The Joys of Guided Group Forest Bathing Vs Solo

When you Forest Bathe alone, there is this “thing” that does not happen when you are being guided with a group.

You are not as fully relaxed when you are alone as when you are in a group guided experience.

I’ve noticed and experienced this distinction lately on my solo sessions.

All my senses and entire body are naturally all on high alert when I am alone in the forest.

And with this comes a micro-dose of adrenaline whenever you hear a twig rustle or see something move.

This makes me feel present, but not necessarily in a relaxing meditative kind of way.

By contrast, I have found that during group forest bathing led by an experienced guide, I feel more relaxed and therefore more able to absorb the healing aspects of the practice. Part of what guides are trained to do is to create a “safe container” in the forest so you can immerse fully.

I noticed this on my solo forest bath this week and remarked on it in my journal.

I was in my favorite nature preserve surrounded by a gentle Winter rain, flowing creeks, old growth forests and all the wonders both tiny and looming that I love to joyfully encounter while forest bathing. This was a full traditional “forest bathing” session following the standard “flow” that I learned in my school and not just a slow walk.

As I was sitting in my tripod chair on the banks of a babbling Winter brook listening in an ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) kind of way to light rainfall in the forest and watching zen circles as the rain danced on the creek, I was suddenly jarred out of my meditative state by a hunting dog that went careening off leash about 15 feet from me through the woods.

At first I was excited because I thought it was a fox! But no — just an orange hound of some sort with collar & dog tags — never even saw me. And then another long haired white dog jangled by, and then little ways off I heard a deep male voice making strange calls to the dogs.

I sat there suddenly very present, but not in a calming meditative kind of way. Rather, in a jarringly, heart beating a little faster, blood pressure up type of way of being present.

Women alone in the woods know this state well.

My brain started to put together that the man was just calling his dogs to come, and they were gone off around the bend in the trail just as quickly as they appeared…and I relaxed again after a few minutes. I resumed my sit spot mediation, but the entire time I was not quite relaxed after that…I was a tiny bit distracted and on a little higher alert the rest of the time.

The magic of forest bathing I encounter in group guided sessions was missing a bit for me if I’m being honest.

The magic that comes from the safety of group forest bathing led by an experienced guide.

To be sure, it was still pleasurable and for me better than sitting at home watching TV — I was out in nature, in my own way — but I left the 2 hour session realizing, and being able to put into words, why this kind of forest bathing is not the same as the group guided experience.

I also noticed I was “missing” being able to share my little “rain drops art show moment” with the group (photo above) — another essential component of guided group forest bathing is the sharing circle after each meditation.

As with a lot of things in life, the experience is better with a (silent) friend — or two — or 15.

So I know that many forest folks out there are very happy and maybe even comfortable to be alone in the woods. My dream is that when forest bathing as a wellness practice takes hold that it will offer peace and healing to everyone, not just people who are already totally comfortable in nature. 

So whether you are a seasoned hiker or a novice — give the group experience a try!

See what magic can happen, together, in nature.

Read the full article on Medium.