Bathe
Recently I came across a YouTuber who, just as a passing comment, a throwaway, referenced "forest bathing" as pseudoscience or some other kind of idiot fluff, I can't recall just how he put it. He's a very smart guy, in fact, and his subject wasn't health-related (it was music-related), it was just lumped together with a lot of other things like Ouija boards and astrology and alchemy. I don't think he meant anything specific by it. But because I reference the practice in IG2P, it caught my attention straightaway.
Anything — I don't care what it is, it could be anything you care to name — anything that heightens your awareness, that points your attention in a particular way and speaks the language of your specific senses, has the chance to be worthwhile. The danger is in using such activities to make broader claims, especially scientific claims without foundation. I cannot think of anyone who would say without qualification, "Going for a walk is useless to clear your mind" or "Sitting meditation is complete nonsense and a waste of time." Spending time in the forest — which is all "forest bathing" really is — is not useless or a waste of time either, if it speaks to you and your nature. The phrase may sound a bit silly at first, so call it something else that pleases you and opens your understanding to potentials.
"Groves of redwoods and beeches are often compared to the naves of great cathedrals: the silence; the green, filtered, numinous light. A single banyan, each with its multitude of trunks, is like a temple or mosque — a living colonnade. But the metaphor should be the other way around. The cathedrals and mosques emulate the trees. The trees are innately holy." – Colin Tudge, biologist
"What makes Dr. Makino so different from other botanists is that he treats all plants with the same love and affection. Not just wild grasses, trees, and flowers, but vegetables, garden varieties, and invasive species — to him it makes no difference. I try to always have that same loving gaze as a photographer. I am grateful to Dr. Makino for showing me the way." – Ichigo Sugawara, photographer
