Moving In Nature With Earth Strength

Shinrin Yoku, forest bathing in Tarifa

We will be discussing some of the techniques that we use here at Earth Strength on this blog. My colleague Rannoch has already written about the journey behind Shinrin Shintai – which is our own method of moving in forests and wilderness. Shinrin Shintai is a culmination of 40 years’ combined experience in movement and nature for each of us. Rannoch from his own explorations of Shinrin Yoku; rooted in movement, martial arts and a deep knowledge of how the body functions and me from the perspective of the movement of our Aboriginal selves; the gait and pattern of the hunter bending low stalking and then the final sprint, the effortless lope of the true mountain man and the measured tread of the desert traveller. That was the meeting of movement and nature for us. This is Shinrin Shintai.

But what about Shinrin Yoku, (or Sanlimyok in Korean) what is exactly is it?

A good starting point is its meaning; the literal translation of which from the Japanese is Forest Bathing, but another way of putting it from the Japanese is that delightful Edwardian phrase, taking the waters. In other words it is a gentle but powerful form of natural therapy.

Shinrin Yoku in its current form originated in Japan in the early 1980’s when the Forest Agency recommended it as a form of stress relief and relaxation. It quickly took off especially within the business community and many people reported feeling revitalised after a visit to the forests. This wasn’t surprising as we all know that a walk in nature makes you feel better and this virtue has been extolled by the poets, artists and philosophers for centuries. What the Japanese did was to quantify this scientifically using a series of body markers such as; stress response, hormones and immunological responses.

Foremost amongst these scientists was Dr Qing Li who is considered to be one of the world’s foremost experts on Shinrin-Yoku. He is a professor at the Department of Hygiene and Public Health at the Nippon Medical School where most of the research has been carried out. Dr Li’s team have quantified some of the positive effects of exposure to nature and have even isolated some of the bio-chemical pathways that result in us feeling better. One of these is the exposure to the chemicals that trees and plants actually produce. These are referred to as phyto-chemicals or phytocides. These phyto-chemicals when breathed in actually help to boost our front line defences by promoting the growth of the so called Natural Killer cells, i.e. those that fight viruses and bacteria.

Examples of the research have also shown that simple exposure to the natural world can help prevent a number of serious conditions such as cancers, heart disease; it can reduce blood pressure, regulate heart rate and supress the over production of stress hormones. It is this preventative side that is really engaging the medical profession.

Other studies have shown that forest bathing positively creates calming neuro-psychological effects through changes observed in the nervous system. In addition the level of the hormone serum, adiponectin is also increased. Where this hormone is present in low concentrations it is linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome, among other bodily disorders.

Every study so far conducted has demonstrated big reductions in, stress, anger, anxiety, depression and sleeplessness amongst the subjects that have participated. Small wonder then that in Japan there are now 44 accredited Shinrin Yoku forests.

So is this really nothing more than a walk in the park?

Not at all, as this is a much deeper and more mindful exercise. This is not about taking psychology outside and merely doing it under trees, as many so called Eco therapists say. This is about a fundamental reconnection to who we are – it is not about us healing ourselves per se, it is more about finding a balance between ourselves and the natural world. In native societies the shaman does not seek to heal – he strives to balance the community of humans with the ecosystem in which it is set. They believe that many of our illnesses and maladies arise from this sense of being out of contact with nature. Here at Earth Strength we seek to Rewild you, to re-establish that connection; moving effortlessly through nature. We know that nature is not other than us – we are a part of a greater picture. This is the deep way of the land.

Choosing the right forests is equally important as having that deep understanding of nature and here rich biodiversity is the key. Ideally old growth, primal forest is the perfect environment with a rich understory supporting many different species. In many ways it is about steering clear of planted mono-culture pine plantations near roads or in areas with a lot of disturbance.

Here in Tarifa we are lucky enough to have access to the Dehesa ecosystem of Los Alcornacales – one of the most important open forest habitats in the world. It is from this base that we set out with our own version – Shinrin Shintai. This has all the benefits of Shinrin Yoku, but with the added advantage of the incorporation of movement including; Qi Gong and Thai Chi, animal tracking and deep nature awareness. Earth Strength will guide you through its own methods of engagement in the forests – truly moving the body and stilling the mind.

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