The Metro Vancouver Regional Parks department is bringing the practice of forest bathing to Maple Ridge and other communities.
They invite the public to step into nature, take a deep breath of fresh forest air and let your body relax. Awaken your senses and experience the Japanese practice of forest bathing.
This activity will be offered on July 10 from 9:30 a.m. to noon at Kanaka Creek Regional Park. It is for adults 19 and over, and the cost is $15 or $7.50 for seniors. Registration is required, and is offered online.
Forest bathing, or shinrinyoku is the about spending time in a forest, listening to birds and other sounds, watching sunshine filter through leaves, breathing forest air, touching the rough bark of a tree, and letting the stillness be a mental health break from urban life. It is maximizing the sensory experience of nature, and the Japanese proponents believe it improves sleep, mood, and focus, and relieves stress.
Other forest bathing events are coming up at Derby Reach Regional Park in Langley and others in Vancouver.
