Forest Bathing: Nature’s Powerful Medicine Against Stress, Anxiety, and Burnout

Forest bathing – the seemingly simple practice of walking mindfully in the forest without an agenda – proves to be one of the most effective methods modern humans have for reducing stress, depression, anxiety, high blood pressure, and sleep problems. Recent scientific research now confirms what shamans have known for millennia: Nature and Mother Earth are among our most powerful and accessible sources of healing.

In just a few months, Cathrine Emilie has undergone a remarkable transformation from a serious life crisis. She struggled with major depressive disorder, social anxiety, self-harm, and exhaustion. A crucial part of her healing process was daily forest bathing. Read the touching and inspiring interview with Cathrine Emilie.

Shamanic insight, wisdom, and practice have likely been the most significant force behind how a desperate civil engineer and entrepreneur – after experiencing burnout and nearly losing his life in 2003 – found their way back to a meaningful, holistic, and joyful life. Before the breakdown, I was convinced I had found the key to health and happiness, but in retrospect, I understood this was an illusion. Today, I am deeply grateful for the life crisis that pushed me onto a path that would change everything.

Shamanism is neither a modern neo-religious construction nor a New Age phenomenon. And the shaman is far more than a healer in trance. Shamanic traditions have existed on all continents as long as humans themselves have been here, and the oldest known traces of shamanic practice are over 70,000 years old (ref. 1).

Facts About Shamanism

The word shaman comes from “šaman,” used by the Tungus people in Siberia, meaning “the one who knows, the one who sees, or the one who has insight.” Since 1980, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized shamanism as a legitimate method on par with Western medicine for treating psychosomatic disorders.

A shaman is an individual who guides others in understanding and respecting both external and internal nature while helping them align with their spiritual core and vision. The shaman’s insights and power emerge from metaphysical realms through connections with various energy fields, power animals, and light beings. In the shamanic worldview, everything that exists is alive (animism), and the creative force flows through all that is (pantheism).

Shamanism is not a religion. Religions are founded on dogmas, rules, moral belief systems, and authorities that stand between humans and the divine. This forms the core of a religious system.

In shamanism, however, one experiences the creative force directly – without the need for intermediaries, doctrines, or external authorities. This direct experience of the divine is known as religio.

At the Yggdrasil shamanic school, the shaman walks the path of the heart, where the foundation for all practice lies in values such as respect, compassion, love, empathy, integrity, honesty, forgiveness, gratitude, and tolerance.

My experience shows that anyone can learn shamanism. Through numerous examples from my own students, I have witnessed how people – regardless of their ethnic background, life circumstances, or innate abilities – can develop into shamans who create profound, positive changes in both their own lives and others’. (See the articles What is Shamanism? and Shamanic Magic – A Glimpse Behind the Mystical Veil of Magic for more information.)

«According to my experience, absolutely everyone can learn shamanism»

Pål-Esben Wanvig

Nature’s Wisdom

Nearly all shamans share a profound resonance with nature and Mother Earth. In shamanic practice, nature serves as humanity’s greatest teacher – our most reliable source of healing, insight, and balance. Mother Earth forms the very foundation of all existence. When a shaman seeks guidance, deeper understanding, or answers to life’s questions, they turn their attention to nature. Here, they study nature’s rhythms, patterns, and interactions – and through meditative presence, listen to nature’s underlying rhythms.

Nature is our foremost healing force, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Without nature, life on Earth would be impossible. Yet modern humans have gradually lost touch with nature’s wisdom. The result is a society where we undermine our own foundation through overconsumption, haste, and increasing destructiveness – both against ourselves, others, and the planet. Intolerance, conflicts, and mutual violations are becoming increasingly normalized, as if this were a natural progression.

But this is not – and has never been – natural. For hundreds of thousands of years, humans lived in close and respectful harmony with nature. Only with industrialization was this connection broken. In just a few decades, we have managed to damage large portions of our ecological foundation through exploitation, pollution, and extensive environmental destruction.

I believe the time has come for a new form of “normal” to take root – one that is healthier, more harmonious, and more aligned with our true nature. To create this shift, many more people must rediscover what is truly natural, both in their inner and outer landscapes. Here, Mother Earth, and the shamanic tradition, have invaluable contributions to make.

Our Greatest Teacher and Healer

Modern humans need, more than ever, to rediscover nature’s role as a healer and source of self-insight. An increasing number of people are gravitating towards cities, surrounding themselves with concrete, asphalt, and artificial environments instead of the living nature that has nourished us for hundreds of thousands of years. In today’s Norway, around 80 percent of the population lives in urban areas, and the UN estimates that 68 percent of the world’s population will reside in cities by 2050 (ref. 4).

