The Serene Art of Forest Bathing

This past weekend, my husband and I trekked to New Hampshire to take in all that fall offers: fragrant apple cider, heavy pumpkins, and mountainsides radiant in golds, reds, and brilliant orange.  As we approached the Kancamagus Scenic Highway heading towards Conway, I breathed in the cool autumn air and immediately felt my shoulders relax.  I couldn’t wait to get to the trails and bathe in this forest sanctuary.

As we drove, I realized that we have been coming here for the last thirty years.  It is familiar and it is our wilderness home. Even the tourists cannot make this beautiful place feel crowded.  I know when we get to the Presidential Range that I will feel more of myself.  I will feel hopeful and ready again to find my explorer side.  Dare I say, I become young again.

This is the place where wild turkeys strut down the side of the road.  This is the place where I saw my first moose up close and personal.  He was such a magnificent creature that I couldn’t be afraid.  I looked at him only six feet away, and I told him how beautiful he was.  He looked at me with his deep brown eyes, bowed his massive head, and kept on sampling the forest leaves.  This is the place where I spotted my first and only black bear as he scampered across the road at dusk.  I love this place.  I’m glad America has so many incredible wild places.  They help all of us keep our sanity and remind us of what is truly important.

I cling to this place.  Take it with me wherever I go.  It sustains me through the seasons.  I store up New Hampshire in my memory like a squirrel hoards acorns.  I secret away all the images knowing that I can recall them instantly during a busy day and give myself instant peace.  Nature is truly restorative.  I cherish these moments hiking with my husband, capturing the beauty that is all around us.

Forest bathing is something I’ve written about many times over the years.  It is the Japanese practice of going into the woods to fill one’s senses and be revived.  Walking slowly, breathing deeply, being aware of all forest sights, sounds, and smells is all part of forest bathing.  It is said to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and boost mood and concentration.  I wonder if one could not actually go into the forest, if looking at forest photos would have a similar effect. Surely, I hope that my images bring a sense of wonderment and relaxation.

The muted, burnished colors reflected in the mountain pools were so incredibly soothing.  They blended together in wavy lines.  The trees, the leaves, the water became one, and I wanted to plunge in and cover myself in autumnal splendor.  It is in these moments that the real and the imagined join forces and cast a magical energy.