🌲 Read This Before Your First Forest Bathing Session.

By Mark Bucha, ANFT Certified Forest Therapy Guide

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re craving a little quiet. Maybe a reset. Maybe even that deep, spacious calm you glimpse once in a while on vacation—but never quite bring home.

Forest bathing—shinrin-yoku in Japanese—has a way of giving you that, often faster than people expect. And no, it’s not hiking. It’s not a workout. You won’t be logging miles or tracking steps. In fact, most people are surprised (and relieved) by how slow, gentle, and restorative it really is.

Before you head out for your first session, here’s everything I want you to know—and especially the one mistake (Mistake #3) everyone makes at least once.

What Forest Bathing Actually Is (and Isn’t)

Let’s clear the air before we dive in.

Forest bathing isn’t about “doing” something—it’s about being somewhere. It’s the practice of intentionally slowing down in nature so your senses can open and your nervous system can settle.

It’s not a hike.

No power walking, no burning calves, no racing to the lookout point. There is no destination.

It’s not meditation.

People often meditate in forests, sure. But forest bathing is more playful, more sensory, and way less rule-bound.

It’s not another fad.

Forest bathing is backed by decades of research on stress hormones, immune support, inflammation reduction, heart rate variability, and mental health.
You don’t need to “believe” in anything. You just need to show up.

Mistake #1: Treating It Like a Hike

This is the biggest misconception, especially for people between 30 and 65 who are used to squeezing productivity into every corner of life.

In forest bathing, slow is the point. Slow is where your senses finally catch up with your body. Slow is what lets your brain drop out of its high-alert “to-do list mode.”

Personal Anecdote

Recently, I led a group on a forest therapy walk at Raven’s Retreat located in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio. One woman from the group was halfway up the trail before the rest of us had even taken our first mindful breath.

When I called after her, she shouted back:
“Sorry! I just walk fast, it’s a habit!”

Ten minutes later, once she finally slowed down, she whispered to me:
“I had no idea trees smelled like this.”

Exactly. When you slow down, the forest starts revealing itself.

Mistake #2: Trying to “Do It Right”

If you’re a perfectionist, an overthinker, or someone who loves a good checklist, this is for you.

People often show up asking questions like:

Am I breathing correctly?
Should I focus on something specific?
Is my mind supposed to be quiet?

Here’s my guide-approved answer:

There is no right or wrong way to experience the forest.

If your mind wanders, great.
If you feel bored for a moment, fine.
If you suddenly feel emotional, welcome it.

The forest has space for all of it.

🚨 Mistake #3 (The Big One): Staying in Your Head Instead of Your Senses)

This is the mistake nearly everyone makes their first time—including me.

Most people don’t realize how mentally noisy they’ve become until they step into the woods and the contrast hits. That mental chatter—planning, fixing, worrying, replaying—follows you right into the forest.

Why It Happens

If you’re between 30 and 65, you’re likely juggling careers, relationships, family, aging parents, finances, digital overload, and constant stimulation. Your brain has been in “manager mode” for years.

But forest bathing is about dropping from your thinking mind into your sensing body.

Personal Anecdote

On my very first official forest therapy training day, I stood in the woods with my instructor and said, “I don’t hear anything special.”

She smiled and said, “That means you’re listening to hard. Take a few gentle, slow, deep breaths and just be in the moment.”

Moments later—once I stopped trying—the forest seemed to bloom with sound: two bird calls, a rustle of leaves, distant water. It felt like nature had been whispering the whole time and I just didn’t know how to listen.

What to Bring (and What to Leave Behind)

Bring:

Comfortable shoes
Layers (temperature shifts in forests are sneaky)
Water
A small sit pad or scarf for sitting
Openness to whatever happens

Leave Behind:

Earbuds
Expectations
Heavy backpacks
Rigid plans
Your phone (or keep it on airplane mode)

Your Guide Has Assessed the Right Place for Your First Session

You don’t need an epic national park. You don’t need to drive for hours. You don’t even need a “pristine” forest. ANFT Forest Therapy guides are training to assess natural environments for optimal forest bathing experiences.

ANFT guides Look for:

Trees (one grove is enough)
A quiet-ish trail
A place where you feel safe being unhurried
Soft ground or a spot to sit comfortably
Moderate foot traffic

Time of Day Tips

Early morning = softer sounds, fewer people
Late afternoon = golden light and relaxed energy
Avoid mid-day heat → harder to feel subtle sensory cues

Seasonal Advice

Fall and spring are perfect for beginners—gentle temperatures and rich sensory experiences.

What Actually Happens in a Forest Bathing Session

Here’s a taste of how I guide a typical walk:

1. Opening Invitation

I’ll invite you to slow your breathing, feel your feet on the earth, and sense what your body needs today.

2. Slow Wander

We move at the pace of curiosity. Maybe you’re drawn to bark patterns, maybe to sunlight, maybe to the scent of pine needles.

3. Sit Spot

This is the heart of the practice. Find a place to sit, pause, and simply witness the forest around you. This is where people often feel the first wave of true calm.

4. Closing Gratitude

We end by acknowledging what the forest offered—perhaps a feeling, an insight, a moment of peace.

A Common Emotional Surprise

At least once a month, someone tears up during a sit spot. It’s not sadness—it's relief. The trees have a way of holding you without asking anything in return.

How to Get the Most Out of Your First Session

Set a Light Intention

Something like:

I want to feel grounded.
I want to reconnect with myself.
I want to unwind.

Let Your Inner Child Lead

Touch moss. Listen to water. Notice tiny things.
Be willing to wander without purpose.

Give Yourself Permission to Do Nothing

This is hard for adults—especially busy adults.
But “nothing” is where the magic happens.

Allow Silence

Silence gives the forest space to speak.

What You Might Feel Afterward

In the hours after:

Deep relaxation
Mental clarity
A soft, expanded awareness
Improved mood
A surprising sense of peace

In the days after:

Clearer thinking
Increased patience
Better sleep
Less reactivity

Many people report, “I didn’t know I needed that much until afterward.”

When You Might Prefer a Guided Session

You might want to go with an ANFT certified forest therapy guide if:

You feel anxious being alone in the woods
You want a structured experience
You’re attending a wellness retreat
You want deeper meaning-making
You need help slowing down

Guides provide invitations you’d never think to offer yourself—and those invitations can lead to unexpectedly profound experiences.

Final Thoughts: Let the Forest Surprise You

If this is your first forest bathing session, remember:
There’s no wrong way to do this.
No perfect mindset.
No special skill required.

Just show up.
Move slowly.
Let your senses lead.
And please—for your own sake—don’t fall into Mistake #3.
The forest wants to meet you, not your thoughts.

When you're ready, the trees will be waiting. 🌲💚

BOOK your experience with us TODAY!!!

Read This Before Your First Forest Bathing Session.