Some years ago I was lucky enough to spend nearly six months in Peru and Bolivia. A large part of the trip was spent deep in the Amazon rainforest with the opportunity to witness this incredible wilderness up close. Covering nearly 7 million km² (2.72 million mi²), the Amazon Basin is one of the world’s most biodiverse environments. It holds 10 percent of the world’s native and endangered flora and fauna, so the opportunities for nature lovers are endless.

When not hiking, I lived in a basic one-room thatched hut on stilts. It was close to a small village but was completely off-grid, with no electricity or running water (except the stream below my hut!). Living on less than $1 (50p) a day was my idea of paradise. I had time on my hands to get into the cadence of village life and spent most of my time idly wandering in the forest and observing nature. Looking back through the new lens of being a busy parent, this seems almost impossibly luxurious!

At first, the sound of the rainforest (especially at night – predators and prey are awake) was actually quite intense. It’s a complex wall of sound with its own mysterious rhythm created by a multitude of insects, frogs, bats, birds and monkeys all working together in unison to create a grand symphony of hypnotic and atmospheric soundscapes. After a while, as the brain adjusts, you develop the ability to separate the layers and identify the patterns of the song from each participating creature.

After getting over any initial concerns about predators and biting insects (of which there are many!) the jungle is a comfortable and welcoming environment with an average day and night-time temperature hovering around a perfect 25°C. It’s a womb-like environment where you can easily relax and study the incredible biodiversity around you. I began to find low-light spots where the sun broke through the high canopy, where I could comfortably sit to witness the sights and sounds of the jungle. Using some basic meditation techniques that I had learned as a kid, I found I could happily spend hours in these spaces in an untroubled (apart from the odd insect bite) meditative state.

Little did I know I was inadvertently practising forest bathing. Known as shinrin-yoku in Japanese, it is roughly translated as ‘making contact and taking in the atmosphere of the forest’. Shinrin-yoku is a formal therapy technique inspired by Shinto reverence for nature, focusing on the health benefits of time spent in the forest.

Many Japanese studies report positive health benefits from forest bathing, such as significantly reducing blood pressure and cortisol levels, as well as enhancing mood and mental wellness, and reducing depression and anxiety. Forest bathing is linked to boosting the immune system and scientists think that this partly an effect from contact with phytoncides (essential oils) released from trees that act to boost the human immune function.

According to the attention restoration theory (ART) developed by Rachel and Stephen Kaplan in the 1980s, spending time in an unthreatening natural environment can have a restorative effect because it can replenish depleted ‘attentional resources’. Natural environments teem with ‘soft fascinations’ which stimulate us but require no effort from our attention.

Observing the rich and colourful textures of a forest or field of flowers, watching patterns in cloud formations, listening to a flowing river or bird song, and witnessing a sunrise or sunset are all soft fascinations. Scientists believe that there is something in these natural scenes that causes electrochemical changes in the brain which can lead people to enter a highly beneficial state of effortless attention.

Countless other scientific studies have built on the Kaplans’ attention restoration theory and Japan’s therapeutical shinrin-yoku to show that intentional time spent in nature offers huge physical and psychological upsides. It’s already widely believed in many cultures that nature connection has a hidden healing hand that can be utilised as a channel to wellness. Now science is catching up with an explanation of how this works.

I left the Amazon fully restored, in much better physical and mental condition than when I arrived. Looking back, I can now see that my life has been made up of a series of chapters that have fluctuated between stressful urban periods and retreats back into nature. Undoubtedly my subconscious recognised the antidote to any malaise and conspired to provide a remedy!

What is clear is that mindfulness in nature is not some sort of mystical juju. It is a practice that can have a tangible and measurable impact on health and wellbeing. While I am no expert, this is my approach to mindfulness in nature which is straightforward and accessible to anyone. I hope you get a chance to try it.

Practising Mindfulness In Nature

Perhaps the hardest thing about communicating mindfulness meditation is describing techniques and expected results. Personally, I think the best advice is not to pressure yourself with goals. Just practise a few different techniques and find out what works for you.

What to take

When was the last time you left home without your phone? What is the first thing you do in the morning? If your initial thought is to reach for your phone or computer, chances are you’re suffering from attention theft. Despite being useful tools, digital devices are designed to encourage continual use by sending notifications with ‘helpful’ content or messages.

The first rule of mindfulness is to remove unwanted distractions. Leave your phone at home or in your car. Instead, take a day pack which should include some or all of the 10 essentials.

Choose your location

Personally, I believe mindfulness is an adventure best done solo, but you should always embark on your journey in a safe environment, preferably somewhere that you know well. It will ideally be in the wild, but it could be a local park or reserve to begin with. Make sure it’s somewhere that you won’t get lost, and where you’ll be secure while you’re in a relaxed state of being.

Mindful walk

First of all, it makes sense to spend some time in the area where you plan to meditate. A mindful walk is the best way to lead to a deeper experience. If the terrain is suitable, barefoot is the way to go. Let your feet sink into the ground and notice the feeling of grass and earth underfoot. During your walk pay attention to the details of the plant life surrounding you and begin to engage all of your five senses.

The five senses

One of the techniques of forest bathing is to engage the five senses – sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. This will help you connect with your surroundings. Notice the way the sunlight falls through the canopy, feel the texture of tree bark, tune into the sounds of the forest, rub leaves or flowers and inhale their fragrance, and take deep breaths to trigger your sense of smell – after a while, you will begin to taste the forest (yum)!

Find your spot

For me, this is simply finding a spot where I feel the most comfortable. If you’re in a coniferous forest it’s easy to find a comfortable place among the pine-needle litter. Your spot might be under a favourite tree, a wide-open space with a view, or a more enclosed area. If it’s your first time, try a few different spots until you find one that feels the most comfortable. Check the area where you plan to relax – there’s little point in meditating on a grass verge where you can roll downhill, or positioning yourself next to an ants’ nest!

Relax man

Sit cross-legged or lie down. Close your eyes and begin to focus on your body. I like to start from my toes and move all the way up to the top of my head, consciously relaxing the muscles as I go. It helps to feel the weight of your body and the gravity pulling you down towards the ground. You will begin to notice how your body is touching and connecting with the earth beneath. Once you are feeling relaxed bring your attention to your breath.