In a daily life characterized by rapid pace, demands, and mental distractions, few people set aside time for nature experiences that can provide relaxation, restoration, and holistic balance. Never before in human history have we been so disconnected from nature’s rhythms – and simultaneously, we have never faced such extensive health challenges related to stress, anxiety, depression, frustration and inner turmoil. These conditions lay the groundwork for many of the serious and chronic ailments that plague society today.

A simple yet powerful practice to restore this connection is to spend 30-60 minutes daily in nature over a period of 90 days. For many, this is unfamiliar, as regular contact with nature has long been absent from their lives. The key is to be present alone without goals and agenda, without performance and without distractions: no mobile phone, no music, no planning, no evaluation of the day – and no physical exercise that takes focus away from the moment. It’s just you – completely alone and fully present with nature.

It’s simply about moving slowly and mindfully in nature, allowing all your senses to open up. This daily wandering creates space for inner silence, balance, and the rediscovery of a peace that lies deeper than thoughts – a stabilizing counterweight to an otherwise hectic and chaotic existence.

«Never before in human history have we been so disconnected from nature’s rhythms – and simultaneously, we have never faced such extensive health challenges related to stress, anxiety, depression, frustration, chronic illness and inner turmoil.»

Pål-Esben Wanvig

Your Daily Forest Bath Can Work Wonders

Else Karin, one of my students, sought my help several years ago to find her way out of severe burnout. She was a classic workaholic – driven by perfectionism, high tempo, and a constant need to perform. Silence and rest were non-existent in her world; there were always new tasks, projects, and duties demanding her time and energy. After a focused development process, Else Karin managed to overcome her burnout, resigned from her job at the vehicle licensing office, and grew to become one of Norway’s most experienced therapists and spiritual guides.

Even after finding meaning, joy, and deep satisfaction in life, an inner drive continued to push her toward more work and additional commitments. This inner voice created constant pressure, making it challenging for her to maintain the balance she had fought hard to achieve.

A few years ago, I introduced her to the simple “forest bathing exercise” described earlier. We agreed that she would visit nature every day for 90 days – without agenda – and keep a “forest bathing diary” throughout the period. At least every other week, she would also undertake a longer journey of minimum two hours.

Initially, this was challenging, as her old patterns of activity remained deeply ingrained. However, after a few weeks, the first profound changes began to emerge…

“As the weeks progressed, I experienced an increasingly profound inner peace. The internal voice that had constantly driven me forward gradually became quieter, and my life transformed in a positive and deeply meaningful way. I began to cancel activities, decline new clients and projects – even the renovation of my own home – without feeling fear or guilt. For me, this was nothing short of miraculous. The voice that had been chasing me all these years had finally fallen silent. For the first time in my life, I experienced genuine, fundamental inner peace,” she shares.

I recommend reading the inspiring interview with Else Karin, where she shares her experiences and the life-changing insights she gained on her journey.

Forest Bathing – Nature is Your Medicine

Research from around the world has thoroughly documented nature’s deeply healing influence on the human body and mind. Particularly notable is the work done in Japan, where the practice of healing forest walks is called Shinrin-yoku. Between 2004 and 2012, Japanese authorities invested over 4 million dollars in extensive research examining the physiological and psychological effects of regular forest visits (ref. 6). Here are some of the most remarkable research findings related to regular forest bathing:

Positive Research Results from Using Forest Bathing

• Reduced stress levels and depressive symptoms (ref 7 article and PDF)
• Significant decrease in frustration and anxiety symptoms (ref 8)
• Enhanced concentration ability in children with ADHD (ref. 9)
• Documented reduction in blood pressure (ref. 10)
• Notable improvement in sleep quality (ref. 11)
• Enhanced creative thinking and problem-solving abilities (ref. 11)
• Substantial increase in energy levels (ref. 11)
• Improved mental state and mood (ref. 11)
• Strengthened immune system through increased production of natural killer cells and lymphocytes (ref. 11)
• Accelerated recovery after medical procedures and illness periods (ref. 11)
• Documented improvement for individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome and burnout (ref. 12)

The scientific explanations for the positive effects of forest bathing are numerous, with stress reduction being a central factor. When we walk contemplatively in nature – without goals, demands, or agenda – our brain waves gradually shift into alpha rhythms, the same state that occurs during deep relaxation, meditation, or yin yoga. This calms down the brain areas that handle stress, worries, and fear response (ref. 13), which in turn leads to a natural reduction in stress hormones (ref. 14).

