You might have heard in the last few years about how in certain countries they’re even giving prescriptions of “time in nature” to people who are stressed and have extra bouts of anxiety. An example of this time in nature is forest bathing.
What is Forest Bathing?
Forest bathing, also known as Shinrin-yoku, is a practice where you immerse yourself in nature to soak up the healing benefits it offers. The practice originated in Japan, and it prioritizes mindfulness, stress reduction, and a deep connection with the natural world. A lot of people report physical and psychological benefits to spending this time immersed in the natural world.
But how is Canyoning also Forest Bathing?
Traditional forest bathing takes you to places where you can absorb the tranquility of wooded landscapes and occupy your senses with your natural surroundings. Canyoning takes this practice and just makes it a little more active – moving you from place to place, all the while soaked in nature.
There’s simply no end to the field-day your eyes will be having as you step into the canyons. There’s so much to see that it’s likely you’ll only capture a tiny fraction of it during our 5 hours on the tour. All different shades of green and brown – all different textures from trees, to rocks to water. Not to mention the incredible wildlife that we have the privilege of seeing.
Your ears will also fill with the soothing sounds of rushing water, and various bird species. I mean, people buy recordings of this stuff because it taps into our innermost natures. And you’ll be right there – where the recordings were taken from – unfiltered and unchanged.
You’ll also be deeply connected with your haptic sense – or your sense of touch – both in each rappel; being that you control your descent with your hands, and also in between rappels as you hike through waterways, feeling different textures and grips underfoot. The sense of groundedness you get from swimming in a natural pool, water embracing you, is also second-to-none.
Even while you’re held in an exploration of your other senses, your nose will be breathing in some of the freshest and cleanest air you can find – sometimes even bringing you trailing scents of the presently flowering trees.
As for taste, well that’s deeply linked with your sense of smell – but also, we’ll be sure to give your tastebuds an extra boost with our homemade snacks we bring on tour with us.
In these ways, you might even start to think of canyoning an intimate encounter with nature’s elements. More than just an adventure. When you take the plunge with us, we do our best to help tune your senses into your surroundings and help you see more, hear more and feel more during your time in the canyon.
Even though the physicality of canyoning engages your body, releasing endorphins and adrenaline, it’s balanced out perfectly by the soothing effect caused simply by spending time in nature – leaving you feeling calm, connected and like you’ve had an incredible adventure at the same time.
This is why we propose canyoning as the ultimate forest-bathing experience.
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