Scottish literary giant Robert Louis Stevenson wrote that
it’s "not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim upon men’s
hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from
old trees, that so wonderfully changes and renews a weary spirit." Forests
have long been a place we go to clear our minds. But the simple act of
strolling through woods isn't so common these days. That could change if former
wilderness guide Amos Clifford, who founded the Association of Nature and
Forest Therapy in 2012, has his way. He's formed a 'forest therapy' group for
one reason: to preach the gospel of a new form of preventative healthcare known
as "forest bathing" (a poetic term for using our five senses to
absorb a forest's atmosphere). Read more.
