What is Shinrin-yoku
Shinrin-yoku is translated as "taking in the forest atmosphere" or simply also called "forest bathing. Although, practiced as walking slowly, focus on breathing and opening your senses; trail running can be considered just as therapeutic. With trail running you are forced to take in your surroundings be present and move accordingly to how the trail opens up to you. Any time in nature is a healing one if one can let themselves open up enough to connect.
In Japan, it is used as preventative health care and stress relief it can have. In fact, there are a ton of reference materials based on this concept as well as web sites that offer community walks or runs.
Author Dr QING LI states:
The key to unlocking the power of the forest is in the five senses. Let nature enter through your ears, eyes, nose, mouth, hands and feet. Listen to the birds singing and the breeze rustling in the leaves of the trees. Look at the different greens of the trees and the sunlight filtering through the branches. Smell the fragrance of the forest and breathe in the natural aromatherapy of phytoncides. Taste the freshness of the air as you take deep breaths. Place your hands on the trunk of a tree. Dip your fingers or toes in a stream. Lie on the ground. Drink in the flavor of the forest and release your sense of joy and calm. This is your sixth sense, a state of mind. Now you have connected with nature. You have crossed the bridge to happiness.
My Shinrin-yoku
Many road runners often find themselves hooked on trail runs for many reasons. I loved trails but I always felt it took time to drive to a trail and by the end of the day a good chunk of my time was gone. Some praise how great there joints feel on the trail with the lack of shock from the pavement. Others praise the stress relief and reconnection the trail gives them. As a full Ironman, I spent my time training on the streets and I think it has many great purposes. However, the more time I spent in the open water or on my own in the middle of a lake, I realized I was slowly convinced of the healing power of nature.
I picked up more trail running, at first one day a week and then when I signed up for my first 50km Ultra, one day of training turned into three. At first, I was plugged in, raging to make a PB with every hill as I listened to heart beating electronic dance music. However, this plugged in while in nature stopped. I had a natural urge toward no earphones or music. This opened up my senses, I could hear my heart beating in tune with my natural surroundings and my breath became more in sync with the movement around me.
I noticed that quickly after the stress and inner pain I had was quiet. I felt this sense of spiritual refreshing, almost like a new start or beginning. Was I experiencing a form of Shinrin-yoku?
Upon months of training, I was also drawn to the power of stillness. Walking slowly and appreciating micro-moments of time. Like a walking meditation but in the forest this practice created more of a need to be still and respect the act of nothing. What seems to be nothing quickly becomes something more brilliantly filled with positive reflection.
Shinrin-yoku Self-Care
There is no doubt that adding more time in nature can be beneficial to a positive mental state. Additionally, it is also great at balancing our hormonal state. In training, there are times our adrenal system can hit overload. If very little is done to recover negative side effects can occur from overtraining. Cortisol levels can explode destroying our immune system. A healthy diet is beneficial to recovery but we could definitely use another form of self-care. This is where Shinrin-yoku or better known as forest bathing becomes important to our self-care.
Shinrin-yoku is not just for athletes but for everyone. Just as our parents would say go outside and stay outside. We should actually take their advice or at least incorporate it into our daily life. It can be a lush park or a drive out of town as long as we welcome it and stay unplugged while doing it. It sounds simple but it is tough for many to allow moments of nature into our life. Like anything, we have to insist on it and soon it will become easier and we will reap the benefits of our time in nature.
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