Wake with Shinrin-yoku

I found the children's book, Wake at my favorite local bookstore. In Wake, written by Shawn Dougherty and illustrated by Leah Busch, we witness a young boy's discovery of his connection to nature. With a balance of striking forest images and the gentle visions of a child's openess and innocence, Wake draws you into this intimate tale. We are urged to heed the call - Stay connected to the earth!

There's plenty of research to support this call.

Shinrin-yoku, a Japanese term translated as forest bathing, is a wellness therapy that delivers multiple healing effects from time spent out in nature.

Here are some of the illustrations from Wake. Click on each for a larger view, then see below to find out more about Shinrin-yoku for your good health!

The scientifically-proven benefits of Shinrin-yoku include:

Boosted immune system functioning, with an increase in the count of the body's Natural Killer (NK) cells. Reduced blood pressure Reduced stress Improved mood Increased ability to focus, even in children with ADHD Accelerated recovery from surgery or illness Increased energy level Improved sleep

The results experienced from regular practice are:

Deeper and clearer intuition Increased flow of energy Increased capacity to communicate with the land and its species Increased flow of eros/life force Deepening of friendships Overall increase in sense of happiness

Research can be found to support these benefits here.

Visit www.shinrin-yoku.org to read more.