The power of shinrin-yoku – forest bathing

It’s easy to be convinced that buying the latest pamper package or going for a hot stone massage are the best ways to get your self-care fix. It’s true that these rituals have a multitude of psychological and physical benefits, but equally, they can sometimes cost hundreds of pounds and, for most of us, aren’t sustainable when we’re consistently trying to practise self-care. However, there is one form that is completely free and becoming more and more popular as a way to stay calm and centred as we navigate our busy lives. This practice is called shinrin-yoku and was originally created in Japan in the 1980s.

‘Shinrin’ means forest and ‘yoku’ means bath, so it