Into the Woods

For a blissful escape that taps into all five senses, try forest bathing

- By Stephanie Vermillion

From trail runs to weekend backpacking trips, forests have always helped me unwind and find grounding. Yet it took a four-day trip to Ecuador’s sliver of the Amazon rain forest for me to fully appreciate one of the wellness industry’s most beloved alfresco experiences: forest bathing.

The concept is simple. “It involves slowing down, noticing your surroundings and taking time to explore the woodland around you,” says Philippa Bassett, communications manager for The Forest Bathing Institute, a global organization that offers events and trainings centered on the practice. It’s different than a hike or run, which focuses on exercise, Bassett says. “Forest bathing encourages full engagement with all five senses to enhance the experience and bring about a mindful state.”

The Amazon rain forest, I learned, is the perfect venue for it. Thick flora keeps most wildlife hidden. Instead of seeing the world through my camera’s lens, I paused, listened, smelled and watched my surroundings for subtle movements that could hint at camouflaged fauna. Jarol Fernando Vaca, an Ecuadorian scientist and my guide at rain-forest escape Sacha Lodge, shared his decades’ worth of wisdom about the forest’s language, and its health benefits, throughout my trip.

“Go slow and nature will open itself up to you, layer by layer,” he told me one afternoon as we watched river otters hunt fish off the lodge’s alfresco dining room. “Once we’re disconnected and listening to the forest and the animals, it just brings a sense of peace.”