almost anyone at any fitness level.
The Benefits of Forest Therapy
The benefits of immersing ourselves in nature is many-fold. Research conducted around the world has shown a range of physical benefits, including:
Reduced blood pressure
Reduced pulse rates
Reduced blood sugar
Reduced stress hormones levels
Increased white blood cells that fights off infections and cancer
Strengthened immune systems
Enhanced mood
And it goes beyond physical health
Being in nature in a healing way is congenial to opening up fresh insights and expanding our perspectives.
The opportunity for quiet reflection supports you in gaining a better understanding of yourself and your relationship with others.
Our guided sessions nurture and supports you in tapping into into a wider range of intuitive and rational abilities such as:
Authentic sharing and deep listening
Self-confidence and self-awareness
Creativity and enhanced problem-solving
Focused attention and detailed observation
Empathy and self-care
Developing supportive social relationships
What Forest Therapy is not…
Forest Therapy is not a hike. While every walk is different, and some may involve walking a longer distance than others, the essence of Forest Therapy is about immersing ourselves in the more-than-human world in a healing way. It is not a physical challenge.
Forest Therapy is not a naturalist outing. Although we will see plenty of beautiful trees, flowers, plants and sometimes wild animals, the focus is not on understanding the names, characteristics or medicinal values of plants or trees, or wildlife spotting.
Forest Therapy is not a medical treatment, nor does it replace any kind of professional mental or physical healthcare support you are receiving. Spending time in nature in a healing way regularly enhances our wellbeing, but when it comes to treatment of any diagnosed conditions you must consult your physician.
How does it work?
Our public sessions typically lasts for around 2-3 hours and takes place either in the beautiful country parks in Hong Kong’s countryside, or in urban green spaces. (Private, customised sessions for you, your loved ones, your team, your organisation or company can be shorter or longer and tailor-made to your needs. Connect with us to find out more.)
You will be guided through a series of invitations that supports you to build you own personal relationship with nature.
The distance we cover in each session differs, some can be as short as a few hundred meters, while some are longer (up to 5 km), but typically our sessions do not involve a lot of walking.
All you need to do is sign up, put on clothing and footwear that makes you comfortable outdoors, pack your bag with water and other necessities, and come with an open heart.
You can find out more by reading our FAQ page.
Why do I need a guide?
Indeed, not everyone needs a guide to help them slow down, relax, and connect with nature in a way that calms him or herself down.
But in our hyper-connected, digitalised world, many of us have shut down our senses and become disconnected with nature. We have difficulty putting our phones down. We don't sleep enough. We find it awkward to be alone or do nothing. We think rest is being lazy and unproductive. We spend most of our time indoors in air-conditioned rooms in front of screens.
If this sounds familiar to you, you will benefit from having a guide in your forest bathing experience. The guide creates a space that gives you permission to forget about your to-do-list, what's coming next, or when you have to get going. The invitations given by your guide helps re-awaken your senses and allow you to explore nature in a wide range of ways you may never have thought of.
Essentially, the guide will help you remember how to access the healing benefits of being in nature by holding safe and sacred space. And of course, the guide will take care of logistics such as time-keeping, safety, route design and providing hospitality so you can be as carefree as you want and let the experience simply unfold for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there forests in Hong Kong?
The short answer is - YES! There is no shortage of space in Hong Kong covered with trees and undergrowth. They may not look like the kind of forest we often see in movies, books or magazines with sky-high giant ancient trees, but they are forests nonetheless.
What we want to stress however is that nature connection is a great experience not only in forests, but also in many country parks, urban green spaces and gardens. With practice, over time, you will find yourself able to connect with nature indoors, or indeed, anywhere.
Can I join if I have difficulty walking?
Yes. Just let us know in advance and we will make adjustments to cater for your needs. If we find that the particular session you have signed up for may not suit you, we will suggest an alternative session for you.
Can I join if I use a wheelchair?
We will design sessions that are suitable for wheelchair users, and will clearly indicate that they are so in our session descriptions. At the moment, we are unable to host wheelchair users, but please do register your interest with us so that we can contact you as soon as we have a session suitable for you!
Are children welcome?
Our public sessions are generally designed for participants from age 14 onwards. If you have children and would love to bring them on to one of our sessions, let us know and we can plan something around your needs and interests!
What happens if it rains?
Bring an umbrella and put on your raincoat! ;-) We have a weather policy that we will share with you when we confirm your spot at our sessions. In many cases, the weather is an additional element of fun in our session, as we play with what the weather offers! But we will always have your safety in mind.
Are your walks conducted in English or Chinese?
We run English sessions and Cantonese sessions, as you will be able to see from our session descriptions. If you speak a language different from the one indicated on the description, and are eager to join the session nonetheless, do contact us and we will see what we can do!
What should I bring?
Things that will make you feel comfortable outdoors. These typically include drinking water, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, umbrella and mosquito repellent. It is important that you bring your phone in case you need to contact us on the day. In each session description we remind you of the things to bring for the particular location, so please do check that when you pack your bags.
What should I wear?
Anything that makes you comfortable outdoors! That typically means comfortable tops and pants, good walking or hiking shoes, hat and sunglasses. Depending on the weather, you may want to wear long tops and pants to avoid sunburn or mosquito bites, or bring a change of clothes in the summer. It never hurts to check the weather before you leave home.
Still have a question?