One the simple pleasures for me this summer has been to sit under trees in our neighbourhood park. Their shade coupled with the breeze off Lake Ontario has been truly refreshing, cleansing and therapeutic. I recently discovered that there’s a name for such a thing…forest bathing! Known as shinrin yoku, it’s an accepted part of Japanese preventative health care because of the mental, physical and spiritual health benefits it delivers.
This does not surprise me because those are the very benefits I have experienced this summer. Basically, Lisa and I carry our foldable lawn chairs into the park, find the right tree, and just soak it all in. We’ll bring a book and notebook if needed. But often we just talk about life, reminisce, and sometimes just sit there in silence as we enjoy the breeze in the leaves above. So if you have never practiced the ancient and noble practice of shinrin yoku, I highly encourage you to do so. I guarantee you will benefit from it immensely! 😊🙏❤️
