The Healing Power of Nature: Embracing Forest Bathing

"I didn’t know how much I needed the trees until I heard them listening."

There’s something sacred about standing barefoot on damp earth, breathing in the scent of pine and moss, and letting your body soften into the rhythm of the natural world. Forest bathing—known in Japan as Shinrin-yoku—has become a cornerstone of my healing, and it’s one of the most powerful elements I bring into every women’s wellness retreat I lead.

I remember one particular walk during a solo writing retreat in the woods. I had just written a journal entry about the ache of constantly striving—striving to be enough, to be successful, to be “healed.” I closed the journal and stepped outside, overwhelmed and teary. The moment I entered the trees, everything quieted. Not just around me—but in me.

Nature as a Mirror for the Nervous System

Forest bathing isn’t just poetic; it’s evidence-based. Studies show that immersing ourselves in nature reduces cortisol levels, lowers blood pressure, and calms the nervous system. But what those studies don’t always capture is the emotional intelligence of the forest—the way it holds you without asking for anything in return.

In one of my ketamine therapy journeys (which I’ve written about extensively in my private journals), I saw myself curled up against the base of a giant tree, sobbing like a child. The tree didn’t fix me. It didn’t offer a solution. It just stayed, strong and steady. That vision showed me what true safety feels like—unconditional presence. And now, I seek that kind of presence in the woods.

Why We Bring This to Retreat

At Roots in the Wild, we guide you into the forest not as hikers, but as listeners. It’s not about the distance you walk—it’s about how deeply you arrive. We pause to notice the light flickering through leaves, the crunch of twigs, the warmth of the sun on our skin. We let ourselves be seen by the forest, just as we are.

Many women arrive at the retreats exhausted by constant caretaking, achievement, and masking their true selves. In nature, those layers can fall away. There’s no performance here—only presence.

From the Forest, Back to Ourselves

Forest bathing has become one of my favourite practices for reconnecting with myself, especially as someone who is overly stimulated by sound and lights. It teaches me to be in rhythm with the Earth instead of constantly pushing against it.

And every time I watch a woman take her first deep breath among the trees, I see the same softening I experienced. A remembering. A return.

If you’re craving that return—to your body, your heart, your feminine self—this retreat is for you.

Step into the forest. Let it hold you.

To join us at Roots in the Wild Women's Wellness Retreats, visit Retreats.