The Healing Forest...

Speaking of the International Day of Forestry, I got to know of people who have found solace in the healing properties of nature. Over the past few years, Nitin Das, Gurugram based filmmaker had been searching and filtering through the forest of Shillong and Shimla , Puducherry and Kerala , penning down the stories of people who have lived in the forests . He completed the 51 minute documentary-India’s Healing Forests , in partnership with Doordarshan. This film is currently moving about the list of film festivals and will be shown up in YouTube in upcoming June probably. The forest and people living around have been found to be deeply connected with each other. They admire it. The stories of people written down have made the narrative of science. The healing effect of forest has been known long over time and places such as Asia, South Korea and Japan. Japan is famous for the forest bathing concept . The studies from Japan received the effect of forest on central nervous system auxiliary nervous system and immune system. It takes in account health parameters such as blood pressure, cortisol level, heart and pulse rateBeing around forest keep diabolic pressure low, salivary cubital and heart rate too . It boosts immunity and decreases diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

A forest walk has been introduced which is emotion based and not information based. They teach to level the senses by slowing down. It is not an injection of happiness but like exercise it should be a way of life.If you feel stressed, happy or excited be with the forest . It gives you a chance to cut off yourself from the world and the best part of it, take no screen on it. That will give you memories which will last fresher than the images and the clicks.

The trek, the slight temperature dip will calm you, rejuvenate you and increase your productivity. A forest can be dense as well as populated. Look for places that are undistributed. It is filled with endemic diversity of flora and fauna. When you visit Himalayan forests – valley of flowers – you can find your smell heightened – you can smell flowers , leaves , woods and even insects. In home , you can focus only on hearing and seeing. You never feel bored of the forest , it’s all alive around. You can sit on the rocks to watch the sunset and sunrise and enjoy its present to you.

Nature is full of love. You need to explore it.