I have started a new practice. I would love to say that it was well thought out but honestly, I just needed to get out of my old routine.

It started one overcast Saturday morning about ten weeks ago, I was sitting on my couch grumbling about my need to get more exercise, more specifically my need to get my “steps” in. I have a loop in my neighborhood that I have done hundreds of times and while it accomplishes the purpose of “steps”, it is not exciting, to say the least.

I decided at that moment to do something different, to make my steps an adventure (a pretty tame adventure, but better than pacing the sidewalk). I am very fortunate that there is a beautiful state park about 45 minutes from my house. It has an amazing 35 miles of hiking trails, lush forest, and 10 waterfalls.

Silver Falls State Park

With absolutely no preparation I jumped in the car and headed for Silver Falls State Park. After some initial difficulty, I found a place to park and planned my route. There is a 9 mile, 10 waterfall loop, which I hiked a couple of years ago, but that was a bit more than I was prepared for so I figured out something shorter. I set out for Winter Falls from the Twin Falls Trailhead.

I never made it to Winter Falls.

I got turned around and walked about a mile and a half in the wrong direction…and it didn’t matter one bit!

It was magnificent, the sun was just coming out, the birds were singing, I was surrounded in every direction with green growing forest. It was invigorating and relaxing at the same time. (Is that possible?)

North Falls as seen from the Silver Falls Rim Trail

By the time I was done with my 3.5 mile out and back hike I was completely hooked. I felt SO good when I got back to the car, which was kind of surprising because the climb out of the canyon was a bear (I am not proud to say there was wheezing involved).

Even more surprising the effect stuck with me into the next week. As I sat at my desk staring at my monitors at work, my mind would slip back to memories of the forest and I would feel a sense of peace come over me.

Beneath Lower South Falls

I believe this is what is meant by the Japanese concept of Shinrin Yoku or Forest Bathing.

” Shinrin-yoku is a term that means “taking in the forest atmosphere” or “forest bathing.” It was developed in Japan during the 1980s and has become a cornerstone of preventive health care and healing in Japanese medicine. Researchers primarily in Japan and South Korea have established a robust body of scientific literature on the health benefits of spending time under the canopy of a living forest.

http://www.shinrin-yoku.org/shinrin-yoku.html

There is definitely something to this that is above and beyond just the benefits of walking itself (which are substantial). I met another hiker on the trail a couple of weeks later and she called it “Air Showering”, being out on the trail, wrapped up in the forests atmosphere and majesty.

I still do the neighborhood loop when I am short on time, but I am happy to say that every Saturday this summer since that first morning, I have woke up early and gone for a hike. I found a park that is closer to my house, which means less driving, leaving me more time for hiking. Now it’s not just reserved for Saturdays, I head over there every chance I get. It is peaceful, it makes me happy and I get in a work out. What more can you ask for?

The trail is waiting…

Featured Image: Forest with sunlight by Pixabay