Cultured Forest looks at the Benefits of Nature Based Mindfulness Programing Grounded in Shinrin-Yoku Concepts as a Remedy for Employee Burnout.
Read moreMindful Walking Tips For Practicing Forest Bathing in New York City
The Japanese practice of Shinrin-yoku or “Forest Bathing” has been seeing a lot of attention in the press lately. Even the Cleveland Clinic, a reputable medical hospital recently published an article called, “Why Forest Therapy Can Be Good For Your Body and Mind”. It discusses how Forest Therapy can lower the stress hormone cortisol as well as blood pressure. Many of these health benefits come from mindfully spending time in nature. We all know deep down we feel better when we spend time outdoors. So why is it so difficult to prioritize taking a walk in nature? For New Yorkers who live a busy lifestyle, it can be hard to access nature trails, let alone make time to be mindful. So here are a few tips for ways that Urban City Dwellers can access the health benefits of Forest Bathing in the City.
Read moreIdeas for Bringing The Outdoors Indoors for Better Nature Connection
Right now in history many of us find ourselves indoors self-quarantining to avoid spreading Covid-19. This does not mean we need to feel disconnected from nature. Below are a few ways you can bring nature into your home. As you do these activities we hope you will find a bit of calm and peace to ease anxiety and stress.
-Aromatherapy. Aim for scents that are nostalgic and citrus to boost mood. Scents such as Pine, Fir, Hinoki Cypress, Cedar or Eucalyptus for their phytoncides, which have been shown to boost immunity. You can drop a little into your bath, use a diffuser or dabble a bit on your wrists to really get the benefits.
-Start a rock or shell collection. Place some on your desk where you work.
-Choose a rock to hold when you feel anxious or sad. You can keep one in your pocket during a stressful meeting or sleep holding the rock. Hold the rock over any part of your body that holds tension and imagine the rock holding that for you.
-Hang photos or paintings of nature/forests. Look at some of ours for inspiration.
-Get creative with nature: paint, write, poetry or play music. See our creative activity blogpost for a few ideas to get you started.
-Create an outdoors-inspired playlist. Here is our nature and hiking playlist on Spotify to inspire you: Cultured Forest Nature Lovers Playlist.
-Experiment with nature meditations (use an app like Insight Timer if needed).
-Grow an Herb Garden.
-Surround yourself with plants.
-Get more nature in your feed. Start by following us on Facebook and Instagram @culturedforest!
Please share your ideas in the comments below. This content is copyrighted to Brooke Mellen. Feel free to share it and kindly give us credit when you do.
