AWAKEN

TO YOUR PLACE IN THE WEB OF LIFE

Instituto de Baños de Bosque conducts activities to promote nature connection, self-connection and to improve your well-being.

The Instituto de Baños de Bosque (formerly Shinrin-Yoku Barcelona):

  • Aim to satisfy the need for supported nature connection helping people to access health restoration.
  • Promote Forest Bathing and Forest Therapy as sustainable ecosystem services to benefit both the planet and  populations.

Our approach with Forest Bathing, Shinrin-Yoku, is to combine soft trails walks in the forest with guided activities that support the opening of the senses, improve intuition allowing for a different taste of the forest. We will spend time in the forest simply being present using our senses to connect to ourselves and the forest.

We will focus on a deeper and more holistic connection to the natural surroundings using our senses and working deeply on our sensorial connections.

Interactions, at various times along the walks, support participants to share with each other, integrate on how each lives the experience and how we feel together.

We base our activities in mentoring techniques that allow a deeper nature connection.

The Instituto de Baños de Bosque offers the following services:

IN PRACTICE,
IT’S GOOD FOR YOU

SHINRIN-YOKU, IS A TERM THAT MEANS "FOREST BATHING"

The concept was developed in Japan during the 80s with the purpose of treating high levels of stress.

The practice of approaching to nature for wellbeing is transversal to many other cultures.Every culture in the world has developed their own traditions of nature connection and its healing and relaxing properties.

The Japanese pattern and process system, Shinrin-Yoku, inspired the Instituto de Baños de Bosque method. The main difference is that the technique we use is based on our culture, traditions, social context and specific environment.

The idea is simple: by being in a natural setting walking in a relaxed and connected way, we can achieve a series of benefits: relaxation and restoring of the nervous system. This practice follows the general principle that being in nature is good for us and highly contribute to our well being.

ACTIVITIES  IN THE FOREST OR IN A NATURAL AREA ARE THERAPEUTIC WHEN, THROUGH THE SENSES, IN A CALM AND CONSCIOUS WAY, WE OPEN A SPACE OF LISTENING AND ACCEPTANCE.

The activities that we carry out, from the therapeutic point of view, start from the following premises:

  • Therapeutic intention to connect with nature in a sensory way, with the senses, and move consciously.
  • They are performed without haste, are not intended to perform physical exercises.
  • Interactions with the environment requires attention.
  • The relationship with nature and the therapeutic impact develops over time. It's not a one-time event.
  • Routines that help deepen relationships with nature and health benefits are established. It's not just about hiking in the woods.

The guide and the activities offered help the participants to slow down and awaken the senses, realizing the nuances of interactions in the natural environment.

THE BIGGEST BENEFIT
IS THAT IT IS GOOD FOR YOU

In the last decades several scientific studies have demonstrated that spend time in forested areas have positive effects on human health.

The scientifically proven benefits of Forest Forest Bathing, Shinrin-Yoku, include:

  • Decrease of stress.
  • Increase the state of positive mood and the feeling of psychological wellbeing.
  • Increased vitality.
  • Improved concentration.
  • Decreased psychological tension-anxiety.
  • Decreased depression, anger, fatigue, confusion and hostility.
  • Improves sleeping patterns.
  • Increases the perception of the sense of belonging.
  • Strengthening of the immune system, through the increase of Natural Killer (NK) cells.
  • Decrease of blood pressure.
  • Accelerated recovery from surgery or chronic and acute illnesses.