From a shamanic perspective, however, there are far more explanations for the extensive health benefits humans experience through regular forest bathing. The subtle energy fields of trees, the wide-open space of the sky, nature’s beauty, the melodic peace of birdsong, the soft humming of insects, the healing aroma molecules from plants, earth’s magnetic pulse, the forest’s mycelial communication network, the pure air – and not least the subtle energetic vibration behind nature’s healthy rhythms – constitute a deeply harmonizing whole. These fascinating aspects will be explored in more detail in upcoming articles.

The Doctor’s and Shaman’s Recommendation: Take a Walk in the Forest!

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that depression will be the leading cause of work disability by 2030 (ref. 15). In Norway, nearly 30 percent of adults report experiencing mental health issues such as anxiety or depression during the past year (ref. 16). Could forest bathing become one of the future standard tools for doctors in treating depression, anxiety, stress, and high blood pressure?

This is wisdom that shamans have worked with for millennia – long before modern medicine existed. Perhaps the time is ripe to let this ancient wisdom inspire you to integrate daily or weekly nature walks as a natural part of your health practice?

Both the shaman’s experience-based knowledge and modern research findings point in the same direction: forest bathing has powerful, measurable effects. My recommendation is simple – try forest bathing for 90 days. Practice it daily, and observe how both body and mind gradually transform. You have nothing to lose – and everything to gain.

Ready for Exceptional Results in 30 Days?

If you desire exceptional results in a short time, I recommend combining daily forest bathing with a digital “cleanse.” This means avoiding news (newspapers, TV, and online news) and reducing social media use to an absolute minimum for 30 days.

Most people are deeply surprised – indeed, often shocked – by how dramatically this affects their quality of life. Mental clarity increases, stress levels drop, sleep quality improves, creativity awakens, and relationships become more harmonious. In short: you give your nervous system room to return to balance, and this is noticeable in absolutely every aspect of your life.

Try it. The effect can be life-changing – as it has been for many of my students and clients.

References

Ref. 1: World’s oldest ritual discovered. Worshipped the python 70,000 years ago. Apollon, Universitetet i Oslo  https://www.apollon.uio.no/english/articles/2006/python-english.html

Ref. 3: «Beyond Positive Psychology, A Journey from Burnout to Enlightenment», P.E. Wanvig, Amazon.co.uk

Ref. 4: 68% of the world population projected to live in urban areas by 2050. FN, https://www.un.org/development/desa/en/news/population/2018-revision-of-world-urbanization-prospects.html

Ref. 6: Take Two Hours of Pine Forest and Call Me in the Morning, Outside – https://www.outsideonline.com/1870381/take-two-hours-pine-forest-and-call-me-morning

Ref. 7: The influence of urban green environments on stress relief, Journal of Environmental Psychology, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494413000959Og (PDF) http://www.tlu.ee/~arro/Happy%20Space%20EKA%202014/urban%20green_stress%20Ojala%20jt.pdf

Ref. 8: AGGRESSION AND VIOLENCE IN THE INNER CITY Effects of Environment via Mental Fatigue, Kuo, F. E., & Sullivan, W. C. (2001) https://is.muni.cz/el/1423/podzim2011/HEN597/um/Readings_Env_Psy/Kuo__F.E.__Sullivan__W.C.__2001_.pdf

Ref. 9: Children With Attention Deficits Concentrate Better After Walk in the Park, Journal of Attention Disorders, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23192434_Children_With_Attention_Deficits_Concentrate_Better_After_Walk_in_the_Park

Ref. 10: Blood pressure-lowering effect of Shinrin-yoku (Forest bathing): a systematic review and meta-analysis, NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28814305

Ref. 11: The Science of Nature & Forest Therapy,https://www.natureandforesttherapy.org/about/science

Ref. 12: Personer med utmattningssyndrom mår bättre av skogsbad, SVT,https://www.svt.se/nyheter/vetenskap/personer-med-utmattningssyndrom-mar-battre-av-skogsbad-1

Ref. 13: Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation, PNAS,https://www.pnas.org/content/112/28/8567

Ref. 14: City living and urban upbringing affect neural social stress processing in humans, NCBI, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21697947

Ref. 15: Depression looms as global crisis, BBC, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8230549.stm

Ref. 16: Fakta Helsenett, https://www.helsenett.no/142-fakta/fakta.html