Review: Forest Bathing: The Rejuvenating Practice of Shinrin Yoku by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles

3 stars for Forest Bathing: The Rejuvenating Practice of Shinrin Yoku by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles.

Having enjoyed reading Ikigai, I thought I will have a whale of a time reading Forest Bathing since it is written by the same set of authors, but boy, I am so wrong. I like to believe the issue is not so much the content but the translation. I really want to like this Forest Bathing book, but it is hard to make myself enjoy it for two reasons. First, the sentences are long, often too long for my liking; by the time I finish reading those long sentences, I have mostly lost sense of what they are about and I have to read them all over again, and sometimes, the same repeats itself. Second, the sentence construction - sometimes, or should I say, most times - just doesn't seems right to me. As a result, I find myself struggling to pick up the book to continue reading from where I left off each time.

This is a book that shows us the ways to boost emotional well-being and improve overall health. It guides readers to finding the connection with the natural world, and the ways to replenish our body, mind and spirt among the trees. To put it simply, this is a book on how to practice the art of Shinrin-Yoku, translated literally as "forest bathing". The book shares with us the healing and rejuvenating effects of Shinrin-Yoku. It also delves into the science of how Shinrin-Yoku - a powerful therapy for relaxing the mind and reducing stress - heals patients.

What I like most about this book is that it is filled with lovely drawings and relaxing black and white pictures of nature, of mountain, trees and bamboos. These pictures let the reader in me feel at ease while reading and gives me the feeling that it is possible to recapture the healing magic of nature, that nature is much actually closer to us than we think. And this is exactly what Shinrin-Yoku is all about. Also, I am glad that I have read the book Ikigai first as Forest Bathing refers to Ikigai and some of its content more than once. If I have not read Ikigai first, I will not have any idea what the authors are referring to.

Finally, I want to say that I can attest to the benefits of Shinrin-Yoku. Because I am a living example. I wouldn't for the life of me, have believed in the logic and explanations of Shinrin-Yoku if it has not happened to me personally. I attended a 7-day retreat in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, in May 2022. Long story short, at that time, I thought my healing is due to meditation, the quality of the food and beverage I consumed, and the way of eating. Looking back (and having read this book), I believe it is a combination of factors - meditation, mindful eating and the quality of food consumed on top of, yes, Shinrin-Yoku.


Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Publication date: 2 Jun 2020

*** Favourite Quote 1 ***

People often fantasize that lasting joy will come to them as a result of perfection....Most people dream of the perfect mate, the perfect job, the perfect home and so on. But to wish for perfection is to deny reality. It actually invites the opposite of what we seek. Perfection exists only in the imagination. As long as we equate joy with perfection, even in a small way, we will never know contentment.

The ancient Wabi Sabi masters understood this well....They knew that happiness does not mean "absence of problems." There has never been, nor will there ever be, a life free from problems. Since there is no such thing as a perfect life, Wabi Sabi teaches us a way of looking at life that accepts imperfections, makes peace with the difficulties and mishaps, and strives to use them for our ultimate enrichement.

*** Favourite Quote 2 ***

Let Wabi-sabi Inspire You

In nature, nothing is perfect, nothing is finished, nothing is forever. "The beauty of imperfections" teaches us to accept ourselves and to see our failings as an opportunity for growth.

~ Forest Bathing: The Rejuvenating Practice of Shinrin Yoku
Héctor García and Francesc Miralles

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Shinrin Yoku: "taking in the forest atmosphere", the medicine of simply being in the forest, "forest bathing".

From the healing properties of phytoncides (self-protective compounds emitted by plants) to the ways we can benefit from what forest spaces can teach us, Forest Bathing: The Rejuvenating Practice of Shinrin Yoku discusses the history, science and philosophy behind this age-old therapeutic practice. Examples from the ancient Celts to Henry David Thoreau remind us of the ties between humankind and the natural world—ties that have become more and more elusive to Westerners.

This book explains the traditional Japanese concepts that help readers understand and share in the benefits of the Japanese approach to forest bathing—a cornerstone of healing and health care in Japan. These concepts include:

- Yugen: Our living experience of the world around us that is so profound as to be beyond expression
- Komorebi: The interplay of leaves and sunlight
- Wabi sabi: Rejoicing in imperfection and impermanence

The book goes on to offer guidelines for finding our replenishment in these peaceful, isolated spaces—from turning off the phone (or leaving it at home) to seeking the irregularities in nature, which in turn can make us less critical of ourselves. Finally, it offers tips not only on being fully present and mindful while you're in the forest, but also on how to take that mindfulness home with you—even if that home is the busiest and most crowded of cities.

*Blurb from Goodreads*

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