Trees, leaves and soil to relax body and mind
322 views · Published 1 December 2018 · 6:17 · Indexed 10 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(23 Nov 2018) LEAD-IN: As the working week draws to a close, many office workers will be looking forward to escaping to the countryside. Chilling out in forests and woods is an effective way to relax and unwind from the stresses and strains of everyday life, say advocates of forest therapy. STORYLINE: A walk in the woods. A time for contemplation and connecting with nature. The principle behind forest therapy, or sylvotherapy, is that walking in the woods is an untapped resource of good mental and physical health. Today, a sylvotherapy group is taking a slow walk in the Ardenne forest, in southern Belgium. Surrounded by leafy trees near the town of Daverdisse, the five women and their guide are reaping the health benefits of a full immersion in nature. Patrice Deguelte, the leader of the walk, is an eco-guide and practitioner of sylvotherapy in Daverdisse. He says that forest therapy brings us closer to nature and allows us to interact with it. "Forest bathing or sylvotherapy means, first and foremost, to reconnect with the living world, with nature and the living world. Indeed, the connection one establishes, our individual perception, may be very, very strong with nature in general, with the forest in particular or with a particular tree: 'It's the tree that choose me, this is the tree that I like or that likes me'." During the tour Deguelte combines slow walks in the forest with meditation exercises. As with many other wellness practices, breathing plays an essential role in this group relaxation. Practionners are encouraged to disconnect with the outside world by turning their attention to the woods and their breath. Deguelte invites the group to dig into the soil, touch it and smell it by holding it in their hands. It's all part of the effort to fully live in the present moment, aided by the forests' myriads of colours, sounds and smells, Deguelte says. "Forest therapy is very simple. My practice revolves around a full presence and full awareness. Full presence refers to the quality of my attention directed to the present moment that I'm living right now. What do I pay attention to? To my five senses, meaning 'I'm here in the forest; what do I feel? What do I smell (around me)?'" "Thought is something else. At this time, while I practice forest bathing, I no longer have to think. I let things come to me and my senses are active and heightened in order to detect all the sensations and feelings that I may be experiencing," the guide explains. A trained guide, Deguelte offers sessions in the Ardenne region to groups ranging from 8 to 12 people. His clients are mostly aged between 35 and 65 and come from all over Belgium as well as the neighbouring Netherlands. In spite of its benefits, however, Deguelte cautions that forest therapy, which is also known as forest bathing, doesn't heal individuals; he says it's rather a means to improve overall well-being, even with limited exposure to nature. Forest therapists are not qualified to diagnose or treat mental health issues. "We need to be very careful: sylvotherapy is a discipline of preventative health, we all agree on that. We don't say that it heals all ailments; no. On the other hand, being fully aware and fully present in the forest helps to be in better health and to feel better very quickly. Studies show that 20 minutes after entering inside a forest one already feels well and develops positive feelings." Forest therapy participant Genevieve Paternostre is enthusiastic about what the practice does for her. Emily Gold is a yoga therapist from the United States working and living in Brussels. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/77f122b93f1a0c89199053bda50c06b7
